Virgin Voyages has shaken up the cruise world with its modern ships, adult-only experience, and no-nonsense pricing. But one area that’s gone a little under the radar is its loyalty programme: The Sailing Club.
Unlike some cruise line schemes that feel like they require spreadsheets to track, Virgin’s version is refreshingly simple. You don’t need to chase points, calculate cruise nights, or worry about how much you spent on board.
And there’s some very interesting news for anyone who is losing patience with their existing cruise line’s loyalty program (*cough* Carnival *cough*), and is considering a switch…
The Sailing Club Explained
Most cruise lines offer a loyalty programme, and on paper, they’re fairly similar: return guests earn benefits that get better over time.
The differences come down to how you qualify – and how much you need to cruise to unlock the good stuff.
Many lines use a nights-at-sea model. That means the longer your cruises, the more credit you earn. Some even add in multipliers based on cabin category or onboard spending.
On the more extreme end, reaching top-tier status with a mainstream line like Royal Caribbean or Princess could require 500–700 nights at sea.
Virgin Voyages has taken a simpler route: you earn status based on the number of completed voyages, not how long they are or how much you spend.
A 7-night cruise counts the same as a 14-night one, so you’re not penalised for picking shorter trips.
Here’s the key point: to reach Virgin’s highest loyalty tier, you only need five completed cruises. Depending on which itineraries you choose, that could be as little as 30–35 nights total, which is a fraction of what’s required on other lines.
The system is also binary: a cruise either counts, or it doesn’t. So you don’t need to track fine print about how many points a particular voyage earns or whether you’ve hit an earnings threshold. Just book, sail, and repeat.
Just like the cruise line as a whole, it’s a system that bucks some of the old trends and seeks to give cruisers “sailors” a simpler, better option.
Your First Step into Loyalty
Every sailor who completes an eligible cruise with Virgin Voyages is automatically entered into The Sailing Club as a ‘Joined Club’ member.
There’s no enrolment form to fill out or app to download – your status is tied to your profile as soon as you’ve finished your first sailing.
At this level, the perks are light but not meaningless.
Joined Club members receive early access to selected promotions, occasional exclusive offers, and a quarterly newsletter with sailing updates, future itineraries, and behind-the-scenes news.
Think of it as a gentle nod that you’re now part of the club – the benefits truly begin to stack up on your third voyage.
Blue Extras – Enhanced Perks on Your 3rd and 4th Voyages
After you’ve completed two eligible voyages, Blue Extras kick in on your third and fourth.
These are the stepping-stone perks designed to give returning sailors a smoother, slightly more pampered experience.
Cocktail Welcome Event
Blue Extras guests are invited to a private cocktail event onboard – a relaxed, informal gathering where you can mingle with crew and fellow return sailors over drinks.
It’s not a black-tie affair, but it’s a nice social touch that reinforces the “welcome back” vibe.
Dedicated Sailor Services Support
You’ll have access to a priority line at Sailor Services for both onboard and shore-based needs.
Whether you’re trying to change a shore excursion, book a spa treatment, or resolve a cabin issue, you’ll be able to do it more quickly with staff dedicated to helping returning sailors.
One Complimentary Laundry Bag per Voyage
A practical perk: one standard bag of laundry is included with your sailing.
It’s a good way to freshen up your essentials mid-trip, especially useful on longer voyages or if you’re packing light.
One Speciality Coffee Per Day
Blue Extras also includes one speciality coffee per day from onboard cafés.
These aren’t just basic brewed cups – we’re talking lattes, flat whites, iced macchiatos, and the like.
If you’re used to paying extra for decent coffee at sea, this perk is a nice everyday upgrade.
Deep Blue Extras – Top-Tier Perks from Your 5th Voyage Onward
Once you’ve completed four full-fare cruises with Virgin Voyages, you unlock Deep Blue Extras for your next cruise.
Like most (but not all) cruise line loyalty programs, once you reach Deep Blue Extras then it’s permanent, at least for now. It applies to all future cruises once earned – and the perks take a meaningful step up.
£100 Bar Tab Bonus
You’ll receive a complimentary £100 bar tab to spend on each Deep Blue voyage.
That can go a long way, given that so much is already included in the cruise fare. Whether it’s cocktails, Champagne, or that bottle of rosé you’ve had your eye on, it’s yours to spend as you wish.
Unlimited Premium WiFi
Unlike the standard onboard WiFi, Deep Blue sailors get unlimited access to the fastest tier of internet available, suitable for streaming, video calls, and staying connected without rationing megabytes.
Priority Boarding
Deep Blue status gives you access to priority embarkation, so you’ll be among the first on board – with more time to settle in, grab a bite, or head straight for a poolside cocktail.
Oh, and it applies for all of your cabinmates too, regardless of their status. Yay!
Two Speciality Coffees Per Day
The daily caffeine allowance doubles at this tier.
You’ll receive two included speciality coffees per day – great if you want a morning latte and an afternoon iced mocha without thinking twice about it.
Enhanced Laundry and Pressing
You’ll also receive a more generous laundry benefit: two pressed garments, one specialty-cleaned item (like dry cleaning or a delicate fabric), and a standard laundry bag per cruise.
This is especially handy for longer itineraries or for those travelling light and repeating outfits.
Legacy Loyalty: Sea‑Blazers and Sea‑Rovers
Virgin Voyages’ Sailing Club is not their first loyalty program. It’s a more recent revamp – and so the cruise line has made sure to also recognise its earliest cruisers with legacy status.
These categories are fixed and not open to new members, but if you sailed during the programme’s early years, you may already qualify.
Sea‑Blazers (that’s anyone who sailed with the cruise line in 2021) and Sea‑Rovers (those with at least two cruises in 2022 or 2023) automatically receive Deep Blue Extras through the end of 2025 or 2026, respectively.
In addition to the standard Deep Blue perks, they receive boosted bar tab bonuses: £125 (Sea‑Blazers) or £100 (Sea‑Rovers) when purchasing a £300 bar tab.
Status Match – Start with Perks Right Away
If you’ve earned status with another cruise line, Virgin offers a generous status match programme that lets you start your Virgin journey with perks already unlocked.
This is especially useful for anyone unhappy with changes to their existing cruise line’s loyalty program…
Cruisers with elite status on lines like Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Princess, and even Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Gold can qualify for Blue Extras immediately – meaning you won’t need to wait until your third cruise to enjoy better coffee, laundry, or priority service.
The match is currently offered through 31 October 2025, though that date could be extended. No guarantees though – so don’t hang about if you’re considering trying Virgin. One cruise is all you need to lock-in your matched status.
It doesn’t apply to the lower tiers of many cruise line loyalty programs, though.
Here’s a list of the eligible members:
- Azamara Circle (for Explorer, Discoverer, Discover Plus and Discover Platinum members)
- Carnival Cruise Line’s VIFP Club (for Platinum and Diamond members)
- Celebrity Cruises’ Captain’s Club (for Captain’s Club, Elite, Elite Plus and Zenith members)
- Disney Cruise Line’s Castaway Club (for Silver, Gold, Platinum and Pearl members)
- Holland America’s Mariner Society (for 3-Star, 4-Star and 5-Star Mariner members)
- Norwegian Cruise Line’s Latitudes Rewards (for Platinum, Sapphire, Diamond and Ambassador members)
- Oceania Club (for Gold, Platinum, Diamond and President’s Circle members)
- P&O Peninsular Club (for Mediterranean Tier, Caribbean Tier, Baltic Tier and Ligurian Tier members)
- Princess Cruises’ Captain’s Circle (for Platinum and Elite members)
- Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society (for Diamond, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle Club members)
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (for Gold members)
- Virgin Australia Velocity Frequent Flyer (for Gold, Platinum and Beyond members)
- Windstar Cruises’ Yacht Club (for One Star, Two Star, Three Star and Four Star members)
How many cruises to status match?
This varies a lot depending on the cruise line that you already have loyalty status with.
I was able to join the Virgin Sailing Club at Blue Extras Level using my Silver Disney Castaway Club status. You only need ONE Disney cruise to qualify for that, so don’t think that you always need a lot of cruises to quality.
However, my Atlantic Tier status with P&O Cruises wasn’t enough. I’ve done eight cruises with P&O, but you would need 101 nights at sea with the cruise line to quality for the Mediterranean Tier and be able to status match with Virgin!
A Few Things to Note
To qualify for Sailing Club status, your voyages must be full-fare bookings.
That means discounted Access Key sailings, gifted trips, or certain heavily reduced promotional offers do not count towards your total.
Always check the fare conditions when booking if you’re tracking your loyalty progress.
Perks are typically applied about 30 days after a cruise ends, so if you’re booking back-to-back voyages to trigger a new tier, allow time for the system to catch up.
At the time of writing, The Sailing Club runs through the end of 2026, and Virgin has hinted that more benefits – or even additional tiers – could be introduced in future.
So bear that in mind. Things could change. However it’s now a great time to get yourself into sailing with Virgin Voyages if you want to become a member of The Sailing Club – especially if you’re switching from another cruise line.
NEW DEALS JUST RELEASED!
Don’t miss the latest Virgin Voyages offers…
Final Thoughts
The Sailing Club may not be the flashiest loyalty programme in cruising, but it’s quietly one of the fairest.
You don’t need to sail for months on end to unlock perks, and the benefits – especially at the Deep Blue level – are genuinely useful. $100 of bar tab credit? Sign me up.
If you enjoy Virgin’s relaxed, adult-first take on cruising, it won’t take long to feel rewarded for sticking with them. Just five voyages gets you through the door – and the welcome drink is already waiting.
Related Posts
- MSC Cruises Status Match Charts – Free Perks When You Sail!
- Is Virgin Voyages All-Inclusive? Here’s What’s Included & What Costs Extra
- Virgin Voyages Bar Tab vs. Traditional Cruise Line Drink Packages
Interesting that this looks good to cruisers from lower level lines but not really to those used to luxury lines such as Crystal, Silversea, or Seabourn (which are not even offered match status). Also most of these benefits are offered on your first cruise with the luxury lines. Obviously, Virgin wants to attract cruisers who want to move up.