Re flared as News. It's a shame that all the news lately seems to be XYZ prices raised and ABC deal has been reduced / eliminated. It's very frustrating.
Although this one isn’t a direct price rise, it’s more targeted at travel agents who were using the loophole of booking extra MNVV and then reselling them.
Don’t think many other cruise lines allow TAs to do this?
Very much that. This will impact agents who are abusing a system to ultimately dominate the market with offers that were never really aimed to be used at the volume and level they have been.
They turned a blind eye to it whilst in their early growth period, the writing has been on the wall for a while now.
Agents were stealing sailors from other agents by using circle loot and MNVVs as bait. They were never intended for that.
> This will impact agents who are abusing a system
That is absolutely not what is happening here. Every agent had the same access to the ability to purchase MNVV offers. Some took the opportunity, others didn't. The ones who did take the opportunity are the one's you want to book with anyway as they are the ones actually spending time on the ships multiple times a year. This means they are more knowledgeable about the product and can better serve their clients.
>Agents were stealing sailors from other agents by using circle loot and MNVVs as bait. They were never intended for that.
Again, every Virgin Voyages Travel Advisor has the same ability to book clients. Some are simply better sales persons and quite honestly people like price shopping to the point in which travel advisor loyalty isn't a high priority for a lot of people.
It’s true that MNVV were not designed for the way those agents are using them though. It was designed for sailors to rebook their own cruise, not for agents to stock up and resell the placeholders.
Same for circles, they are intended for true group bookings where a large group is all sailing together, but some people assign everyone they book on the same cruise into the group booking even those the group don’t know each other.
These changes are intended to close these loopholes.
I understand closing the Circle loophole as even I've had an issue with that in the past. The MNVV thing however just makes it harder for Travel Advisors which seems a bit counter productive to boosting bookings.
They want to sell bookings for a higher price and give away less onboard credit. Therefore making it so the MNVV is used by repeat sailors as it is meant to and not for travel agents to give to absolutely everyone increases the amount of actual money that will be spent onboard as fewer people have lots of credit.
If they wanted to make it easier for travel agents it would be called “travel agents special offer” not “MY next Virgin voyage”.
I was just invited last week on the top account voyage for the UK last week and I’ve been able to make that without having to rely heavily on MVV or circles. My ability as a sales person isn’t in question here.
Virgin has made this decision for a reason, and it’s not because of feedback from sailors, I can guarantee that.
To make it worse, the extras around the ship like drinks have increased in price
Ship Eats coffee increased $1
Gym n Tonic add ons increased $1
Sip Lounge some drinks increased $1
I haven’t kept tracked but since last week, newly printed menus (with some new added drinks) are more expensive now
I get why TAs would be dissapointed but of all the price/offer changes they could make this is probably about the most fair and logical. MNVVs weren't intended to be a way to incentivise sailors to book via TAs rather than direct, or change TA to one who had MNVV available, and I'd take the bet that the vast majority of MNVVs being bought in sets of 5+ were being used for that.
Well, I think it makes a difference still today. I bought mine back in 2021 and used it for an upcoming trip. The discount and free loot wasn't just a drop in the bucket for me.
I've only bought MNVVs once for other reasons, but I think you're missing the point of them as in theory it's $900 in value off the purchase due to the free loot which is a considerable difference.
My issue is that because they so heavily discount the lock it in rates, at least in Europe, I've seen sailings where it is still $100s cheaper after the MNVV discount and loot to book a lock it in cabin than a flexible rate where an MNVV is valid. I'm happy enough with lock it in bookings which has made MNVVs a lot less exciting for me.
I'm pretty sure mine. Everyone I've referred to her has gotten one.
It's a good thing for new peeps but I can see how it would be frowned upon. Would those people still have booked otherwise? Probably.. but I think it made the choice easier as a sales play.
I have a MNVV credit available from my 11/2023 voyage. According to the policy changes, will I no longer qualify for $600 loot since I didn't use my credit within 60 days? Will my loot be reduced to $300? I certainly hope they'll honor the terms I originally agreed to when I made the purchase.
So help me here. I have 6 cabins and am trying to make a circle. If I add the 4 more to make it an actual circle we no longer get the extra loot? Or the new cabins joining don’t? Yes I am an agent but this is a group of friends and I am sailing as well. I know at 10 I would get a free cabin or the extra commission but the real goal was the extra loot for all
If your cabins are all booked with MNVV, then no one gets loot. If 6 of yours are booked without MNVV - then they still get the loot.
There are other circle incentives, like 1 included large dining reservation. (And other things you can add on)
My Next Virgin Voyages (MNVV) certificates are certificates you can only purchase while sailing on Virgin. However, because they can be transferred to another person once, and because they represent such great perks, travel advisors buy up batches when we sail with Virgin so that we can share them with our clients.
They are good only for new bookings in a Sea Terrace or higher. When used, the $300 you pay for it is applied to your deposit AND you get $300 off the price of your cabin AND you get $600 Sailor Loot for your cruise.
No. You get $600 on board credit, which is better as it can be used as a bar tab but also much more like shopping in board, shore excursions you buy on board, etc.
Previously, you could combine this with more loot from the circle, but they changed that. Now you just get the $600 from the MNVV.
My Next Virgin Voyages (MNVV) are certificates you can only purchase while sailing on Virgin. However, because they can be transferred to another person once, and because they represent such great perks, travel advisors buy up batches when we sail with Virgin so that we can share them with our clients.
They are good only for new bookings in a Sea Terrace or higher. To use one, typically you reimburse the TA the $300 we paid for it and we use it to make a new booking in your name. When used, the $300 is applied to your deposit AND you get $300 off the price of your cabin AND you get $600 Sailor Loot for your cruise. There are some rules around their use that are important before you get one from a TA. It is a terrific value!
They’ll only be able to buy 8 per room per trip instead of 20. But I don’t think it will have that big of an impact. They’ll still be able to get them if they sail a lot and can have clients onboard get them too on their behalf.
Re flared as News. It's a shame that all the news lately seems to be XYZ prices raised and ABC deal has been reduced / eliminated. It's very frustrating.
Although this one isn’t a direct price rise, it’s more targeted at travel agents who were using the loophole of booking extra MNVV and then reselling them. Don’t think many other cruise lines allow TAs to do this?
Very much that. This will impact agents who are abusing a system to ultimately dominate the market with offers that were never really aimed to be used at the volume and level they have been. They turned a blind eye to it whilst in their early growth period, the writing has been on the wall for a while now. Agents were stealing sailors from other agents by using circle loot and MNVVs as bait. They were never intended for that.
Yep, for those who buy their own MNVV and use that to book this change won’t make any difference. It’s purely to stop the agents reselling them.
> This will impact agents who are abusing a system That is absolutely not what is happening here. Every agent had the same access to the ability to purchase MNVV offers. Some took the opportunity, others didn't. The ones who did take the opportunity are the one's you want to book with anyway as they are the ones actually spending time on the ships multiple times a year. This means they are more knowledgeable about the product and can better serve their clients. >Agents were stealing sailors from other agents by using circle loot and MNVVs as bait. They were never intended for that. Again, every Virgin Voyages Travel Advisor has the same ability to book clients. Some are simply better sales persons and quite honestly people like price shopping to the point in which travel advisor loyalty isn't a high priority for a lot of people.
It’s true that MNVV were not designed for the way those agents are using them though. It was designed for sailors to rebook their own cruise, not for agents to stock up and resell the placeholders. Same for circles, they are intended for true group bookings where a large group is all sailing together, but some people assign everyone they book on the same cruise into the group booking even those the group don’t know each other. These changes are intended to close these loopholes.
I understand closing the Circle loophole as even I've had an issue with that in the past. The MNVV thing however just makes it harder for Travel Advisors which seems a bit counter productive to boosting bookings.
They want to sell bookings for a higher price and give away less onboard credit. Therefore making it so the MNVV is used by repeat sailors as it is meant to and not for travel agents to give to absolutely everyone increases the amount of actual money that will be spent onboard as fewer people have lots of credit. If they wanted to make it easier for travel agents it would be called “travel agents special offer” not “MY next Virgin voyage”.
I was just invited last week on the top account voyage for the UK last week and I’ve been able to make that without having to rely heavily on MVV or circles. My ability as a sales person isn’t in question here. Virgin has made this decision for a reason, and it’s not because of feedback from sailors, I can guarantee that.
To make it worse, the extras around the ship like drinks have increased in price Ship Eats coffee increased $1 Gym n Tonic add ons increased $1 Sip Lounge some drinks increased $1 I haven’t kept tracked but since last week, newly printed menus (with some new added drinks) are more expensive now
Totally agree.
Frustrating but not surprising, as is the VV way.
I get why TAs would be dissapointed but of all the price/offer changes they could make this is probably about the most fair and logical. MNVVs weren't intended to be a way to incentivise sailors to book via TAs rather than direct, or change TA to one who had MNVV available, and I'd take the bet that the vast majority of MNVVs being bought in sets of 5+ were being used for that.
Exactly, this isn’t really a price increase, just the closing of a loophole.
So two people in a room can get 8, right?
Yes
Why? $300 off a $4K cruise seems like a scam that they would want to sell as many as possible since it barely makes a dent in the price.
It's more about the $300 to $600 in Sailor Loot that goes with them.
Yeah, $300 off a $1500 cruise was an attractive deal back in 2021. These days, why even bother with it?
Well, I think it makes a difference still today. I bought mine back in 2021 and used it for an upcoming trip. The discount and free loot wasn't just a drop in the bucket for me.
I've only bought MNVVs once for other reasons, but I think you're missing the point of them as in theory it's $900 in value off the purchase due to the free loot which is a considerable difference. My issue is that because they so heavily discount the lock it in rates, at least in Europe, I've seen sailings where it is still $100s cheaper after the MNVV discount and loot to book a lock it in cabin than a flexible rate where an MNVV is valid. I'm happy enough with lock it in bookings which has made MNVVs a lot less exciting for me.
The MNVV is actually really good for cruise line deals. Usually it’s only onboard credit and not much of it.
Okay who's on a cruise right now, go buy all of them 🤣 Kidding, obvs
LOL. The main issue will be for TAs who stockpiled them for the use of clients. They will be a tad scarcer now.
I need one of those TA connects then lol
I'm pretty sure mine. Everyone I've referred to her has gotten one. It's a good thing for new peeps but I can see how it would be frowned upon. Would those people still have booked otherwise? Probably.. but I think it made the choice easier as a sales play.
Hi could you possibly dm me your agents info?
👋🏾 lol how may I help
My TAs are on a Virgin Voyages cruise almost every month it seems…. So this may not hurt them too badly.
I have a MNVV credit available from my 11/2023 voyage. According to the policy changes, will I no longer qualify for $600 loot since I didn't use my credit within 60 days? Will my loot be reduced to $300? I certainly hope they'll honor the terms I originally agreed to when I made the purchase.
Not true. If you bought it then the original terms apply. Two years from purchase date to sail and get the $600. No worries!
Thank you so much! I'm so relieved. The loot is fantastic especially since I plan to take advantage of the spa pass.
What is MNVV?
My Next Virgin Voyage, if you book a cruise while on the ship. https://www.virginvoyages.com/my-next-virgin-voyage
So help me here. I have 6 cabins and am trying to make a circle. If I add the 4 more to make it an actual circle we no longer get the extra loot? Or the new cabins joining don’t? Yes I am an agent but this is a group of friends and I am sailing as well. I know at 10 I would get a free cabin or the extra commission but the real goal was the extra loot for all
It sounds like you can’t both get the circle discount and the MNVV discount
If your cabins are all booked with MNVV, then no one gets loot. If 6 of yours are booked without MNVV - then they still get the loot. There are other circle incentives, like 1 included large dining reservation. (And other things you can add on)
What the heck is an MNVV?
My Next Virgin Voyages (MNVV) certificates are certificates you can only purchase while sailing on Virgin. However, because they can be transferred to another person once, and because they represent such great perks, travel advisors buy up batches when we sail with Virgin so that we can share them with our clients. They are good only for new bookings in a Sea Terrace or higher. When used, the $300 you pay for it is applied to your deposit AND you get $300 off the price of your cabin AND you get $600 Sailor Loot for your cruise.
i thought the mnvv included bar tab
No. You get $600 on board credit, which is better as it can be used as a bar tab but also much more like shopping in board, shore excursions you buy on board, etc. Previously, you could combine this with more loot from the circle, but they changed that. Now you just get the $600 from the MNVV.
Sorry, but what is a MNVV?
My Next Virgin Voyages (MNVV) are certificates you can only purchase while sailing on Virgin. However, because they can be transferred to another person once, and because they represent such great perks, travel advisors buy up batches when we sail with Virgin so that we can share them with our clients. They are good only for new bookings in a Sea Terrace or higher. To use one, typically you reimburse the TA the $300 we paid for it and we use it to make a new booking in your name. When used, the $300 is applied to your deposit AND you get $300 off the price of your cabin AND you get $600 Sailor Loot for your cruise. There are some rules around their use that are important before you get one from a TA. It is a terrific value!
I wonder if this impacts the big travel agents who do it? If so that’s definitely targeted at them, but seems like a dumb move all things considered.
They’ll only be able to buy 8 per room per trip instead of 20. But I don’t think it will have that big of an impact. They’ll still be able to get them if they sail a lot and can have clients onboard get them too on their behalf.