Virgin Voyages’ Bimini Beach Club in the Bahamas: The ultimate guide
Editor’s note: TPG’s Erica Silverstein accepted a free trip from Virgin Voyages to Bimini aboard Scarlet Lady. The opinions expressed below are entirely hers and weren’t subject to review by the line.
Virgin Voyages likes to do things a little differently than other cruise lines. It does not operate a private island, like Royal Caribbean or Norwegian Cruise Line. Instead, it invites guests to an exclusive beach club on the island of Bimini in the Bahamas, where cruisers can enjoy sand, sun and sea without paying for an excursion.
Virgin Voyages’ Bimini Beach Club in the Bahamas is a staple on all of the cruise line’s Bahamas and Caribbean sailings. Here’s our guide to everything you need to know about the island and the beach club to plan your perfect day.
What is the Beach Club at Bimini?
The Beach Club at Bimini is a stretch of beach plus facilities (pool, food pavilions, bars and water sports) that are reserved for the exclusive use of Virgin Voyages passengers when one of the line’s ships docks at Bimini. It’s akin to a European beach club or Caribbean private beach resort where you pay an entry fee for access to a private shoreside complex — except that entry is included in your Virgin Voyages’ cruise fare.
The facility is technically owned by Resorts World Bimini, but it was designed by Virgin Voyages. Resort guests and travelers on other cruise ships may purchase day passes to the beach club when a Virgin Voyages ship is not in port.
Where is the Beach Club at Bimini?
Virgin Voyages’ Bimini Beach Club is on North Bimini Island, one of three islands that make up Bimini in the Bahamas. The beach is not far from Alice Town, the main settlement.
Bimini is roughly 50 miles from the Florida coast. (For reference, a ferry can make the journey in two hours.)
The beach club is near the Hilton at Resorts World Bimini and has condo-style vacation rentals.
Related: Bahamas cruise guide: Best itineraries, planning tips and things to do
Which cruise ships go there?
Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady and Valiant Lady are the main cruise ships that visit Bimini and use the beach club.
However, other cruise ships do call on Bimini, including ships from Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises and Holland America. The cruise lines may sell excursions to Virgin Voyages’ Beach Club at Bimini or to the beach at Beach 360 or Resorts World Bimini.
How do you get to and around Bimini?
A complimentary open-air tram takes cruisers from the end of the pier to key stops on Bimini. The first stop is the Fisherman’s Village Marina, where you can rent a golf cart to independently explore the island, book a golf cart tour or do a little shopping. If you just want to go to the beach club, stay on the tram. The next stop is Virgin Voyages’ Beach Club.
If you arrive on a ship that isn’t affiliated with Virgin, the tram will also take you to the public area of the beach past the club, where a couple of food trucks or water sports vendors may set up shop.
What are the best things to do in Bimini?
Bimini is a tiny island and its biggest attraction is the beach. Most Virgin Voyages cruisers will spend the entire day at the beach club.
The first thing you will see when you enter the club are the side-by-side lagoon pools. They are flanked with lounge chairs and cabanas, and cater to folks who want to get wet but don’t want to brave the ocean waves. The coveted lounge chairs by the pools fill up quickly, so disembark early if you want to nab one.
Midday, Virgin Voyages crew members bring out an array of fun pool floats for your lounging (and photo-taking) pleasure.
Adjacent to the pool on the left, as you face the ocean, is the also-popular Lagoon Bar. If you see an empty swing chair, grab it quickly. Then sway lazily in the sun with your toes in the water as you sip your frozen cocktail.
Most everyone ends up on the beach, where rows of complimentary lounge chairs with shade umbrellas wait for eager sun worshippers. Note that the farthest row of chairs from the beach does not have umbrellas, nor can you rent them.
Cabanas are available for rent here as well. Early birds can claim the padded day beds and circular clamshell loungers scattered around the beach.
Activities on the beach may include stand-up paddleboard yoga and the “We Run This Beach” summer camp-style competition.
Back toward the club’s entrance, the Hideaway is a palm tree forest of hammocks, so you won’t miss your balcony too much while you’re in port. Adjacent to the Main House is the open-air-but-roofed Lounge if you want to escape the sun but keep the ocean view.
On the opposite side of the Main House, Belvedere Beach is a shady space offering volleyball and bocce ball courts, plus corn hole. It’s sponsored by the cruise line’s beverage partner, Belvedere Vodka.
If you’re looking for water sports, Virgin Voyages does offer SUP yoga, but the Bimini Beach Club does not offer any other rentals. You can book a water sports tour or rent equipment independently from Kayak Beach (directly outside the port’s gates) or at the water sports shack beyond the northern perimeter of the Beach Club.
Do suite guests get special treatment on Bimini?
Passengers booked in suites and other VIPs get access to the RockStar Retreat at the far end of the beach club.
The open-air, covered pavilion houses a bar, private bathrooms and patio-like seating areas. It's much nicer to order a drink here than fight the crowds at the Lagoon Bar. The patio is also lovely for folks who want to enjoy the sun without getting sandy.
Come lunchtime, find a seat on the patio and a waiter will come and take your lunch order. The menu is the same as at the main lunch venues. However, instead of waiting in line and carrying your food to a picnic table, you can order from a comfortable seat, and a server will bring your meal.
Down on the sand, lounge chairs, cabanas and day beds await VIP sun worshippers. The ship’s rockstars don’t have to fight for seating with the regular Joes, and prime seating does not fill up as quickly as on the rest of the beach.
What are the Beach Club at Bimini excursions?
There’s no reason to spend money on a tour on Bimini because you’re treated to a beach day already. However, if you’re the type who can’t lie on the beach for hours, Virgin Voyages does offer the following tours. (Pricing and availability may vary by sail date.)
- Bimini Heritage and Cultural Tour (tram tour of the island), from $85.
- Fishing charter, from $250.
- Guided two-tank scuba dive, from $150.
- Jet ski tour for two, from $250.
- Kayak tour for two, from $150.
- Paint by the Bay: Bimini Art Workshop, from $85.
- Sapona Shipwreck and Shark Snorkeling, from $140.
- Sapona Shipwreck Swim and Snorkel, from $85.
- Swim with stingrays, from $115.
- Midafternoon pontoon boat cruise, from $100.
- Wild dolphin safari, from $175.
Related: Best shore excursions for Bahamas cruises
Can you rent cabanas on Bimini Beach?
Yes! Virgin Voyages’ Bimini Beach Club offers four kinds of cabanas for rent, with the differences mainly based on location within the club area.
The rustic structures conjure up deserted island vibes with their thatched-wood roof and walls. The fourth side is open and the wooden floor extends into a kind of patio. Under the roof is an adjustable day bed, side table and striped beanbag chairs; outside are two lounge chairs and a coffee table. A drink cooler is provided.
Dedicated crew members will attend to your needs and bring you food and drinks so you don’t have to wait in line with everyone else. They will also surprise you with treats, but Virgin Voyages is coy about what those might be.
Prices are listed per cabana, not per person; cabanas can accommodate up to six. Pricing also includes a $100 drink credit to use on bottle service, pitchers of mai tais and other beachy beverages, spiked coconuts or whatever you’re thirsty for.
Bimini Beach Cabanas
Four clusters of beach cabanas flank the north, central and south ends of the beach club’s strip of sand. The 14 cabanas are between the complimentary lounge chairs and the pools.
Prices start from $500 per cabana.
Bimini Grove Cabanas
The Grove cabanas are identical to the beach cabanas but are located farthest from the water, near The Lounge and the hammock grove. These are best if you’re looking for a quiet escape and don’t intend to get wet.
Because of their location, Bimini Grove Cabanas are the cheapest cabana option, with prices starting from $400 per cabana.
Bimini Lagoon Cabanas
The four Bimini Lagoon Cabanas are poolside, between the righthand (or north) pool and Beach Eats North. These are best for cruisers who prefer calm, chlorinated water to ocean waves.
Prices start from $500 per cabana.
Bimini RockStar Cabanas
RockStar cabanas are exclusive to passengers staying in RockStar suites or other VIPs with Richard’s Rooftop access on board. However, if any of the nine cabanas don’t sell, Virgin may open them up to regular sailors – earning them the full rockstar treatment for their time at the beach club.
Prices start from $500 per cabana.
Related: Ultimate guide to cruise ship cabanas
What is the beach club’s food menu, and is it free?
Virgin Voyages does not offer self-serve, buffet dining on its ships or on its private beach. If you’re expecting a buffet-style beach barbecue as you’d find on another’s line private island, you’re in for a pleasant surprise.
First of all, lunch is complimentary at the beach club and served from late morning well into the afternoon. There are two Beach Eats pavilions with food service and seating, and RockStars can order from the pavilion area of the VIP Retreat.
No matter where you choose to dine, you’ll order off a menu, and your food will be brought to you.
Here’s Virgin Voyages’ Bimini Beach Club food menu (order as much or as little as you like):
- Lechon asado.
- Caribbean chicken and coconut curry.
- West Indian pumpkin curry.
- Banana leaf steamed red snapper.
- Bahamian mango and macadamia nut salad.
- Watermelon and jicama salad.
- Crispy cassava.
- Grilled corn on the cob.
- Tropical fruit salad.
- Rum cake with guava sauce.
Do not miss the curries or the delicious grilled corn on the cob with jerk mayo and toasted coconut. The rum cake is a Bimini Beach Club specialty, so save room for dessert.
Does my Sailor Loot or Bar Tab work at the Bimini Beach Club bars?
You do not need cash at the Bimini Beach Club, just the RFID bracelet you use on board. Your drinks will be charged to your onboard account, so you can use any credit from a Virgin Voyages’ Bar Tab package or Sailor Loot to fund your beachside fun.
Does the beach club have Wi-Fi?
Virgin Voyages’ onboard Wi-Fi extends to the beach club. You might have to reconnect your phone or other device, but you will have internet access on Bimini.
What’s the typical Bimini Bahamas weather?
The weather is lovely in Bimini year-round, with average high temperatures ranging from the low-70s in winter to the mid-80s in summer. The summer months are the rainiest, with September typically getting the most rainfall. (That month is also the peak of hurricane season in the Atlantic and Caribbean.)
Be prepared that the beach can be windy and that winds can pick up or calm down throughout the day. If the surf is up when you visit, water sports might get canceled. The pool area is more protected, so head to the lagoon if sand is flying down on the beach.
Can I see a Beach Club at Bimini map?
You can find a map of the beach club in The Main House, to the left as you enter the club.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.