Better voyages begin with better information.
These are the guides and tools I use to plan my clients’ Virgin Voyages trips. Each one is checked against Virgin’s own policies and tells you what I would actually do.
The short answer
New to Virgin? Start with first-timer mistakes, then size your budget with the budget planner. Ready to book? Use my First Mate link and I will handle the cabin, dining and Shore Things from there.
Start with these four
First-timer mistakes
The twelve deadlines and decisions first-time sailors miss most, with the exact dining, Shore Things and payment dates for each fare.
Open guideChoose and bookWhich cabin should I book?
Every category and Sea Terrace subtype compared, plus the cabins I steer clients away from and a quick chooser.
Open guideBudgetTrip budget calculator
Your fare plus gratuities, drinks, Wi-Fi and tours in one number, with a sample 7-night budget.
Open guideOnboardBar Tab calculator
Real menu rates from each ship. Pick your drink style and see whether a prepaid Bar Tab and its bonus are worth it.
Open guideWhy these guides, and how I check them
What makes these guides different
Virgin is where I vacation, and it makes up about 90% of what I book. I have been named a Top 100 Virgin Voyages First Mate in 2024 and 2025, and these guides are the same advice I give clients on the phone. They cover the dates that matter for your fare, the cabins I would and would not book, and what I actually do when something changes.
I come from military intelligence, in the Air Force and Space Force, so I plan like it: deadlines on a calendar, a backup for the weak spots, and no surprises on sailing day. I am also part of the LGBTQ+ community, and I want every sailor to feel welcome being exactly who they are. I love Virgin, but I am not blindly loyal to every change it makes, and I will tell you when something is not worth the money. You work directly with me, not an assistant team or a call center.
How I write and check them
- Every policy, fare and deadline is checked against Virgin’s own FAQs, contract and fare rules first.
- When I use cruise forums or other advisors, it is for things Virgin does not publish, and I say so in the guide.
- Each guide lists the sources I checked and the date I checked them.
- I re-check every guide at least every 90 days, and the same week Virgin announces a change. Last full review: October 20, 2026.
Start here
New to Virgin, or deciding if it is right for you.
Virgin Voyages overview
What is included in every fare, the four ships, and how Virgin differs from a big-ship line.
First-timer guide
Embarkation day to the last morning, in the order it happens.
First-timer mistakes
Twelve costly misses, from 15-day dining windows to flying in the same day.
Voyage quiz
Six questions, then real sailings matched to your dates, budget and travel style.
Do I need a passport?
Closed-loop exceptions, San Juan, Alaska, the UK ETA and Europe’s new entry systems.
Age and pregnancy rules
The 18+ rule, the 23-week cutoff and how to count it, and drinking age by region.
Accessibility
Fully accessible vs ambulatory cabins, the 45-day form, scooters, oxygen and tender ports.
Is Virgin all-inclusive?
What your fare covers, what is extra and how gratuities changed in 2025.
Packing list
No formal nights, Scarlet Night red, outlets, and what gets confiscated.
LGBTQ+ travel
Why Virgin is so popular with LGBTQ+ travelers, and how I plan Pride and group sailings.
Solo sailing
Solo Insider vs Solo Sea View, the reduced single supplement on Sea Terraces, and solo meetups.
Military and veterans
Who qualifies for the Military and First Responders Rate, the Access Key, and what it does not combine with.
Celebrations
Birthdays, anniversaries and weddings: Splash of Romance, Splash for Your Bash, and the no-balloons rule.
Choose and book
Fares, cabins and money, before you pay a deposit.
Which ship is right for me?
Scarlet, Valiant, Resilient and Brilliant Lady by route, season and vibe.
Which cabin should I book?
Insider to Mega RockStar, the five Sea Terrace subtypes and the noisy decks.
Cabin tours
Photos and layouts of each cabin category, so you know what you are buying.
RockStar Quarters
What the suites include, from Richard’s Rooftop to 1 p.m. boarding, and when they are worth it.
Massive Suite review
My stay in Valiant Lady’s Massive Suite, and who should skip it.
Group cruises
Group perks, linked-booking risks and how I hosted a 40-person birthday.
Upgrade bidding
How Level Upgrade bids work, who is eligible and how I set an offer.
Deck plans
Interactive plans for every ship. See what is above and below a cabin before you book.
Trip budget calculator
Fare plus every extra, with Base, Essential and Premium compared.
Gratuity checker
Whether your booking owes gratuities, and a table by voyage length.
Cancellation policy
Refunds by fare and days out, deposits, final payment and Future Voyage Credit.
Offers
Current Virgin promotions, and what they really include once you read the terms.
Life onboard
Drinks, Sailor Loot, rules and what to do if things change.
Restaurants
Every restaurant, the dinner concept on each ship and when bookings open by fare.
Bar Tab calculator
Real menu rates by ship. Find out if a prepaid Bar Tab and its bonus pay off for you.
Bar guide
Every bar on board, what to order and the quiet hours.
Sailor Loot vs Bar Tab
What each one pays for, the order they are used in and the $25 to $250 Bar Tab bonus tiers.
Onboard rules
Smoking areas, the two-bottle wine rule, soft drinks and what gets confiscated.
Seasickness
The steadiest cabins, calmer and rougher routes, and the Deck 4 medical center.
Itinerary changes
Real 2026 reroutes, what sailors received and what you can expect for a missed port.
Happenings Cast
The entertainment crew who run the parties and pop-up shows.
Planning tools
Your countdown, dining window date and packing checklist in one place.
Ports and itineraries
Embarkation guides and where the ships are.
Miami
Terminal V, PortMiami parking, arrival slots and every Miami sailing.
Bimini Beach Club
What is free, what is extra, cabanas and the shell rule.
Barcelona
Which terminal, plus Cinque Terre and Corfu port days from my own trips.
San Juan
Pier 4 vs Pan Am East, the passport book rule and the 8:30 p.m. sailaway.
Los Angeles
Berth 93 in San Pedro, where to stay and Mexican Riviera hurricane reroutes.
Seattle and Alaska
Pier 91, packing for Alaska, the 21+ rule and not missing glacier day.
Amsterdam 2028
Five Northern Europe voyages, the $24,999 Season Pass and which one I would pick.
Where is my ship?
Live positions for all four Lady ships.
Trips I have planned
A 40-traveler birthday in Europe
For my 40th, I put together a Valiant Lady sailing from Barcelona on June 21, 2026: about 20 cabins and 40 travelers. The plan started well before the ship, with hotel stays in Madrid and Barcelona, and included a private boat charter in Cinque Terre. I sailed in a Massive Suite and used it as our living room for a pre-sail-away social and other get-togethers, with food arranged ahead through my RockStar Agent. For hosted groups like this, I also put together personalized arrival packs. Groups that size only work when everyone knows where to be, and nobody should feel pushed into every group activity just to get the group benefits.
Sorting out group rules with Virgin
On a Circle group I manage, the information on complimentary Tour Conductor cabins and promotions did not match up. I worked directly with Virgin and its group support team to confirm the rules, including what converting a booking to a complimentary cabin would do to the benefits already on it. Clients never see this part, but it can change what they pay.
A better day in Corfu
For a Resilient Lady call in Corfu, I planned a day around Paleokastritsa, the hill village of Lakones, an olive-oil tasting and time in Corfu Town. I also worked up a more custom version with a private boat, with swimming and local food. A well-paced day in port usually beats the most convenient tour.
What I can arrange depends on your booking: Virgin promotions and Sailor Loot you qualify for, My Next Virgin Voyage offers, priority check-in where your booking or my advisor program supports it, cabin research, dining plans, pre- and post-cruise hotels, private excursions and group activities. None of these are guaranteed for every booking, and I confirm what applies to yours in writing.
What clients say
“He also let us know when restaurant reservations opened so we could get our first choices in time.”
“Didn’t think we needed priority check-in but when we got there and saw the line for regular check-in my partner and I knew we were working with a pro.”
“As a solo traveler, Derek curated everything in such a way that I felt like I was part of the group.”
From my Fora reviews: 5.00 average from 38 client reviews.
Want me to plan your voyage?
I'm a Top 100 Virgin Voyages First Mate (2024 and 2025). Virgin sets the fare, so the same cabin, fare type and promotion is the same fare with me as on virginvoyages.com, and I charge no planning fee. What you get is a person: I hand-pick your cabin where your fare allows, book dining and Shore Things the day your windows open, watch for upgrades and fare changes, and answer your texts before and during the trip. I also arrange hotels before and after the cruise, private excursions and group plans, and I deal with Virgin for you when a booking or benefit needs sorting out. I take the stress. You take the photos.
Derek Gebelhardt, At Ease Travel Co. · derek@ateasetravel.co · 202-802-0990. Sailor Loot through Virtuoso is $50 per cabin on 4–5 night voyages, $100 on 6–8 nights and $200 on 9+ nights, for eligible bookings made at least 121 days before sailing; promotions and eligibility can change, so I confirm yours in writing before you pay.