Today we’re talking about something I get asked all the time: bidding. Yep, the “How do I bid? What do I bid? Does this even work?!” kind of questions. So I figured, let’s break it down real quick and get you all the insider tea on how this whole Virgin Voyages upgrade bidding thing works.

So here’s the deal: not long after you book a cruise, you’ll get an email from Virgin that says something like “Level Upgrade Your Voyage.” That’s your cue! When you click it, you’ll see upgrade options based on the cabin you originally booked.

So if you’re in an Insider, they’ll offer you bids for Sea View, Sea Terrace, Central Sea Terrace — that kind of thing. If you’re in a Sea View, your bids might start with Sea Terrace and go up from there. It’s a ladder, basically.

Now let’s use one of my own examples, I’m in a regular Sea Terrace, and they’ve offered me the chance to bid on a Central Sea Terrace. That bid starts at $50 and goes up to $100. And yes, I’ve bid the full $100 before just to see what happens. Fingers crossed, right?

But here’s the thing, and listen close, if you win your bid, it’s done. It’s charged. It’s yours. You can’t cancel it. You can’t change your mind. You can’t say, “Oh wait, I didn’t mean to do that.” So don’t get tipsy and bid $5,000 on a suite unless you’re really good with that charge showing up later. 😂

Now before the bid is accepted, you can go in and cancel or adjust it. Totally fine. But once it’s accepted and you get that email saying “Congratulations!” it’s a done deal. That’s your room.

Speaking of rooms.. one time I won a suite bid and ended up in an accessible suite, which was totally fine, but the layout was way different. The bathroom was big, but the counter space was almost nonexistent and there was no cheeky shower window (you know I love that window!). So yeah, just know there are no room swaps once it’s done.

Okay, now let’s talk numbers:

• Central Sea Terrace: $50–$100, best value, hands down. Midship. Hammock. Glass balcony. Love it.
• XL Sea Terrace: $150–$325, more space but usually front of ship. Can have metal railings and no hammock. Seasick friends, beware.
• Suite F Suites and up: Starts around $1,150 and goes way up depending on the category.
• Seriously Suite: Starts around $1,000 and can go over $2,100.
• Gorgeous Suite: This is the ONLY Mega Rockstar suite you can bid on unless you’re already in a Rockstar. Starts at $3,100 and can go to $6,600. I’ve won this one five times and I’m obsessed with it!

Just to be clear:

• If you’re not already in a Rockstar suite, you can’t bid for the Massive, Fab, or Posh.
• Only Rockstars can upgrade to Mega Rockstar.

And if you’re wondering what my “strategy” is… it’s pretty simple: I bid what I’d feel good about paying. I don’t usually lowball it because honestly, it’s so rare to see any suites left available now. Back in the day I’d look at inventory and go, “Ooh, those suites are still open, let’s try it!” But now? Everything’s basically sold out all the time.

You can ask your travel agent to check availability before bidding. That helps. But again, inventory moves fast.

Oh, and here’s a fun tip: even once you’re onboard, you can ask if there are any upgrades available. It won’t be a bid, they’ll give you a price, and you decide if it’s worth it. It’s rare, but I’ve done it. So don’t be afraid to ask!

Final thoughts: if you’re in an Insider or Sea View, go for that Central Sea Terrace. It’s just such a solid option. You’ll probably get the glass balcony and hammock, and the midship location is everything, especially if you’re sensitive to motion.

Hope this helps!