How much would you pay for a year of unlimited cruises? One line is making an offer

04.12.2024 - 00:49 / thepointsguy.com / Richard Branson

If you could take unlimited cruises for a year for a flat fee, would you? Adults-only cruise line Virgin Voyages seems to think so.

Virgin will allow travelers 21 and older to hop on and off an unlimited number of cruises for a whole year, with destinations ranging from the Caribbean and the Bahamas to Greece and other places in the Mediterranean.

The line's Annual Pass — an expanded version of the sold-out Season Pass, which allows digital nomads to work on one of the line's three (soon to be four) vessels for a month — is a chance for passengers to join any ship in any location for any sailing for up to a total of 365 days. Passengers who book this offer can decide when the clock will start ticking; they can choose to begin Jan. 1, Feb. 1, March 1 or April 1, depending on what works best for their schedules. The pass is good for 365 days after their chosen start date.

"I've always been a big believer in the power of travel and adventure to spark creativity and bring clarity," Richard Branson, the business mogul who brought the cruise line to life as part of the Virgin Group, said. "What started as a sought-after 'work from sea' concept with our Season Pass has evolved into something even more special. Now, Sailors can jump aboard any of our ships, across an endless variety of exciting destinations for an entire year."

The cost? It isn't cheap. Cruisers hoping to snag this "bargain" will be out a cool $120,000 for two people in exchange for a stay in Sea Terrace balcony accommodations, which are nicer than inside and ocean-view cabins but not as swanky as the line's suites.

That works out to more than $10,000 for two people per month or $5,000 per person per month. (And, no, you don't have to choose the same person as your plus-one for the whole year.) Although Virgin Voyages tends to attract a higher-end clientele than some other cruise lines, that's a steep price, especially if you're not going to spend every single day on board or if you've got housing costs to pay ashore.

However, Virgin hopes to make the deal more enticing for some would-be yearlong Sailors (Virgin's term for cruisers) — by accepting bitcoin cryptocurrency as a form of payment for the Annual Pass. This is something other cruise lines haven't yet adopted. Note that, regardless of how you settle up, full payment is due via wire transfer at the time of booking, and it's nonrefundable.

Should you decide to take Virgin Voyages up on this offer, you can expect $100 in bar tab credit for each voyage you sail, along with priority boarding, two free specialty coffees per cabin each day, free and unlimited premium Wi-Fi, complimentary laundry services, and access to a concierge and special VIP events on board. You will also immediately