Virgin Voyages Bar Tab Explained

Pre-purchased drink credit — here's everything you need to know.

The Bar Tab is VV's pre-purchased drink credit system. Before you sail, you buy a fixed amount of bar credit at a slight discount — then spend it like cash on any drink onboard. Cocktails, mocktails, wine, beer, specialty coffee, pressed juice — all covered.

Basic beverages (water, sodas, drip coffee, standard juice) are always free and don't require Bar Tab. Bar Tab is for anything alcoholic or premium.

Bar Tab Tiers

$100

Pay

$100

Get

+$0

Entry level — barely covers 4–5 cocktails/day

$250

Pay

$275

Get

+$25

Good for light drinkers on a 4-night sailing

$500

Pay

$575

Get

+$75

Most common choice for couples on 5–7 nights

$700

Pay

$820

Get

+$120

Heavy drinkers or longer sailings

$1,000

Pay

$1,200

Get

+$200

Best value; 20% bonus. Suits 7+ nights or big spenders

Key Rules

Per cabin, not per person

One Bar Tab balance shared between all sailors in the cabin. Buying $500 does not mean $500 per person.

Non-refundable

Unused credit at the end of sailing is forfeited. Plan to use it — especially at Bimini or the last night.

Doesn't cover food or excursions

Bar Tab applies to beverages only at all onboard bars and restaurants. It has no cash value outside drinks.

BYOB corkage fee

You can bring wine onboard. A $25 corkage fee applies per bottle if you open it in a restaurant. No corkage in your cabin.

Buy before sailing for best price

Face value onboard. Discounts (typically 5–20%) are only available when purchasing in advance through the app or during promotions.

Rough Budget Guide

Cocktails run roughly $12–18 each. Here's a quick reference:

Light drinker (1–2/day)

$250

Moderate (2–3/day)

$400–500

Heavy (4+/day)

$700–1,000

4-night sailing

$250–400

7-night sailing

$500–700

With Bimini stop

Add $100+

Frequently Asked

Is the Bar Tab the same as a drink package? +
Conceptually similar, but structured differently. You pre-purchase a fixed dollar amount of onboard credit at a slight discount. You spend it like cash on drinks. There's no unlimited tier — you spend what you buy.
Is Bar Tab per person or per cabin? +
Per cabin. Two people share a single Bar Tab balance. It's not doubled if there are two sailors.
What happens to unused Bar Tab credit? +
It's non-refundable. Any credit not spent by the end of the sailing is forfeited. Use it up at Bimini or on the last night.
Can I use Bar Tab for anything other than drinks? +
Bar Tab is for drinks only — alcoholic and non-alcoholic from any bar or restaurant. It does not cover food, spa, or shore excursions.
When is the best time to buy Bar Tab? +
Buy it before sailing — it's occasionally discounted during promotions (especially Black Friday / Cyber Monday). Once you're onboard, you pay face value at any bar.

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