cantgetin

7 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

Thanks for the reminders.  Where is the meet and greet held?  Since I haven’t made any dinner reservations, that settles the first night.  EM

THese activities should show up on your app after boarding.  The meet and greet is on the pool deck near where the sail away is located.   PLEASE verify because everything on VV is subject to change, but this is how it has been on each of our sailings over the last 2 years.

The above info is correct.  Winning bids have nothing to do with what you paid for your cabin originally, only what category you purchased.  I'm aware of one person who went from an inside to an oceanview for $25.  It really doesn't matter whether the site lists your bid as "weak" or "good."  It matters what others bid and how many upgrades are available.  

Another thing to check is whether upgrades are available at port.  In this case, you are told what the price will be and what the available cabins are.  THe sales person will have access to a chart showing the various cabin categories and price depends on what category you are in and what you are going to.  The advantage of this is that you know exactly what cabin you are moving into--this means you can avoid cabins in locations you consider less desirable and that someone who needs an accessible cabin can potentially move to a better level of accessible.  The downside is that there is no guarantee that any upgrades will be available at the port and any available might be priced higher than those that were bids.

We have been very fortunate with upgrades at port on other lines, and I was quite surprised to see huge signs at the terminal for our last VV cruise as it was the most full VV we'd been on. The goal of the line is to get the most they can from each passenger/cabin....and if that means an extra $200 in their pocket at port, they will go for it.

Cabin level has nothing to do with check in time or services once you board.  You are probably already aware of the solo cruiser meet and greet just prior to the sail away party as well as the solo cruiser dinner hosted by  Happenings Cast in Razzle Dazzle on the first night, no reservation needed.  It used to be at 6:30, but I'd recommend that you verify the time.  Both are good times to meet other solo cruisers.  We had additional activities on each sea day, but I think that depends on the length of the cruise.

Strict, but if you have a late boarding time (3 pm or later) it is very likely that your group will be called before the actual time.  You won't be able to jump past anyone in an earlier group, but you might be taken before your group time IF you have a later time.

7 hours ago, SM Cruiser said:

It's not really a "Status Match" as it gives very limited benefits on Blue Extra, ( a cup of coffee per day and 1 bag of washing, neither of which I will use) nothing like the benefits I receive on Celebrity 😞 

 

I received an email saying I was eligible for DBE (my first time with Virgin) but my booking says Blue Extra only.

 

Obviously we don't know when you requested the match and would need to research which match was in effect at that time.  BUT if you have the email that says you get DBE, I would contact them.  They will either give you DBE or admit their mistake.

They never claimed to "match" that package that other cruise lines gave for any given level...but to "match" by placing you in their loyalty program.  I used the top tier on another cruise line, and the DBE that I got thru VV was better than the benefits that other line was giving me.  Other line used to have good benefits, but they had decreased over time.

My logic is that we have spent thousands of dollars gaining loyalty status on other lines.  Anything that VV was giving us on our first cruises with them was indeed a great benefit.  If you don't drink premium coffee, you can choose premium tea or hot chocolate.  You can use your benefit to treat a crew member who is waiting in line (they pay full price if they get it in guest areas, but may not have time while on break to run back to crew area where it is cheaper).  Or you can just not use it.  Your choice.  That huge bag of laundry is a great benefit on a 14 or 15 night cruise, not worth much on a 3 or 4 night.  I agree that Blue Extras is not much.....but again, it is something.

My TA will do it at midnight  EST when the portal opens.  What I do is to send her the list of what I'd like to have on which night and approximately what times in advance.  She understands that I will try to do it thru the app, but if the app crashes, I'll shoot her a message and she will take over from there.  She also knows that if I say 8:00, that means get it as close to that time as you can.  FWIW, the most I've been able to do on my own is 3 nights, then the crash.

Will it be full or not by the next morning?  That depends on how full your cruise is and how many people jump on trying to make reservations at midnight.  My first cruise, I didn't do reservations till the next morning on the phone to VV (different TA for that first cruise).  I had no problem, but that cruise was only half full.  Since than, no problem with getting reservations, but I was doing it at or near midnight.

1 hour ago, Essiesmom said:

Okay, enough!  What is 485c?  EM

It is named for the shade of red used on the ships.  It is a specialty loyalty group, well above the Deep Blue or other programs.  It was supposedly the first 99 people who booked on VV with Richard being number 100, but somehow has now expanded to more people than that.

9 hours ago, neverendingcruising said:

485c get black bands. The purple bands were sent out in 2022 to Sea Blazers (anyone who sailed in 2021). 

Thanks...I just knew my friend was wearing all 3 on one cruise.....and I definitely know that some people with black bands  do not qualify either by purchasing suites or being 485c.  VV hands those out to people they choose for whatever their reasons may be.

On 7/3/2024 at 12:24 PM, valandemmy said:

 

Awesome to know.  I have sent a message to them to ask about substitutions, I thought it needed to be done before we leave so that makes it less urgent at least. haha.

 

A lot seems to depend on who your agent is.

21 hours ago, Liao said:

I’ve only been on one TA, Celebrity Edge, October 2022, 1300 passengers 

I' ve done a total of 12 TAs, but figured the question applied to Virgin Voyages.  I've seen huge increarses on other lines as well.  THe good thing  on other lines is these cruises are typically when schools are in session so most of the kids on board are infants and toddlers--not the ones who can run around without parental supervision.

3 hours ago, Liao said:

Do you happen to know if VV TA’s generally sail at or near full capacity?

I've been on all 4 of the TAs between Barcelona and Miami.

October 2022--1300 sailors

April 2023 1500

October 2023. 1851

April 2024. 2100

I'm sure the round numbers are not exact, but they are what we were told.  We could definitely tell a difference on the April 2024---too full for my liking!

Yes, people often report getting upgrades at all sorts of bid levels.  It is totally a matter of what is available and how many bidders are trying to get them.

On our last cruise, there was a suite available that could have been an upgrade  at the terminal--must have been a last minute cancelation.  In that case, VV has determined a price based on the type of cabin you originally booked and what you are upgrading into.

Surely you have read on the website what is included, so are just looking for hints.  Be at the port at 1, check in thru the rockstar entrance (if in Miami).  BCN did not have a separate entrance but did have a separate waiting area.  

You only get the one bar set up, but you can request all the mixers, cans of soft drinks, etc. that you want.  Rooftop every night will have a happy hour with drink choices. You basically shouldn't have to wait in any lines.  You an be escorted off the ship at all ports and at the end of the cruise.  Shows that don't have reservations, your rockstar agent will move you to the front of the line.  Let them know of anything you want; worst they can do is say No>

16 hours ago, CrazyTrain2 said:

I heard all the bad ideas were JLo's.

Well, I never saw anything good from her....we were boarding the ship on a day when she was on board filming a commercial.  This was after she changed the date.  Boarding was delayed by more than an hour, large areas of the ship were closed off in order to complete the filming, and we departed late after her limo picked her up outside the terminal.  I think I saw that commercial run once, then they didn't appear to be using her any more.  I never understood her purpose.

The old bands had sayings....there were 4 or 5 available.  Prior to that, they were sending them to you in advance with your name on them, but that stopped (I'm guessing because too many people were either not receiving them or forgetting them).
Most recent ones are plain red for us normal people, black for people who have access to Richard's Rooftop, and purple, I think for 485c.  Note, not all people with black bands are staying in suites--they give Rooftop to others that they consider appropriate--content creators, some First Mates, etc.

34 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

I just finished my checkin for July 14 and was playing around with booking dinners, but it would let me choose time and restaurant, but then freeze.  Not concerned.  I won’t starve.  EM

As above, somewhere between 35% and 50% of dinner reservations are held back until embarkation.  You can make reservations as soon as you can log onto the ship's wifi using the app or you can go to the restaurant that has a help team--normally Razzle Dazzle, but on our most recent cruise was Pink Agave.  As you said, you won't starve.  There are also nightly specials in The Galley ...some of them are really good.

It is EASY.  No, you won't get a print out.  You will get a medical form on the app 24 hours before your cruise.  If you have completed everything on the app, you will just need to show your passport and credit card at check in.  If there is any problem that can't be quickly resolved at the check in desk, they will send you to a help desk...but this is mostly for people who have not checked in on the app.  They once had a problem with my photo--it took all of

10 seconds for them to take another one with their tablet.

You will not get any luggage tags.  The porters will supply those when you get to the terminal.

7 minutes ago, Tralfaz1138 said:

 

 

That said, the weirder thing to me is that the XL sea terrace on the return trip for Scarlett Lady next year is almost $2000 more for the same number of nights and ports.  I'm not sure what makes that trip "worth more".  I've seen it with other repositioning cruises on Virgin as well, so I don't know if it's a time of year thing or something else that made one direction more expensive than the other.

Any increased port charges show up under the taxes.  I think price differences are based on the real or anticipated popularity of a cruise.  For instance, the first few times of a new port are likely to be quite popular and increase costs.  

I don't remember which one I looked up for 2025, but the price was double what we paid for 2024....and that was enough for me to decide to not do it.
IF you know you are doing a TA in each direction 5-6 months apart, you can often book round trip plane tickets, which can make the international portion of the flights far less costly. 

10 hours ago, CougarKraft said:

I believe that it is a standard interior design method to control areas of more "flow" and other areas where they prefer people to congregate. 

Respectfully disagree.  Why organize an area with 50 or more uncomfortable seats?  Example--The Dock has 3 styles of seats, only one of which I can sit in at all comfortably.   Yes, the area could hold more people if they got rid of those day bed things, but they sometimes can't keep up with orders now.  Some decks which are obviously walkways lined with seats are such that if your back is against the back rest, your legs hang straight out (unless you are some sort of giant).....so you sit forward in order to bend your knees in a normal sitting position meaning no back rest.  In some exterior spaces, the designers did not consider the temperature of the materials when sun is shining on them!  As in "sit here and any bare skin will be burned."

As others have said, prices have increased greatly.  I was surprised to see your price as it was a lot more than what I paid....but I had taken advantage of every available discount that I could find, some of which are no longer available and I had a sea terrace, not an XL.

Bottom line, prices on VV have increased greatly.  The days of serious bargains are gone.  On the other hand, the prices are still good when compared to other lines.  And TA prices increasing has happened on other lines.  People learn how good they are, bookings increase, and prices go up.  Could you have done better?  Maybe, but only a little.  For instance, if you found an agent who had some MNVV certificates to sell you, you would have saved $300 and gotten some onboard credit.

5 hours ago, delynn72 said:

Thanks, I checked and only 4:30 available still. However, I see the VV website mentions it doesn't matter what time you arrive if you have Deep Blue Extras, so we are all set. 

Deep Blue Extra qualifies you for priority boarding which begins at 1:30.  VV asks that you don't arrive more than 30 minutes prior to that time....and if you do, you'll be standing around.

This was a special one night only appearance on a TA cruise...I don't know where she was going afterward, but it wasn't likely to be another ship.

Cher's wigs sounds like a hoot.

On 6/28/2024 at 9:11 AM, Eric&Pam said:

 

 

Many stars travel with truckloads of comforts to personalize the venue's dressing rooms to their liking, with everything from ping pong tables and pinball machines, to king sized beds and full-blown barista set-ups.

We happened to be near the atrium on another cruise line when the lobby was filling up with a luggage all labeled 1 of 41, 2 of 41, etc. and a crew member was busy placing everything in numerical order.  There was a tiny, unremarkable blonde at the desk.  This was a port day, and she was our entertainment for the night.  It made sense when I saw her on stage that night. She literally got on the ship in the afternoon, did 2 performances (6 and 8:15), presumably got something to eat, and got off the ship before we pulled out at 11pm. I have no idea where she was coming from or heading after she performed for us, but 41 cases and several crew members as well as one  guy who appeared to be her "caretaker" seemed ridiculous.

27 minutes ago, Liao said:

Thanks for the advice!  Downloaded the app, and...took my pic, now 20x, and "can't download picture, try again" each time.  Followed all the rules, no hat, removed glasses, I have real beard, still no go.  Just wonky IT I suppose.  I've got plenty of time, will keep trying.

I don't remember if I had to complete the entire registration on the app to choose a time for terminal arrival--I don't think so.  I've had HORRIBLE times downloading the passport photo and info at times.  Closing the app has helped, and more than once I have had to do it with family member's phone rather than mine.   Turning off the phone, closing all apps, and trying again has also worked.  I've  been able to upload my photo on the app and then had it rejected at the port...but they fixed that in less than 10 seconds. 

VV tech stinks until you get on board.  It improves greatly after that.

Yes, there are a wide variety of mocktails available.  You can more bar tab up to 3 days prior to cruising if you think you'll need more.  BUT, bar tab is a "use it or lose it" situation and the bonus amount is the only advantage to booking it prior to cruising.  If you spend more than your "bar tab," it will roll over to any "loot" (onboard credit" you might have and after that to a charge on your folio.  

I'm not sure when the loyalty status match is scheduled to end....maybe Dec 2024.  In any event, if it is still available and you have loyalty status with Celebrity, sign up for it on VV.  You'll get a small perks package. 

As noted, you can bid for an upgrade close to your cruise date, but that's not anything you need to do now.  The "do now" is download the app, sign in, and reserve your terminal arrival time.  Again, can't guarantee 2025, but in the past we have been able to do this as soon as we booked, even when 18 months out.
If you didn't book thru a First Mate (VV speak for travel agent), you can do that within 30 days of making your reservation.  I use one of the top tier, award winning ones who give me a lot of service and sometimes financial perks depending on what VV is offering,  Sorry that we can't name agents here.  

Then sit back and read the boards until nearer to time to make reservations, etc.