Got credit card points and itching to hop on a cruise ship? This is the deal for you.
The hip new cruise line Virgin Voyages is out with an amazing offer, allowing you to snag a five- to eight-night cruise for two … for as few as 80,000 Virgin points total! This limited-time deal is available for select Virgin Voyages cruises departing from either Miami or Barcelona through June 30.
Considering these cruises typically cost between $1,700 and $3,000 for two and include all your meals, gratuities, free onboard Wi-Fi, and access to all onboard shows, this might be one of the most cost-effective ways to book a cruise this year. And it’s an amazing way to use your Virgin points.
Interested but don’t have Virgin points? Don’t fret: They’re some of the easiest points in the world to earn through credit card transfer partnerships. You can transfer points to Virgin from all the major credit card companies including Chase, American Express, Capital One, Citi, and even Bilt Rewards.
Keep reading for more on what you can book with this deal and how to do so.
Virgin Voyages Cruise Promotion
Through June 30, 2023, you can book one of a handful of Virgin Voyages cruises from just 80,000 to 100,000 Virgin Red points total. Those points are good for two passengers.
While there is no deadline for booking these cruises, your cruise must depart before June 30, 2023. And with limited availability, beware that the cruise you want could sell out – don’t wait if you’rethinking about booking.
Here’s what you need to know about this offer:
- All of these cruises are adults-only cruises. All passengers must be at least 18 years old.
- The points price is per cabin for two people. There is no discounted option for single-passenger bookings.
- Pricing includes all your meals, gratuities, free onboard Wi-Fi, and access to all onboard shows for two people.
- Flights and transfers to the cruise port are not included as a part of this deal.
- Caribbean cruises are limited to The Sea Terrace or Limited View Sea Terrace cabins subject to availability.
- This offer is exclusive to Virgin Red program members for departures before June 30, 2023.
Itineraries You Can Book
While Virgin Voyages operates a number of different cruises through the Caribbean and Europe, only select options are a part of this promotion.
8 Night Caribbean Cruise for 2 Departing from Miami: 100K Virgin Points
This cruise departs from Miami and stops in Puerto Plata, San Juan, Puerto Rico, St Croix, and the Beach Club at Bimini in the Bahamas, before heading back to Miami.
Departure dates are Feb. 25, March 11 and 25, and April 8 (subject to availability).
5 Night Caribbean Cruise for 2 Departing from Miami: 80K Virgin Points
You’ll have two different options for the 5 Night Caribbean cruise option.
Riviera Maya Cruise
The Riviera Maya cruise departs from Miami and stops in Cozumel-Playa del Carmen, and the Beach Club at Bimini in the Bahamas before heading back to Miami.
Departure dates for this Riviera Maya cruise are Feb. 26, March 26, April 9, April 23, May 21, and June 18 (subject to availability).
Dominican Daze Cruise
The second option is dubbed Dominican Daze which also departs from Miami and stops in Puerto Plata, and the Beach Club at Bimini in the Bahamas before heading back to Miami.
Departure dates for the Dominican Daze cruise are Feb. 17, March 3, March 17, March 31, April 28, May 12, May 26, June 9, and June 23 (subject to availability).
7 Night Mediterranean Cruise for 2 Departing from Barcelona: 100K Virgin Points
If you’re looking for something a little more exotic, there are two cruise options available through this promotion departing out of Barcelona, Spain.
The Irresistible Med Cruise
The first option is The Irresistible Med, which departs from Barcelona and stops in Toulon, Marina di Carrara, Ajaccio, Cagliari, and Ibiza before heading back to Barcelona.
Departure dates for the Irresistible Med cruise are May 7, May 21, June 4, and June 18 (subject to availability).
French Daze & Ibiza Nights Cruise
Then there’s the French Daze & Ibiza Nights Cruise, which departs from Barcelona and stops in Marseille, Cannes, Olbia, and Ibiza, before heading back to Barcelona.
Departure dates for the French Daze & Ibia Nights cruise are May 14, May 28, June 11, and June 25 (subject to availability).
How to Redeem Virgin Points for This Offer
First things first, you’ll want to head to the Virgin Voyages website to confirm there is availability for the specific cruise and dates you are interested in.
Next, you’ll need to make sure you have a Virgin Red account, the overarching loyalty program for all things Virgin. Even if you already have a Virgin Atlantic Flying Club airline account, you’ll need to create a Virgin Red account in order to transfer any points and redeem them for this cruise. You can create an account here.
Don’t worry: if you have miles in your Virgin Atlantic account, you’ll be able to link it with your Virgin Red account during the sign-up process and any miles will show up in your Virgin Red account.
Since most of the credit card transfer partners to Virgin are through the airline Virgin Atlantic (with the exception of Capital One), you’ll need to make sure your accounts are linked if you plan to transfer most credit card points to Virgin.
You can transfer credit card points to Virgin from the following points programs:
- American Express Membership Rewards
- Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Capital One Venture Miles (transfers go directly to Virgin Red)
- Cit ThankYou Points
- Bilt Rewards Points
Once you have the required amount of Virgin points in your account for the cruise you want to book, just sign into your Virgin Red account and click “Redeem.” You’ll find both deals available in the “Featured” section on the Virgin Red homepage.
You won’t be able to proceed if you don’t have enough points in your account.
Assuming you have enough points in your account to cover the purchase, after clicking “Redeem” you’ll receive an access code that you can use to book your cruise directly with Virgin Voyages.
Our Take
This is a pretty solid deal. It’s one of the best ways to cover a cruise with points and a great way to use your Virgin points, to boot.
While none of the Thrifty Traveler staff have ever been on a Virgin Voyages cruise, they’ve gotten great reviews since launching in 2021. And considering this price includes all meals and entertainment for two people, it seems like a great option to cruise on the cheap.
Bottom Line
It’s not often that you can book a cruise with points, which makes this a pretty great deal. If you have Virgin points (or transferrable credit card points), this is a fantastic option for a five- to eight-night, all-inclusive, adults-only cruise.
The promotion is valid for departures before June 30, 2023, so don’t wait to take advantage if you are interested – rooms could sell out fast!
Lead photo courtesy of Virgin Voyages
Hi Nick! Do you have any pointers on booking the flights to go with the Mediterranean cruise?
Hi Nancy! Since your dates would be pretty specific, I would suggest searching with Google Flights and potentially setting up a few price alerts.
This is an awesome deal!!! I was looking at booking one in November and wish j could change the dates. Do you know can you book virgin voyages all the time with transfer partners points? Or if they’ll do this special again?
They have run similar promos in the past so it is likely it will be available again.
I looked under “Featured” but could not find the cruise option, is this only visible if you have enough points? Thank you.
I believe this offer has ended I am not able to find it either.