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Hi all…. I thought I’d create this beginners cruise chat. Feel free to ignore it if it’s not for you!
Well this will be my 1st ever cruise and I’m really excited!! I’ll be going on the Greek Island Glow on 18th June with my partner.
So my 1st thought is, is there an online bar menu? I’m trying to work out the value in the $300 (£240) bar tab. My partner doesn’t drink at all and I drink moderately. Will I get value from it? Or will it cost more than the value of my drinks? Only I can answer that, so seeing a menu with prices would be handy!
Is there a laundry service on board? Any information?
That’s all I can think of for now!
I’m going on my first VV in October so interested in this thread.
Have you looked on Cruise Critic forums? There’s an incredible amount of info there and a fair bit about Virgin. There’s also plenty of cruise review bloggers and YouTubers where you can easily find bar prices, etc. The vast majority of people seem really positive about VV so you should have a great trip coming up.
If you google the bar menu I think it comes up. Beers around $5-7, wine $9-13, cocktails $12-18. Just depends if you’ll spend it, we drink and will
Probably get 2 as we like a bottle of wine with dinner.Yes there’s a laundry service and the bag is pretty big but you’d have to google the latest costs. There’s no irons on board but you should be able to
Borrow a steamer.Thanks for the info @markdhayes
Since my 1st posting I found this link which is the prices you mention.
Ok another questions… if you buy someone on the ship, such as alcohol do they charge you in USD or Pounds? If the former I guess I need to use a 0% foreign transaction credit card and not my Amex.
Bumping this…. would really like to know about the currency onboard so I know which credit card to add to the app for onboard spend.
Everything on the ship is priced in USD. You will need cash if using the casino as they charge hefty amounts to withdraw using your wristband.
You pay for everything using your wristband. You can settle your bill using a Credit Card (automatically using the card on your account) or by Debit Card/Cash by going to sailor services.
Everything on the Valiant will have a 10% added on for VAT. Unsure on what it will be for the Resilient but I presume 24%?
I’ve always put an FX-Free Credit card on the account, then settled any final bill before departure using my Chase Debit Card at Sailor Services.
We’ve always spent around ~ $600-700 between the two of us for drinks so 1-2 bar tabs is enough for us. Your mileage may vary.
Is there a laundry service on board? Any information?
I took a photo of the laundry prices on our last VV cruise (February 2023 on the Valiant).
Everything on the ship is priced in USD. You will need cash if using the casino as they charge hefty amounts to withdraw using your wristband.
You pay for everything using your wristband. You can settle your bill using a Credit Card (automatically using the card on your account) or by Debit Card/Cash by going to sailor services.
Everything on the Valiant will have a 10% added on for VAT. Unsure on what it will be for the Resilient but I presume 24%?
I’ve always put an FX-Free Credit card on the account, then settled any final bill before departure using my Chase Debit Card at Sailor Services.
We’ve always spent around ~ $600-700 between the two of us for drinks so 1-2 bar tabs is enough for us. Your mileage may vary.
Just spoke to someone who cruised last week and no tax was added to drinks onboard, maybe it’s a Spanish thing? Will need to confirm.
Thanks @stevenhp1987 really useful.
I guess I’ll have to use my Halifax Clarity card. Although I’m pondering a Curve card finally, but I see they charge a fee if used at the weekend according to the articles on here, assuming that’s up to date, which wouldn’t be great on the cruise… unless I pay the majority of the bill on the Friday then the rest on the final Sunday.
Everything on the ship is priced in USD. You will need cash if using the casino as they charge hefty amounts to withdraw using your wristband.
Sorry don’t mean to nitpick, so do I need USD cash for the casino or can I use GBP? Or will using GBP incur a poor exchange rate / cost?
If you want to use the casino I’d bring USD with you. There is a cash machine but you can generally get a better rate bringing it with you
Everything on the ship is priced in USD. You will need cash if using the casino as they charge hefty amounts to withdraw using your wristband.
Sorry don’t mean to nitpick, so do I need USD cash for the casino or can I use GBP? Or will using GBP incur a poor exchange rate / cost?
Everything on the ship is in USD. There are no currency exchange options on the ship, only an ATM that incurs a charge.
Thanks @stevenhp1987 really useful.
I guess I’ll have to use my Halifax Clarity card. Although I’m pondering a Curve card finally, but I see they charge a fee if used at the weekend according to the articles on here, assuming that’s up to date, which wouldn’t be great on the cruise… unless I pay the majority of the bill on the Friday then the rest on the final Sunday.
Oh really, not that it carry’s much sway but interesting to hear Resilient’s bar purchases are tax free, both of Valient’s sailings definitely apply 10% tax.
I’m going on my first VV in October so interested in this thread.
Have you looked on Cruise Critic forums? There’s an incredible amount of info there and a fair bit about Virgin. There’s also plenty of cruise review bloggers and YouTubers where you can easily find bar prices, etc. The vast majority of people seem really positive about VV so you should have a great trip coming up.
We are on the 18th June too, cant wait!
We did a 3 day taster with Virgin Portsmouth to Zeebrugge and loved it, been waiting to see if this offer came up again as missed it last year.
I would book the onboard restaurants on the app now as they fill up fast!
Also research if there are any classes you want to do on board and be ready to book these as soon as you do board. You cant book these in advance of the cruise.
Everything is driven by the app on board.
edit: sorry karl, was meant to quote the first thread!. fat fingers
@phillondon – I believe it’s $30 for a bag of laundry. More if you want the express service.
Also on the 18th sailing.
Part of me doesn’t want to research too much but also we seem to need to hit the ground running with booking classes etc so will be following this thread closely.
We’ve booked 6 evening meals and the tender boats from the shop to the pier for the 2 places on Greek Glow that require it to get off the ship, via the app.
Scroll down on the home page of the app.
17 days till we sail. So exciting!!
Another question, if you bid to upgrade your cabin and are successful, can you change your mind and keep the existing cabin?
My partner says that the higher up the better. We currently have a Sear Terrace cabin on level 12 but if we bid to upgrade to a XL room, we don’t want it on a low floor.
We’ve never been on a cruise before so hoping someone can help me with a couple of basic questions…
– If a ship leaves at 6pm what time to you have to be there (trying to coordinate flights)
– Is therefore some sort of discount if you buy a bar tab? (if not, I don’t understand the point of it?)
Many thanksWe’ve never been on a cruise before so hoping someone can help me with a couple of basic questions…
– If a ship leaves at 6pm what time to you have to be there (trying to coordinate flights)
– Is therefore some sort of discount if you buy a bar tab? (if not, I don’t understand the point of it?)
Many thanksI can’t help much on the first ask as this is also my first cruise. However, would recommend flying out the day before if you can.. just in case of any nasty delays.
As for the bar tab, on the app there is an option to preload $300, which they will add an extra $50 as a bonus.
We’ve never been on a cruise before so hoping someone can help me with a couple of basic questions…
– If a ship leaves at 6pm what time to you have to be there (trying to coordinate flights)
– Is therefore some sort of discount if you buy a bar tab? (if not, I don’t understand the point of it?)
Many thanksThey’ll board you through to 16.30, even as late as 17.00, and no earlier than 13.00, and even then that’s with priority via Rockstar status (with a Suite reservation, or in this case successful upgrade), Splash of Romance or Deep Blue Extra’s (in that order).
There is a discount with purchasing a $300 bar tab in advance in that you receive a $50 bonus, sometimes enhanced to a $100 bonus.
Just spoke to someone who cruised last week and no tax was added to drinks onboard, maybe it’s a Spanish thing? Will need to confirm.
We paid VAT on the test kitchen drinks package. Think that might be the only VATable purchase we made while at port and you do pay VAT then.
I’d definitely suggest flying out the previous day unless you know insurance will cover it if you miss the ship and you don’t care if that happens.
Our flight to Barcelona last year for a VV cruise was cancelled while we were in the airport. We found flights out from another airport the following morning. We’d have missed the cruise if the same day flight was cancelled.
Just spoke to someone who cruised last week and no tax was added to drinks onboard, maybe it’s a Spanish thing? Will need to confirm.
We paid VAT on the test kitchen drinks package. Think that might be the only VATable purchase we made while at port and you do pay VAT then.
Was this on resilient?
I didn’t pay any tax on board Valiant last year. I don’t think I purchased any alcohol whilst the ship was docked either which may explain it. I don’t believe alcohol whilst sailing is VATable, although will be liable if docked at the local percentage.
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