If you’re heading out on a Virgin Voyages sailing that stops at Bimini — or are on another cruise ship that calls there — you may want to know more about the Beach Club at Bimini. Here’s our full guide on Virgin Voyages’ private beach destination in the Bahamas.

Everything You Need to Know About the Beach Club at Bimini

What is the Beach Club at Bimini?

The Beach Club at Bimini is a private beach club experience by Virgin Voyages in partnership with Resorts World, which owns the property where the beach club is located. The beach club is on North Bimini Island, which is located about 55 miles off the coast of Miami.

On days that a Virgin Voyages ship is in port, the beach club is reserved exclusively for VV passengers. On days that a Virgin Voyages ship is not docked at Bimini, other cruise lines occasionally use the beach club as well.

Getting to the Beach Club at Bimini

Bimini has a pier where cruise ships can dock, which means visitors can walk right off the ship and onto the island. At the end of the pier is a waiting area for the free open-air tram, which takes you to the Beach Club at Bimini.

Virgin Voyages passengers don’t need to worry about any tickets or identification to get into the club because access is free for them to enjoy.

Amenities at the Beach Club at Bimini

Once you arrive at the entrance to the Beach Club at Bimini, you’ll be facing towards The Main House and attached open-air lounge, which you’ll walk through to get into the club. Stretching out in front of you immediately you’ll find the two lagoon-style pools with the Lagoon Bar adjacent to the smaller pool on the left.

Also left of The Main House is one of the two Beach Eats dining areas and The Hideaway, which is a grove of palm trees filled with hammocks.

Beyond the pools is the beach, and to the far left towards the beach is The Retreat area for those staying in suites. To the right of the pools and towards the beach is the Beach Bar and the watersports shack. And to the immediate right of the pools is the other Beach Eats location.

The dining areas have picnic tables that visitors can use. Seating elsewhere in the club includes standard beachfront and poolside lounge chairs, daybeds, clamshell loungers, and cabanas for rent. The Lounge adjacent to The Main House has outdoor living room-style furniture.

Showers, changing rooms, and restrooms are also available at the Beach Club at Bimini.

Food at the Beach Club at Bimini

As mentioned above, there are two Beach Eats locations. And all food availble is complimentary at the Beach Club at Bimini for Virgin Voyages passengers. Instead of offering a buffet like many lines do at their private beach destinations, Virgin Voyages offers small plate options. All you have to do is walk up to the food counter, tell the crew member what you’d like, and they’ll arrange your dishes on a tray for you to take with you to a nearby table or back to your lounge chairs or daybed.

Additionally, drink stations are nearby, offering beverages like water and soda.

The food menu can vary slightly, but here’s an idea on what you’ll find at the beach club:

• Lechon Asado
• Caribbean Chicken and Coconut Curry
• Banana Leaf Steamed Red Snapper
• West Indian Pumpkin Curry
• Bahamian Manco and Macadamia Salad
• Watermelon and Jicama Salad
• Grilled Corn on the Cob
• Crispy Cassava
• Tropical Fruit Salad
• Rum Cake

We recommend getting lots of dishes and sharing them!

Drinks at the Beach Club at Bimini

A limited number of non-alcoholic beverages are free at the Beach Club at Bimini, such as water and soda.

However, all alcoholic drinks cost extra. At the bars, there’s a small menu of frozen and mixed cocktails as well as ready-to-drink packaged options including a Moscow Mule, Rum Old Fashioned, and Pineapple Daiquiri (among others).

Mixed cocktails can be purchased by the glass or by the pitcher (we recommend getting a pitcher of the Passion Drop to share — so good!). Prices for cocktails range from $11 to $13 (by the glass) and $41 to $45 (by the pitcher). The ready-to-drink packaged cocktails are $13 each.

Champagne (by the glass or bottle), canned wine and beer, and non-alcoholic choices including Red Bull and Heineken 0.0 are also served at the bars. Glasses of champagne range from $7 to $25, while cans of beer and wine range from $5 to $11 each.

Things to Do at the Beach Club at Bimini

For most visitors, a day at the Beach Club means a laid-back day at the beach and/or pool, sipping cocktails and eating delicious food. However, there are activities you can partake in during your time there as well.

For example, in the afternoon the ship’s Happenings Cast (entertainment staff) host a flotilla party at the larger pool, complete with lots of pool floats, bubbles, dancing, and music. There’s also a shady area at the club with a volleyball court, bocce ball, and cornhole. Team beach games and stand-up paddleboard yoga classes are also offered at the beach club.

Cabanas at the Beach Club at Bimini

For those who want their own space at the Beach Club at Bimini, there are cabanas available to rent. The cabanas have an organic, beachy vibe with thatched-wood roofs and three walls, with the fourth open to the air and extending out into a small patio. Inside the cabana is a day bed, beanbag chairs, and a drink cooler with a nearby coffee table. In front of the cabana are two lounge chairs.

The price of a cabana includes the services of dedicated crew members who will attend to your needs — including bringing you food and drinks. Cabanas are priced per cabana and can accommodate up to six people. There are four types of cabanas to choose from, based on their location.

There are 14 Bimini Beach Cabanas, which are located on the sandy beach area between the free lounge chairs near the water and the pools which are further back. Bimini Grove Cabanas are located further away from the water near the hammock grove and lounge. The four Bimini Lagoon Cabanas are located by the pool.

The nine Bimini RockStar Cabanas are available to those staying in a RockStar Suite or other VIPs that have access to Richard’s Rooftop on the ship. If any of them don’t sell, the cruise line may open them up to other passengers who will get the line’s full “rockstar” treatment during their time at the beach club.

Prices for the beach, lagoon, and RockStar cabanas start at $500. Prices for the grove cabanas start at $400.

Exclusive Beach Club Area For Suite Guests

If you’re booked in a suite on your Virgin Voyages ship or are some other form of a VIP on board, you’ll have access to the RockStar Retreat at the beach club, which is located to the far left when you’re looking towards the water. This special area includes an open-air pavilion that has a bar, patio seating areas, and private bathrooms.

The RockStar Retreat also includes food service, where all you have to do is find a seat on the patio and give your lunch order to a waiter. The food is the same as what you’ll get in Beach Eats, but you don’t have to go there yourself and stand in line waiting for it.

The retreat area also includes dedicated daybeds and lounge chairs, which don’t fill up as quickly as the ones on the main beach do.

Additional FAQs about the Beach Club at Bimini

Is there wifi at the Beach Club at Bimini?

Yes, the beach club includes free wifi.

How do I pay for drinks at the Beach Club at Bimini?

If you’re visiting from a Virgin Voyages ship, you can use your RFID bracelet to pay for drinks at the beach club just as you use it to pay for things on the ship. Purchases at the club will be charged to your onboard account. This means that if you have Sailor Loot (onboard credit) or Bar Tab credit, drinks purchased at the club do go towards that balance.

Can I do other things on Bimini besides go to the beach club?

Absolutely! Bimini offers a variety of other activties. The free tram ride to the beach club actually includes a stop at a golf cart rental business, where you can get off and rent a golf cart to explore the island on your own.

You can also hit up the Resorts World Bimini Casino, book excursions on the island through your cruise line, and more.

Is there a shop for souvenirs at the Beach Club at Bimini?

No, the beach club doesn’t have a shop. However, you can find Beach Club branded merchandise for sale on the ship. If you want to buy local Bahamian souvenirs, there are other spots on the island with shops, including the Bimini Craft Centre in Alice Town. It’s located just under three miles away from the beach club — an easy ride if you’ve rented a golf cart.

Visiting the Beach Club on Another Cruise Line

As briefly mentioned above, ships from other cruise lines do visit the Beach Club at Bimini occasionally when a Virgin Voyages ship isn’t in port. These include Carnival and Royal Caribbean, among others. The club is treated more as a beach day pass destination in this case, where visitors pay a flat fee to enjoy the club’s facilities and amenities.

In this case, when you get off the ship you check in at a booth at the end of the pier where they give you a wristband based on the package you bought for the club. On Carnival, for example, one is a standard day pass and the other includes an open bar. You must show this wristband once you get off the tram so you’re allowed into the beach club area.

Food and bar menus are also different for non-VV ships, and cost extra. The menu offerings may vary, but here’s an idea of what you can expect if you’re visiting via another cruise line:

• Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken
• Cheeseburger with Potato Chips
• Chicken Fingers with Potato Chips
• Grilled Hot Dog with Potato Chips
• Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Potato Chips
• Fish Sticks with Potato Chips
• Fresh Fruit Plate

The situation is similar for the drink menu at the bar. For example, during a Carnival cruise call, all cocktails were $12 each and included classic options such as a Piña Colada, Mudslide, Margarita, Daiquiri, Bahama Mama, Mojito, Long Island Ice Tea, Goombay Smash, White Russian, and Rum Punch. Other options included cocktails like the Tastie Lynette, Ocean, Sunshine, Mr. Zombie, and Sunset.

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