New Loyalty Program - Virgin Voyages Sailing Club

[_tacocat_]

Got an email last night that they're unveiling a new loyalty program - Virgin Voyages Sailing Club.  It officially starts 2023, but they're offering some perks starting this year.  Saw a TPG article this morning saying that there will be a bunch of perks for sailings the rest of this year (unsure if it's all club members sailing or if they need to be new bookings) - one free shake for champs, anytime boarding, premium wifi, cocktail parties and free laundry.  VV supposedly launching a loyalty microsite today.

 

My husband and I both got invites to the "club within a club" - Club 485c, which apparently only has 100 spots.  No further details at this point.  Anyone else get that email last night?

[gumshoe958]

Yes, I got the 485c invite too. Mysterious!

[ociana]

Interesting - no invite here but am looking forward to getting signed up for the program!

[scaught]

Is 485c separate from the VV sailing club? 

No invite here either, but we are sea blazers and have been on 2 cruises so far (no rockstars so maybe that's the difference?) 

[gumshoe958]

16 hours ago, scaught said:

Is 485c separate from the VV sailing club? 

No invite here either, but we are sea blazers and have been on 2 cruises so far (no rockstars so maybe that's the difference?) 

Yes, 485c is described as a club within a club. But they haven’t said anything about perks etc - just that it’s for “VIP sailors who joined us in our first official year of operations, and who have sailed more than anyone else”.

 

I’ve not done Rockstar either but am/was a Sea Blazer and have done 4 voyages. Which suggests 485c is for Sea Blazers who’ve done 3+ or 4+ voyages.

 

The email says it’s limited to 99 sailors “for now” (the 100th being Sir Richard Branson 😂) and we’ll receive “extra love and epic surprises” on shore and on board.

[Lustate]

On our third voyage now, and a forth booked for October… no invite yet lol 

[gkbiiii]

Is this based on number of voyages or days at sea?

[cantgetin]

16 hours ago, gkbiiii said:

Is this based on number of voyages or days at sea?

so far, based on number of voyages.  It looks like 2023 will include something based on dollars spent both on bookings and on the ship.

 

[_tacocat_]

PSA if you think you should have deep blue perks on your account but don't see them, call VV to look into it!

 

I thought someone on another thread of FB group said they were told that VV was manually going through and adding to eligible sailors, but it looks like it's actually somewhat automated.  For some reason, both my husband and I didn't get them automatically, despite the fact that we were (very!) eligible to receive them.  Called in this morning, got a return call in about an hour, and took about 30 mins soup to nuts to fix.

[cantgetin]

On 8/31/2022 at 9:42 AM, Lustate said:

On our third voyage now, and a forth booked for October… no invite yet lol 

You should be automatic and not need to do anything.  It should show up on your next cruise.  This assumes your sailings were regular fares...not casino fares, won a contest, or something else where you paid far less than posted charges.

Edited September 13, 2022 by cantgetin

[klkaylor78]

Have a Nov cruise on Scarlett Lady to try out VV. I saw the loyalty program email and was trying to do a status match. We are Plat on Seabourn - a Carnival line - do you think they will upgrade as Carnival is listed but not Seabourn. Looking to see if I can get in another 2022 cruise just to make that mark as well

[cantgetin]

2 hours ago, klkaylor78 said:

Have a Nov cruise on Scarlett Lady to try out VV. I saw the loyalty program email and was trying to do a status match. We are Plat on Seabourn - a Carnival line - do you think they will upgrade as Carnival is listed but not Seabourn. Looking to see if I can get in another 2022 cruise just to make that mark as well

THey seem to be approving almost anything.  Sometimes they even do it right.  I submitted matching for myself and my adult daughter, and our booking shows 2 "deep blues" for her...so I tried again in my name.  This time I got the email but nothing on the cruise.  It doesn't matter since it is one per cabin, but very odd.....Like you, I'm considering working in another cruise before the end of the year.

[mizLORInj]

I took a pic of my last (May 2022) Royal Caribbean cruise card and submitted to Virgin Voyages.  Few days later got email from VV:  Sea Rover perks for an upcoming Scarlet Lady cruise.   I believe these are only for 2022 sailings though.  Still, I'm grateful and I'll take 'em!  

 

Going on my first soon--Scarlet Lady.   I was booked on its April 1, 2020 inaugural cruise but of course that did not happen.

 

[VV2022]

I booked (and paid in full) two cruises when I was onboard Scarlet Lady last month, literally two days before the 'red hot booking season' started. 
 
I am literally like 3 nights away from Platinum on NCL which I could use to status match.

Please send thoughts and prayers for my first world problems. 🙂

[Lustate]

I am just thinking something through...

So the Deep Blue bonus for 2022 states the $10 for coffee per day is per cabin... but what about the Moet and the laundry? Can two members who both have the same status sharing a cabin each claim a bag of washing and the bubbles?

[paulbri]

2 hours ago, Lustate said:

I am just thinking something through...

So the Deep Blue bonus for 2022 states the $10 for coffee per day is per cabin... but what about the Moet and the laundry? Can two members who both have the same status sharing a cabin each claim a bag of washing and the bubbles?

I suspect the benefits are strictly limited to per cabin regardless of how many guests with status.

[safarigal]

I received an email yesterday stating that I had received Sea Rover status. Yay! We board Scarlet Lady today, but we are on a travel agent fare so I will see if the benefit works for this kind of fare. I hope so!

[cantgetin]

7 hours ago, Lustate said:

I am just thinking something through...

So the Deep Blue bonus for 2022 states the $10 for coffee per day is per cabin... but what about the Moet and the laundry? Can two members who both have the same status sharing a cabin each claim a bag of washing and the bubbles?

It is per cabin.  The laundry clearly states that is per cabin.  On another page, it says that regardless of how many promotions including Moet may be in your add ons, you will only get one per cabin.  For instance, my rebooking on board and deep blue perks each include moet, but our cabin will only get one.

[safarigal]

When we arrived in our cabin there was a letter describing the Sea Rover perks we will be getting on this cruise. It looks like we only get one bottle of Moet and 1 bag of laundry, but we both get the upgraded internet which is great!

[wirralcruisers]

How does the $10 a day coffee allowance get added?

Does it just get added to your bar tab?

For our transatlantic it becomes a really useful perk!

 

Similarly line of questions if I may; for a 14 night cruise is that 15 days ($10 x 15 = $150!)?

[cantgetin]

1 hour ago, wirralcruisers said:

How does the $10 a day coffee allowance get added?

Does it just get added to your bar tab?

For our transatlantic it becomes a really useful perk!

 

Similarly line of questions if I may; for a 14 night cruise is that 15 days ($10 x 15 = $150!)?

From a friend who was on Valiant last week...the $10 per day is only good at the specialty coffee places (Grounds Club) but can be used on any product there, like the specialty teas and hot chocolate as well as coffee.  She said that they have a system where the charge was applied and immediately deducted.  No, it was not just added to the bar tab.  Sorry, I don't know if they got the credit for the number of nights or number of days on the cruise.  I also don't know if it can be "evened out" or if it is strictly $10 per day.  For instance, if I got 3 beverages at $5 each on one day (total $15) and only 1 (total $5) on another day, I don't know whether all of them would be taken off my bill or if I'd owe $5 since I exceeded the $10 per day once.  These are on the list of things I need to clear up with our dedicated agent after boarding!

 

Do be aware that while in port at some locations in the Med, the cruise line is required to add VAT to all purchases including coffee, alcohol, etc.  The stores on board are closed while in port, but some of the beverage outlets remain open.

[jamesv2811]

5 hours ago, wirralcruisers said:

How does the $10 a day coffee allowance get added?

Does it just get added to your bar tab?

For our transatlantic it becomes a really useful perk!

 

Similarly line of questions if I may; for a 14 night cruise is that 15 days ($10 x 15 = $150!)?

It was very nice benefit on our med cruise last week.

 

the amount shows on your bill but nothing gets taken from your balance. Of the deep blue extras it was the only one that recorded on the app correctly straight away. We used the laundry service and shake for champagne but that got added and was then manually removed.

[Chrish2]

Not sure if it's automated yet but when I was on Scarlet Lady when this launched they was going through and manually reallocating (to an internal account) the charges daily. The item still stayed on your wallet but vanishes from the download (top right in the app when in wallet).

[_tacocat_]

7 hours ago, cantgetin said:

I also don't know if it can be "evened out" or if it is strictly $10 per day.  For instance, if I got 3 beverages at $5 each on one day (total $15) and only 1 (total $5) on another day, I don't know whether all of them would be taken off my bill or if I'd owe $5 since I exceeded the $10 per day once.

my guess is it's $10 per day - hiltons do this kind of thing in lieu of breakfast credit, and it's use it or lose it per day.  i'd be curious to see if it starts day 1 when you board and it's $10 every 24 hours or if it starts on morning one and it's calendar day.

[gkrebs]

Have a question for yall. I applied for matching status back at the end of August by uploading a pdf file of the screen print of my status on Royal. Never heard or got anything back and not sure how to see if anything was applied to my booking. I resent it again tonight. Any advise? Do i try and call or wait another week or where do I look to see it on the booking?

 

TIA