Virgin Voyages Excursions: A Travel Agent’s Honest Shore Things Guide (2026)

Virgin Voyages excursions — branded as “Shore Things” — are à la carte tours you book separately for each port, with prices typically running from about $40 for a simple beach transfer up to $300+ for premium experiences like helicopter glacier landings or private boat charters. Unlike a lot of cruise lines, Virgin doesn’t bundle any excursions into your fare, and there’s no included shore-side amenity beyond Bimini Beach Club. We’re travel agents who’ve personally sailed Virgin Voyages and booked Sailors on dozens of Shore Things, and the short version is this: the curation is genuinely good, the booking experience is the easiest at sea, and roughly half the time the Shore Thing is the right move — the other half, you’re better off walking off the ship and doing your own thing. Here’s the full picture.

What Are Virgin Voyages “Shore Things”?

“Shore Things” is Virgin’s brand name for shore excursions — the day tours, activities, and experiences you can book in each port of call. Think snorkeling in Bimini, ATV tours in Roatán, food walks in Barcelona, or whale watching in Juneau. They’re operated by local tour partners that Virgin has vetted, and the Sailor App handles the entire booking process, payment, and meet-up logistics.

A few things make Shore Things different from a typical mainstream cruise line’s excursion program:

• Adults-only experiences. Because Virgin is 18+, the excursions skew toward food and wine, beach clubs with day beds, adventure, and nightlife — not character meet-and-greets or kid-friendly aquarium visits.
• Smaller group sizes. Virgin tends to cap tours at sensible numbers and avoids the giant-bus-of-100 vibe you sometimes get on a 5,000-passenger ship.
• One-tap booking in the Sailor App. No paper forms, no shore excursion desk lines. We cover the app in detail in our complete Sailor App guide.
• No “included” excursions. Other adults-leaning lines like Viking include one shore excursion per port. Virgin doesn’t — every Shore Thing is extra.

How Virgin Voyages Excursion Pricing Works in 2026

Shore Things are priced per Sailor and paid in U.S. dollars. There’s no “cruise line markup” surprise — pricing is transparent in the app and you’ll see the exact charge before you confirm. Here are typical price bands we’ve seen across 2026 sailings:

• $40–$75 per Sailor: Beach transfers, short city walks, group catamarans, simple snorkel trips.
• $80–$150 per Sailor: The bulk of the menu — ATV tours, food and wine tasting walks, dune buggies, day passes to nicer beach clubs, half-day snorkel/scuba combos.
• $150–$250 per Sailor: Premium small-group experiences — private guides, sailing charters, wine country day trips, longer adventure excursions.
• $250–$600+ per Sailor: Bucket-list stuff like Alaskan helicopter glacier landings, dog-sledding on a glacier, private yacht charters, or full-day Amalfi Coast tours from Sorrento.

You can pay with the credit card on file, or — and this is where it gets fun — with Sailor Loot, the onboard credit Virgin sometimes throws in with promos. We always tell clients to check their Sailor Loot balance before booking Shore Things, because using Loot on excursions is one of the highest-value ways to spend it.

How to Book Virgin Voyages Excursions (Step-by-Step)

You can book Shore Things in two places: the website pre-cruise, or the Sailor App once you’re sailing. We recommend booking before you sail for the popular stuff and waiting on the rest.

1. Log into your Voyage account on virginvoyages.com. Once your booking is paid in full, the Shore Things menu unlocks for your specific itinerary.
2. Browse by port. Filter by activity type (beach, adventure, food, culture, wellness) and read the duration, difficulty level, and what’s included.
3. Reserve and pay. Most Shore Things charge at the time of booking. A handful require payment onboard, but the trend is upfront payment.
4. Check the Sailor App on embarkation day. Your bookings appear in the app, and meet-up locations get pushed to you the morning of each port day.
5. Show up at the meet point. Usually The Manor or the gangway. Virgin staff scan your Sailor Band and you’re off.

One pro tip: book the high-demand, low-capacity stuff early — small-boat snorkel trips, helicopter excursions in Alaska, private guides in the Mediterranean. The mass-market beach clubs and walking tours almost never sell out, so save those for last.

The Best Shore Things by Destination (What We Actually Book Clients On)

Caribbean Shore Things

The Caribbean is Virgin’s bread and butter, with Bimini, Puerto Plata, Costa Maya, Cozumel, Roatán, San Juan, and the new 2026–2027 itinerary additions all in the rotation.

• Bimini, Bahamas: The Beach Club is included in your fare, so don’t pay for a Shore Thing here unless you want the extras — cabanas, day beds, or a “Wild Side” full-day pass to the more secluded beach. Full breakdown in our Bimini Beach Club guide.
• Roatán, Honduras: The “Iguanas, Rum & Beach” combo Shore Thing is a great half-day. ATV jungle tours are also popular and usually sell out a week before sailing.
• Costa Maya, Mexico: Skip the ship’s port-area beach clubs — book one of Virgin’s Mahahual beach club Shore Things instead and you’ll have a nicer day for less hassle.
• Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic: The “27 Charcos” waterfall jumping excursion is one of the best Shore Things in the entire Caribbean menu. Worth the splurge.
• San Juan, Puerto Rico: You don’t really need a Shore Thing here — walk off the ship and explore Old San Juan on foot. If you want a guided experience, the rum distillery and food walks are well-reviewed.

Alaska Shore Things

Brilliant Lady’s 2026 Alaska season changes the math on Shore Things considerably. Alaska is the destination where we tell clients to budget more for excursions than they think — the experiences are why you’re going, and they’re not cheap.

• Juneau: Whale watching is a near-guaranteed great day. Helicopter glacier landings are stupidly expensive and stupidly worth it.
• Skagway: The White Pass & Yukon Route train is a classic for a reason. Sled dog camp visits are a more unique alternative.
• Icy Strait Point: The world’s longest ZipRider zipline is here. Bear viewing trips are also bookable depending on the season.
• Ketchikan: Float plane tours over Misty Fjords are the move. Skip the lumberjack show unless it’s pouring rain.

If you’re considering Alaska on Virgin, our Brilliant Lady complete guide walks through the ship side of the equation.

Mediterranean Shore Things

Resilient Lady and Valiant Lady’s Mediterranean seasons are where Shore Things stop being optional. Most Med ports require a real plan, and Virgin’s excursions are often more efficient than DIY because of transit times to the famous sights.

• Civitavecchia (Rome): A Shore Thing into Rome is almost always cheaper than booking a private transfer plus a guide. Pick the food-and-history walks.
• Naples (for Pompeii / Amalfi): The “Amalfi by Speedboat” Shore Thing is one of the most-booked tours in the entire fleet. Pompeii excursions are well-organized and worth doing once.
• Mykonos, Santorini, Athens: Beach club access in Mykonos through a Shore Thing is the easiest way to get to the famous beaches. In Santorini, take the cable car DIY — but book a wine tour Shore Thing for the inland villages.
• Barcelona, Palma, Ibiza: Walkable cities — book food, tapas, or Gaudí-focused walking tours, not the big bus rides.

When to Skip the Shore Thing and DIY

We won’t pretend every Shore Thing is the best move. Skip the Shore Thing and do your own thing when:

• The port is fully walkable (Key West, San Juan, Cozumel downtown, Barcelona, Palma).
• You have a Sailor in your group who’s been before and knows where to go.
• The Shore Thing is just a bus transfer to a public beach. You can usually grab a taxi for less than the per-Sailor cost.
• You only have 4–5 hours in port. Half-day Shore Things sometimes run tight and you end up rushed.

The big argument for Shore Things, even when you could DIY, is the all-aboard guarantee: if a Virgin-booked excursion runs late, the ship waits for you. If your private taxi blows a tire, you’re booking a flight to the next port. That guarantee alone is worth the premium in places where the timing is tight.

Shore Thing Cancellation & Refund Policy

Virgin’s Shore Thing cancellation rules are reasonable and Sailor-friendly:

• 48+ hours before the start time: Full refund to your original payment method or Sailor Loot.
• Less than 48 hours: No refund unless Virgin or the operator cancels.
• Virgin or weather cancels: Full refund automatically processed within a few days.

The 48-hour window is generous compared to the 24-hour or no-refund policies you see on some other lines. We tell clients: if you’re on the fence about an excursion, book it. You can always cancel 49 hours out.

Travel-Agent Tips to Save Money on Shore Things

1. Stack Sailor Loot. If you’ve earned Loot through a promo (and Virgin runs them constantly — our promo stacking guide covers how), spend it on Shore Things first. It’s not refundable if you don’t use it.
2. Book before you sail. Shore Things sometimes have lower pre-cruise pricing, and you’ll get first pick on the limited-capacity tours.
3. Watch for Loot bonuses at booking. Virgin occasionally drops “bonus Loot if you book before you sail” promos. Check your dashboard.
4. Group up. Some Shore Things (private guides, charter boats, private vans) become a steal if you split across 4–6 Sailors.
5. Don’t double-book port days. The temptation is to do two activities in one port. Resist it. Pick one Shore Thing and explore on foot.

Ready to Book a Virgin Voyages Cruise?

You can now book your Virgin Voyages cruise online with Pixie Vacations through our cruise booking engine — pick your sailing, your cabin, and lock in current promos in one sitting. Or if you’d rather have a real travel agent (the kind who’s actually sailed Virgin) handle the details, get a free quote through PixieVacations.com. Either way, you can book your Shore Things directly with Virgin once your booking is paid in full — they don’t run through us, and you keep 100% of any onboard credit and Loot promos you’ve earned.

Frequently Asked Questions About Virgin Voyages Excursions

How much do Virgin Voyages excursions cost?
Most Virgin Voyages Shore Things run $80–$150 per Sailor, with beach transfers and short walks starting around $40 and premium experiences like Alaskan helicopter tours or private charters running $250–$600+ per Sailor. All pricing is shown upfront in the Sailor App with no hidden fees.

Are Virgin Voyages shore excursions included in the fare?
No. Virgin Voyages does not include any shore excursions in your cruise fare. The only included shore-side amenity is access to the Beach Club at Bimini on most Caribbean itineraries. Every other Shore Thing is paid à la carte.

Can you book Virgin Voyages excursions on the ship?
Yes. You can book any available Shore Thing through the Sailor App right up to a few hours before the tour starts, subject to availability. We still recommend booking the popular and small-group excursions before you sail.

Are Virgin Voyages Shore Things worth it?
Often, yes — particularly in destinations where transit time, language, or logistics make DIY tough (Alaska, the Mediterranean, Roatán). In walkable ports like San Juan, Key West, Barcelona, or Cozumel downtown, you can usually skip the Shore Thing and explore independently for less money.

Do Virgin Voyages excursions wait for you if the ship is late?
The ship waits for you if you’re on a Virgin-booked Shore Thing that runs late returning to port. That all-aboard guarantee is a real reason to book through the line in tight port-day windows, even when an independent tour would be cheaper.

What is the cancellation policy on Virgin Voyages Shore Things?
You can cancel any Shore Thing 48 hours before the start time for a full refund to your original payment method or Sailor Loot balance. Cancellations inside 48 hours are non-refundable unless Virgin or weather cancels the excursion.

Can you use Sailor Loot to pay for Shore Things?
Yes. Sailor Loot can be applied to Shore Things at booking, either through the website pre-cruise or in the Sailor App onboard. Spending Loot on excursions is one of the highest-value ways to use it, since Loot doesn’t refund if unused.

---

About the author: Pixie Vacations is an Atlanta-based travel agency owned by Steve and Lisa Griswold. We’ve sailed Virgin Voyages personally and booked Sailors on more than a hundred Virgin sailings. We don’t charge planning fees, and we’d love to help with your first Virgin cruise.