How much would you pay for a year of unlimited cruises? One line is making an offer

21 hours ago 2

If you could take unlimited cruises for a year for a flat fee, would you? Adults-only cruise line Virgin Voyages seems to think so.

Virgin will allow travelers 21 and older to hop on and off an unlimited number of cruises for a whole year, with destinations ranging from the Caribbean and the Bahamas to Greece and other places in the Mediterranean.

The line's Annual Pass — an expanded version of the sold-out Season Pass, which allows digital nomads to work on one of the line's three (soon to be four) vessels for a month — is a chance for passengers to join any ship in any location for any sailing for up to a total of 365 days. Passengers who book this offer can decide when the clock will start ticking; they can choose to begin Jan. 1, Feb. 1, March 1 or April 1, depending on what works best for their schedules. The pass is good for 365 days after their chosen start date.

"I've always been a big believer in the power of travel and adventure to spark creativity and bring clarity," Richard Branson, the business mogul who brought the cruise line to life as part of the Virgin Group, said. "What started as a sought-after 'work from sea' concept with our Season Pass has evolved into something even more special. Now, Sailors can jump aboard any of our ships, across an endless variety of exciting destinations for an entire year."

The cost? It isn't cheap. Cruisers hoping to snag this "bargain" will be out a cool $120,000 for two people in exchange for a stay in Sea Terrace balcony accommodations, which are nicer than inside and ocean-view cabins but not as swanky as the line's suites.

That works out to more than $10,000 for two people per month or $5,000 per person per month. (And, no, you don't have to choose the same person as your plus-one for the whole year.) Although Virgin Voyages tends to attract a higher-end clientele than some other cruise lines, that's a steep price, especially if you're not going to spend every single day on board or if you've got housing costs to pay ashore.

However, Virgin hopes to make the deal more enticing for some would-be yearlong Sailors (Virgin's term for cruisers) — by accepting bitcoin cryptocurrency as a form of payment for the Annual Pass. This is something other cruise lines haven't yet adopted. Note that, regardless of how you settle up, full payment is due via wire transfer at the time of booking, and it's nonrefundable.

Should you decide to take Virgin Voyages up on this offer, you can expect $100 in bar tab credit for each voyage you sail, along with priority boarding, two free specialty coffees per cabin each day, free and unlimited premium Wi-Fi, complimentary laundry services, and access to a concierge and special VIP events on board. You will also immediately achieve the line's highest-tier loyalty status, Deep Blue Extras, upon booking.

You'll want to note the fine print. The Annual Pass pricing does not include taxes and fees, which will be extra for each cruise you take. Redemption of the pass is based on availability for each sailing booked. You can purchase a cabin upgrade through the line's Level Upgrade program. Another caveat is that solo passengers will still pay the full two-passenger rate, minus any taxes and fees for the second guest (third and fourth passengers can be added to the cabin at prevailing rates).

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Virgin Voyages' ships offer what feels a lot like summer camp for adults — if summer camps were held at upscale beach resorts. Think gourmet food, cutting-edge entertainment, secret parties, pool-deck soirees that rage until early morning, free fitness classes and trivia games hosted by drag queens. You also won't want to miss out on the more nostalgic aspects of a Virgin sailing, including throwback board games, dodgeball tournaments, boy band dance classes, arts and crafts, and free candy and ice cream, all of which really do make you feel like you're a kid again.

Virgin isn't the first cruise line to extend an unlimited cruise option to its passengers. In 2023, Margaritaville at Sea began offering the Unlimited Paradise Pass to cruisers, allowing them as many nonconsecutive two-night voyages to the Bahamas from the Port of Palm Beach as they could fit into a year. The program then expanded to include a Heroes Pass for active members of the military, veterans, first responders and teachers.

Although Margaritaville at Sea's pass included many restrictions (last-minute bookings and inside cabins only, exclusions for holidays, etc.), prices started at a more reasonable $999 for two people for the Unlimited Paradise Pass and $299 for two people for the Heroes Pass.

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Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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