Let’s Talk About Virgin Voyages’ Bar Tab – Is It Worth It?

Virgin Voyages Bar Tab covers your premium drinks onboard

What is Virgin Voyages Bar Tab?

If you’re sailing with Virgin Voyages and wondering how drinks work on board, let me introduce you to Bar Tab—Virgin’s version of a drinks package (but with a twist). Unlike traditional cruise drinks packages where you pay a daily fee for unlimited drinks, Bar Tab is more like a prepaid bar credit that you can use as you go.

How Does Bar Tab Work?

It’s simple: You pre-purchase Bar Tab in chunks of £270 ($300), and Virgin Voyages gives you an extra £45 ($50) bonus per Tab. So, if you load £270, you’ll actually have £315 to spend. There’s no limit to how many Bar Tabs you can buy, so if you think you’ll be sipping your way through the cruise, you can stock up in advance and bag those bonuses!

What Can You Use Bar Tab For?

Bar Tab covers almost all alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks from Virgin’s extensive cocktail menus, premium wines, beers, and specialty coffees. You can use it at:

✔️ Bars and lounges across the ship

✔️ Restaurants (if you fancy a nice wine or cocktail with dinner)

✔️ The onboard coffee spots (think posh lattes and cold brews)

✔️ Beach Club at Bimini (if your itinerary includes a stop there)

✔️ Ship Eats room service for drinks

✔️ Test Kitchen Drink Pairings

✔️ Buying drinks for friends & family

What Can’t Bar Tab Be Used For?

Sadly Bar Tab can’t be used for bottles of bubbles

While it’s pretty flexible, there are a few things Bar Tab won’t cover:

❌ Bottles of wine or champagne (by the glass is fine, but full bottles aren’t included)

❌ Drinks from the onboard shops

❌ Mini bar items in RockStar Quarters (suites)

❌ Drinks purchased at private events or shore excursions

❌ The Grog Walk - unless it’s used to purchase additional drinkS

❌ Shake for Champagne – If you use the Virgin Voyages app to “Shake for Champagne” and order a bottle of Möet & Chandon, Bar Tab won’t cover it. (Champagne by the glass at a bar is fine, though!)

❌ Supper Club Shows – Some special dining events, like Another Rose, include drinks, but Bar Tab can’t be used to pay for them. The event price covers drinks separately.

❌ Cocktail & Wine Tastings – If you book a mixology class, wine tasting, or any other premium beverage experience, Bar Tab doesn’t apply, as these are considered “experiences” rather than individual drinks.

❌ Casino Drinks – Unlike some cruise lines where drinks in the casino are comped, Virgin doesn’t allow Bar Tab to be used for drinks ordered at casino tables. However, if you order from a nearby bar and bring your drink over, that’s fine.

Those are the main Bar Tab no-go zones, but for everyday drinks at bars, restaurants, and room service, you’re good to go!

Is Bar Tab Worth It?

If you plan on having a few cocktails, premium coffees, or a couple of wines with dinner, it’s definitely worth pre-loading at least one Bar Tab to get the free £45 bonus. Unlike other cruise lines, Virgin Voyages doesn’t force you into an expensive daily drinks package, so this lets you drink at your own pace without wasting money on a set daily fee.

How to Set Up a Bar Tab on Virgin Voyages

Set up and also check your balance on the Virgin Voyages App

Setting up a Bar Tab is super easy, but you must do it before your cruise—you can’t add one once you’re on board. Here’s how:

Purchase Before You Sail

You can buy a Bar Tab through:
The Virgin Voyages website (My Account)
The Virgin Voyages app (under “My Sailor Loot & Bar Tab”)
Your travel agent, if you booked through one

Simply select £270 ($300) or more, and Virgin Voyages will automatically add the £45 ($50) bonus per Tab.

How do you use Bar Tab?

Bar Tab is linked to your Sailor Band - so all drinks on “tap”

Once purchased, your Bar Tab is linked to your Sailor Band (your wearable cruise pass).

When ordering drinks, just tap your band at any bar or restaurant, and the cost will be deducted from your Bar Tab balance.

Can Multiple People Share a Bar Tab?

Bar Tab is linked to the individual who purchases it. However, if you buy a drink for someone else, it will still come from your Bar Tab.

What If You Run Out of Bar Tab?

You can’t top up Bar Tab once on board, but you can keep ordering drinks and pay as you go. If you use all of your bar tab, any additional drinks will be charged to your onboard account (Sailor Loot) instead. You settle this bill before disembarking.

That’s it! Once set up, you just tap, sip, and enjoy without worrying about drinks packages or hidden fees.

Where Can I Check My Bar Tab balance?

You can track your remaining Bar Tab at any time through:

✔️ The Virgin Voyages app (My Wallet)

✔️ Your in-room tablet

✔️ Any Sailor Services desk onboard

Can I Carry Over Remaining Bar Tab Credit?

No, Bar Tabs can’t be carried over to your next voyage, even if it is back-to-back. You will need to purchase one separately for each voyage.

Limited-Time Promotions

Virgin Voyages often runs special offers where Bar Tab is included as a booking perk. For example:

A past promotion that gave Bar Tab credit when booking certain cabins or sailings.
Seasonal Offers – Sometimes, they throw in extra Bar Tab as part of a deal when booking early or during a sale.

Do RockStar & Mega RockStar Quarters Get Bar Tabs?

RockStar Quarters (Suites) don’t get a Bar Tab automatically, but they do get a fully stocked in-room bar that their crew will mix drinks from. However, if you still want drinks elsewhere, buying a Bar Tab is an option.

Mega RockStar Quarters: If you’re sailing in a Mega RockStar suite, all drinks are included throughout the ship, so you won’t need a Bar Tab at all!

Group Bookings & Events

If you’re part of a large group booking or hosting an event onboard, Virgin Voyages sometimes includes Bar Tab credit as part of the package.

Bar Tab Perks for Sailing Club Members

For Sailing Club members (loyalty guests), Virgin Voyages does offer Bar Tab perks, but it depends on your loyalty status and current promotions. Here’s what’s available:

Sea Blazers (those who sailed in 2021 inaugural season)

Sea Blazers receive a $125 bonus when they purchase a $300 bar tab, essentially giving an extra $125 to spend on drinks onboard; this is considered one of the "Deep Blue Extras" perks for loyal Virgin Voyages sailors.

Sea-Rover Status ($100 Bar Tab Credit)

If you sail twice within 12 months, you become a Sea-Rover and get $100 Bar Tab credit on your next sailing.

This perk is automatically applied to your booking once you hit Sea-Rover status.

Deep Blue Extras

This level is for the loyal voyage customers who have been on 5 or more Virgin Voyage cruises. Anyone who has previously earnt their Sea-Blazers or Sea Rovers badge automatically gain the Deep Blue Extras on any Voyage before the end of 2025.

It includes premium WiFi, early boarding, a free bottle of Möet & Chandon, and other extras—but Bar Tab isn’t directly included.

Special Promotions for Sailing Club Members

Virgin Voyages occasionally offers exclusive deals for repeat sailors, which can include bonus Bar Tab credit when booking certain sailings.

These offers are usually sent via email or shown in your Sailing Club profile when booking.

If you’re a Sailing Club member, it’s worth checking your loyalty perks before booking—you might have an extra Bar Tab credit waiting for you!

What’s the Maximum Bar Tab Allowed?

There’s no official maximum on how much Bar Tab you can purchase, so you can buy multiple Bar Tabs if you want to load up more credit.

Since each £270 ($300) Bar Tab comes with a £45 ($50) bonus, some sailors choose to stack multiple Bar Tabs to get more free credit. For example:

• Buy £540 ($600) → Get £90 ($100) extra

• Buy £810 ($900) → Get £135 ($150) extra

Here’s how it breaks down:

$200 Bar Tab: Bonus $25 (12.5% extra)
$300 Bar Tab: Bonus $50* (16.7% extra)
$500 Bar Tab: Bonus $100 (20% extra)
$750 Bar Tab: Bonus $175 (23.3% extra)
$1000 Bar Tab: Bonus $250 (25% extra)

No set maximum—buy as many as you like!

Since Bar Tab is non-refundable, it’s best to estimate how much you’ll actually use before pre-purchasing. You can find a useful bar tab calculators on the web.

If you’re considering booking and want to check if there are any current Bar Tab perks, it’s always worth looking at the latest promotions before locking in your trip!

Final Tip: Bar Tab is only available to buy BEFORE your cruise, so you can’t add it once you’re on board (last chance to buy is in the cruise terminal before embarkation). If you don’t spend it all, you can always treat your new Sailor friends to a round (or just drink more espresso martinis, no judgment!).

Voyages Bar Tab? All You Need to Know