EXTENDED TO AUGUST: 7 nights Virgin Voyages full board cruises for two for 80,000 Virgin Points

If you missed these amazing offers last year, they are back. You will not find a better points redemption in 2023.

Due to strong demand (mainly from our readers I think!) Virgin Voyages has now opened up dates in August too. The final departure date allowed is now 27th August.

You can get a seven night European cruise on ‘Valiant Lady’ or ‘Resilient Lady’, the 2nd and 3rd ships in the Virgin Voyages fleet, for just 80,000 Virgin Points for two people.

If you don’t have 80,000 Virgin Points in your account, you can buy the extra here. You should still come out ahead.

(If you are looking for the original article from last week, which had a couple of hundred useful comments under it, click here.)

What’s included with your cruise?

The cruise is full board. All your meals, soft drinks, fitness classes, entertainment etc are included – even tips.

The following are not included:

• alcoholic drinks, although package deals are usually offered before departure allowing you to prepay for drinks credit at a discount if you wish
• flights and transfers to Athens or Barcelona
• someone to look after your children back home – these are adults only trips

A lot of HfP readers jumped on these redemptions last year. The feedback in our forum has been fantastic – from young and old, from those who wanted a bit of a party to those who simply wanted a quiet break after a tricky couple of years. There is a Virgin Voyages master thread in our forum for your Q&A.

If you are short of Virgin Points, options include:

• buying them via this link

• transferring Tesco Clubcard points (should happen overnight)

• transferring American Express Membership Rewards points (should be instant)

• transferring Heathrow Rewards points (not clear about timeframe)

Where can you go on a Virgin Voyages 80,000 points cruise?

Here are your options:

Greek Island Glow

Departing 4th June, 18th June, 25th June, 9th July, 16th July, 30th July, 6th August, 20th August, 27th August

• Day 1 – Piraeus (Athens). Departs at 7:00pm.
• Day 2 – Santorini. Arrives at 9:00am, departs at 10:00pm.
• Day 3 – Rhodes. Arrives at 9:00am, departs at 6:00pm.
• Day 4 – Bodrum. Arrives at 8:00am, departs at 8:00pm.
• Day 5 – Sailing.
• Day 6 – Mykonos. Arrives at 9:00am.
• Day 7 – Mykonos. Departs at 2:00pm.
• Day 8 – Piraeus (Athens). Arrives at 6:30am.

Adriatic Sea & Greek Gems

Departing 11th June, 2nd July, 23rd July, 13th August

• Day 1 – Piraeus (Athens). Departs at 6:00pm.
• Day 2 – Sailing.
• Day 3 – Split. Arrives at 9:00am, departs at 9:00pm.
• Day 4 – Dubrovnik. Arrives at 9:00am, departs at 10:00pm.
• Day 5 – Kotor. Arrives at 9:00am, departs at 07:00pm.
• Day 6 – Corfu. Arrives at 9:00am, departs at 09:00pm.
• Day 7 – Sailing.
• Day 8 – Piraeus (Athens). Arrives at 0630.

The Irresistible Med

Departing 4th June, 18th June, 2nd July, 16th July, 30th July, 13th August, 27th August

• Day 1 – Barcelona. Departs at 6:00pm.
• Day 2 – Toulon. Arrives at 9:00am, departs at 6:00pm.
• Day 3 – Marina di Carrara. Arrives at 8:00am, departs at 8:00pm.
• Day 4 – Sailing.
• Day 5 – Ajaccio. Arrives at 8:00am, departs at 5:00pm.
• Day 6 – Ibiza. Arrives at 7:00pm.
• Day 7 – Ibiza. Departs at 6:00pm.
• Day 8 – Barcelona. Arrives at 6:30am.

French Daze & Ibiza Nights

Departing 11th June, 25th June, 9th July, 23rd July, 6th August, 20th August

• Day 1 – Barcelona. Departs at 6:00pm.
• Day 2 – Marseille. Arrives at 8:00am, departs at 7:00pm.
• Day 3 – Cannes. Arrives at 8:00am, departs at 9:00pm.
• Day 4 – Palma de Mallorca. Arrives at 6:00pm.
• Day 5 – Palma de Mallorca. Departs at 6:00pm.
• Day 6 – Ibiza. Arrives at 7:00pm.
• Day 7 – Ibiza. Departs at 6:00pm.
• Day 8 – Barcelona. Arrives at 6:30am.

Here are a few things to note:

• you need to fly to and from Athens or Barcelona at your own expense
• it is adults only
• the cost is 80,000 Virgin Points for a Sea Terrace or Limited View Sea Terrace cabin, which sleeps one or two people – there is no discount for single occupancy

How much do these cruises cost for cash?

Take a look – you’re getting up to £2,900 of value for your 80,000 Virgin Points on peak dates. Here is a ‘Greek Island Glow’ quote for the 30th July sailing:

This is a ludicrous 3.6p per Virgin Point. That’s 3.6x more than you’ll get for a premium cabin flight in most cases, and 7x more than you’ll get for any other redemption via the Virgin Red site.

Here is what the Virgin Red site has to say:

Ahoy there! This is a limited-time special offer, and there is only a limited number of cabins available. Choose a seven-night sailing departing from either Athens on Resilient Lady or Barcelona on Valiant Lady between 01 June and 31 July 2023 [now 27th August 2023].

The price is per cabin (one or two persons). There is no single sailor supplement available.

Virgin Voyages has curated four glamorous itineraries that allow you to experience some of the most picturesque islands and coastal cities in the Mediterranean. Thanks to late-night departures or overnight finales, you’ll have plenty of time to explore each stop in addition to the ship itself (a destination in its own right). It’s called having your cake and eating it too.

Speaking of cake… Virgin Voyages takes food, and the experience around it, very seriously. With a-la-carte menus crafted by Michelin-starred chefs, you can munch your way through countless unique eateries, from the Korean BBQ and elegant steakhouse to the red hot Mexican and 24/7 diner.

This adults-only voyage is designed to give you plenty of chances to relax, with workout classes, gym facilities and luxe spa treatments to name but a few. And if you want to sit back and do nothing, fresh-pressed juices served poolside will make “nothing” feel like everything.

And when you’re done with whatever self-care looks like for you, the one-of-a-kind, I’ve-definitely-never-seen-anything-like this-before entertainment awaits your arrival. With immersive pop-up acts that could happen anywhere on board, you’ll see the ship brought to life in new and unexpected ways.

As for digs, you’ll be kicking back in The Sea Terrace (or Limited View Sea Terrace, depending on availability). These cabins boast a configurable bed and high-tech mood lighting, allowing you to transform the space and create your own vibe. To top it all off, the hammock on the terrace is perfect for a little ‘me’ time, while the 24-hour food delivery service will be at your beck and call in the unlikely event of hunger pangs.

Wait. It gets even better… When it comes to additional costs, Virgin Voyages has you covered – all food, soft drinks, tips, group fitness classes, entertainment and Wi-Fi are always included.

Word of advice: don’t pay for any flights or transfers until your place on board is confirmed by Virgin Voyages!

Spaces are filling up quickly, so make a splash by booking your spot today. Hurry, these cabins will be gone faster than you can say “cannonball”.

Note that there is no guarantee that you can book the exact cruise you want, although in reality – with loads reportedly low – it shouldn’t be a problem. No-one has had an issue so far.

If you want to find out more about Virgin Voyages, here is our report from an afternoon on ‘Scarlet Lady’, the first ship in the fleet.

If you want to top up your balance by buying Virgin Points, the link is here.

You can book via the Virgin Red app or online. Read the instructions carefully before booking – you need to check there is still a relevant cabin available for cash before ordering your booking code, and once it arrives you should book ASAP before the availability disappears. Codes now seem to be arriving within 24 hours after a slow period over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Based on last year, you should be offered the chance to upgrade your cabin for cash nearer the time of departure if you want something larger.

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How to earn Virgin Points from UK credit cards (April 2024)

As a reminder, there are various ways of earning Virgin Points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

You can choose from two official Virgin Atlantic credit cards (apply here, the Reward+ card has a bonus of 18,000 Virgin Points and the free card has a bonus of 3,000 Virgin Points):

You can also earn Virgin Points from various American Express cards – and these have sign-up bonuses too.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold is FREE for a year and comes with 20,000 Membership Rewards points, which convert into 20,000 Virgin Points.

The Platinum Card from American Express comes with 40,000 Membership Rewards points, which convert into 40,000 Virgin Points.

Small business owners should consider the two American Express Business cards. Points convert at 1:1 into Virgin Points.

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which earn Virgin Points. 

(Want to earn more Virgin Points?  Click here to see our recent articles on Virgin Atlantic and Flying Club and click here for our home page with the latest news on earning and spending other airline and hotel points.)