How would you like to see Virgin Voyages’ Sailing Club evolve?

[-The-True-North-]

We know that Virgin Voyages deployed a smart strategy to attract customers from other cruise lines by allowing them to status match and try sailing Virgin. They were able to try a new line, without losing the exclusive status or perks they were used to. We also know that this will be phased out at the end of this year, probably for two reasons. First, it’s now more common to find someone who has status because they allowed everyone to match. Secondly, it doesn’t actually reward repeat sailors. So it’s not really a loyalty program anymore.

 

Virgin Voyages has now established themselves, their repeat clientele and reputation. As such, we have heard for most of this year, that a new program is being developed and will be unveiled in the future.

What are some predictions, hopes, or suggestions that you have for Virgin Voyages to improve their loyalty program?

 

What kind of rewards or incentives would you like to see in the future? How would you design the loyalty program if you were in charge? Should it have tiers, and if so, how? What are some features or benefits that you think would make it more attractive or rewarding for customers? If you could create your own tier in Virgin Voyages’ Sailing Club, what would you name it and what would it offer? How would you qualify for it and how would you maintain it?

 

Let’s share our thoughts and ideas on how Virgin Voyages can improve their loyalty program and make it more appealing and rewarding for us. 🚢

[Lustate]

Hmm the top tier could be “rockstar on tour”, which is all the rockstar perks, but in a standard central terrace or above. Base the tiers on number of night x the category of cabin/suite. And focus it down so it’s always things like “the top 10%” etc for the previously year to keep it exclusive. Also you “sail into the distance” if you don’t voyage every year etc dropping down tiers. 

Edited December 23, 2023 by Lustate

[-The-True-North-]

My thoughts and hopes:

 

To keep your status: 1 cruise must be sailed within 2 year of last debarkation.

 

This is also taking into consideration the MNVV will definitely be changing. Hopefully the $300 deposit will still net $600 and bonus only drops to maybe $200 loot vs current $600.

 

Sea Blazers:

Only for those being one for the first to sail:

$100 Bar Tab.

 

And then apply the extra perks for the tier:

 

Sea Rovers:

3-5 sailings

10% discount 

$10 coffee credit.

Laundry service

Boarding moved back to 2:30.

 

Sea Explorers:

6-10 sailings

Above with 1:30 boarding.

$100 bar credit.

PIF discount

The Exclusive Party, (updating the current gathering with tickets which will be waiting in your room and can be exchanged for a drink at the bar).

Restaurant bookings open 2 days earlier.

Loot can be used within 30 days prior to boarding, to secure excursions.

 

Sea Voyagers:

10+ sailings

Above with 1pm boarding.

Access to Richards Rooftop on port days only and must be booked and capped.

Additional 10% discount on future sailings booked onboard only.

Matched payments prior to boarding for Loot and Bar Tab up to a Limit of $25 per day. (Ie. On a 7 days sailing: Buy $175 loot, get $350).

Edited December 24, 2023 by -The-True-North-

[jon81uk]

I think they could offer Richard’s Roof top to a top tier, so something like ten cabins per sailing.

The priority boarding needs sorting out, so reserve the first time for loyalty only, something like 1.30 for rockstars, 1.45 for high tier loyalty and 2pm for other loyalty. 2.15 maybe Splash of Romance. Then everyone else can select from slots starting at 2.30. That makes more sense than the current system where it isn’t clear what happens to those with status.

[-The-True-North-]

The biggest issue right now is that there is no loyalty program. Everyone is the same.

 

The guest sailing for the 7th time is related the same as someone on their first who status matched.

 

Same time to board, same time to pick dinner and shows, same perks.

 

Multi tier is the only way to reward true loyalty.

[-The-True-North-]

Also really hoping they roll out some sort of Sailor Profile like every hotel loyalty program has.

 

Do you need hypoallergenic pillows. Do you prefer port or starboard rooms, or even better... a favourite room number that can be assigned if available. This would stop having to call in and change cabins. A place where you could permanently upload a picture and your passport, rather than doing it on EVERY sailing.

 

Also why is there no channel with a live map and our current position and stats? HAL has that, and it is stupidly fun to have on in the room.

[mbfrenc0586]

I agree that having multiple tiers are critical for this to be beneficial.  I am a Sea Blazer with my 5 and 6th cruises in 2024.  I'm very interested on how they will reward the Sea Blazers when setting what level of status we will get to start.  

 

I think keep some sort of laundry perk, even if only on longer perks would be nice.  We typically only travel carry on only, so on longer trips that can get a bit difficult.  

 

On NCL they offer excursion discounts, free behind the ship tours, spa discounts, cabin upgrades, free cruises, etc.  Some of those would be great as well.  

 

I am also hoping that this will all combine with the Virgin Red program so that you can earn/spend points across the Virgin brand.  

[Wildcatllamas]

I don't see dropping a tier if you haven't sailed for awhile. We all know how life can bite your backside at times. 

 

I have Platinum with NCL and Elite with Princess. I don't remember my status with Celebrity but I have cruised with them 3 times and have earned Captain's point through surveys and other options.

I like the ideas that @-The-True-North- has suggested for levels.

 

But as a Sea Blazer, I think we should have at least a couple of extra perks. We were there and took the chances from the beginning. Maybe the coffee credit and the laundry or early check in. None of which would break the bank but would recognize those who were there from the beginning.

 

As to how you would earn a tier I like the way that NCL has done theirs. Every cabin gets 1 point per night sailed. If you book a suite you earn extra points per night. That rewards those who spend more. I probably won't be sailing in a suite in the near future, but my late husband and I always sailed in suites and it was nice to earn those extra points for what we spent.

 

It would be nice if Virgin Voyages does combine with Virgin Red is some capacity. I don't think it would be a good option to combine with Virgin Atlantic because that airline is so limited in it's service to the US. If it services more of the US then that might also be an option.

 

 

[Gretchendz]

A few months ago they were crowd-sourcing ideas from some of us for ways to improve the program.  It's alreay quite generous.

To me the biggest pain point for most is the dining reservation pressure. I suggested that Sailing Club members would be allowed to book after Rockstars but befor regular sailors.

 

[Gretchendz]

3 hours ago, -The-True-North- said:

The biggest issue right now is that there is no loyalty program. Everyone is the same.

 

The guest sailing for the 7th time is related the same as someone on their first who status matched.

 

Same time to board, same time to pick dinner and shows, same perks.

 

Multi tier is the only way to reward true loyalty.

 

I don't disagree but as Virgin is a fairly new cruise line, and the pandemic, many people have not had the opportunity to sail with them 10, 20, 30 times (yet!). I would hope to see them implement something like this in the future.

[-The-True-North-]

Just now, Gretchendz said:

 

I don't disagree but as Virgin is a fairly new cruise line, and the pandemic, many people have not had the opportunity to sail with them 10, 20, 30 times (yet!). I would hope to see them implement something like this in the future.

We know people who are on 6+

 

Heck, we only went on our first cruise in September 2023, and we have completed another and have another 2 secured in 2024.

 

Would have been 6 if VV didn't triple prices. 

[jon81uk]

1 hour ago, -The-True-North- said:

We know people who are on 6+

Done six with seven, eight and nine all booked.

[-The-True-North-]

1 minute ago, jon81uk said:

Done six with seven, eight and nine all booked.

Lucky Duck.

 

Book these prior to the hikes and removal of PIF?

[jon81uk]

3 minutes ago, -The-True-North- said:

Lucky Duck.

 

Book these prior to the hikes and removal of PIF?

The 2025 one was booked last week when the new itinerary was available for October 2025. April 2024 was booked a year ago and October 2024 when that went on sale last summer, didn’t do pay in full for any of them, but the October one is weirdly cheap anyway.

[Tolkmit]

6 hours ago, Gretchendz said:

A few months ago they were crowd-sourcing ideas from some of us for ways to improve the program.  It's alreay quite generous.

To me the biggest pain point for most is the dining reservation pressure. I suggested that Sailing Club members would be allowed to book after Rockstars but befor regular sailors.

 

 Completely disagree that what they already have currently is "already quite generous." Royal Caribbean, for instance, you get the same expedited boarding, free top end wifi, concierge, exclusive event, and laundry service. Virgin you get 100$ in bar tab total, and 10$ per day in specialty coffee. While Royal you get up to 84 dollars in free drinks every single day.

 

Virgin's current rewards are nice for a tier that only takes a couple cruises to earn. But they need to add higher tiers, and a lot of value to those higher tiers, if they want to keep up with other lines.

[Tolkmit]

On 12/23/2023 at 5:00 PM, Lustate said:

Also you “sail into the distance” if you don’t voyage every year etc dropping down tiers. 

 

This would be a massive mistake in my opinion. Status should be permanent. There are far too many things that can keep someone from cruising for a year or even a few years; you want your loyalty program to incentivize those people into choosing you when they do come back. Especially when you are a newer line, and most of your customers have permanent loyalty status levels with your competitors.

[AussieOmni]

11 hours ago, -The-True-North- said:

Also really hoping they roll out some sort of Sailor Profile like every hotel loyalty program has.

 

Do you need hypoallergenic pillows. Do you prefer port or starboard rooms, or even better... a favourite room number that can be assigned if available. This would stop having to call in and change cabins. A place where you could permanently upload a picture and your passport, rather than doing it on EVERY sailing.

 

Also why is there no channel with a live map and our current position and stats? HAL has that, and it is stupidly fun to have on in the room.

They permanently store citizenship which is infuriating for me as a dual citizen who has a booking in my other country

[AussieOmni]

Given I’ve done a long one I’m hoping they do days not voyages.

[Gretchendz]

11 hours ago, AussieOmni said:

Given I’ve done a long one I’m hoping they do days not voyages.

 

Or both, as some cruise lines do!

[crusinthrough]

On 12/24/2023 at 6:10 AM, -The-True-North- said:

Also why is there no channel with a live map and our current position and stats? HAL has that, and it is stupidly fun to have on in the room.

Very frustrating.. every cruise line I've been on has an information channel with nautical miles traveled, nautical miles to the next destination, itinerary map, ship location and weather conditions.  Also a live view from the bridge.  Maybe both are coming.  

[Wildcatllamas]

18 hours ago, crusinthrough said:

.  Also a live view from the bridge.  

When I was on Scarlet, earlier this month, there was a channel with a live view from the bridge. Since all was calm it was pretty boring on the open sea.

[Lustate]

32 minutes ago, Wildcatllamas said:

When I was on Scarlet, earlier this month, there was a channel with a live view from the bridge. Since all was calm it was pretty boring on the open sea.

on a couple of ours we found the channel with the view from the bridge and the aft view. 

[CineGraphic]

I don't want to burst anyone's bubble, but I don't see Virgin giving us much more than they already do.

 

Multiple boarding times would just complicate operations for them. As it is now, they can't even get the app to show the correct boarding times for those of us with Deep Blue Extras, or Splash of Romance.

 

I don't see roof top access happening based on # of sailings either. It takes away from the exclusivity.

 

Virgin loves points.....so I see a future program based on points, redeemable for things like excursions, discounts in the shops, bridge tours, etc.

 

 

[jon81uk]

1 hour ago, CineGraphic said:

Multiple boarding times would just complicate operations for them. As it is now, they can't even get the app to show the correct boarding times for those of us with Deep Blue Extras, or Splash of Romance

The point of actually assigning a boarding time only available to those with benefits is to solve the current issue where official documentation is that you just have expedited boarding via a dedicated line, but in reality you can turn up at 1.30ish. Assigning loyalty members an exclusive boarding slot would be easier, also not complicated to just remove certain slots from the general pool and make them loyalty (or splash of romance) only.

[-The-True-North-]

2 hours ago, CineGraphic said:

Virgin loves points.....so I see a future program based on points, redeemable for things like excursions, discounts in the shops, bridge tours, etc.

 

 

I would HATE this.

 

We don't even have Virgin Red or whatever the program is in Canada.

 

I hear all about people trading in 80,000 points for a cruise, but no idea what this program is because we don't have it.