Virgin Voyages gives you two types of onboard credit — Bar Tab and Sailor Loot — and they are not interchangeable. Understanding the Bar Tab vs Sailor Loot difference determines how your money flows onboard, what each credit can actually pay for, and whether you’re leaving value on the table when you disembark. This is the deep dive. For a full overview of Bar Tab tiers, pricing, and purchasing details, start with the Bar Tab guide. This article breaks down what each credit covers, the order they’re applied, whether they stack, and the scenarios where Sailor Loot is actually the smarter play.
Bar Tab is restricted to drink purchases consumed onboard or at The Beach Club at Bimini. Cocktails, wine, beer, spirits, specialty coffees, fresh juices, smoothies, and beverage pairings at restaurants like Gunbae and Test Kitchen — all covered.
Bar Tab cannot be used for spa treatments, Shore Things excursions, retail shopping, WiFi, tattoos, or casino play. It also cannot be used to buy packaged items you’d take off the ship — no duty-free bottles of wine, bags of coffee beans, or spirits to pack in your suitcase. Drinks only, consumed on property.
Sailor Loot is Virgin Voyages’ flexible onboard credit — essentially digital cash that works across almost every spending category on the ship. It covers:
Sailor Loot also typically works at The Beach Club at Bimini, just like Bar Tab. The critical distinction: Sailor Loot covers everything Bar Tab covers plus the entire non-drink category. Bar Tab is a subset. Sailor Loot is the umbrella.
| Category | Bar Tab | Sailor Loot |
|---|---|---|
| Drinks onboard & Bimini | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes (after Bar Tab) |
| Spa & wellness | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Shore Things (onboard) | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Retail & tattoos | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Packaged items to take home | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Unused balance refundable | ❌ No | ❌ No |
This is where Bar Tab vs Sailor Loot gets practical. When you order a drink onboard, the system draws from your credits in a specific sequence:
Typically, you don’t choose. You don’t need to activate anything or tell a bartender which credit to use. The system handles it automatically.
For non-drink purchases — spa, Shore Things, retail, tattoos — only Sailor Loot applies. Bar Tab is irrelevant for those charges. Sailor Loot draws down first, then your credit card covers the remainder.
Pro Tip: This application order is why buying a Bar Tab pre-cruise is so strategic. Every dollar of Bar Tab that covers your drinks is a dollar of Sailor Loot preserved for spa days, Shore Things, and shopping that Bar Tab can’t touch. Bar Tab essentially acts as a shield for your more flexible credit.
Note: Virgin Voyages does not explicitly publish this priority order in its public FAQs, but it’s consistently reported across the Sailor community and aligns with how charges appear on onboard folios. If you want confirmation for your specific sailing, Sailor Services onboard can verify.
Yes — but it requires linking or merging folios. You can visit Sailor Services onboard and merge your onboard accounts so one Sailor becomes responsible for all purchases on the shared folio.
This is particularly useful for couples or groups traveling together who want to pool credits rather than track separate balances. It’s also how one person can “foot the bill” for the group — all charges are preauthorized to the primary card on file.
Both credits have limitations that frequently surprise first-time Sailors:
Sailor Loot does not work on pre-voyage purchases — including Bar Tab itself. You cannot use Sailor Loot sitting on your booking to buy a Bar Tab add-on before you sail. Similarly, Shore Things booked before your departure date cannot be paid with Sailor Loot. Those excursions generally need to be booked onboard for Sailor Loot to apply.
Pro Tip: If you have substantial Sailor Loot on your booking, hold off on booking Shore Things pre-voyage. Wait until you’re onboard and book through the app or at the Shore Things desk — that’s when your Sailor Loot can actually cover the cost. This single timing move can save you hundreds on excursions.
The Bar Tab purchase window closes 24 hours before sailing. If you miss that deadline, you can still pay for drinks onboard using Sailor Loot or your credit card, but you lose access to the bonus value that comes with pre-purchased Bar Tab packages.
Bottles of wine, coffee bags, or spirits you’d take off the ship? Bar Tab won’t cover them. Those are retail purchases — Sailor Loot territory.
In onboard retail areas, you can pay directly with a credit card instead of using your Band. If you pay with a card directly, your onboard credits may not offset that charge. Always use your Band to ensure Sailor Loot applies.
Bar Tab gets most of the attention, but there are scenarios where Sailor Loot is the smarter play:
If you’re a light drinker. If you’re the “one cocktail and I’m good” type, a Bar Tab package is overkill. Sailor Loot covers drinks too — it’s just used after Bar Tab. Without a Bar Tab, Sailor Loot pays for your occasional drink and covers spa, excursions, and shopping. One credit, maximum flexibility.
If your booking came loaded with Sailor Loot. Promotional offers, MNVV certificates, Sailing Club rewards, and travel advisor perks all feed into Sailor Loot. If you’re sitting on $400+ in Sailor Loot, you may have enough to cover both drinks and non-drink purchases without needing a separate Bar Tab.
If you prioritize spa and excursions over drinks. A Sailor with a packed Shore Things itinerary and a Redemption Spa appointment is better served keeping flexible credit than locking dollars into a drink-only account.
Pro Tip: Run the math before purchasing Bar Tab. If your Sailor Loot balance already exceeds what you’d spend on drinks + non-drink experiences combined, adding Bar Tab means you risk losing unused drink credit at the end of the voyage. The bonus value on Bar Tab packages is only a deal if you’ll actually drink through the full balance.
The refund windows differ between the two credits — and neither is generous after embarkation:
Both credits operate on a use-it-or-lose-it basis once you board. Plan your spending to use every dollar before disembarkation.
Track your balances daily. Open the Virgin Voyages app and check “My Wallet” to see remaining Bar Tab and Sailor Loot. On longer voyages, pace your drinking so you don’t burn through Bar Tab in three days and start eating into Sailor Loot early.
Book Shore Things onboard to use Sailor Loot. Pre-voyage excursion bookings are charged to your credit card — Sailor Loot doesn’t apply until after departure. If you want your Sailor Loot to cover excursions, book them through the app once you’ve set sail.
Use leftover Sailor Loot on the last morning. A quick retail purchase, a spa add-on, or a premium coffee from the Grounds Club at The Galley are easy ways to use remaining credit. Letting Sailor Loot expire is leaving money on the table.
Factor in fare tier inclusions. If you booked a Premium fare, your cabin already includes $15 per Sailor per night in premium drink credit. On a 7-night voyage, that’s meaningful drink coverage before you purchase any additional Bar Tab. Don’t over-buy.
Consider gratuities as a Sailor Loot exit strategy. If you have remaining Sailor Loot near the end of your voyage, the onboard gratuity charge may be a practical use of credit that would otherwise vanish.
Bar Tab covers drinks. Sailor Loot covers everything. Bar Tab is used first on beverage purchases, which protects your Sailor Loot for the broader range of onboard experiences it unlocks. Both expire when your voyage ends. The right balance between the two depends on how you drink, what you’ve already got on your booking, and how you plan to spend your time onboard. Your First Mate at Serious Sailors can help you map out the optimal credit strategy for your specific sailing — it’s all part of booking made easy with Serious Sailors.
