2024 Holiday (Chirstmas) Sailings

[cdn_tbird]

Dec. 2024 will be a milestone birthday for me, and with both kids in university we were thinking of doing a Christmas cruise to celebrate so that it doesn't interfere with their studies. While the majority of our cruises have been on Celebrity, we are interested in looking at other comparable lines. Because of travel times, we're focusing on itineraries that leave from a NA port meaning Caribbean, Panama, or West Coast itineraries, we'll leave the more exotic locations until we're either empty nesters or the kid's schedule becomes more flexible 😋. How far in advance does Virgin typically release the holiday cruise itineraries (yes, I appreciate that things may be different in a post-pandemic world).

 

TIA.

 

 

[cantgetin]

Ballpark, 18 months.  Reality--when they have completed negotiations for port schedules, etc.  My suggestion would be to contact a travel agent who specializes in VV, and has cruised it multiple times....that person can let you know a few days before bookings are released and might even have some additional perks for you.  For instance, while on board, anyone can purchase up to 8 future cruise certificates which ARE transferable.  The current deal is that this gives you a $300 discount on the cruise and $600 in "loot" (onboard credit).  My TA always purchases 8 of these when she cruises, knowing that she can sell them to her clients.  If she has hosted an on line seminar recently, she might have additional benefits available.  Don't book on your own.....there are too many good reasons to use an agent when booking VV.  I'm NOT in the travel business, but I know good service when I see it.  VV on the phone has issues.  An agent can avoid this.  And a good agent can be worth her weight in gold.

[cdn_tbird]

3 hours ago, cantgetin said:

Ballpark, 18 months.  Reality--when they have completed negotiations for port schedules, etc.  My suggestion would be to contact a travel agent who specializes in VV, and has cruised it multiple times....that person can let you know a few days before bookings are released and might even have some additional perks for you.  For instance, while on board, anyone can purchase up to 8 future cruise certificates which ARE transferable.  The current deal is that this gives you a $300 discount on the cruise and $600 in "loot" (onboard credit).  My TA always purchases 8 of these when she cruises, knowing that she can sell them to her clients.  If she has hosted an on line seminar recently, she might have additional benefits available.  Don't book on your own.....there are too many good reasons to use an agent when booking VV.  I'm NOT in the travel business, but I know good service when I see it.  VV on the phone has issues.  An agent can avoid this.  And a good agent can be worth her weight in gold.

Thank you. Agree that a good agent is invaluable. Unfortunately the agents up here in Canada don't really offer much in the way of "extras", the best you can hope for is maybe $50 in OBC. The big box store TA is the exception, where you get 8%-9% in a cash card plus if you have their Exec membership you get an additional %2 cash back, but they don't deal with Virgin. If you care to share, I have a link in my signature for email.

Edited April 10, 2023 by cdn_tbird

[_tacocat_]

17 hours ago, cdn_tbird said:

Unfortunately the agents up here in Canada don't really offer much in the way of "extras", the best you can hope for is maybe $50 in OBC.

i've never actually used a TA before, so pardon my ignorance here, but a lot of TAs buy the "my next virgin voyage" offers ($300 deposit gets you a $300 discount and $600 of onboard credit, in addition to whatever promos are going on when you actually book the voyage).  they're transferrable and they're allowed to get up to 10 at a time now, so they buy them to use as sweeteners for their clients' bookings.

[cantgetin]

2 minutes ago, _tacocat_ said:

i've never actually used a TA before, so pardon my ignorance here, but a lot of TAs buy the "my next virgin voyage" offers ($300 deposit gets you a $300 discount and $600 of onboard credit, in addition to whatever promos are going on when you actually book the voyage).  they're transferrable and they're allowed to get up to 10 at a time now, so they buy them to use as sweeteners for their clients' bookings.

The way the system is now, there is no reason for me to ever book without a MNVV...either because I bought it on board or because I had my agent get one for me.  She usually posts when she is going to be cruising so clients can contact her in advance to have one purchased for them.  There's no downside to anyone.

[_tacocat_]

1 minute ago, cantgetin said:

The way the system is now, there is no reason for me to ever book without a MNVV...either because I bought it on board or because I had my agent get one for me.  She usually posts when she is going to be cruising so clients can contact her in advance to have one purchased for them.  There's no downside to anyone.

lol it's like bed bath and beyond... always have to have that coupon haha.  but hope that they don't go the same way 😕

[cantgetin]

My last booking I had MNVV and the red hot booking bonus (additional $200 loot).  Then VV lowered the prices, and I was able to cancel and rebook at the lower rates/benefits.  I lost the $200 extra loot, but saved almost $400  off the booking price and added a $600 bar tab.  I don't think I've seen this good a deal on a cruise since 2011.....or maybe ever, since 2011 was an inside cabin and this is a balcony. 

[dreamer321]

5 hours ago, cantgetin said:

The way the system is now, there is no reason for me to ever book without a MNVV...either because I bought it on board or because I had my agent get one for me.  She usually posts when she is going to be cruising so clients can contact her in advance to have one purchased for them.  There's no downside to anyone.

I know you can't mention your travel agents name but can you tell us how you found this travel agent. I'm trying to find a good one but haven't had any success.

[cantgetin]

2 minutes ago, dreamer321 said:

I know you can't mention your travel agents name but can you tell us how you found this travel agent. I'm trying to find a good one but haven't had any success.

Does dumb luck count?  I had an agent that I'd used for many years and was happy with, but after covid he was down to basically a one man shop and his level of customer service bottomed out.  The person who is now my agent answered a question on another site, and it was obvious from the way she answered that she was an agent.  It turned out that she lives in a city that I was going to visit, so we got together for lunch and learned that we had a lot more in common than I'd appreciated on line.  The agency is her business, with some other people who work with her.  She is totally customer service oriented, answers texts and PMs promptly, etc.  And then it turned out that we were on the same sailing during my first VV trip (the one I'd booked with my former agent)....I ended up booking 3 more cruises during that trip.  She was very up front about not wanting to steal me from my agent, but she also understood that my concerns with him had nothing to do with her.  Tootles.

[dreamer321]

1 minute ago, cantgetin said:

Does dumb luck count? ...

Thanks for the response. I guess I'll just have to get lucky as well.  I'm planning on booking a Fall 2024 transatlantic cruise when they release the schedule. (I have other non-VV cruises already booked between now and then so I can't go sooner) 

[cantgetin]

1 minute ago, dreamer321 said:

Thanks for the response. I guess I'll just have to get lucky as well.  I'm planning on booking a Fall 2024 transatlantic cruise when they release the schedule. (I have other non-VV cruises already booked between now and then so I can't go sooner) 

Happy sailing....We haven't looked at fall 2024 yet, but we have 3 other VV sailings between now and then.  I'd go for another if the dates and prices work out and I'm not tired of them yet......