Virgin Voyages Splash of Romance (2026): Is It Worth It for Priority Boarding?

The Quick Answer: 4 Ways to Board Early in 2026

As of June 8, 2026, there are four core ways to secure priority boarding on Virgin Voyages:

• Book a RockStar Suite
• Book a Mega RockStar Suite
• Reach Deep Blue Extras status through the Sailing Club
• Add the Splash of Romance package to your booking

Those are the four core paths. If none of them apply to your sailing, you will board with the general groups based on the arrival time you select in the app. We break down each option below, including the recent change that removed a path many sailors used to rely on.

A footnote for the completists: a few niche bookings can also bundle in priority boarding, such as an onboard wedding package or the (very pricey) Virgin Voyages Annual Pass. For almost everyone, though, the four core paths above are the ones that matter.

Big 2026 Change: Virtuoso Priority Boarding Is Gone

For a while, sailors who booked through a Virtuoso affiliated travel agency received complimentary priority (or “anytime”) embarkation as a Virtuoso amenity, regardless of fare or loyalty status. It was a quiet perk, and for travelers in the know it was an easy way onto the ship early without buying a suite or a package.

As of June 8, 2026, that Virtuoso priority boarding benefit is no longer available. You may still see older guides and advisor pages online promoting it, so this is worth flagging clearly: if your plan for boarding early was a Virtuoso booking, you now need one of the four methods above instead. This is exactly the kind of change we track at CamJon Travel, and it is part of why working with an advisor who lives in the Virgin Voyages world day to day pays off.

Why Priority Boarding Is the Real Prize

It is tempting to think of early boarding as just skipping a line. It is much more than that. Virgin Voyages uses a tiered boarding system, and the time you see in the app is your arrival time, not your boarding time (you generally board about 30 minutes after you arrive). The sailors who board first get a genuine head start, and here is what that buys you:

• First crack at the app and ship WiFi. Some of the best bookings only open once you are onboard. Popular fitness classes (the Bungee class fills almost instantly), Redemption Spa time slots, and prime dining times go quickly once the full ship is logged in.
• A relaxed, uncrowded first afternoon. Your cabin is ready the moment you board, so you can drop your bags, grab a first cocktail, and enjoy a quiet lunch at The Galley or The Dock before the crowd arrives.
• More vacation, less waiting. That 30 to 45 minute jump on the crowd effectively extends your first day onboard.

This is why we tell first timers in particular that boarding early sets the tone for the entire voyage. For a full hour by hour walkthrough, see our embarkation day survival guide.

The 4 Ways to Get Priority Boarding

1. RockStar and Mega RockStar Suites

RockStar and Mega RockStar suite sailors board first, full stop. You check in through a dedicated VIP lane with RockStar Agents and step onto the ship ahead of every other group, often as early as around 12:30 to 1:00 PM at many ports (timing varies by port and sailing). If you are already in a suite, priority boarding is built in and you do not need anything else. Not sure which suite tier fits you? See our guide to RockStar vs Mega RockStar.

2. Deep Blue Extras (Sailing Club Loyalty)

Deep Blue Extras is the top tier of the Virgin Voyages Sailing Club, the line’s loyalty program. You earn it through completed eligible voyages: Sailing Club membership comes after your first eligible voyage, and Deep Blue Extras unlocks once you have built up enough sailings. Deep Blue Extras members board through the priority line, and a cabin mate arriving with you can join the line even if they have not earned the status themselves. If you sail Virgin often, this is your path. We walk through every tier in our Sailing Club guide to Blue and Deep Blue Extras.

3. Splash of Romance

This is the one anyone can add to a single sailing, with no suite and no loyalty status required, which is why it is the most accessible route to priority boarding for most sailors. Splash of Romance is a $250 per cabin package (covering both sailors) that includes a dedicated priority check-in line, plus a stack of other perks we break down below. Priority boarders (Deep Blue Extras and Splash of Romance) are invited right after the RockStars, with the priority window often opening around 1:30 PM. Remember, that is roughly when you board, so plan to be at the terminal a bit before. It is limited to the first 90 cabins per voyage, so it does sell out.

What Does NOT Get You Priority Boarding

Inside Splash of Romance: What You Get

The name leans romantic, but the perks are useful for any pair sharing a cabin, whether you are a couple, friends, or family. Here is what Virgin Voyages currently includes:

• Priority Boarding: the dedicated check in line and early boarding window. In our opinion, this is the headline benefit.
• Two 3-hour Thermal Suite passes: one per sailor for the Redemption Spa’s Thermal Suite (sauna, steam room, mud room, salt room, hot and cold plunge pools, a hydrotherapy pool, and heated marble hammam benches). Tip: use your early boarding to head straight to the Redemption Spa on Deck 5 and lock in your preferred time, since sea day slots fill quickly.
• A Shake for Champagne: open the Virgin Voyages app, give your phone a shake, and a chilled bottle of champagne (typically Moet & Chandon Imperial Brut) is delivered to you anywhere on the ship.
• An Exclusive Sail Away Hour: a cocktail hour held once per voyage at a scenic spot chosen by Virgin Voyages, with sparkling wine and a relaxed view.
• Daily cold-pressed juices: a curated cold-pressed juice each morning at the Gym and Tonic Bar on Deck 15.
• A collection of chocolates: a sweet delivery to your cabin on Day 2.

A couple of practical notes: the package must be added before you sail (it is not sold onboard), and you only need to add it to one sailor’s account per cabin to cover both of you.

Is Splash of Romance Worth $250?

Let’s do the math. The figures below are estimates based on typical onboard pricing, and your real value depends on how much you use each perk:

Even setting priority boarding aside, the spa passes and champagne alone can approach or clear the $250 price for a couple who will use them. Add the Sail Away Hour and the daily juices and the tangible value comfortably exceeds the cost. Then the priority boarding becomes the part that is hardest to price and, for many sailors, the most valuable.

Who Should (and Shouldn’t) Buy It

Splash of Romance is a strong buy if you are:

• A first time Virgin Voyages sailor. The early access is invaluable for learning a new ship and booking system, and the perks are a great taste of what VV does well.
• A spa lover. If you were going to buy Thermal Suite access anyway, the package nearly pays for itself on that alone.
• Celebrating. An anniversary, honeymoon, or birthday gets an easy bit of sparkle with champagne, spa time, and treats.
• Someone who wants the best possible first day. If locking in fitness classes, spa times, or a calm first afternoon matters to you, the priority boarding justifies the spend.

You might skip it if you are:

• A RockStar or Mega RockStar sailor. You already board first, so the boarding perk is redundant and several others overlap with suite benefits.
• A Deep Blue Extras member. You already get priority boarding and an exclusive cocktail event through the Sailing Club, which thins out the unique value (though the spa passes and champagne may still appeal).
• Not going to use the perks. If the spa, champagne, and early boarding all leave you cold, that $250 may do more for you toward a Bar Tab or a shore excursion.
• Sailing solo. You can buy it for the cabin, but two spa passes and a couple’s worth of perks are built for a pair, so the value drops.

How to Secure Your Splash of Romance

Splash of Romance must be added before you sail, through the Virgin Voyages app or website under “Add-Ons” after your main booking is confirmed. It cannot be purchased onboard, and with only about 90 cabins per voyage it sells out, especially on popular itineraries. A few tips:

• Add it early. Do not wait, since availability is first come, first served.
• Double check your confirmation. A handful of sailors have reported the package dropping off their account, so confirm it is still attached.
• Stuck or sold out? Reach out to CamJon Travel. We can help you add it, troubleshoot, or keep an eye out for the rare opening.

Sail Smarter with CamJon Travel

Boarding strategy is exactly the kind of detail that separates a good Virgin Voyages cruise from a great one, and it is what we obsess over. As a Gold Tier and Top 100 First Mate North America advisory (the top 1% of more than 22,000 advisors), CamJon Travel brings firsthand, current knowledge of the ships, the perks, and the changes that do not always hit the public pages right away, like the Virtuoso boarding update.

Whether you want help deciding if Splash of Romance fits your sailing, a plan to reach Deep Blue Extras, or full planning for your voyage including flights and hotels, we are here for it. As a CamJon perk, sailings booked 120 or more days out also qualify for up to $100 in Sailor Loot as onboard credit. Best of all, our planning comes at no extra cost to you. Learn more about our commitment or explore our full range of travel planning services.

The Bottom Line

In 2026, priority boarding on Virgin Voyages comes down to four core paths: a RockStar Suite, a Mega RockStar Suite, Deep Blue Extras, or the Splash of Romance package, now that the Virtuoso boarding benefit has gone away. For most sailors who are not in a suite and have not yet earned top tier loyalty, Splash of Romance is the smartest and most accessible way onboard early, and its tangible perks already justify the $250 for couples who will use them. The priority boarding is the cherry on top.

Ready to plan your voyage and board like a VIP?