Virgin Voyages recently started a refer a friend program. The idea is that people that have sailed with Virgin Voyages in the past can refer their friends that are brand new to Virgin Voyages. Both the friend and the referrer earn $150 of free drinks in the form of a Bar Tab for their next booking. They say it is “So Easy” but I found it to be anything but easy. Here is my experience.
New to Virgin Voyages? Get a free $150 Bar Tab (beverage credit) for your first cruise when you sign up with this link: https://share.virginvoyages.com/alanwaite
Program Overview
From the Refer a Sailor page:
Give $150, get $150 — it’s so easy
With Virgin Voyages’ Refer a Sailor program, you and your mates will each get $150 in free drinks to keep the toasts coming when you book your next getaway.
Submit your email to get your share link. When your mates book their first voyage, you’ll both earn $150 in free drinks.
How it works:
- If you’ve sailed with Virgin Voyages, you’re able to score this exclusive offer to refer your friends. Make sure to submit your Virgin Voyages account email here to access your unique share link. Share that link with your crew who never sailed with us via email, text, or social channels.
- Once your friends confirm their program details and book a voyage, they’ll get $150 Bar Tab that can be used to purchase specialty drinks of their choice – whether it’s a cocktail at dinner or morning cappuccino.
- When their voyage date is 45 days away, you’ll receive an email with an exclusive Access Key used to redeem your $150 Bar Tab your next voyage.
You can use up to two codes per voyage for a total of $300 in free drinks as the person doing the referring.
My Experience
I have shared my unique referral link (https://share.virginvoyages.com/alanwaite) with people through various means including on SingleFlyer.com. Recently someone booked with my link and I was sent an email showing that I have earned a reward.
Great! The good news is I already have another cruise booked. However, I wasn’t sure if it could be used on an existing reservation. However, the email explained that yes it would!
Already have a booking? No problem! When you receive your Access Key, fill out the Refer a Sailor program form so our crew can add your free drinks.
So I went hunting for a “Refer a Sailor program form” and… it doesn’t exist. Maybe it is going to come later or maybe it is just really well hidden.
I went back to my referral page and the Access Key is listed (I’ve removed it from the image).
When I click reward, it takes me to the standard Virgin Voyages homepage to book a new reservation. If I did want to book a new reservation, there is a spot for an Access Key and it seems like it would work to copy and paste in the code to get the bonus on a new booking.
With an existing booking, however, there is no way to add an Access Key.
I tried to use the Chat feature on the website but it is an AI and they couldn’t help.
So instead I called in to their US phone number – 954-488-2955 and after pressing 4 for an existing reservation, I was put on hold for about 10 minutes until a very nice agent got on the line
She had me read off my Access Key and then put me on hold to work on adding it to my existing reservation.
When she came back on the line, she apologized and explained that since I had booked a reservation that had a solo sailor discount, I couldn’t add in the extra Bar Tab. I didn’t realize I had booked a reservation with a solo sailor discount. I simply had gone in and reserved a cabin for one person.
She offered that she could remove the solo sailor discount to add the Bar Tab, but that would increase the cost of my reservation by $2,000. I thanked her for looking into it but decided I’d save the credit for a future voyage.
Have you tried to use the Refer a Sailor program? Have you had any luck with applying the Bar Tab to your voyage? Share in the comments below.