The best time to book Virgin Voyages is the day the biggest sale of the year opens, and for the last two years that has been in November. The discount does not get bigger after that. The rooms just get fewer.
My co-agent JC and I watch this sale every year. We are Top 10 Virgin Voyages First Mates out of 33,000+, and we see exactly who wins it: the sailors who already knew what they wanted before it dropped.
Here is what last year’s deal looked like, when it peaked, when each region is cheapest to sail, and the decisions to make now so you are saying yes the moment it hits instead of doing math.
One honest note first: Virgin Voyages has not announced this year’s sale, and last year does not guarantee this year. But the pattern has been consistent, and it is worth planning around.
When Is the Best Time to Book Virgin Voyages?
Right when the big sale launches. Last year Virgin Voyages ran it in two phases: a Black Friday preview that closed November 20, then the main sale from November 21 to December 4.
The headline offer was 80% off the second sailor, plus up to a $400 bar tab, on voyages through 2027.
Then it kept going, just smaller. The offer settled at 70% off the second sailor and stayed there into early March. The sailors who waited still got a deal. They just got 70% instead of 80%, on whatever was left.
That is the pattern to plan around: the start is the peak.
Why Waiting Costs You More
Here is the part most people miss. Even while the percentage holds, the price of a sailing goes up as it fills. Fewer cabins left means a higher fare underneath the discount.
The best cabins, the popular sailings and the holiday weeks go first. If you want a specific room or a specific week, waiting is how you lose it.
And the timing is rough. The sale lands right in the middle of Thanksgiving and the holidays, exactly when nobody has time to research a cruise. That is why the homework comes first.
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Caribbean: Winter Is the Cheap Season
This one surprises people. On Virgin Voyages, summer is the high season in the Caribbean and the most expensive time to go.
December, January and February are the low season, and that is when Caribbean sailings get really cheap. If your dates are flexible, a winter Caribbean sailing booked during the sale stretches your budget the furthest.
Holiday weeks are the exception. Christmas and New Year’s sailings are some of the most in-demand of the year, so those go fast no matter what.
Mediterranean: A Short Season With Steady Prices
The Mediterranean season is short, roughly May through October, and prices stay fairly level across it. You will not see the deep winter dips the Caribbean gets.
That makes the sale your main lever for Europe. Pick your sailing, then book it when the discount is at its biggest.
Three of my top five Virgin Voyages sailings ever were in Europe, and we book more Americans onto those sailings every year. If you are deciding where, our guide to Virgin Voyages Mediterranean ports is a good place to start.
Alaska: July Is the Month
Alaska only runs from May through September, so the window is fixed. After sailing it ourselves, July is the month we would pick.
We broke down the months, the weather and what changes on board in our honest review of Virgin Voyages in Alaska, so read that before you lock in a date.
Don’t forget to pack THIS!
Virgin Voyages has reimagined sailing and what you need to pack on for this trip is DIFFERENT than a normal cruise line. There are many items I wish I knew to bring (that I didn’t have with me on my first sailing).
Get a free printable pack list and save yourself the headache!
OR if you’re just looking for some inspo! See the curated list of Amazon items I’ve put together (and use!) for Virgin Voyages.
Decide Who Is Coming Before the Sale Opens
The big deal is off the second sailor, so you need a second sailor. Ask them now, not in the group chat the week the sale drops.
Get the time off approved and check that everyone’s passport is current. If you are planning a group, a wedding or a vow renewal, start even earlier, because lining up everyone’s calendar takes longer than the booking.
One thing that helps: you can leave Sailor 2 blank when you book and add them later. Plenty of our sailors hold the cabin first and sort out the who after.
Pick Your Ship and Your Cabin Ahead of Time
If you have sailed before, try a different ship. They are not copies: the entertainment and some of the food change from ship to ship. Brilliant Lady is the newest, and Rojo by Razzle Dazzle is only on that ship.
Cabins are the decision that stalls everyone at checkout. For a first sailing, JC’s rule is a Sea Terrace at minimum, because that balcony hammock is half the experience. Here is our full Virgin Voyages Sea Terrace cabin guide.
If you have sailed a lot, the sale is a good time to price out an XL Sea Terrace or a RockStar suite. Just read the fine print on the big perk numbers. When an offer says up to a certain amount of Sailor Loot, the top amount often needs a RockStar booking, and it is not on every sailing.
Pick Your Fare Before You Need It
Virgin Voyages sells Insider, Sea View and Sea Terrace cabins in three fare tiers: Base, which you will also see called Lock It In, then Essentials and Premium. RockStar and Mega RockStar suites do not use the tiers.
About 98% of the sailors we book choose Essentials. You pick your own room, and you can change your dates as long as it is more than 45 days before you sail.
Base is the cheapest, but it is built for last-minute sailings. Your room is assigned, your dates cannot change, and dining reservations open just 15 days out. Essentials opens at 45 days and Premium at 60.
The part that matters most for timing: Base does not reprice. If you book Base a year out and the fare drops, there is nothing anyone can do. More in our breakdown of the Virgin Voyages Lock It In rate.
Not sure if we can get you the best deal? Learn more about us in Virgin Voyages Facebook group by clicking here!
New and Unusual Sailings Worth Booking Early
Virgin Voyages sails a lot further than the Caribbean now, and the unusual sailings are the ones that go first. A few on our radar:
- Egypt, June 2027. A 10-night sailing from Athens with an overnight in Alexandria for Cairo. A lot of sailors are pairing it back to back with a 7-night sailing that adds Albania and Montenegro.
- Turkey and Mykonos, May 2027. An overnight itinerary on Scarlet Lady.
- The total solar eclipse, late July 2027. An 11-night sailing from Barcelona, timed to be at sea for the August 2 eclipse. The balcony cabins on this one are already scarce.
- The Panama Canal. Virgin Voyages only sails it twice a year.
- The Arctic Circle, August 2028. An 11-night roundtrip from Amsterdam on Valiant Lady, part of the first Scandinavia season.
Not every one of these will still be open when you read this, so check before you plan around one. If you want to come sail with us, we keep the sailings we are on updated.
Already Booked? Do Not Cancel Anything
If you already booked and then the sale drops, do not panic and do not cancel. Every booking is different, so talk to us before you touch yours.
An existing booking can often be moved to us at no cost, and it can pick up Sailor Loot along the way.
Need to hold a cabin fast? Use the DIY link at BookWithCL.com. It ties the hold or the booking to us, so we can check that your cabin is in a good spot and that the current offers are loaded onto it.
Virgin Voyages Booking FAQ
When does the Virgin Voyages Black Friday sale start?
Virgin Voyages has not announced this year’s dates. Last year a preview ran first and closed November 20, and the main sale ran from November 21 to December 4.
Does the deal end after Black Friday?
Last year a smaller version, 70% off the second sailor, ran into early March. But the fares underneath it went up as sailings filled.
Is it cheaper to book Virgin Voyages last minute?
Sometimes, but you get whatever is left: fewer cabins, fewer dates, and often a Base fare with no changes allowed. If you care about the room or the week, book early.
What is the cheapest time of year to sail Virgin Voyages?
In the Caribbean, December through February, outside the holiday weeks. Summer is the most expensive season there.
So, When Is the Best Time to Book Virgin Voyages?
The day the sale opens, with your decisions already made: where, when, who, which ship, which cabin and which fare.
The sale has come back every November, and it rewards the people who show up ready. Want a head start? Get a free quote at BookWithCL.com. Booking with us never costs a fee.
Do not be one of the people who miss it. See you on the ship!
