jon81uk

I think the problem comparison is when someone allows their trip to be ruined by it and constantly things “this isn’t as good as it was on X” or “X did it this way and that was better” or “I’d be much happier with a drinks package”. comparing things is fine, but allowing the comparison to ruin the thing you are currently doing is counter-productive.

There are solo meet ups to go and meet others who want people to meet up with. But generally we’ve got chatting to people at the PJ party and similar events, at dinner as the tables are still fairly close together, at Gunbae as it’s a shared table and just generally on the ship.

I’ve personally not had a problem booking for four, but only done it once in a standard cabin and once as rockstar (so earlier at 60 days). The major thing to remember when booking 45 days out is less than half the reservations are available to book, the others are held back to book onboard. Therefore you’ll likely be able to move things around once on the ship.

Yep you can link the bookings (or get TA to do it) and will then be able to book others for meals. Also linking will give a bottle of sparkling wine for each cabin.

It’s all Intelligensia coffee but they only use the Black Cat Espresso beans for espresso based drinks, the drip coffee will use a blend designed for filter coffee.

I like the drip coffee in the Galley, it’s not too strong in my opinion. Didn’t enjoy the Americano so much.

free drip coffee is 24/7 in the Galley food court. If you want espresso based coffee then the grounds club locations open at 7am.

First slot available now is 5.45pm with the latest 9.45pm

I read it as if you had the deep blue benefits in 2023 you will keep getting them until the end of 2025. If you didn’t get the benefits in 2023 then you need to earn them and will start at the blue tier.

We did it October 2022 and it was shorts weather most of the time, I did wear jeans in Funchal Madeira as it was raining and a little chilly but Malaga Ibiza and Barcelona were 20C or warmer. That time we did have bad weather in the Gibraltar Strait area and there was a few other wet evenings, Scarlet night didn’t have the pool party as it was raining.

Yes even before these changes it was showing on both of us last year and we did actually get the $100 bar tab each last September.

It’s now stated as per person not cabin, so in theory it’s now two coffee per person, $100 bar tab per person and one bag of laundry each too.

I agree, it’s slow off the ship and doesn’t flow through remembering the people selected well but it’s fine. The only time I had a serious issue it was because accounts got duplicated in the back end so was a system issue not an app issue.

But do those free sailings count towards gaining status?

New terms appear to have taken effect today, so yes if we are reading it right then each sailor will now get each benefit so two coffee per sailor per day and one laundry each over the trip.

The terms now state per sailor. from promo 51 https://www.virginvoyages.com/promotional-terms-and-conditions?item=16255f70-0909-47cc-bd13-57d2f152c1d0 All perks are per eligible Sailing Club sailor. Bar Tab, Wi-Fi, laundry service, and coffee charges may appear on the Sailor’s account, but will be waived before a credit card is charged at the end of the voyage. $100 promotional Bar Tab: a Bar Tab credit applied to the folio of the eligible sailor only Unlimited premium Wifi: provided where available Priority Boarding: early boarding time and dedicated queue in Terminal V and where available globally (cabin mate of Sailing Club sailor will be permitted to join when arriving together) Dedicated Sailing Club Sailor Services Support: pre-voyage dedicated phone option for Sailing Club members. Onboard Sailing Club representative at the Sailor Services desk Cocktail Event: invitation to 1 x Sailing Club cocktail reception per voyage (cabin mate of Sailing Club sailor will be permitted to join) Laundry service: - Blue Extras: includes one bag — express service is not included and laundry service is unavailable on the voyage's final day - Deep Blue Extras: includes two pressed items, one specialty-cleaned item, and one bag — express service is not included and laundry service is unavailable on the voyage's final day Specialty Coffee Credit: - Blue Extras: One specialty coffee from The Grounds Club or Grounds Club Too per day. Alcoholic coffee cocktails not included. - Deep Blue Extras: Two speciality coffees from The Grounds Club or Grounds Club Too per day. Alcoholic coffee cocktails not included.

Yes I’ve read about 485c, but not had the invite (yet). I agree this can’t be the finished product as it does still seem a lot more generous than other lines, but I think VV are still acknowledging that those of us who have done four or more are slightly in the minority so the DBE will be more restricted than before.

I was still expecting them to resurrect the token/spend based scheme, whereas this is just giving half the benefits to those on their third/fourth sailing and all the benefits to those on the fifth or further. Selfishly I would have liked a further tier for those who have sailed 7+ times or similar.

The only thing that costs money and can be booked ahead of time is excursions. Restaurant reservations can also be done ahead of time but are of course free. The thermal spa needs to be booked in person at the spa reception but I think some treatments can be done on the app. don’t forget that MNVV still have a $300 discount on the cruise and the loot is a free bonus, so as long as you would have booked sea terrace anyway you still gained that $300 discount even if you don’t spend anything onboard of that credit.

Same as all other VV cruises, latest disembarkation slot is 10.30 and you can leave your luggage in the room until then. You will get announcements from about 10.15 stating you need to leave but you do have until 10.30 to make your way to the gangplank and need to be off by 10.45. can use the gym on last morning but not the pools. Standard rooms have shower gel, shampoo and conditioner attached to the shower wall, plus a bar of soap for the sink. Only suites get body lotion, plus in suites the bottles aren’t attached to the wall.

There is no benefit to pre-paying onboard spend, just allow it to be charged to the card on the last day.

For laundry I get Virgin to do it, the line in the shower or the chair on the balcony is used to dry swimwear, or sometimes to air gym kit.

They put a letter in the room on the day (or day before) they are going to jet wash the balconies stating to remove personal belongings. Don’t think there is any policy either way about putting stuff out on other days. We’ve dried swimwear on the balcony chairs, but I don’t like putting it on the rail just in case it falls!

Yes. Bar tab can be used on any drinks, including bottles.

I think the average age they are marketing at now is 35-55. They know those are the people with some money, who don’t want to be round kids and still are young at heart and will party when they don’t have to worry about looking after kids. Look at the Karma Chameleon video from last year, most of the couples shown are 50+ with some 30+.