Virgin Voyages Shore Things Guide — Best Excursions at Every Port

Virgin Voyages calls their shore excursions “Shore Things” and they range from standard sightseeing tours to genuinely unique experiences you will not find on other cruise lines. After taking Shore Things across Caribbean, Mediterranean, and specialty itineraries, here is my guide to which ones are worth booking and which ones you can skip.

How Shore Things Work

Shore Things are booked through the Virgin Voyages app before or during your sailing. Prices range from $30 for basic beach transfers to $300+ for premium experiences like private catamaran charters. They are NOT included in your fare — these are an additional cost.

When to book: Shore Things become available in the app several weeks before sailing. Popular ones sell out fast, especially snorkeling trips, beach breaks at premium locations, and any excursion that includes food and drinks. I recommend booking as soon as they become available, especially for Caribbean itineraries.

RockStar advantage: If you booked a RockStar suite, you get early access to Shore Things bookings before standard guests. This is one of the underrated RockStar perks — the best excursions often sell out before standard booking opens.

Bimini, Bahamas

Bimini is the most common port on Virgin Voyages Caribbean itineraries because VV operates the Beach Club at Bimini — a massive 4.5-acre private beach facility that is included in your fare.

Best Shore Thing: Honestly, the Beach Club itself is the main event and it is free. The long beach, lagoon-style pool, DJ, food, and drinks are all included. Most people do not need a paid excursion here.

Worth it: The snorkeling trip ($60-80) is solid if you want to see the coral reefs. The jet ski tour ($120-150) is fun for adrenaline seekers.

Skip: The basic beach shuttle — the Beach Club IS the beach experience and it is free. Do not pay for a separate beach transfer unless you specifically want to explore downtown Bimini, which is very small.

Key West, Florida

Key West is a walkable port and one of the easiest to explore on your own without a paid excursion. The ship docks right in town.

Best Shore Thing: The sunset sail catamaran ($90-120) if your ship is in port during the evening. Key West sunsets are legendary and seeing them from the water is special.

Worth it: The snorkeling trip to the reef ($70-90) and the Hemingway Home walking tour ($40-50) if you are into literary history.

Skip: Most city tours. Key West is so walkable that paying for a guided tour of Duval Street is unnecessary. Walk it yourself, stop at Sloppy Joe’s, visit the Southernmost Point marker, grab key lime pie at Kermit’s, and you have had the full Key West experience for free.

Costa Maya, Mexico

Costa Maya is a purpose-built cruise port with a shopping village, pool area, and beach. The port itself has enough to keep you busy for a few hours, but the best experiences require an excursion.

Best Shore Thing: The Mayan Ruins at Chacchoben ($80-100). This is a genuinely impressive archaeological site and far less crowded than Tulum or Chichen Itza. If you have never seen Mayan ruins, this is the excursion to book.

Worth it: The beach break at Maya Chan ($60-80) is a great all-inclusive beach day with food and drinks at a quiet beach away from the cruise port.

Skip: The shopping tours. The port village has plenty of shopping already and there is no need to pay for a guided shopping trip.

Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic

Puerto Plata offers some of the most adventurous Shore Things in the VV Caribbean rotation.

Best Shore Thing: The 27 Waterfalls of Damajagua ($90-120). You hike to natural waterfalls and slide/jump down them. This is one of the most unique excursion experiences in the entire Caribbean and I recommend it to anyone who is reasonably fit and adventurous.

Worth it: The beach and snorkel combo ($60-80) at Sosua Beach, which has some of the best snorkeling in the DR.

Mediterranean Ports

For Mediterranean itineraries out of Barcelona or Athens, Shore Things tend to be more expensive but the experiences match. Historical walking tours in Barcelona, Santorini wine tastings, and Dubrovnik Old Town tours are all solid. For Mediterranean ports, I often recommend a mix of one paid Shore Thing and one self-guided exploration day.

Steve’s Shore Things Tips

Book early. The best Shore Things sell out weeks before sailing. Set a reminder for when bookings open.

Check the return time. Make sure your excursion gets you back to the ship at least 60-90 minutes before sailing. VV-booked Shore Things guarantee the ship will wait for you if the excursion runs late. Third-party excursions do not have this guarantee.

Bring cash for tips. Shore Thing guides work hard and appreciate tips. $5-10 per person is standard for a half-day excursion.

Do not over-schedule. On a 5-night sailing with 2 port days, book one Shore Thing and leave the other port day for self-exploration. You are on vacation — leave room to wander.

Need help choosing the right Shore Things for your itinerary? Get a free quote and I will give you my personal port-by-port recommendations based on your sailing.