How Much Should You Budget for Drinks on Virgin Voyages?

What drinks are already included on Virgin Voyages?

Virgin Voyages already includes more everyday drinks than many first-time Sailors expect. Filtered still and sparkling water, sodas, non-pressed juices, sachet teas, and drip coffee are covered in the fare, which means you are not starting from zero when planning your drinks budget.

That matters because a large part of your total depends on how often you move beyond those included basics. If you are happy with water, soft drinks, and standard coffee for most of the day, your extra drinks spend may stay modest. If your holiday feels incomplete without cocktails, wine by the glass, barista-made coffee, juices, smoothies, or Champagne, your budget needs to reflect that honestly.

The strongest budgeting approach is to start with what is already covered, then add only the premium drinks you genuinely expect to order. That is far more accurate than assuming drinks will either be “basically all included” or “always expensive”.

↑ Back to quick answers

Which drinks cost extra on Virgin Voyages?

Premium beverages are where most of the real spend begins. Cocktails, wine, beer, spirits, speciality coffees, fresh juices, smoothies, mocktails, and most drinks prepared by crew are chargeable unless they are covered by Bar Tab, certain suite-level benefits, or eligible Sailor Loot once Bar Tab has been exhausted.

This is one of the biggest misunderstandings for first-time Sailors. Many travellers assume that if a drink is non-alcoholic, it must be included. In practice, premium non-alcoholic drinks such as barista coffee, smoothies, cold-pressed juices, and handcrafted mocktails can mount up just as quietly as cocktails and wine.

Bar Tab can only be used for eligible drink purchases, which is why understanding the difference between Bar Tab and Sailor Loot is so important if you want your Virgin Voyages budget to be accurate from the start.

↑ Back to quick answers

How much should you realistically budget for drinks?

The right answer depends less on a fixed number and more on how you actually holiday. One glass of wine at dinner is a completely different budget from poolside cocktails, speciality coffee every morning, mocktails in the afternoon, and Champagne at sailaway. That is why drinks budgeting works best when it is based on behaviour rather than headline assumptions.

Light drinks spend

If you mainly stick to included drinks and only buy the occasional premium beverage, your onboard drinks spend may stay relatively low. These Sailors are often better off paying as they go rather than overcommitting to prepaid credit.

Moderate drinks spend

If your usual pattern is a speciality coffee in the morning, a cocktail before dinner, wine with dinner, and perhaps one more drink later in the evening, your total rises much faster. This is often where a Bar Tab starts to make real sense.

It is also worth remembering that Virgin Voyages allows up to two 750 mL bottles of wine, sparkling wine, or Champagne per cabin in carry-on bags. For some Sailors, that slightly changes the drinks budget picture, particularly on the first evening or for in-cabin drinks. It does not replace the value of a Bar Tab for broader onboard spending, but it is still a useful planning detail that many first-timers overlook.

Higher drinks spend

If your holiday style includes regular cocktails, premium wines, coffees, mocktails, juices, celebratory drinks, sharing rounds, or premium beverages throughout sea days, you should absolutely plan ahead. This is especially true on longer sailings, social group trips, or voyages where drinks are part of the wider experience for you.

A useful rule of thumb is to think through your sea-day pattern, not just your port days. Many Sailors drink far less ashore and far more by the pool, at dinner, at shows, in bars, and during late evenings on sea days. If you budget only around dinner drinks, you will often underestimate your total.

↑ Back to quick answers

Bar Tab vs pay-as-you-go: which is better?

Virgin Voyages does not use a traditional unlimited drinks package. Instead, many Sailors either pay as they go or pre-purchase Bar Tab as drinks credit before sailing. That is an important difference, because Bar Tab is not the same as drinks being included. It is simply a way to pre-plan your premium beverage spend more effectively.

The biggest Bar Tab mistake is buying more than you are realistically likely to use because the holiday feels premium and you want to be “covered”. A Bar Tab only works well when it matches your actual drinking habits. If you overestimate, unused Bar Tab does not come back as cash at the end of the voyage.

Bar Tab usually makes the most sense when you already know you will spend meaningfully on premium drinks. If your premium drink spend is likely to be light, paying as you go can be the smarter decision. If you are unsure, honest planning is always better than assumptions.

↑ Back to quick answers

Can you bring wine or Champagne onboard Virgin Voyages?

Yes - and this is one of the most useful practical details for budgeting drinks properly. Virgin Voyages allows Sailors to bring up to two 750 mL bottles of wine, sparkling wine, or Champagne per cabin in carry-on bags. For some travellers, that slightly changes the drinks budget picture, especially for sailaway, in-cabin drinks, or a quieter first evening onboard.

This does not replace the role of Bar Tab if you expect wider premium drinks spend across your sailing, but it can still be a very useful money-saving detail. It is particularly relevant for couples sharing a cabin who know they would prefer to bring a bottle rather than start buying immediately onboard.

If you take your own bottle into one of the onboard eateries, a corkage fee applies. That is why this allowance is best thought of as a practical budgeting detail rather than a substitute for Bar Tab or proper drinks planning.

↑ Back to quick answers

RockStar and Mega RockStar budgeting: do suite Sailors need a drinks budget?

Yes - but the answer changes depending on which suite experience you have booked. This is one of the most overlooked budgeting questions on Virgin Voyages, and it is worth calling out clearly because it affects both your expected onboard spend and whether a Bar Tab is sensible at all.

RockStar Quarters

If you are sailing in a RockStar Quarter, you can expect a stocked in-room bar and a select first round of beverages on the house, but that does not mean all drinks across the ship are fully covered. RockStar Sailors should still think about their bar and restaurant spending if they expect to drink regularly beyond those included suite perks.

Mega RockStar Quarters

Mega RockStar is a different conversation entirely. Mega RockStar Sailors receive a daily bar allowance for drinks around the ship, including alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks up to a set price threshold, plus a daily wine allowance per cabin. If you are booking Mega RockStar, your out-of-pocket drinks budget may be far lower than it would be in standard cabins or regular RockStar.

↑ Back to quick answers

Quick budgeting framework: how to estimate your real drinks total

If you are asking whether Virgin Voyages drinks are expensive, whether you need Bar Tab, or how much onboard spend to allow for, the most useful answer is not one generic number. It is a quick framework that reflects how you are actually likely to drink onboard.

1. Start with the included drinks so you know what is already covered before adding any extra spend.
2. Decide whether you are a light, moderate, or higher premium drinks spender based on your actual habits, not holiday optimism.
3. Factor in your wine allowance if bringing two 750 mL bottles per cabin would genuinely reduce your onboard spend.
4. Check whether Bar Tab suits your behaviour rather than assuming prepaid always means better value.
5. Adjust for cabin category if you are looking at RockStar or Mega RockStar.
6. Remember the wider picture by reviewing gratuities, Shore Things, spa, and other optional spend before deciding what your true all-in budget looks like.

If you want help pricing this properly rather than guessing, I can do the maths around your voyage, cabin type, and travel style before you commit. That is where clear planning makes the biggest difference.

↑ Back to quick answers

Request a Quote

Share your dates, cabin preference, and budget range and I will help you compare the best options and plan a realistic total. As an award-winning, Gold-Rated Virgin Voyages First Mate, I focus on planning accuracy, value, and making sure nothing important is missed before you book.