This adults-only cruise line is finally rolling out unlimited drink packages

Ever since Virgin Voyages completed the pandemic-delayed maiden voyage of its Scarlett Lady cruise ship in late 2021, the line has done things differently.

For one thing, Virgin Voyages is an adults-only cruise line. One of the biggest complaints childless couples, singles, and older cruisers often have is that there are too many kids running around on cruises. So, Virgin aimed to offer an alternative at a similar price point.

Related: Virgin Voyages reveals entertainment lineup for new cruise ship

Additionally, Virgin doesn’t offer buffets. Its ships have a food-hall style area with quick-service options, as well as numerous specialty restaurants and other dining venues around the ship. 

And while Virgin isn’t exactly an all-inclusive cruise line, its fares do include a lot of things that most other cruise lines charge extra for. All of its specialty restaurants are included, there’s no additional charge for internet service, and gratuities are included in the base fare.

One other thing Virgin does differently is that it doesn’t offer drink packages. It offers the ability to purchase “bar tabs,” often at a slight discount. For example, when I sailed on Virgin a couple of years ago, we paid $300 for a bar tab that had $350 in beverage credit.

But if you wanted an unlimited (or close to it) drink package like those offered by Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and other competitors, you were out of luck.

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Virgin is finally testing drink packages

Virgin Voyages is testing unlimited drink packages on its Valiant Lady cruise ship during April and May, according to social media reports.

The packages cost $95 per night, which is in the same ballpark as other major cruise lines. Carnival’s Cheers! package (which is technically capped at 15 drinks per day) costs $82.54 per day plus an 18% gratuity if purchased ahead of time, and Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing that makes its unlimited beverage package anywhere from about $60 to over $100 per night, depending on demand.

Virgin’s package includes unlimited drinks up to $20 each. This includes alcoholic beverages, non-alcoholic drinks, specialty coffee drinks, and juices. Just like with virtually all other cruise lines, all passengers in the same cabin must buy the package if one does. 

Alcoholic drinks on Virgin ships cost $12-$17 (many reviews claim an average cost of about $14), so this means that if you have 6 or more drinks per day, plus a couple of specialty coffees and/or juices, it could be well worth the cost.

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To be sure, there are some people who will likely prefer the bar tab program, and that is still offered. For example, if you consume fewer than 5-6 drinks per day, you’ll probably find the bar tab a better deal. 

Plus, bar tabs can be shared between the cruisers in the cabin, making them a good choice when one person drinks enough to justify a drink package, but the other doesn’t.

Will Virgin bring this to all ships?

To be clear, this is just a test on one of Virgin Voyages’ ships. We have no idea if the test is proving to be profitable for the cruise line, and we don’t know when or even if there are plans to introduce drink packages fleetwide.

However, the lack of a drink package has been one of the few common pain points among Virgin Voyages passengers since the early days, and many fans of the adults-only cruise line are likely to cheer this news. 

(The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.)

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