Virgin Voyages Fare Classes: Fair Choices

Bob Voyage Travel
Oct 6, 2025
3 min read

Updated: Oct 15, 2025

Effective October 7, 2025, Virgin Voyages offers a tiered pricing structure for fares. As your Virgin Voyages' First Mate and expert, I'm here to help you choose the best fare class to get the most out of your sailing. This post explains the fare classes on standard cabins—Insider, Sea View, Sea Terrace—and offers my expert perspective on which fare class might be best for your situation.

Fare Categories

Standard Cabin Types (Insider, Sea View, Sea Terrace, including XL)

It's important to remember that any of the three fare types can be applied to any standard cabin. For example, you could book an XL Sea Terrace at Base prices, a Sea View cabin at Premium, and a Social Insider at Essential. That kind of choice allows us to tailor each reservation for you and your specific scenario - a win-win!

Base

Booking a cabin with the Base fare is your lowest cost option. Base bookings are non-refundable, and allow no modifications to the date, the names of sailors, or the cabin assignment. Cabins are automatically assigned at the time of booking, but are subject to change by Virgin Voyages up to 7 days before the sailing.

This fare type also comes with Basic WiFi, which allows for messaging and light social media browsing. This WiFi plan is upgradeable to Premium or Work From Sea, either through a 24-hour or Voyage Pass.

Dining reservations for Base Fare bookings will open for Sailors 15 days before the sailing.

Who is Base good for?

Sailors looking for a last-minute getaway on a budget
Repeat Sailors on a budget

Essential

Essential Fares offer the iconic Virgin Voyages experience that past Sailors are already used to. The normal date-based cancellation policy applies here, and changes are allowed to cabin location, date/itineraries, and more.

Note: for those that travel with others in the same cabin, it will be very important to determine who the Primary Sailor will be on an Essential reservation. Name changes are only allowed for Sailors 2-4, and not Sailor 1.

Essential bookings come with Classic Wifi, which is 2x faster than Basic, allowing for messaging, social media, and WiFi audio calls. This WiFi plan is upgradeable to Premium or Work From Sea, either through a 24 hour or Voyage Pass.

Dining reservations on Essential Fare bookings will open for Sailors 45 days before the sailing.

Who is Essential good for?

Sailors looking for the classic Virgin Voyages experience
Sailors with Deep Blue Extras (Perks apply on top, saving you the need to book Premium!)

Premium

Premium Fares bring all of the add-ons, inclusions, flexibility, and perks together for an epic experience. As with Essential, the normal date-based cancellation policy applies here, and changes are allowed to cabin location, date/itineraries, and more. In addition, name changes apply for all Sailors in the cabin, giving you more flexibility overall.

Premium bookings receive Premium Wi-Fi, which is up to 5x faster than Basic. This plan allows for messaging, social media, WiFi audio and video calling, and entertainment streaming. Dining reservations on Premium Fare bookings will open for Sailors 60 days before the sailing.

Finally, Premium rates include a Bar Tab bonus of $15 per person per day, which covers 1-2 drinks a day (depending on what you drink).