How Virgin Voyages and Bad Behavior Changed My Mind About Drink Packages

Cruise passengers tired of calculating whether a drink package pencils out might find Virgin Voyages' alternative appealing: pre-purchased bar tabs that eliminate onboard billing anxiety. One cruiser recently spent $1,000 on a five-night sailing from New York aboard Brilliant Lady, then received a $250 bonus, giving him $1,250 to spend guilt-free on drinks. The catch is that unspent balances vanish, they are not refunded, which he discovered when he and friends splurged on bottles of champagne to use up the remainder.

The bar-tab model differs from traditional drink packages in key ways. Instead of choosing a tiered plan that covers unlimited cocktails, passengers research drink prices aboard the ship and pre-purchase a custom amount. Virgin Voyages sweetens the deal by adding bonuses to advance bar-tab purchases, though the bonus size depends on how much is bought upfront. The flexibility extends beyond the drinker: passengers can buy rounds for anyone on board, whether traveling companions or new friends, something most conventional packages do not allow.

However, the system requires more math than some travelers expect. Figuring out exactly how much to buy means estimating consumption across sea days and port days, then calculating drink costs. Unlike other cruise lines that publish package prices and spell out what is covered, Virgin Voyages bar tabs demand more homework. One alternative worth considering is Sailor Loot, Virgin's version of onboard credit, which passengers can spend at shops, the casino, or restaurants as well as bars. Unspent Sailor Loot also disappears, so passengers should still plan carefully.

For cruisers who value the simplicity of paying in advance and forgetting about costs until the final bill, any pre-purchase system beats daily transactions that rack up surprises. But Virgin's bar tab works best for travelers willing to do the legwork upfront and comfortable with the loss of any leftover balance. The flexibility and freedom from running mental calculations may outweigh the extra planning for some, though penny-pinchers should budget conservatively to avoid overspending on champagne.

Originally reported by Cruise Radio, Richard Simms (August 16, 2026).