Virgin Voyages Bar Tab costs $300–$600 per cabin for a typical 4–7 night sailing, purchased in advance at a discounted rate — you get more credit than you pay for, making it one of the better drink deals at sea in 2025.
Photo: Carnival Cruise Line
Virgin Voyages doesn't do a traditional unlimited drinks package. Instead, they sell Bar Tab — a pre-purchased drink credit system where you buy a set dollar amount of onboard drinking credit at a discount before you sail. It sounds simple, but the pricing tiers, discount percentages, and how it stacks with other promotions trip up a lot of sailors.
How Much Does Virgin Voyages Bar Tab Cost?
Bar Tab is sold in credit bundles, and the discount you get depends on how much you buy. As of 2025–2026 sailings, Virgin Voyages typically offers the following structure:
| Bar Tab Bundle | Cost Paid | Onboard Credit Value | Discount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small | $150 | $175 | ~15% off |
| Medium | $250 | $300 | ~17% off |
| Large | $400 | $500 | ~20% off |
| Extra Large | $600 | $775 | ~23% off |
Important: These bundles are per cabin, not per person. Two sailors sharing a cabin split one Bar Tab — so factor that in when deciding which tier to buy.
Drinks on Virgin Voyages run $12–$18 for cocktails, $8–$14 for beer, and $12–$20 for wine by the glass. On a 5-night sailing with two moderately drinking adults, a Large ($400) or Extra Large ($600) bundle is where most couples land.
Photo: Carnival Cruise Line
What Drives the Final Cost?
Sailing length matters most. A 4-night Bahamas run is very different from a 7-night Mediterranean voyage. More nights = more drinking = more Bar Tab needed.
How you drink. Virgin Voyages includes some complimentary perks — basic filtered water, drip coffee, and select teas are free. Non-alcoholic cocktails ("mocktails") are NOT free. So if you're a mocktail drinker or into specialty coffee, your Bar Tab gets used faster than you'd expect.
The "Always Included" baseline. Virgin Voyages already includes gratuities and basic soft drinks in all fares, so you're not topping up a Bar Tab to cover tips — the credit goes purely toward drinks. That's a meaningful difference from Royal Caribbean or Carnival packages where gratuity on drinks eats 18–20% of every pour.
Promotions and sales. Virgin runs frequent "Mega Sales" and early booking promos where Bar Tab bundles can be upgraded or discounted further. Book through a travel agent or via CruiseHub and ask specifically about Bar Tab promotions at time of booking — they sometimes bundle extras.
Photo: Carnival Cruise Line
Practical Tips to Get the Most From Bar Tab
Buy before you board. Bar Tab is always cheaper pre-cruise than paying full menu prices onboard. There's no scenario where buying it at the pier or skipping it saves you money if you plan to drink at all.
Don't overbuy. Unused Bar Tab credit does NOT roll over or refund. If you buy the Extra Large and leave $150 on the table at the end of the voyage, you've donated money to Virgin. Be realistic about your consumption.
Use it on premium experiences too. Bar Tab works at all bars and restaurants onboard — including specialty dining beverages and The Groupie (the ship's high-end spirits bar). Using it on a $22 rare whisky pour is a perfectly valid strategy.
Stack with promotions, not against them. If you've scored a fare that already includes a Bar Tab credit (Virgin sometimes bundles this), check the value before buying an additional bundle. You may only need a Small top-up.
The math for a moderate-drinking couple on 5 nights:
- 2 drinks each at lunch and dinner + 2 cocktails each in the evening = ~8 drinks/day between two people
- Average drink cost: ~$14
- Daily spend: ~$112
- 5-night total: ~$560 in drinks
- Best value: Large ($400 paid → $500 credit) + buy remaining onboard, OR Extra Large ($600 paid → $775 credit) for full coverage with buffer
Which Bar Tab Tier Is Right for You?
| Sailor Type | Recommended Tier | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Light drinker (1–2 drinks/day) | Small ($150) | You'll likely use it fully without waste |
| Moderate drinker, short sailing (4 nights) | Medium ($250) | Covers ~$300 in drinks, solid buffer |
| Moderate drinker, 5–7 nights | Large ($400) | The sweet spot for most couples |
| Heavy drinker or long sailing | Extra Large ($600) | Best per-dollar discount, full peace of mind |
| Non-drinker or mocktail-only | Skip it | Mocktails run $8–$12; calculate if it pencils out |
Bar Tab is genuinely one of the more honest drink deals in cruising — you get real value for pre-paying, gratuities are already covered, and there's no fine print about "premium" brands being excluded. The only trap is overbuying and leaving credit behind.
Use CruiseMutiny to calculate your realistic Bar Tab needs based on your sailing length and drinking habits before you commit to a bundle.