Any NEWS on VV? Please post it here...

[Lilikins]

Oh I had no idea! Our friends never mentioned this. I wonder if they didn’t know or they just didn’t want the service. I still wouldn’t want anyone to help me pack but it would be nice to have someone extra to help us glance through all the storage areas to make sure we didn’t forget something. I leave something behind in every place I stay no matter how hard I try to check.

[Nightrythm]

21 hours ago, Tall-Cruiser said:

From our own Cruse Critic site is a good article in the new section about the VV Suites with the number of suites and sizes.

 

 

Some of those suites are bigger than my house. I bet it'll cost more than my mortgage to get one. 

[Lloyd555]

Artsy.

[Lloyd555]

Well that didn't take long to finish. 

 

 

 

Edited January 22, 2019 by Lloyd555

[wwcruisers]

VERY pretty! Thanks, Lloyd. 😊

[Lloyd555]

And again...

 

 

Edited January 22, 2019 by Lloyd555

[Tall-Cruiser]

Very cool photos Lloyd. Thnaks

One can definitely tell that's a Virgin Ship. 

[Lloyd555]

Images from up on the ship. 
I have no idea what he's saying. And if you're like me you're yelling "Show more of the ship! never mind your friends and the scenery!" 😜

 

Edited January 23, 2019 by Lloyd555

[Dr. Cocktail]

2 hours ago, Lloyd555 said:

Images from up on the ship. 
I have no idea what he's saying. And if you're like me you're yelling "Show more of the ship! never mind your friends and the scenery!" 😜

 

Lloyd:

 

Thank you for all of your wonderful photos and videos!

 

I love the super advanced safety equipment they're using on the construction site .... toques and cell phones!

 

Who needs those pesky hardhats???!!!

 

[eneq]

No tipping on VV

 

https://people.com/travel/virgin-voyages-adults-only-cruise-scarlet-lady-no-tipping-policy/

[The_0neuk]

good

[wwcruisers]

Thanks for posting that! When VV finally gets around to dropping the other shoe, ie: cabin prices -- that's two factors to be considered, if the pricing should seem steep:

-- no 'upsell/upcharge' for any of the restaurants, and

-- not needing to factor in a large chunk of change for gratuities -- or service charges (whatever the various cruiselines call them)

[eroller]

This announcement will be a huge incentive for travel agents to book VV.  Bravo to VV for taking their no nickel and diming policy even beyond the passenger! Oops I mean “sailer”.  Lol.  

 

https://www.travelpulse.com/news/cruise/virgin-voyages-says-bon-voyage-to-non-commissionable-fares.html#.XFCLwGD3rZA.linkedin

[timf2001]

1 hour ago, eroller said:

This announcement will be a huge incentive for travel agents to book VV.  Bravo to VV for taking their no nickel and diming policy even beyond the passenger! Oops I mean “sailer”.  Lol.  

 

https://www.travelpulse.com/news/cruise/virgin-voyages-says-bon-voyage-to-non-commissionable-fares.html#.XFCLwGD3rZA.linkedin

 

Also of note in that article is the deposit structure.  At 20% and non-refundable it will likely be more than other cruise lines, but at least they offer no penalty for changing the sailing date or names.  Hopefully they honor the $500 pre-deposits as the full deposit as a courtesy to those of us who have long-standing deposits.

[eroller]

3 minutes ago, timf2001 said:

 

Also of note in that article is the deposit structure.  At 20% and non-refundable it will likely be more than other cruise lines, but at least they offer no penalty for changing the sailing date or names.   

 

 

 

Good catch.  It seems more and more cruise lines in North America are going with a non-refundable deposit structure or at least a percentage that is non-refundable.  It's a way of controlling speculative bookings and an inventory control/yield management measure.  Its been this way for a long time in the rest of the world, with North America being a hold out on refundable deposits.   Most lines right now in the US still offer a choice (refundable or non refundable deposits), but to get the lowest or best fare, often times you have to go with the non-refundable deposit option.  

[Diver2014]

We used to sail on Holland America when 'no tipping' was their main sales theme.  We always figured they must pay their staff more than other cruise lines.  Hopefully that will be the case on Virgin Voyages.

[uromac]

Just saw this about the cabins: https://www.virginvoyages.com/article/cabins

 

Video - 

 

 

 

[wwcruisers]

Thanks for posting. After seeing those awful 'infinite verandahs' on Celebrity Edge, I'll be truly grateful to have a 'real' balcony. But I really hope that there is something out there in the way of furniture -- besides Sir Richard's signature hammock, of course!

[timf2001]

1 minute ago, wwcruisers said:

Thanks for posting. After seeing those awful 'infinite verandahs' on Celebrity Edge, I'll be truly grateful to have a 'real' balcony. But I really hope that there is something out there in the way of furniture -- besides Sir Richard's signature hammock, of course!

 

The picture at the top of the linked page shows a small table and one chair on the balcony in addition to the hammock.  These rooms look pretty appealing.  The convertible sofa/bed is a novel idea as long as it doesn't sacrifice the comfort of a traditional mattress, although given what you normally find on cruise ships that's a low bar to exceed.

[jticarruthers]

Received email today with the link to the cabin info and also a link to destinations.

 

Cuba (as previously announced)

Costa Maya

Peurto Plato - Dominican Republic

and one still TBD

 

Sounds like 4/5 night itineraries not 7 night though ?

[eroller]

The “Seabed” is certainly a rehash of an old concept.  Back when Royal Caribbean had very small cabins, all the beds (usually in an L shape), would convert to a sofa by day making the cabin a sitting area.  This  concept was basically outgrown when cabins became large enough to offer a full time couch and sitting area in every standard cabin.  The hammock on the balcony has been done for years already on AIDA. 

 

Personally I can’t say the cabins wow me.  I expected more innovation than a convertible sofa bed.  Celebrity’s Infinate Balcony are far more innovative and forward thinking.  

Edited January 31, 2019 by eroller

[timf2001]

In addition to the cabins, they also highlighted their initial itineraries:

https://www.virginvoyages.com/article/destinations

 

They include:

4-5 Night "Havana After Dark" (Havana, Cuba)

5 Night "Mayan Sol" (Costa Maya, Mexico)

5 Night "Dominican Daze" (Puerto Plata, DR)

 

I assume they will include one or two additional ports on each sailing.  The 5 day itineraries make sense given the previously revealed port bookings that showed a stop in Key West, FL prior to Havana that only would have lined up with a mid-week departure from Miami.  If you want a longer cruise, just do a back-to-back.  This will also help keep prices lower so there does not appear to be as much of a premium compared to other lines 7 day sailings.

[eneq]

I understand them starting off with 4 and 5 day cruises if they're going after non-cruisers. I think shorter sailings are a way easier sell than week long sailings to those who have never cruised before.

[bradpole]

25 minutes ago, eroller said:

Personally I can’t say the cabins wow me.

 

I agree, there doesn’t seem to be much storage and drawer space.  The table/desk looks pretty but I’m not sure how practical it is.  The same issue with the one bathroom rendering I just saw, there doesn’t seem to be any shelves for all the little things that need a home in the bathroom (pills, toothpaste, lotion, etc...).  

 

The convertable bed looks interesting, but personally I have no use for it.  I’m never in the cabin long enough to need a sofa!

[Lloyd555]