Virgin Voyages Is Taking On The “Hidden Cost” of Cruising

At Cruise Fever, we’ve talked about the “hidden cost of cruising” for a while.  For years those advertised prices often looked too good to be true. 

That’s because sometimes they were, at least to the untrained eye and to those who’ve never cruised before.  Last year I wrote an article on whether or not cruise prices were too misleading.

Virgin Voyages is now leaning directly into that conversation with an article it just published titled “No Surprise Charges Here: A Transparent Look at Virgin Voyages Pricing.”

The article targets one of the cruise industry’s biggest frustrations: fares that start low but quickly snowball once gratuities, Wi-Fi, beverage packages, dining surcharges, and various other fees are factored in.

Virgin’s claim? When you book with them, the price you see is the true price of the vacation at sea.

Honest Pricing in an Upsell Culture

Cruisers are used to the upsell model. The $99-a-night deal transforms into a far more expensive cruise when you realize all the fine print of add-ons and service charges.

Virgin’s article compares it to buying a $10,000 car and later discovering the wheels and seatbelts are extra. This system, built on what’s known as “partitioned pricing,” has long been a way to entice travelers who often feel nickel-and-dimed once onboard.

Virgin’s “Always Included Luxury”

Virgin pivots from that traditional approach by bundling in nearly everything a passenger (Sailor) might need. As outlined in the article, their standard fare includes:

• All onboard dining, even at elevated specialty restaurants
• Gratuities
• Entertainment and shows
• Group fitness classes
• Non-alcoholic drinks, including coffee and juice
• Wi-Fi that “actually works”

*While the Virgin article states that specialty coffees are included, other documentation on the website does still show an extra charge.

The model is what some call “bundled transparency” — a single honest fare that covers the real cost of the vacation.

A Side-by-Side Look

The article demonstrates how this works in practice. A mainstream seven-night Caribbean cruise might start at $700 per person but, after gratuities, beverage packages, Wi-Fi, and a few specialty dining reservations, grows to around $1,558. Virgin, by comparison, prices the same length of trip upfront at $1,400 per person — everything included, no surprises.

*According to the Virgin Voyages article:

Why Not Everything?

Virgin acknowledges some experiences do remain optional, like shore excursions and spa treatments. Their reasoning: not every traveler wants to do those activities, so it’s fairer to charge only those who choose them.

The key difference is that all essential onboard experiences are already wrapped into the advertised price.

Why This Resonates Now

For new travelers especially, transparent pricing removes the confusion and anxiety of budgeting for a cruise. There’s no sticker shock at the end of the trip.  And there are fewer pressures to upgrade constantly once onboard–a pet peeve of many.

As Virgin puts it, the result is more peace of mind and the ability to focus on the voyage itself — not the math behind it.

Virgin Voyages’ latest article brings attention to a topic we at Cruise Fever have been bringing up for years. In a world of “gotcha fees”, this attempt might make some take another look at the cruise line.

For some cruisers, the price additions to the listed cruise fare are not a big deal because it allows them to have a more ala cart experience and choose what to pay for and what to avoid.  But for those additional expenses that are practically required, it’s nice to at least see an attempt to make it all visible and transparent.

Read more: 8 Things I Skipped on My Cruise to Save Money