raphael360

I’ve tried to do this but access to the TV settings were lock by the cruise line. The TVs control is via a tablet with very minimal options for the TV. Power and volume only.

This was very helpful. I called VV and was able to get my FL resident discount applied to my future booking. This board is sailor’s helping sailors and is very useful and informative. 😊

That’s a good plan which should put you at Terminal V about 1 pm. If you’re in a Rockstar or Mega suite you have your own dedicated check-In lounge so don’t get in the 1:45 que.

Traffic warning from a local: Don’t cut it too close to ‘all aboard’ time. Week day rush hour traffic around Miami can be a nightmare. Downtown Miami is no problem as it’s a hop skip and a jump from the port but some other popular spots like Coconut Grove, for example, can be problematic during rush hour.

I book the cruise with whatever room is offered in my category, put it on the “24 hour hold” offered at checkout and then call sailor services. If my desired room or rooms are available they Will switch my room in my reservation and I log back in and complete the reservation. I’ve been able to get my favorite room the past two cruises.

I wanted to ask: when was day one?

In my first 3 cruise experiences in 2023: Sea Rover status gives you advanced check-in and priority boarding. Arrive at the terminal V entrance at 12:30 pm to get your Sea Rover wristband from the nice lady at the front door who will then direct you to the advanced check-in tables in the back. There you will be checked in and get your RFID wristband. Then go back outside and hover outside the terminal doors until a very friendly VV rep invites Sea Rovers and Romance Package sailors into an area below the first escalator. At some point, you will then be invited to go to the second-floor security area and then directed to the second lounge to wait for boarding. Rockstars, Romance Package sailors and Sea Rovers (in that order) will be allowed to board. This all happens before the 1:30 time slot sailors are invited in. At least this is how it is working till March 31st in Miami. What happens after Apr. 1st is anyone's guess at this point. The fact VV is still now offering Sea Rover status match leads me to believe the Sea Rover program will continue in some manner going forward.

I love this picture and can't wait to try it. As I'm allergic to almost all spices (onion/onion powder, flavor enhancers, etc, and almost all other spices) I can only eat plain 'naked' steak (beef with nothing else added). The Wake serves up a plain steak without spices upon request so I'm hoping the other restaurants can do the same to accommodate my food allergies.

RFID wristband that everyone gets on check in.

WOW, this is exciting news. Better steak! Thanks everyone 🙂

Suggestion from a local: try to find the time to go to South Beach if you haven’t been. It’s a must see at least once and a great place to get an ocean front dinner and people watch.

He's vegan, I'm carno so it will be an interesting 4 days. I know both are offered everywhere but the Wake has the best steak and lamb on board. He can get quinoa anywhere. 🙂

There are a few hotels downtown all be it expensive. I've stayed at the JW Marriott a few times. I prefer staying in one of the Courtyard Hotels by the airport (which is pretty close to the Port). I'm staying at the Courtyard Blue Lagoon next week for half the price of the downtown Miami hotels.

You might find it listed in your booking confirmation email. That's where I saw mine first. It eventually made it to my app as seen above. My bonus $200 loot came from booking during the Red Hot something special last Nov and Dec.

I figured that was the answer. Regarding leaving with a plate of food: I'm capable of doing that in a heartbeat (and much weirder things too).... 🙂

There is a pretty long discussion on Deep Blue extras I started a month ago. Might help for you.

I worked for me. I booked a "Behind the Scenes" tour and my $200 sailors' loot got applied to the cost of the tour (exactly $200). So instead of buying stuff on board, I got an outstanding look at the workings of a VV cruise ship.... As an FYI you can see your Sailors Loot and other add-ons via the app. Go to app > me > Add-ons. Sailor Loot = OBC for stuff. The Bar tab and bonus bar tap is for, well, bar drinks (and coffees)🙂 Good question

Is Bayside worth a look-see?

I too found the sea rover wristbands annoying and cut mine off after the second day. I Got tired of it dipping into my food. With that said my wristband was installed very loosely at the sea rover check-in station on my last cruise a few weeks ago and was easily removable. I'm guessing VV got enough feedback about the wristbands.

I'm a long-time Seabourn cruiser (250 days) and I would LOVE to experience a Paul Gaugin cruise experience but it's much more expensive than Seabourn and above my price range sadly. While an Expresso is $4 on VV it's free on Seabourn. I guess $30,000 for a 21-day cruise gets you 'free egg roll'. (A joke from the1968 comedy classic: With 6 You Get Eggroll) 🙂

Has anyone ever tried to order food 'to go from' any of the restaurants? I love steak and eggs served in the Wake and would like to get it 'to go' so I can eat it up in the Gallay with a friend who doesn't like the Wake's food options. The same steak and eggs option is not offered via room service. Thank you for the info...

When is your cruise? Deep Blue extras are ending March 2023 unless VV extends them. priority boarding just happens at the terminal (at least in Miami) if you have Sea Rover status or are buying the Romance package.

My answer to OP's original question; "Do you like the way Virgin Voyages does this?" is a resounding YES. I too was stressed out prior to my first cruise but, once on board, I quickly learned I could arrange to eat in 'the Wake' every day or 'Extra Virgin' every day if I wanted to. If one loves the concept of sitting at the same table, with the same 6 strangers, eating at the same exact time, day after day, then one may want to make Celebrity, Royal, HAL, Princess, or Caravel their cruise lines of choice. Having cruised on the above-mentioned lines 20-plus times I absolutely hated that dining concept so I switched to Seabourn and now VV.

First I'm seeing it. I even sent in my "want/nice to have" suggestions.

This page is new and updated. They have a form/link at the bottom asking us sailors what we want to see offered to the sailor's club loyalty program: https://vvprod.secure.force.com/SubmitLoyaltyCrowdSourcingForm