Cabin Upgrades on Virgin Voyages
Quick answer: On sailings Virgin selects, you'll get an email inviting you to make a Level Upgrade offer: you say how much you'd add to your booking to move up a category. If Virgin accepts, usually about 48 hours before sailing, your card on file is charged and the upgrade is final. You can't choose the new cabin number. Separately, changing to a different cabin at your own request depends on your fare and when you booked.
Two different things called an upgrade
Changing your cabin. Virgin's Cabin Upgrades FAQ says your options to change, upgrade or move your cabin depend on when you booked and which fare you chose, and points you to Sailor Services or your travel advisor. On bookings from October 7, 2025, Base and Lock It In don't allow cabin changes, while Essential and Premium may, if space allows. Our fare types guide has the detail.
Level Upgrade. This is Virgin's offer-based program, and it's what most people mean. Instead of a set price, you name an amount and Virgin decides whether to take it.
How a Level Upgrade offer works
- The invitation. Bidding opens for selected sailings at different times. Virgin emails you when yours is open, or you can check on Virgin's Level Upgrade page with your last name and booking ID. Eligible bookings are passed to a partner site to make the offer.
- The offer. You name an amount to add to your existing booking. Virgin's terms define it as a total per cabin, not per person. One Sailor on the booking submits it for everyone in the cabin. You can have offers open for more than one category at once.
- The wait. Virgin can assess offers up to 48 hours before departure and says most responses come about then. You can change or cancel your offer until 72 hours before departure, if it hasn't been accepted.
- The result. If accepted, the full amount is charged right away to the payment method on file, and Virgin's terms note the charge may show under the name Plusgrade. If not, nothing changes and you aren't charged.
Virgin says every category except the Massive Suite can be part of Level Upgrade, depending on what's available on the sailing.
What to check before you make an offer
Virgin's terms have a few lines worth reading twice:
- It's final. Once accepted, the upgrade amount is non-refundable. A refund applies only in narrow cases, such as Virgin canceling the voyage and the new category not being available on the replacement sailing. If you later move to a different voyage yourself, Virgin doesn't have to honor the upgrade.
- No cabin choice. Virgin can't guarantee a cabin number in the new category. If you care where you sleep, our quiet cabins guide explains why a better category isn't always a better location.
- Your fare rules mostly follow you. Your VoyageFair policy generally carries over. An upgrade into RockStar or Mega RockStar Quarters switches you to that suite category's policy and perks.
- Promotions. You keep the ones you already have; no new ones are added, including any that apply only to the higher category.
- How you pay. Future Voyage Credits can't be used. If your booking is financed with FlexPay, Virgin says you can upgrade by reapplying for a new FlexPay loan. If you bought Voyage Protection, its cost may go up with the higher fare.
Your original booking's cancellation and change terms stay in place after the upgrade. Our deposits and payments guide covers those.
How to think about the amount
We don't publish figures here, and Virgin's Level Upgrade page names no minimum. The useful question is simpler: what would the move be worth to you if you never got it? An offer you'd be happy to pay, on a sailing you're sure of, is a good offer. An offer you'd regret if it went through, on a trip whose dates might still move, isn't, because accepted upgrades are final. Your advisor can tell you what the higher category is selling for on your sailing, which is a useful reference point.
If you are sailing with a group
Upgrades and groups don't always mix well. Virgin assesses each cabin's offer on its own, so one couple may move up while their friends stay put, and Virgin doesn't promise upgraded cabins will be next to each other. If your group requested cabins together on purpose, an upgrade can split you up. Your group can meet in the Nautir app before boarding, so agree before anyone bids; if staying close matters more than the terrace, skip it. You can see the hosted group sailings we have open, or read the Virgin Voyages FAQ.
FAQ
How do cabin upgrades work on Virgin Voyages?
There are two routes. You can ask to change cabins, which depends on when you booked and your fare. Or, on sailings Virgin selects, you can make a Level Upgrade offer: you name an amount to add to your booking, and if Virgin accepts, you’re moved up and charged.
When will I hear if my Level Upgrade offer was accepted?
Virgin says most responses come about 48 hours before sailing, and its terms say you’ll know the outcome no later than 48 hours before departure. If you don’t hear back, Virgin says to call Sailor Services.
Can I cancel a Level Upgrade offer?
Yes, until 72 hours before departure, as long as it hasn’t been accepted and charged. Once accepted, Virgin’s terms say the amount is final and non-refundable, except in narrow cases such as Virgin canceling the voyage.
Will I get to pick my cabin if I’m upgraded?
No. Virgin’s terms say it can’t guarantee a specific cabin number in the upgraded category. If two cabins traveling together both bid, Virgin assesses each offer on its own and doesn’t promise they’ll be next to each other.
Do I keep my promotions and fare type after an upgrade?
Virgin says you keep the promotions you already have but none are added. Your VoyageFair policy generally carries over, except that an upgrade into RockStar or Mega RockStar Quarters follows that suite category’s policy and perks.
Details checked against virginvoyages.com on November 9, 2026 (the Cabin Upgrades FAQ, the Level Upgrade page and its terms, and the Choosing Your Cabin FAQ). Virgin changes its terms often; your advisor confirms them for your booking.