Virgin Voyages Drink Package FAQ: Bar Tab, Prices & Tips

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Virgin Voyages doesn’t offer a traditional cruise drink package — instead, you can pre‑purchase a Bar Tab (prepaid drink credit) that gives you bonus money to spend on drinks onboard.

VIRGIN VOYAGES DRINKS PACKAGE FAQS

In this guide, we’ll explain what’s included, how much drinks cost, how Bar Tab works, whether it’s worth it, and how to save the most on drinks during your sailing

On The Rocks Cocktail Bar | Image: Virgin Voyages

Does Virgin Voyages Have a Drinks Package?

No. Unlike the majority of mainstream cruise lines, Virgin Voyages does not have a traditional beverage package.

Are Drinks Free on Virgin Voyages?

Virgin Voyages cruises include ‘Basic Bevvies’ for all passengers as they considered these to be essential drinks.

What Are Basic Bevvies?

The following drinks are free on a Virgin cruise:

filtered still and sparkling water
fruit juices (non-pressed)
sodas
tea
drip coffee

So unlike most lines, cruises on Virgin Voyages include soda for free, without a beverage package.

Can You Bring You Own Alcohol On a Virgin Voyages Cruise?

Yes you can! A little known fact is that most cruise lines, including Virgin, allow sailors to bring two (2) 750ml bottles of wine per cabin in their carry-on bags on embarkation day.

If you would like to open your wine in the dining room there is a $25 corkage fee. You can use your Bar Tab to cover that fee.

My Tip: Open it in your room and skip the corkage fee 😉

Can You Get In Trouble For Bringing Alcohol On a Cruise?

Everyone wants tips for saving money on a cruise and some may think it’s a good idea to bring alcohol on a cruise. Aside from the 2 bottles of wine that are permitted per the cruise line’s alcohol policy, you cannot bring alcohol such as beer or liquor on a cruise. It will be confiscated.

But what if you love to visit vineyards or distilleries on a cruise and bring back a bottle? Don’t worry! You can bring these bottles onboard and they will be held for you until the end of the cruise. Once you get back home you can sip and smile as you reminisce about your amazing cruise vacation!

How Do They Know If I Am Bringing Alcohol Onboard a Cruise?

Your luggage is scanned and when you walk through the X-ray machine, you will be too – so don’t try to hide any small bottles in your pockets.

Just follow the rules. Take advantage of the opportunity to bring 2 free bottles of wine aboard, if you’d like and otherwise budget accordingly. Don’t try to smuggle alcohol on a cruise to save money.

How Much Are Drinks on Virgin Voyages?

Drinks on a Virgin Voyages cruise are priced more reasonably than some other cruise lines.

Beer costs $7-9 including tip
Basic cocktails cost $11 including tip
Wine by the glass starts under $11 including tip.

Many cruise lines charge more than these prices before tip.
Pricing is dynamic depending on cruise region, however this should help you calculate how much of a Bar Tab you may wish to pre-pay to get the perks.

Is the Virgin Voyages Bar Tab Worth It?

The Bar Tab on Virgin Voyages is a great concept. Rather than forcing everyone in your room to buy an expensive drinks package that they may not want or use, you can prepay a bar tab.

Unlike traditional cruise beverage packages, with your Bar Tab you can pay for not only your drinks, but you can buy a round for your friends, too!

Their drinks start at a more affordable price point and when you load a Bar Tab before your cruise you get free money to top off your tab making it an even better value.

Is it Cheaper to Buy a Drinks Package Onboard?

Buying a drinks package before your cruise is a top tip to save money on alcohol and other specialty beverages.

How to Get Free Drinks on Virgin Voyages?

While Virgin doesn’t technically have a “drinks package“, their Bar Tab is Sailor Loot (onboard credit) specifically for beverages. You can only pre-purchase it and when you do you’re going to get a top off which means free drinks!

Enjoy a free cocktail at The Deckhouse | Image: Virgin Voyages

For example, if you set up a $300 Bar Tab for you and your friends, you’ll get a total of $350 to spend! (Thats $50 free!)

Traveling with a group and want to compound the savings? A $1000 Bar Tab will get you $250 in free drinks for a total of $1250 in drinks to share! Just be sure the person who has the bar tab is going to be willing and available to do all the ordering.

Your virgin voyages travel agent will ensure you get the best Bar Tab Bonus Available!

How Much is a Bottle of Moet on Virgin Voyages?

Moet Chandon is the featured Champagne house onboard, but you can order champagne at all budgets. From a $9 glass to a $1,000 vintage bottle.

How Much is Shake For Champagne?

Have something to celebrate?!

If you’d like the novel experience of shaking for champagne on the virgin voyages app, you can have a bottle of Moët Chandon Impérial delivered to you wherever you are on the ship for around $95.

You can use your Bar Tab to pay for “Shake for Champagne”.

Does Everyone in a Room on a Cruise Have To Buy a Drink Package?

Not on Virgin! Since they do not have a typical beverage package, everyone in your cabin is not stuck paying for an alcohol package if they don’t drink. Many sailors will have no extra costs associated with beverages on this line as they even include sodas with their cruise fare!

Anyone who does opt to pre-load a Bar Tab can use it to buy drinks for anyone on the ship unlike other premium drink packages.

Are There Non-Alcoholic Drink Options?

Sober cruisers can enjoy plenty of non-alcoholic mocktails, zero-proof cocktails using non-alcoholic spirits like Seedlip or Strykk, not to mention fresh pressed juices and smoothies, specialty coffee and tea as well as the aforementioned “basic bevvies”.

Virgin Voyages are some of the best cruises for non-drinkers because they have put a lot of thought into curating alcohol free drink options that delight the senses!

Do You Tip Bartenders on a Cruise If You Have a Drink Package?

Tipping is not necessary. Drinks packages on cruise lines generally include the tip already and in the case of a Virgin cruise – their drink prices all include gratuity regardless of if you have a Bar Tab or not. Extra tipping is at your discretion, of course.

Virgin Voyages Drink Package Review

I really love the idea behind Virgin Voyage’s drink package alternative. On so many cruise lines the beverage packages are so costly per day that cruisers are trying to “make it worth it” and as a result they over consume and the behavior that results can negatively impact the cruise for other passengers.

Sure, we can all do the math on how much we paid for the package and how many drinks we need to drink to “break even”, but is that a healthy way to operate? At what point are we no longer consuming for enjoyment but only to “get our moneys worth”? *shrug* Just saying…

Virgin Voyage’s solution seems elegant. Offer more reasonable pricing, allow people to pre-pay to get added value yet still have the feeling of being able to order what they want onboard without getting a bill at the end.