Does Virgin Voyages have a loyalty program? The short answer is: yes, a little.
Virgin Voyages has launched a loyalty program, the Virgin Voyages Sailing Club loyalty program. But it’s not quite in place yet.
Unveiled in August 2022, the Virgin Voyages Sailing Club will operate for 2023 with limited-time benefits, while Virgin Voyages develops long-term tiers and perks that will come into effect in the future.
These limited-time benefits – which loyal Virgin Voyages fans are already eligible for – are quite valuable in some cases. They include free laundry service and free premium WiFi, two things that can normally cost quite a bit extra on cruise ships.
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There’s also a daily coffee credit for specialty coffee, which is like money in the bank if you’re a regular latte or cappuccino drinker. And the benefits don’t stop there.
For now, though, Virgin Voyages Sailing Club isn’t as robust a loyalty program as what some cruise lines offer.
Ways to earn points
Currently, the Virgin Voyages Sailing Club loyalty program does not have a formal points earning system. That will happen in the future, the line said. But until then, Virgin Voyages has introduced a token system to track all eligible spending by “sailors,” as Virgin Voyages calls passengers.
The number of tokens each passenger collects will play a role in the benefits they receive when the long-term version of the Sailing Club program officially debuts.
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As part of the token system, loyal Virgin Voyages customers will receive credit in tokens for all the money they have spent with Virgin Voyages since inception.
Virgin Voyages Sailing Club loyalty levels
Virgin Voyages has yet to determine long-term levels for the Virgin Voyages Sailing Club loyalty program. For now, it divides its customers into three status levels, with customers at all three levels eligible for the temporary benefits mentioned above.
The three status levels are:
- Sea winds: These are the ‘pioneers’ of the Virgin Voyages sailings who will be cruising with the line in 2021, its first year of operation. In addition to the limited-time benefits available to all eligible Sailing Club members, this group will receive a $125 Bar Tab Bonus for every $300 Bar Tab they purchase every time they sail the line for the rest of their lives; this was something Virgin Voyages promised them in 2021.
- Sea Rovers: These are customers who sail with Virgin Voyages at least twice between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2023. They will receive all temporary benefits plus a $100 Bar Tab Bonus for every $300 Bar Tab purchased through 2024.
- Match and Sea More sailors: These are customers who are enrolled in other cruise and air travel rewards programs and can now match their status with those other companies to immediately gain status in the Virgin Voyages program. As part of this, they will receive the aforementioned Sea-Rovers status, including the $100 Bar Tab Bonus through 2024.
Passengers who have sailed the line only once are not eligible for Sea-Rovers status.
Benefits of Virgin Voyages Sailing Club
The temporary benefits that Sailing Club members are eligible for until the end of the year have been brought together into a group called Deep Blue Extras. They contain:
- Access to expedited boarding
- $100 Bar Tab credit
- Unlimited premium Wi-Fi package (where available)
- Invite to an exclusive cocktail event on board
- Free laundry service
- $10 per day specialty coffee credit per cabin
- Dedicated customer support on board
The Deep Blue Extras benefits are available to all eligible Sailing Club members on voyages from now until December 31, 2023.
Related: I’ve Been on Over 150 Cruise Ships; here are my first impressions of Scarlet Lady
Virgin Voyages wants to hear from you
As it develops its long-term plans for the Sailing Club loyalty program, Virgin Voyages is asking for recommendations from fans on what benefits they would most like to see. The line accepts suggestions by email at loyalty@virginvoyages.com.
Virgin Voyages is also looking for volunteers to participate in surveys and focus groups. Details are on the line’s website.
Please note that the Sailing Club is a new program, separate from the Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and Virgin Red programs associated with other Virgin brands.
Members of these programs in the US can already redeem their Virgin Points on sailings from Miami and Barcelona on all of the line’s current ships: Scarlet Lady, Valiant Lady and Resilient Lady. Capital One cardholders also have access to cruises for points through a partnership between Capital One and Virgin Red announced in March.
In short
Startup cruise line Virgin Voyages is just getting into the loyalty program with a limited-time program called The Sailing Club. A more permanent version of the Virgin Voyages Sailing Club program will debut soon.
But even now, the program offers Virgin Voyages fans who have sailed the line just once a number of valuable benefits.
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