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Virgin Voyages Embarkation MISTAKES (and How to Avoid Them)
2K views
Jun 15, 2025
Virgin Voyages sailings are busier than ever โ and weโve got you covered! ๐ In this episode, David from VV Insider shares must-know tips to breeze through embarkation and start your cruise stress-free. ๐ From choosing your embarkation slot โฐ to knowing what not to pack ๐ซ๐, youโll get insider advice to help you maximise your holiday from the moment you arrive. ๐ผโจ โจ Book with VV Insider: ๐ https://vvinsider.com/book/ Weโll also cover: โฆ๏ธ What to expect at the port ๐ณ๏ธ โฆ๏ธ How to nail the dress code for themed nights ๐ญ โฆ๏ธ Luggage handling made easy ๐งณ โฆ๏ธ Priority Boarding perks with VV Insider ๐ผ โฆ๏ธ Disembarkation tips including transfers & luggage storage ๐ ๐ก Stick around for our bonus tip on the โMy Next Virgin Voyageโ placeholder offer โ perfect for planning your next escape! ๐ด๐ ๐ LINKS: ๐งณ Guide โ Luggage Tags, Handling and Allowances: https://vvinsider.com/guides-and-faqs/guide/luggage-allowances/
View Video Transcript
0:00
virgin Voyager sailings are more popular
0:02
than ever which means it's really
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important now to make sure that you're
0:06
getting imbarcation off to a smooth
0:08
start so you can get on board and start
0:10
enjoying your vacation as soon as
0:12
possible i'm David from VB Insider and I
0:14
want to collect a few tips that we've
0:16
gathered across the years of sailing
0:17
with Virgin Voyages to help you embark
0:19
on your Virgin Voyages cruise as easily
0:21
as possible vb Insider is the number one
0:25
resource for the latest Virgin Voyages
0:27
info guides and news from picking the
0:29
perfect cabin to booking dining or
0:31
simply just making the most of your
0:32
voyage and saving money while you do it
0:34
vinsider.com has helped thousands of
0:36
sailors around the world sail smarter
0:39
support our work by hitting subscribe
0:41
and stick around to hear how you can get
0:43
exclusive perks by booking directly with
0:47
us the first thing about a successful
0:50
embarcation journey with Virgin Voyages
0:52
actually starts from the point where you
0:53
book your voyage by which I mean as soon
0:55
as you've booked your voyage you're able
0:57
to choose an embulcation slot for the
0:59
day that you depart to do this you just
1:02
need to go into the Virgin Voyages app
1:04
we've got specific details on the VV
1:06
Insider website on how to do this but
1:08
once you've reached that point in the
1:09
app you'll be able to choose an
1:11
embarcation slot which will be a
1:13
15-minute slot that you can choose
1:15
starting from4 to 2 in the afternoon
1:18
1:45 leading all the way up to sail away
1:21
now of course everyone wants to get on
1:23
the ship early so you need to make sure
1:25
that as soon as you're boot you're on
1:27
the app choosing your slot because the
1:29
earlier slots will go very quickly the
1:31
sooner you get on the app the better the
1:33
chance that you're going to have an
1:34
early slot and you'll be able to start
1:36
your vacation off as soon as possible of
1:38
course these embarcation slots don't
1:40
really matter if you have priority
1:42
boarding which I'll get on to in just a
1:44
moment now a quick word from us about
1:46
what you can and you can't pack before
1:49
you arrive at the port now there are a
1:51
few prohibited items stuff you cannot
1:53
bring on board things like kettles irons
1:56
or steamers you can ask for a steamer to
1:59
decrease your clothes when you're on
2:00
board and of course there is pressing
2:02
services available in the laundry but
2:04
you're not allowed to bring these
2:05
devices yourself there are of course a
2:07
few obvious items you can't pack for
2:09
example firearms weapons things like
2:11
that we have a comprehensive list
2:13
available on BB Insider for the things
2:15
that you're not allowed to pack but of
2:18
course make sure you do pack the things
2:19
that you do need of course you're going
2:21
to need everything that you would
2:22
normally pack on a vacation but
2:24
something to really watch out for while
2:25
you're packing for your Virgin Voyages
2:27
cruise is to make sure you've got those
2:29
themed outfits packed by which I mean of
2:32
course make sure you're packing for
2:33
Scarlet Night so you've got a red outfit
2:35
for Scarlet Night that's very very
2:37
important but you may also want to
2:39
participate in the other dress up events
2:41
on board one of the events that happens
2:43
across all of the ships is the VHS
2:46
morning workout which is a 1980s Jane
2:49
Fondonder style aerobics class and they
2:52
do encourage you to dress in 1980s
2:54
aerobics gear while you do that that of
2:56
course is completely optional you can go
2:58
along to the class it's great fun and
3:00
you can show up in your normal gym gear
3:02
but if you want to make it a little bit
3:03
more fun add some sweatpants add some
3:05
neon and have a great time there are
3:07
also a number of different themed
3:09
parties around the cruise some other
3:11
club nights where you can dress up and
3:12
have a great time again always optional
3:15
but if you do want to go all out and
3:17
dress to the theme make sure you visit
3:19
vbvinsider.com and we have a list of the
3:21
themed nights depending on which ship
3:23
that you're on for example Resilient
3:25
Lady has things like we fancy which is a
3:28
golden glittering event it also has Club
3:30
Rubik's which is another 1980s event but
3:33
do check on the VV Insider website for
3:35
more details about the different events
3:37
that are available on the different
3:38
ships and the different themes you might
3:40
want to pack for so now that's packing
3:41
out the way here's a few tips for having
3:44
a really successful imbarcation and the
3:46
first tip is the most important tip and
3:48
that's make sure you arrive to the port
3:50
in enough time the ship will not wait
3:53
around for you if you're not on board
3:55
the ship in enough time it will go
3:57
without you so make sure you're prepared
3:59
for any possible travel disruption the
4:02
best way to do that is to make sure that
4:04
you arrive at the port city at least a
4:06
day in advance so making sure you're
4:08
there at least the night before to make
4:10
sure that you wake up and get down to
4:12
the port with bags of time ready to get
4:14
on the ship so just to be extra sure VV
4:16
Insider have teamed up with an excellent
4:19
transfer service called Welcome Pickups
4:21
we've trusted Welcome Pickups for years
4:22
to get us to the port on time so if
4:24
you'd like to support our work and our
4:26
website you can book your transfer
4:28
through Welcome Pickups using a link
4:30
that I've listed in the description
4:32
below of course that begs the question
4:34
of when should you arrive at the port so
4:36
you know that you've got an embarcation
4:38
slot you've done that on the app and you
4:40
did that after you booked so you know
4:41
what time you should arrive now you may
4:44
be asking yourself the question if I
4:46
arrive early will I be able to get on
4:48
the ship a little bit earlier and the
4:50
answer is no do not arrive any earlier
4:53
than that time states and the reason why
4:56
is because depending on the port it's
4:58
not going to be a particularly
4:59
comfortable experience if you arrive to
5:01
the port early the most you'll be able
5:02
to do is sit on bus station style
5:05
seating waiting for you to get on the
5:07
ship in Terminal V in Miami it's a
5:09
little bit nicer but generally around
5:11
the world cruise ports are not made for
5:13
people to sit around and wait they are
5:15
made just to pen people in until they're
5:18
ready to get on the ship it's not a nice
5:20
experience you're better to just wait
5:22
until your embarcation slot it means
5:24
when you arrive there'll be minimal
5:26
waiting and you'll be getting on your
5:27
Virgin Voyages lady ship in plenty time
5:30
use the time in the morning and the
5:31
early afternoon to just enjoy the port
5:33
that you're in so you might be in Athens
5:35
in Miami in New York enjoy the city you
5:38
can drop your bags at the port from 9:00
5:40
a.m so if you'd prefer to get down to
5:42
the port and just leave your luggage
5:44
there you're very welcome to do that
5:46
with the porters and they will keep it
5:48
for you and get it on the ship when
5:49
they're ready h and that will give you
5:51
enough time to explore the port and you
5:53
can return back when your allotted time
5:56
comes up another quick note on luggage
5:58
is that luggage is not limited in any
5:59
way you're not restricted to how many
6:01
bags you can bring on you're not
6:03
restricted to how heavy those bags can
6:05
be so if you want to pack all of the
6:07
outfits all of the themed outfits have
6:09
changes every day that's entirely up to
6:12
you bring as much as you can carry i'd
6:14
like to make a quick note here about
6:16
priority boarding and that's something
6:18
that is available to certain sailor that
6:21
includes all of the Rockstar sailor so
6:23
that's Rockstar and Mega Rockstar as
6:26
well as anyone with priority boarding
6:28
you may have priority boarding because
6:30
you have a Deep Blue extras loyalty
6:32
status with Virgin Voyages or you might
6:34
have booked it as part of a package if
6:36
you've got priority boarding you can
6:38
arrive at the port at 1:45 and enter the
6:41
ship shortly thereafter the way that
6:43
this works is that rockstars and mega
6:45
rockstars will have their own boarding
6:48
area so they will go down their own VIP
6:50
lanes and get checked in grab their
6:52
black wristbands and check in that way
6:54
and they will be led onto the ship first
6:56
to the Rockstars and Mega Rockstars and
6:58
then those with priority boarding for
7:00
other reasons so including Deep Blue
7:02
Extras including those packages you will
7:05
board shortly after the Rockstars have
7:07
entered the ship so you'll not be
7:09
waiting around too long and it's a
7:10
really good perk of the loyalty scheme
7:12
checking in at the port in general is
7:14
really really straightforward so it
7:15
doesn't matter if you're a rockstar or a
7:17
sailor you check in effectively in the
7:19
same way you're simply led into
7:21
different directions when you arrive and
7:23
that is you will arrive at the port you
7:25
will take your luggage over to the
7:27
porter there is a print at home option
7:30
that they're triing at the moment keep
7:32
an eye on your emails and you may be
7:33
invited to print your luggage labels at
7:36
home and put them on the bag yourself
7:37
which might save a little bit of time
7:39
otherwise they will have labels at the
7:42
port and the luggage porters will do
7:44
that for you the luggage porters will
7:45
then take your luggage and then you are
7:47
free to go and check in now check-in's
7:50
really easy make sure you've got your
7:51
passport out and also if you've got your
7:53
app open that will be really useful as
7:55
well so you can tell the agents at the
7:57
desk what cabin number you'll be staying
7:59
in and they can retrieve your booking
8:01
for you what will happen then is they
8:03
will check your passport make sure
8:04
everything's above board check you onto
8:06
the ship and then they will give you
8:08
your wearable your wristband that you
8:10
will use for purchases and also opening
8:13
your cabin door on the ship as well once
8:15
you've checked in you'll then be ushered
8:17
over to a holding area you wait in the
8:19
holding area until they're ready to let
8:21
you on the ship now you may be waiting
8:23
here a little while because it really
8:25
does depend on how quickly they're able
8:26
to check the sailors in front of you
8:28
into the system and onto the ship so you
8:31
may be waiting a short while after your
8:33
imbarcation time but don't worry they do
8:35
try and get through things fairly
8:36
quickly once your group has been called
8:39
you'll be then led through an airport
8:40
style security system and they're going
8:43
to check your hand baggage for any
8:45
prohibited items they're also going to
8:47
check that you're not bringing anything
8:48
that you shouldn't alcohol-wise on board
8:51
now you are allowed per cabin to bring
8:53
two bottles of wine you can also bring
8:55
some sodas as well we have details of
8:58
all the things you're able to bring on
8:59
board on vbvinsider.com so if you want
9:01
to make the most out of that wine
9:03
allowance do give that a read sailors
9:05
will also pass through a metal detector
9:07
as well to make sure that there's
9:08
nothing that you shouldn't be bringing
9:09
on board on your person as you pass
9:11
through and that is all you really need
9:13
to know about embarcation on Virgin
9:15
Voyages they do make it very
9:17
straightforward and if you have any
9:18
questions about the embarcation process
9:21
at all let us know at bbinsider.com and
9:23
we'll do our best to answer any
9:25
questions and if you spot something that
9:27
we've missed or the policies change at
9:29
all we'll be updating our guides as we
9:30
go along to make sure that we've got all
9:32
the latest information for you now I
9:34
just want to mention quickly about
9:36
disembarkcation so as much as we don't
9:38
like to talk about the end of our voyage
9:40
when we're talking about the start of
9:41
our voyage it is connected in some way
9:44
so there are two options available for
9:46
you for disembarking the ship with your
9:48
luggage so you can either decide to do
9:51
what's called express walkoff this is
9:53
where you carry all of your luggage off
9:55
the ship and you're very welcome to do
9:58
this it will give you of course a bit of
9:59
extra time to pack things so you can
10:01
pack things all the way up to the point
10:03
that you leave the ship in the morning
10:04
so that's quite a perk but of course it
10:06
does mean that you're having to lug all
10:08
of your luggage off yourself and of
10:10
course depending on how many bags you
10:11
brought with you that might be a little
10:13
bit of a struggle especially if you're
10:15
on one of the higher decks trying to get
10:17
down or you might be standing in cues
10:19
waiting to get off during
10:21
disembarkcation so do have a think
10:22
before you decide to commit to that the
10:25
alternative way and this is if you're a
10:26
bit more relaxed or a bit more planned
10:28
you'll be able to actually let Virgin
10:30
Voyages deal with your luggage for you
10:32
so as long as you're astute enough to
10:34
make sure that your luggage is all
10:35
packed before 1000 p.m you can actually
10:38
just put your luggage and leave it
10:40
outside of your cabin door before 10 p.m
10:43
and the luggage porters will come and
10:44
they will bring that down and they will
10:46
come and actually leave it in the port
10:48
for you so you can pick it up once
10:50
you've disembarked the ship so two
10:52
things to remember make sure your bags
10:53
are out before 10:00 p.m and they will
10:55
be available past 8:30 a.m in the
10:58
morning if you have an early flight and
11:00
you need to get off the ship before 8:30
11:02
do not use this service use the express
11:05
walkoff service so actually take your
11:06
baggage with you if you need to get an
11:09
early flight also make sure before you
11:11
leave any luggage outside of your cabin
11:13
door that it still has the original
11:15
luggage tag attached otherwise it won't
11:18
make its way to where it needs to go so
11:20
if you've misplaced that luggage tag you
11:22
can always go down to sailor services on
11:24
deck 5 and ask them for a replacement
11:26
luggage tag they'll be very happy to
11:28
help you with that when you get off the
11:30
ship past 8:30 all of the luggage that
11:32
is being used for the collection service
11:34
will all be separated by deck so you'll
11:37
be able to go to your deck and identify
11:39
your luggage and take it home with you
11:41
now leading up to the last day you will
11:43
have to book a disembarkation slot on
11:46
the app so this will be a time slot that
11:48
you'll have to adhere to when you're
11:50
leaving the ship now this is a little
11:52
bit flexible so if you do decide that
11:53
you need to leave the ship earlier or
11:55
later don't worry too much about the
11:57
time that you booked in there but it
11:59
does make sure that the staff on the
12:00
ship know how many people to have ready
12:03
to check people out and it makes the
12:05
journey a little bit smoother for
12:06
everyone if you stick to those
12:08
disembarkcation slots but if you do miss
12:11
your slot don't panic too much now a
12:13
couple of nice notes before you leave
12:15
the ship of course the ship is still
12:16
yours so you're able to grab a breakfast
12:18
or a brunch before you leave the ship
12:21
your band will still be active and if
12:22
you've got any remaining onboard credit
12:24
or bar tab to use up now is the last
12:27
time to do it so you can order a Bloody
12:29
Mary or a mimosa before you get off the
12:31
ship and that will still be charged to
12:33
your bar tab allowance and remember that
12:34
bar tab allowance is a use it or lose it
12:37
type of deal so make sure you check the
12:39
app to see what's in your wallet and use
12:41
every single penny before you get off
12:43
the ship to make the most of your money
12:45
the breakfast options that you've got
12:46
are going to be razledazzle you can also
12:49
go to the wake for things like steak and
12:50
eggs those two restaurants obviously are
12:53
quite popular so make sure that you have
12:54
a booking for breakfast if you're
12:56
planning to go there otherwise of course
12:58
you are welcome to go to the galley for
13:00
breakfast that doesn't need to be booked
13:02
that's the sort of food court food
13:04
market style area or of course you can
13:06
just grab a very quick bite to eat from
13:08
grounds club which is the coffee shop
13:10
and they will have pastries and
13:12
quasonons available if you just want a
13:14
very light breakfast like that one thing
13:16
to note with the bar tab that bottomless
13:18
brunch is not available on the final day
13:20
so if you're planning to use bottomless
13:22
brunch do that before the day of
13:23
disembarkcation because it's not
13:25
available as you're leaving the ship
13:27
your last morning is your final chance
13:29
to take advantage of the my next Virgin
13:31
Voyages offer so if you'd like to put a
13:34
placeholder in for your next Virgin
13:36
Voyage and get an exclusive offer in
13:38
order to do that you can visit Future
13:40
Voyage sales and they will help you by
13:43
booking in one of those placeholders
13:44
which means you don't need to decide on
13:46
a voyage just yet but you're locking in
13:48
that great deal that you can use on a
13:50
future sailing and if you want to
13:52
support the work that we do at VV
13:54
Insider and also get some exclusive
13:56
perks you can actually link the Getaway
13:58
Guys who are exclusive travel advisor
14:01
partners to your booking to make sure
14:03
that both the Getaway Guys and VB
14:05
Insider can take care of your booking
14:07
and answer any queries or questions that
14:09
you have as you book your next Virgin
14:11
Voyage as well as getting those
14:13
exclusive perks that you can only get
14:15
with vincider.com one thing you will
14:17
always need to make sure of is that
14:19
you're leaving the ship before 10:30 a.m
14:22
now it may be a little bit earlier or a
14:24
little bit later so listen out for
14:25
announcements but they need the time to
14:28
be able to get the ship cleared by
14:29
immigration and make sure that there's
14:32
nobody left on the ship that there
14:33
shouldn't be before they start their
14:35
next sailing so do make sure that you
14:36
get out the ship when they're telling
14:38
you to do that one really important
14:39
point to note here is that when you
14:41
leave the ship you are not permitted to
14:43
return to the ship under any
14:45
circumstances so once you've left the
14:47
ship you may actually have a little bit
14:48
of extra time before you head to the
14:50
airport or onto your next destination
14:52
there are a couple of options as you
14:54
leave the port you'll not be able to
14:55
store your luggage at the port itself
14:57
because the luggage storage will only be
14:59
for those arriving to the ship for the
15:01
next sailing so you'll not be able to
15:02
leave your own baggage there but you can
15:04
use a service like Bounce bounce is a
15:07
luggage storage service that we use and
15:09
we endorse at viviansider.com so if
15:11
you'd like to support our work you can
15:12
use our bounce link down in the
15:14
description below and you can use that
15:16
service to store your luggage go and
15:18
enjoy the port city for your last day
15:20
before you then go to the airport and
15:22
talking of the airport again if you want
15:24
to use a very trusted and reliable
15:26
service we use welcome pickups the link
15:29
is down in the description below and
15:31
they will help you get from the port to
15:32
the airport or even take you from the
15:34
port to another point of interest or
15:36
your next location so that's all the
15:39
tips that we have for you from VV
15:40
Insider for both embarking on and
15:43
disembarking your Virgin Voyages cruise
15:45
if you want to know what to do next now
15:47
you've embarked on your Virgin Voyage
15:49
I've put together a list of all the
15:51
things that you should do on your first
15:53
day on board to have the perfect first
15:55
day and I'm going to link that video
15:57
just after this and remember if you want
16:00
to support the work that we do here at
16:01
vvincider.com by bringing the latest
16:04
information guides and news about Virgin
16:06
Voyages feel free to get in touch with
16:08
us to discuss your next voyage booking
16:11
we can help you do that and we can also
16:13
make sure that you get any exclusive
16:15
perks that you're entitled to including
16:17
things like exclusive offers with
16:19
onboard credit and it'll also enable you
16:22
to become a member of our Red Diamond
16:24
Club which is an exclusive loyalty
16:26
scheme offered by VV Insider which means
16:29
that you'll get exclusive planning perks
16:31
for your next voyage including ad free
16:34
access to
16:35
vvincider.com for more tips and guides
16:37
just like this as you plan for your next
16:39
Virgin Voyage make sure you subscribe to
16:42
our channel and also gain some extra
16:44
credit with your fellow sailor by
16:46
sharing this video ahead of time with
16:47
them before you sail thanks again for
16:49
watching i've been David at VV Insider
16:51
and we'll see you next time happy
16:52
voyaging
16:55
[Music]
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