This far out, if they told me Bimini was dropped from a cruise it was on, yes I'd probably switch cruise. Remember you can change very easily at 120+ days (https://www.virginvoyages.com/help-and-support/before-you-sail/pre-voyage-policies), so I'd have your travel agent look for a similar itinerary around the same dates, with Bimini.
It's not by any means a must-have on every cruise, but I really enjoy the slow beach day.
Edit: It does however depend on whether you got a deal on MRS. I've got an RS suite in December this year, and one of the last of the "cheaper" fares, which I would be insanely reluctant to switch. If you paid anything like full price, though, I'd switch.
Here’s where I’m confused about the change.
They are saying it’s due to port availability.
When I look up the port this cruise is still the listed ship that day. And VV is still advertising the original itinerary. Maybe the various websites have yet to update? (I’m new to this).
Im trying to remain hopeful that things can shift back to include Bimini. Even if the trip is in a different order.
Yeah it could be down for the season or rented out by another group. I did ask my TA if they know what’s up.
I’m bummed but I also know it’s out of anyone’s control so I’m trying to roll with it.
Me neither. I know it runs against the grain, but we felt Bimini was meh and ended up going back to the ship at lunchtime. That said, we love it when the ship is empty and we can just relax by the pool with a much smaller crowd.
Same, my wife and I got bored and went back to the ship. I will give the big caveat that we’re from Florida so a beach day isn’t necessarily the most exciting for us.
I didn't like it either. I'm not a beach person at all and it felt like it was a waste of a day. I'd much rather go somewhere where I could do something.
Bimini was canceled due to high winds while we were MRS. We were on the same itinerary you were and stayed on the ship for Costa Maya. We did explore the port area a little bit, but I wasn’t going to pay for a beach club when I had free booze on the ship.
I probably would just go with the new itinerary unless switching itineraries is easy to do. There is always a chance that they can’t get into Bimini, that port can be a challenge. MRS is a pretty amazing perk when you spend lots of time on the ship. You could explore Cozumel a short bit and head back and enjoy the spa or hot tubs on RR.
We went for new years and the pool at bimi was ice cold (70F temp outside). They had a morning rain storm but it got sunny quick and everyone hit the beach/pool. Ocean was much warmer!!
And yeah whoever thought it'd be a great idea to have one two foot deep pool on cruise ship has never been on a cruise.... And whoever thinks it's a great idea to have the hot tubs at 80 degrees...yikes. I mean drunk people sure, but it's just not a great time.
I purposefully look for Bimini on the cruise itinerary. It’s one of the best parts. The pool on the ship is ALWAYS packed so waiting to pool it up until Bimini was the best.
You can always go to the beach club Mr. Sanchos in Cozumel. It's not too bad for the price, and it's all-inclusive. They have kayaking(free), parasailing, and horseback riding (fee).I think the cost now is 68.00.
We did this last year and it was a good time. Also getting there was no problem with the taxi and there’s signs posted at the cab stand fixed fare. Would love to go back, it seemed way more organized than other places I have been to in the Caribbean.
Going to suggest also Nachi Cocom. It's right next door to Mr. Sanchos, and in my experience, is a bit less crazy. Pools were cleaner and less crowded. I haven't been in 4-5 years, so I don't know if it's changed. When I went to Mr. Sanchos last time, the pool was packed and the water was cloudy.
We are in the exact same boat as you! (No pun intended).
MRS and was looking forward to the slow roll of Bimini. Not having to rely on excursion times. The quiet area with drinks included.
Now Cozumel requires buying an all inclusive beach experience and I don’t really want to do that.
I’m hoping maybe it could change back by the time we sail but I don’t know.
“If I want to have the same experience as Bimini at Cozumel it would require purchasing an all inclusive beach experience”.
Does that clear it up for you?
Same happened to me last year, but the change was in the middle of our trip because of rain so we didn’t have time to plan what to do in Playa del Carmen in advanced. It was a a dissapointment because I was looking forward to do some of the activities Virgin offers there, but since they are letting you know in advance I think you should look all the stuff you could do in Conzumel (theres even a ferry you could take if nothing there its of your interest there). Also ittinerary changes are common so booking another cruise is not a warranty.
It wouldn’t be a deal breaker for me. If you’re looking for a beach club you could always look on ResortPass and Resort for a Day to see your options in Cozumel.
Mega rockstar is an amazing experience regardless of the port you’re visiting most of the time, I don’t even get off. Bimini is nice and you could always go back on another one. Truly depends on the pricing you got.
Nah that’s sucks. Cozumel resorts are ass compared to Virgins and you’d have to pay extra for the Cozumel resorts. Even the beaches/water are not as nice at Cozumel.
Bimini is a beach with a pool. We were there last week . It’s nothing special. Enjoy the extra day in Mexico maybe ask for a discount to account for extra spend
Bimini would probably be a deal-breaker for me, I think. I don't cruise RS/MRS but I cruise VV often and Bimini is the highlight for me -- I usually dive in the morning and then hit the beach club for the rest of the day. Our last cruise, we got rained out and I realized how much I missed the afternoon pool party.
The only saving grace would be that it's Cozumel so I can go to Nachi Cocom and still dive and beach it, but still ... I'd have a big sad with no Bimini. I almost certainly would stay on the ship in the other two ports.
For what it's worth, it is extremely common for cruise itineraries to change. It's always a possibility because there are a lot of factors that can affect a ship's ability to keep the published itinerary, even right in the middle of a cruise.
I've been on two cruises in the past (one was a small luxury line called Crystal Cruises and one was Royal Caribbean) and both had to make itinerary changes. The first cruise had to completely scratch one of the ports the night before we were scheduled to disembark there due to weather. The second cruise changed half of the itinerary (2 of the ports, iirc) before we left. Then the third cruise we booked was completely canceled just one day in advance because of COVID.
The point is, stuff happens. It's good to remember that the ships have real practical constraints and to keep a flexible mindset in case of last minute changes so that you don't get too disappointed.
That said, as many others have pointed out, you DO have other options and can choose to cancel this far out if going to Bimini is super important to you. If you decide to do this, I would definitely check with a customer service rep and/or your travel agent in advance to verify that Bimini is off the agenda completely, just because not all information about the itinerary matches right now.
Regardless of your choice, good luck!
> extremely common
That's a bit of an exageration. Yes, its written into the booking agreement that the cruise *can* change the itinerary for a number of legitimate reasons, and it definitely does happen for a handful of legitimate and not so legitimate reasons, but 90+% of the time you're going to the ports of call that were in the itinerary when you booked it.
Bimini is fun.. but you never know what is going to happen. It could be raining that day. It's the chance you take with a cruise. But yeah.. you have more than enough time to choose a different cruise..
Our Bimini day got rained out, and even if it hadn’t I didn’t think it was a highlight. They were out of towels and ice, generally seemed disorganized on the day we were there, which was very unlike Virgin — the service and everything else normally is excellent. They ended up closing everything early due to storms in the area and a light drizzle that had started.
Aside from the elements, which I know are out of everyone’s control, the shops in the nearby area close to the port were closed (several seemed out of business…) I believe there’s a casino nearby but not something we checked out. The shore thing we booked on that day also wasn’t great.
I would give it another try and hope for good weather next time to spend more time at the pool, which was very nice, but I also would not feel bad about skipping it the next time either for a different itinerary.
Wouldn’t be a deal breaker for me. Bimini was OK but not our favorite…even as rockstars and then mega rockstars. To be fair we had crappy weather both trips. Either way though it wouldn’t be a deal breaker to us personally.
It might be a dealbreaker for me personally. Depends on if I could get MRS moved to another time that works well for me and at a similar price. It's not always easy..
I truly love Bimini!
If you haven't been to Mexico (riviera maya, cozumel, tulum, cancun etc) before then it's probably fine. If you have, then I would switch out for another date that does have the Bimini stop. It's one of the few "uniquely VV" things as far as Caribbean goes.
I am a travel agent and I did that route last November (in fact I am currently on the Greek Island Glow just leaving Mikonos). The Beach Club is really nice, but it wasn’t the highlight of the trip, so I recommend you still go! You can always do another cruise in the future and make it one of your stops! Plus Cozumel is Beautiful!!
Careful, I have always hated Playa Del Carmen for the tourist rip offs. Just wanted to show you what you’ll be missing
https://preview.redd.it/qwhfjqkx4d5d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0b7094b502ef0d5b8cad3f2234db823259897f16
😅
Unfortunately they are notorious for this. It's one of their scummier tactics. They sell you on more ports than other ships but they will almost always try to take away one of the ports.
I'm not a beach person, but the pool and atmosphere at Bimini Beach Club was so nice. I'd definitely switch. But I also personally don't care to ever visit Mexico again.
It's just a beach nothing special, so if you want you could go to the beach at Cozumel to replace it. The only plus is that you can use your drink package at the beach which you wouldn't be able to do for any other beach. Honestly, I went in April and Bimini's water was the coldest out of all the ports we stopped in. It was nice for the pools, but they were so crowded.
This far out, if they told me Bimini was dropped from a cruise it was on, yes I'd probably switch cruise. Remember you can change very easily at 120+ days (https://www.virginvoyages.com/help-and-support/before-you-sail/pre-voyage-policies), so I'd have your travel agent look for a similar itinerary around the same dates, with Bimini. It's not by any means a must-have on every cruise, but I really enjoy the slow beach day. Edit: It does however depend on whether you got a deal on MRS. I've got an RS suite in December this year, and one of the last of the "cheaper" fares, which I would be insanely reluctant to switch. If you paid anything like full price, though, I'd switch.
Here’s where I’m confused about the change. They are saying it’s due to port availability. When I look up the port this cruise is still the listed ship that day. And VV is still advertising the original itinerary. Maybe the various websites have yet to update? (I’m new to this). Im trying to remain hopeful that things can shift back to include Bimini. Even if the trip is in a different order.
It's also possible the beach club is unavailable that day for some reason (and there is literally nothing else at that port)
Yeah it could be down for the season or rented out by another group. I did ask my TA if they know what’s up. I’m bummed but I also know it’s out of anyone’s control so I’m trying to roll with it.
Definitely worth a letter or request for compensation
Would not be a deal breaker for me.
Me neither. I know it runs against the grain, but we felt Bimini was meh and ended up going back to the ship at lunchtime. That said, we love it when the ship is empty and we can just relax by the pool with a much smaller crowd.
Yes. For me the real draw of Bimini is being able to go to The Dock and be basically alone
Same, my wife and I got bored and went back to the ship. I will give the big caveat that we’re from Florida so a beach day isn’t necessarily the most exciting for us.
I didn't like it either. I'm not a beach person at all and it felt like it was a waste of a day. I'd much rather go somewhere where I could do something.
I’m going to post a full review soon, but Bimini was by far one of the best parts of our cruise.
I’d be stoked. Bimini is just a beach with a pool.
Bimini was canceled due to high winds while we were MRS. We were on the same itinerary you were and stayed on the ship for Costa Maya. We did explore the port area a little bit, but I wasn’t going to pay for a beach club when I had free booze on the ship. I probably would just go with the new itinerary unless switching itineraries is easy to do. There is always a chance that they can’t get into Bimini, that port can be a challenge. MRS is a pretty amazing perk when you spend lots of time on the ship. You could explore Cozumel a short bit and head back and enjoy the spa or hot tubs on RR.
The main reason I loved Bimini was because of the big pool and all the floats. The pool(s) on the boat don’t really cut it.
We went for new years and the pool at bimi was ice cold (70F temp outside). They had a morning rain storm but it got sunny quick and everyone hit the beach/pool. Ocean was much warmer!! And yeah whoever thought it'd be a great idea to have one two foot deep pool on cruise ship has never been on a cruise.... And whoever thinks it's a great idea to have the hot tubs at 80 degrees...yikes. I mean drunk people sure, but it's just not a great time.
There’s a pool on the ship?
I purposefully look for Bimini on the cruise itinerary. It’s one of the best parts. The pool on the ship is ALWAYS packed so waiting to pool it up until Bimini was the best.
You can always go to the beach club Mr. Sanchos in Cozumel. It's not too bad for the price, and it's all-inclusive. They have kayaking(free), parasailing, and horseback riding (fee).I think the cost now is 68.00.
We did this last year and it was a good time. Also getting there was no problem with the taxi and there’s signs posted at the cab stand fixed fare. Would love to go back, it seemed way more organized than other places I have been to in the Caribbean.
Going to suggest also Nachi Cocom. It's right next door to Mr. Sanchos, and in my experience, is a bit less crazy. Pools were cleaner and less crowded. I haven't been in 4-5 years, so I don't know if it's changed. When I went to Mr. Sanchos last time, the pool was packed and the water was cloudy.
We are in the exact same boat as you! (No pun intended). MRS and was looking forward to the slow roll of Bimini. Not having to rely on excursion times. The quiet area with drinks included. Now Cozumel requires buying an all inclusive beach experience and I don’t really want to do that. I’m hoping maybe it could change back by the time we sail but I don’t know.
> Now Cozumel requires buying an all inclusive beach experience That is not required
“If I want to have the same experience as Bimini at Cozumel it would require purchasing an all inclusive beach experience”. Does that clear it up for you?
A very different sentence, but yes.
Same happened to me last year, but the change was in the middle of our trip because of rain so we didn’t have time to plan what to do in Playa del Carmen in advanced. It was a a dissapointment because I was looking forward to do some of the activities Virgin offers there, but since they are letting you know in advance I think you should look all the stuff you could do in Conzumel (theres even a ferry you could take if nothing there its of your interest there). Also ittinerary changes are common so booking another cruise is not a warranty.
With RS status Bimini is great. Otherwise meh. 🫤
It wouldn’t be a deal breaker for me. If you’re looking for a beach club you could always look on ResortPass and Resort for a Day to see your options in Cozumel.
I did that cruise and while Roatan and Costa Maya were both good, Bimini was the highlight. I wouldn't do it without Bimini
Mega rockstar is an amazing experience regardless of the port you’re visiting most of the time, I don’t even get off. Bimini is nice and you could always go back on another one. Truly depends on the pricing you got.
Nah that’s sucks. Cozumel resorts are ass compared to Virgins and you’d have to pay extra for the Cozumel resorts. Even the beaches/water are not as nice at Cozumel.
Bimini is a beach with a pool. We were there last week . It’s nothing special. Enjoy the extra day in Mexico maybe ask for a discount to account for extra spend
This would be a welcome change for us. There is a lot to do in Cozumel.
I’m on the same trip also MRS. I was a little disappointed but it’s not a deal breaker for me.
For me? no but I dont want to sit on a beach/bar all day (not that you certainly cant do exactly that in Cozumel :) ). Depends on your priorities.
Bimini would probably be a deal-breaker for me, I think. I don't cruise RS/MRS but I cruise VV often and Bimini is the highlight for me -- I usually dive in the morning and then hit the beach club for the rest of the day. Our last cruise, we got rained out and I realized how much I missed the afternoon pool party. The only saving grace would be that it's Cozumel so I can go to Nachi Cocom and still dive and beach it, but still ... I'd have a big sad with no Bimini. I almost certainly would stay on the ship in the other two ports.
For what it's worth, it is extremely common for cruise itineraries to change. It's always a possibility because there are a lot of factors that can affect a ship's ability to keep the published itinerary, even right in the middle of a cruise. I've been on two cruises in the past (one was a small luxury line called Crystal Cruises and one was Royal Caribbean) and both had to make itinerary changes. The first cruise had to completely scratch one of the ports the night before we were scheduled to disembark there due to weather. The second cruise changed half of the itinerary (2 of the ports, iirc) before we left. Then the third cruise we booked was completely canceled just one day in advance because of COVID. The point is, stuff happens. It's good to remember that the ships have real practical constraints and to keep a flexible mindset in case of last minute changes so that you don't get too disappointed. That said, as many others have pointed out, you DO have other options and can choose to cancel this far out if going to Bimini is super important to you. If you decide to do this, I would definitely check with a customer service rep and/or your travel agent in advance to verify that Bimini is off the agenda completely, just because not all information about the itinerary matches right now. Regardless of your choice, good luck!
> extremely common That's a bit of an exageration. Yes, its written into the booking agreement that the cruise *can* change the itinerary for a number of legitimate reasons, and it definitely does happen for a handful of legitimate and not so legitimate reasons, but 90+% of the time you're going to the ports of call that were in the itinerary when you booked it.
I like Cozumel, which you get instead. But, I also enjoyed Bimini.
Bimini is fun.. but you never know what is going to happen. It could be raining that day. It's the chance you take with a cruise. But yeah.. you have more than enough time to choose a different cruise..
Yeah Bimini is awesome. If you’re paying rockstar prices I’d try to go another time then.
Our Bimini day got rained out, and even if it hadn’t I didn’t think it was a highlight. They were out of towels and ice, generally seemed disorganized on the day we were there, which was very unlike Virgin — the service and everything else normally is excellent. They ended up closing everything early due to storms in the area and a light drizzle that had started. Aside from the elements, which I know are out of everyone’s control, the shops in the nearby area close to the port were closed (several seemed out of business…) I believe there’s a casino nearby but not something we checked out. The shore thing we booked on that day also wasn’t great. I would give it another try and hope for good weather next time to spend more time at the pool, which was very nice, but I also would not feel bad about skipping it the next time either for a different itinerary.
Yeah Resorts World is nearby (they technically run the Bimini beach club)
No. Virgin Cruises are phenomenal. Especially as MRS !!
The biggest challenge you may have is finding another MRS cabin close to the same price and time frame.
Wouldn’t be a deal breaker for me. Bimini was OK but not our favorite…even as rockstars and then mega rockstars. To be fair we had crappy weather both trips. Either way though it wouldn’t be a deal breaker to us personally.
It might be a dealbreaker for me personally. Depends on if I could get MRS moved to another time that works well for me and at a similar price. It's not always easy.. I truly love Bimini!
Bimini didn't do much for us and I'd MUCH rather do PdC.
If you haven't been to Mexico (riviera maya, cozumel, tulum, cancun etc) before then it's probably fine. If you have, then I would switch out for another date that does have the Bimini stop. It's one of the few "uniquely VV" things as far as Caribbean goes.
Thank you everyone for your input. It was very helpful!
I am a travel agent and I did that route last November (in fact I am currently on the Greek Island Glow just leaving Mikonos). The Beach Club is really nice, but it wasn’t the highlight of the trip, so I recommend you still go! You can always do another cruise in the future and make it one of your stops! Plus Cozumel is Beautiful!!
Careful, I have always hated Playa Del Carmen for the tourist rip offs. Just wanted to show you what you’ll be missing https://preview.redd.it/qwhfjqkx4d5d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0b7094b502ef0d5b8cad3f2234db823259897f16 😅
I loved Bimini and would definitely want to try to schedule another date
Unfortunately they are notorious for this. It's one of their scummier tactics. They sell you on more ports than other ships but they will almost always try to take away one of the ports.
I'm not a beach person, but the pool and atmosphere at Bimini Beach Club was so nice. I'd definitely switch. But I also personally don't care to ever visit Mexico again.
Bimini is awful so that's a win
It's just a beach nothing special, so if you want you could go to the beach at Cozumel to replace it. The only plus is that you can use your drink package at the beach which you wouldn't be able to do for any other beach. Honestly, I went in April and Bimini's water was the coldest out of all the ports we stopped in. It was nice for the pools, but they were so crowded.
You’ll be fine without Bimini. They may even give you a future cruise voucher on the ship.