The biggest thing to know before your first Virgin Voyages Europe sailing is that the trip starts long before the ship does. Pick your embarkation city by the flights, arrive two or three nights early, and decide between a round trip and a one-way before you fall for an itinerary.
This is not a same-day flight to Miami and back in the office on Tuesday. It is a real trip, and a little planning makes the difference between starting the cruise exhausted and starting it excited.
I have sailed Virgin Voyages in Europe three ways: a one-way from Italy to Spain, a round trip from Barcelona, and a crossing that started in the UK. Here is what I would tell a friend booking their first one.
Some of it I got right. Some of it I would do very differently.
Pick the Sailing by the Flights, Not Just the Ports
Start with the airport, not the itinerary. Where you embark and disembark decides how easy the whole trip is, so check which cities you can reach with a direct flight.
Portsmouth, for London, was easy for me: a direct flight into Heathrow. For Barcelona, I had one direct option a day from my airport, which is not a lot, but it is not none.
Rome is the one that surprised me. Flying into Rome is easy, but the ship leaves from Civitavecchia, which is a separate trip on top of the flight.
None of this means skipping a great itinerary. It means knowing what the travel days look like before you book, so there are no surprises.
Arrive Two or Three Nights Early
If I could redo one thing, it would be this. On one trip I flew in the day before, and by the time I got on the ship I was jet-lagged and exhausted.
The rule of thumb I have heard is one day to adjust for every time zone you cross. That is too many days for most of us.
What I would do now is arrive two or three nights early, depending on when my flight lands. You get over the worst of the jet lag, and you get to enjoy your embarkation city instead of just passing through it.
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Round Trip or One Way?
A one-way sailing gives you two cities for one trip. My sailing from Civitavecchia to Barcelona meant a night in Italy at the start and four nights in Barcelona at the end.
A round trip keeps the flights simple. When I sailed in and out of Barcelona, I stayed in one neighborhood before the cruise and a completely different one after, and it felt like two different visits.
Barcelona is big enough for that. It is not a Tokyo, but it is big enough that two bases show you two different cities.
There is a third option too: a crossing. My first European sailing started in the UK and ended in New York, and a transatlantic is a very different kind of trip.
Getting from Rome to Civitavecchia with Luggage
Civitavecchia gets called the Rome cruise port, but it is its own town on the coast. From the airport, you still have to get there.
I was not going to do that on a public train with big suitcases, so I paid for a private transfer. On a port day a train is great; on embarkation day with luggage, a car is worth it.
I also spent a night in Civitavecchia before the cruise, at a bed and breakfast I loved. It turned embarkation day into an easy morning instead of a rush from the airport.
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.
Budget for the Whole Trip, Not Just the Fare
The cruise fare is only part of a Europe trip. Flights across the Atlantic and the hotel nights before and after add up quickly, and they are easy to forget when you are comparing sailings.
The good news is there are real ways to bring the total down: the time of year, the cabin type and the right deal on the sailing itself all make a big difference.
That is exactly the kind of thing we help sailors work out before they book. It costs nothing to ask.
Know the Port Day Basics Before You Go
European port days tend to be long, so a few habits save a lot of stress. Before you get off each day, take a photo of the port screen: arrival, all aboard, the gangway and the reminders.
Carry your photo ID and your Band. That is what the ship asked us to bring ashore on my sailings. Check your port notes each day.
Set an alarm for an hour before all aboard. I set mine on my watch.
Carry some euros. Cards work almost everywhere, but not quite everywhere.
Pin the shuttle stop and the ship in your map app. Many European ports are shuttle ports, and it is easy to forget where you were dropped off.
Not sure if we can get you the best deal? Learn more about us in Virgin Voyages Facebook group by clicking here!
Time Zones: Live on Ship Time
On some Europe itineraries the ship crosses time zones, so the time on your phone and the time on the ship do not always match.
Always go by ship time. That is the clock all aboard is set to, and it is the one that matters when you are out exploring.
Virgin Voyages Europe Cruise Tips FAQ
How early should I arrive for a Virgin Voyages Europe cruise?
Two or three nights early if you can, depending on when your flight lands.
Is a one-way or a round trip better for a first Europe sailing?
A round trip is simpler for flights. A one-way trip gives you two cities for one trip. Both are great, it depends on what you want.
What is the easiest European embarkation port to fly into?
The one with the most direct flights from your home airport. For me, London for Portsmouth was the easiest, and Barcelona had one direct flight a day from Atlanta.
How do I get from Rome to the Civitavecchia cruise port?
By train, or by private transfer or taxi. With luggage on embarkation day, I paid for a private transfer.
What should I bring ashore in European ports?
On my sailings, the ship asked for a photo ID and your Band. Bring some euros and a charged phone for maps.
Virgin Voyages Europe Cruise Tips: The Short Version
Pick your sailing with the flights in mind, arrive two or three nights early, and decide on a round trip or a one-way before you book.
Do those three things and your first Virgin Voyages Europe sailing starts rested, relaxed and ready for some of the best port days anywhere.
If you want help choosing the itinerary and the flights around it, that is exactly what we do. Tell us what you are thinking and we will help you plan the whole trip.
