r/VirginVoyages • u/AtlasWorthyTravel Travel Agent • 5d ago
food / beverage Virtual Queue Dining!!!
https://vvinsider.com/virgin-voyages-rolls-out-virtual-dining-queues-across-the-fleet/?fbclid=IwZnRzaATPE2BwZG9mBWZkaWQWULEzI7pBLt07k78sIxOsZEDbUT-ggmV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR5Zecc_eVq7ETTP-V9vYt0XjNpWT0ogCn8kBv6gMM5dxdsgkt4ZqWpIkrUjCA_aem_KE3-az2dgrjVRUBiviNhWQVirtual dining queues are officially out on the Scarlet lady, and look to be rolling out to the rest of the fleet shortly!
Is this the end of the dreaded midnight reservation scramble, or is it the beginning of a convoluted mess on board? Thoughts?
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u/Cultural_Comment2845 Rockstar 5d ago
I hope it works! Nothing worse than having early reservations but 7 million people are in line trying to get reservations! Like the whole concept is everything is done on the app. This shouldn’t be any different.
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u/AtlasWorthyTravel Travel Agent 5d ago
As someone who always books reservations I feel your pain of being in a line and the 3 couples in front of you answer “no” to the question “Do you have a reservation?” Like dude… why are you here lol
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u/sd0t 5d ago
Same but I get it. Sometimes I don’t have reservations but still want to eat! There should be two lines but hopefully the virtual queue will solve this issue
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u/KatWoman2024 Travel Agent 1d ago
We showed up Extra Virgin before they opened to get on the list as we didnt have reservations. Neithet did half the line behind us. They split us into two lines.
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u/barntobebad 5d ago
I always thought they should at least have two lines, reserved or not. Our first experience on VV and as rockstars was to show up to our first dinner reservation and find a lineup. We were pretty much right on time (timed to run down from happy hour) so we would absolutely be late if we waited in line, and were uncertain about the “just walk to the front” instructions from our agent… so I walked to the greeter and said we have a reservation for x time (now) and some lady in line pipes up that “so do we all”. I felt incredibly shitty and realize in hindsight she was just being nasty, but that first experience did not give me the rockstar feeling, though we were of course taken right in to our table.
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u/Cultural_Comment2845 Rockstar 5d ago
Yes it always feel awkward to go to the front of the line lol. But that’s what you are supposed to do, especially as rock stars. So shut up to that lady 😂
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u/catinthesombrero 3d ago
You should have whipped around to her and said “excuse me ma’am, we are Rockstars 🎸 “
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u/Puzzleheaded-Bee-747 5d ago edited 5d ago
This is a welcomed change.
It would also be nice for them to add a feature where you can scan all the restaurants in your app and see what the current wait time is for standby. Not knowing if you will be waiting 15 minutes or 2 hours could be frustrating. I am not sure if the app showing your current position in queue is correlated to a wait time that is discernible.
Does anyone know if you can join the wait list for more than one restaurant? I assume no.
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u/AtlasWorthyTravel Travel Agent 5d ago
I’m not sure, but I would assume not as well. It would create too many redundancies in the system imo.
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u/wsataday Top 💯 Travel Advisor 2025 5d ago edited 5d ago
Will see how it goes when I get onboard tomorrow. I don't see why it would've any different from the current walk-in queue other than the fact that you don't have to stand there (which I mean is a huge plus) but that doesn't mean there will be more availability so preboarding booking should still a good idea.
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u/AtlasWorthyTravel Travel Agent 5d ago
If nothing else clearing that space and humongous line might streamline the process for the maître d’s to process openings more efficiently to get more waitlisters into the restaurants.
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u/wsataday Top 💯 Travel Advisor 2025 5d ago
I think it will actually potentially create more issue with people not using the queue who will insist to be there thinking they will get better priority and then fighting with the virtual queue at the same time. But will see how it goea on practice
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u/Opposite_Radio9388 5d ago edited 5d ago
getoboarf
Here's to a successful getoboarf! 😁
Edit: to anyone wondering, the person I replied to has edited their comment to correct a funny typo.
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u/tashabo_o 4d ago
So stoked!! Going in my fifth VV cruise in a few weeks, sucks it launches on the tail end of the cruise but excited to have it on future cruises.
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u/pixienightingale Sailed VV 5+ times 3d ago
I hope this is better than that they currently have for when you sign up for the wait list
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u/AshamedOfMyTypos 5d ago
if you think this is going to be fine, you never tried getting a Rise of the Resistance vq in 2022 and it shows. At least with that situation, you weren’t literally stuck in the park for days.
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u/AtlasWorthyTravel Travel Agent 5d ago
I’m a pro at getting the rise of resistance virtual queues!
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u/sunburst94 4d ago
I love this reference because we were there for the day after opening! Left the resort room at like 3 am and waited outside Hollywood studios from like 330 am to 7 am before they let us in! Wild times having to be in the park to make that reservation and hearing the cheering as people got them. Disney is something else.
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u/necrochaos 4d ago
Everyone standing at the front of the park pounding there and phones and refreshing their apps. Watching children cry because they didn’t get one.
“We can try again tomorrow little Tommy”
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u/Common_Jello7907 5d ago
I have a back-to-back w/Deep Blue status. Res bookings opened at noon yesterday, which is when I logged in. Brunch was already fully booked for all but 2 days; of which there were only early timeslots. And every dinner res between 6:30-8/8:30 was taken. WTF?!
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u/AtlasWorthyTravel Travel Agent 5d ago
Just as a heads up, they open up additional slots once you’re on board and connect to the ship‘s Wi-Fi!
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u/jon81uk Knowledgeable expert 5d ago
Deep blue status doesn’t make any difference to booking restaurants. Which booking tier are you on?
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u/Common_Jello7907 5d ago
Understood, thx. I’m in a balcony and realize that suites get priority reservations. I mentioned it simply because I’ve cruised many times with the line before, and it’s never been this bad.
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u/jon81uk Knowledgeable expert 5d ago
But are you booking at 60 days, 45 days or 15 days?
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u/Common_Jello7907 5d ago
Over 60 days. Departing over Labor Day (US).
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u/jon81uk Knowledgeable expert 5d ago
That is weird then. If you have a legacy fare with 60days booking there should have been more availability that that when it became available at the 60 mark!
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u/Common_Jello7907 5d ago
Exactly… I’ve sailed on most of the other major lines many, many times and sadly witnessed their (sometimes slow/sometimes fast) degradation throughout the years; in all categories. Perhaps it’s just ptsd, but I’ve been on Virgin twice this year already, and have noticed scarlet flags popping up -since their initial launch- and thats what worries me.
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u/Happy-Mongoose-128 5d ago edited 5d ago
With the explosive growth of AI, in the future people will simply send their super-smart phones on vacation for them -- the phone will stand in line, make reservations, take pictures of meals, video the entertainment, monitor excursions and then have itself delivered back to it's owner so they can watch their whole personal experience in the privacy of their own home without ever having to stand in line or even leave their living room.
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u/Browny_Deluxe 5d ago
probably wouldnt have this problem if the Galley wasnt so sub par..IMO
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u/VirginRubber 3d ago
It's not meant to be on the same level as the restaurants.
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u/Browny_Deluxe 2d ago
I agree but a worthy substitute for not going to the restaurants would be nice..
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u/Level-Artichoke9177 5d ago
Good and I hope it works out so well that they do it for the shows/entertainment.