An Open Letter About Integrity, Honesty, and Clients First as a Virgin Voyages First Mate
An Open Letter from CamJon Travel Managing Partner Cameron De Jong August 3, 2024 Dear Current, Future, or Undecided
Honesty
Virgin Voyages Travel Agent | Top 100 First Mate | CamJon Travel
CamJon Travel Self-Service Booking Checkpoint
Start with Premium or Essential. Only choose Base if you fully understand the tradeoffs.
This is still a CamJon Travel booking path. Self-service simply means you are choosing your sailing, fare, and cabin direction yourself through our Virgin Voyages affiliate link while keeping the reservation connected to CamJon Travel.
Please do not let the lowest price make the decision for you.
Virgin may show multiple fare paths, and the cheapest one is not automatically the best value. Most CamJon Sailors should compare Premium and Essential first, then only move to Base or Lock It In if the restrictions clearly match the trip they want.
Start here
Premium and Essential are the safer starting points for a better Virgin Voyages experience.
These fares protect more of what actually matters: planning control, dining timing, cabin confidence, WiFi expectations, flexibility, and fewer surprise "wait, what did I just book?" moments later.
Best overall experience
Premium
Choose Premium when you want the most polished non-suite path, maximum flexibility, stronger planning control, and the perks that make the upgrade feel meaningful.
- Premium WiFi for two devices per Sailor, including streaming capability.
- 60-day dining reservation window for the earliest non-suite dining access.
- $15 Bar Tab per Sailor per night for premium drinks, cocktails, lattes, and more.
- Priority pre-voyage support for booking questions and changes.
- Cabin selected and guaranteed at booking, with cabin changes allowed.
- Maximum name-change flexibility, including lead Sailor flexibility under current fare rules.
Smart default choice
Essential
Choose Essential when you want the familiar, balanced Virgin Voyages experience without jumping straight into the most restrictive fare path.
- Classic WiFi for one device per Sailor.
- 45-day dining reservation window, which is a major improvement over Base.
- Cabin selected and guaranteed at booking, with cabin changes allowed.
- Date changes allowed outside 45 days under current fare rules.
- Fellow Sailor name changes allowed until 48 hours before sailing.
- A strong fit for many Sailors who want flexibility without Premium pricing.
CamJon fit note:
Premium is especially compelling for longer voyages, dining-priority Sailors, remote workers, content creators, group organizers, drink lovers, and anyone who values flexibility. Essential is the better starting point for most Sailors who want a smart, balanced fare without paying for the highest perk level.
Pause before choosing these.
Base
Base is not "the normal fare." It is the budget tradeoff fare. It can look attractive at first glance, but it may come with stricter rules, a later dining window, less flexibility, and fewer ways to fix the booking later.
Lock It In
Lock It In may make sense only when savings matter more than cabin-location control, cabin choice, and flexibility. If cabin comfort matters to you, this should not be your first click.
Stop and ask CamJon before booking if:
- You are choosing Base or Lock It In mainly because the price looks better.
- You care about dining times, cabin location, cabin changes, WiFi level, or flexibility.
- You would be upset if stricter rules limited your ability to change the booking later.
- You are booking for a celebration, group trip, longer voyage, remote-work trip, or special cabin preference.
Do not forget service gratuities.
Virgin now shows service gratuities separately for transparency. If you do not pre-pay them before sailing, they are automatically applied to your onboard folio at the onboard rate.
Pre-pay before sailing
Currently $20 per Sailor per night. Best for Sailors who want a cleaner onboard folio and the lower pre-sail rate.
Pay onboard
Currently $22 per Sailor per night. This appears on your onboard account if not handled before the voyage.
CamJon recommendation: Add prepaid service gratuities before you sail unless you have a specific reason not to. It keeps the final onboard balance cleaner and avoids one of the exact "what did I break?" moments many travelers dislike.
CamJon rule of thumb: Choose based on price, rules, cabin comfort, dining timing, WiFi needs, gratuities, and flexibility, not price alone.
Before final payment: Verify the booking path shows Cameron DeJong / CamJon Travel or the correct agency details. Virgin controls the booking site, pricing, availability, fare rules, gratuity options, and final reservation details.
New to Virgin Voyages? Take the Perfect Cruise Quiz first so we can confirm fit before you book.
Help me choose Premium or Essential
Read the fare guide before I book
I understand the tradeoffs. Continue with CamJon Travel Self-Service.
Fare names, inclusions, restrictions, gratuity rates, and booking rules can change. Always review the current Virgin Voyages fare terms, service gratuity options, and final booking details before confirming your reservation.