Picking the right stateroom for you and your family can be a tough job. Do you save some money and go with an indoor cabin with no view, or do you spend a little more to get a cozy balcony so you can wake up and say hi to a beautiful ocean right in front of your eyes? Cruises are just getting bigger and bigger, and this also means that there are more and more accommodation options inside these sea juggernauts.
Virgin Voyages offers the typical staterooms you expect to find on a cruise ship. They have everything from traditional indoor cabins to large suites, which they call the Rockstar Quarter, complete with exclusive perks and amenities that we will explore soon. They even cater to solo travelers with specific, small indoor rooms for single passengers that are very affordable, allowing you to save money for drinks and fun activities.
The main four stateroom categories are:
- Insider (inside cabin)
- Sea View (oceanview cabins)
- Sea Terrace (balcony cabins)
- Rockstar Quarters (suites)
Sea Terrace cabins are, by far, the most common cabin type across all ships, followed by Insider cabins. Sea Terrace cabins are traditional staterooms that come with a balcony and are larger than a standard room, making them perfect for a couple looking for a peaceful getaway.
These rooms usually receive good reviews online. They feature modern touches like a tablet that you can use to control the lighting and curtains, allowing you to enjoy a view of the ocean or block sunlight for a good nap after lunch.
However, bathrooms tend to be very tiny, especially in the standard, non-suite rooms. There is very little space to store your belongings, and the shower area feels quite claustrophobic. The toilet is squeezed tightly between the drawer area and the shower. Unfortunately, these tiny bathrooms are a part of every Insider, Sea View, and Sea Terrace cabin. Only the Rockstar Quarters offer more spacious bathrooms. Larger guests or groups traveling together may find the small bathrooms even more restrictive.
Insider Cabins aboard Virgin Voyages
Good for: those that want to save some money, single travelers and two friends, if you don’t care about a view of the ocean, if you won’t be staying in your stateroom a lot, you want to save money and use it for cruise add-ons.
Room for: 1-4 passengers
Price: $
Starting price per cabin for a 6-Night Western Caribbean cruise on January 2025 aboard Scarlet Lady: $2000
These are the most affordable rooms you can find on Virgin Voyages. They accommodate one to four guests and measure between 105 and 177 square feet. The 105-square-foot rooms are designated for solo travelers and are the cheapest rooms in the entire fleet. Interestingly, I can hardly find them available when I try to book a trip for myself. Maybe they sell out incredibly fast, so I just need to be quicker?
Standard rooms come with a mini-fridge, a space for you to hang your clothes and a TV. So, yeah, it's what you would expect to find in a standard room like this.
Sea View Cabins aboard Virgin Voyages
Good for: if you want a room a little bit bigger than usual, if you care a lot about natural light, if you don’t plan to stay in your room a lot.
Room for: 1-3 passengers
Price: $$
Starting price per cabin for a 6-Night Western Caribbean cruise on January 2025 aboard Scarlet Lady: $2800
Sea View cabins come with a window or a porthole that provides a view of the ocean. These windows, for security reasons, cannot be opened, but at least they let some natural light in. These rooms are slightly bigger than the Insider rooms, ranging from 130 to 190 square feet, so they might be a good option if you want a little more space. The 130-square-foot rooms are designed for solo travelers, while the larger 190-square-foot rooms can accommodate up to three passengers.
Sea Terrace cabins aboard Virgin Voyages
Good for: you want to enjoy the fresh ocean breeze, you want to pay a little more to have more space and luxury.
Room for: 2-4 passengers
Price: $$-$$$
Starting price per cabin for a 6-Night Western Caribbean cruise on January 2025 aboard Scarlet Lady: $2900
Wait a minute, you must be thinking I made a typo and got the price wrong, huh? How is a stateroom with a balcony just $100 more expensive than a Sea View stateroom? The answer is simple. Sea Terrace rooms are numerous across most ships, especially the Scarlet Lady. In fact, more than 70% of the rooms aboard the Scarlet Lady are Sea Terrace rooms! They are incredibly popular, so you can find plenty of them and they don't end up selling super fast. Still, it's always best to book in advance for the best deals.
Sea Terrace cabins measure between 185 and 225 square feet and come with a 45-square-foot balcony. The balcony also has a hammock, which is probably the best place ever for an afternoon nap. These cabins are spacious and elegant, but I wish the bathroom was bigger.
Rockstar Quarters aboard Virgin Voyages
Good for: you want nothing but luxury, you plan to stay inside and enjoy your cabin a lot, you like the perks offered, you want a bigger bathroom.
Room for: 2-4 passengers
Price: $$$$$
Starting price per cabin for a 6-Night Western Caribbean cruise on January 2025 aboard Scarlet Lady: $5700
Rockstar Quarters are the main suites aboard Virgin Voyages. These are the most expensive rooms in the entire fleet, measuring between 352 and 2,147 square feet. These suites are divided into two subcategories: the standard Rockstar Quarter and the Mega Rockstar Quarter. Both types come with spacious bathrooms, larger balconies with lounge chairs, and a lot of cool perks.
Rockstar Quarters perks
These are the perks offered to every guest who stays in a Rockstar Quarter:
- Richard's Rooftop access: You have access to a private sundeck available only to Rockstars. Make sure to come here between 5-6 pm during Richard's Sunset Hour, where they will be serving complimentary champagne and cocktails.
- Curated in-room bar: Complimentary drinks and cocktails in your bar. Always a good thing.
- Early booking/Priority access: You have priority booking for restaurants and activities before anyone else. You also get priority embarkation and disembarkation. In fact, Rockstars get access to a VIP area inside the port terminal to board the ship as soon as possible.
- RockStar Agents: Every RockStar needs an agent. Virgin Voyages provides dedicated staff at your disposal, always there to help you out whenever you need.
Mega Rockstar Quarters Perks
The Mega Rockstar Quarters are the ultra-high-luxurious suites aboard Virgin Voyages. You get every perk listed above, plus:
- Daily bar tab: any drink up to $25 is covered in your Daily bar tab, and you can have up to 2 bottles of wine/liquor daily up to $90.
- Daily spa access: Complimentary access to the Thermal Suite. Want to visit the sauna? Maybe have a mud bath? Enjoy the marble hammam benches? It’s all included.
- Bottomless in-room bar: need a drink? Basically any drink? You got it.
- Free Laundry: this is a very, very underrated perk. We all know it.
- Private transfers/parking: You have access to private transfers to take you to the port, or you can enjoy complimentary parking at Terminal V in Miami.
- Premium Wi-Fi: the free basic Wi-Fi lets you browse websites and check your emails, but you can now do so much more. It’s time to finally watch House of the Dragon and play Fortnite in the middle of the Atlantic.
Choosing your ideal Stateroom aboard Virgin Voyages
The question everyone tends to ask before boarding a cruise is: What’s the best stateroom for me? Let’s try to help you out. I’ll be direct and to the point.
I would choose between an Insider cabin or a Sea Terrace cabin. If I’m traveling alone, I’d probably go with an Insider cabin, especially the ones designed for solo travelers. They’re very affordable, and the small bathrooms wouldn’t be an issue for me since I’d be the only one using the space. Sure, the bathroom isn’t big, but I can always keep some of my toiletries outside the bathroom and adjust to the space. Since I’m traveling solo, there’s a good chance I’ll spend most of my time exploring the ship and checking out everything at my own pace, only returning to the cabin to sleep. This way, I can save money and use the extra cash for activities (a.k.a. cocktails).
If I’m traveling with a friend, I’d choose either an Insider cabin or a Sea Terrace cabin. Two friends will likely get along well in these rooms, and the small space probably won’t be an issue. Friends traveling together will also want to explore the ship and have fun, so they probably won’t spend long periods inside the stateroom.
However, if you’re traveling with your significant other, I’d recommend the Sea Terrace rooms. They are spacious, and the balcony adds a romantic touch that everyone loves. You won’t feel squeezed into a tight space, and these rooms are also a great option for enjoying breakfast on the balcony with a beautiful view of the ocean.
If money isn’t an issue, I’d recommend the Rockstar Quarters. However, these might be a good choice only if you’ve never traveled with Virgin Voyages or on that specific ship before. If it’s your first time, you’ll probably want to explore the ship rather than stay in your room. Still, I love the perks offered by Virgin, and having access to a private sun deck is always a great advantage.
Locations
Just as important as choosing your cabin category, choosing the right location can also impact the quality of your cruise. Let’s see some of them
Midship cabins
This is a safe and often considered the best option for many cruisers. Being in the middle of the ship means you're conveniently close to everything, especially the elevators. Another good perk? Cabins in the middle of the ship experience less motion, making them ideal for those prone to seasickness during a cruise.
Aft balcony
These are the rooms located at the aft (back) of the ship. Specifically, these rooms overlook the stern (back) of the ship rather than the sides. Aft rooms often have larger balconies and offer a serene view of the waves generated by your vessel. They are also generally quieter than rooms in the middle of the ship, making them a good choice for those seeking less noise. The main drawback is that they can be a bit farther from the elevators.
The Bow
The bow is also known as the front of the ship. Some cabins are actually cheaper in this location, and the reason is simple: this is the area that shakes the most. If you often feel seasick, avoid cabins located on the front of the ship at all costs. Cruise passengers prone to motion sickness should search for a room in the middle of the ship, and usually on higher levels.
Hump Balconies
These are the rooms located on the outward curves of the ship's outline. They feature larger balconies compared to standard balconies, often at the same price. Another advantage is that these rooms are typically situated in the middle of the ship, offering two good perks for a great deal.
Connecting cabins
Many rooms offer connecting cabins, which are especially common for interior cabins. Connecting cabins provide extra space, effectively doubling the size of the room and accommodating up to eight people in total. And guess what? You get an extra bathroom too!
