BA v Virgin to the Caribbean

We're planning a summer holiday to the Caribbean in August and both BA Holidays and VH have some great deals until sale ends on 31st March

My question relates to the difference between flights and airport experience as the hotel/resort is the same.
Have decided to go PE which is our usual family choice using credit cards upgrade vouchers. Very familiar with VS PE and love the product but haven't flown long haul BA for a decade (or ever in their WTP)

Interestingly the price for the holiday with VS for PE both ways is the same as with BA WTP out and CW back.
The metal with VS is a 330 and with BA 777-200 (I think)
Questions:
1. Which PE is better VS or BA?
2. There's a new VH lounge at Gatwick - is that any good?
3. Does flying business back on night flight swing it?

I get loads of VS miles paying with my Black cc (and I don't collect Avios at the moment) but Virgin want full payment 6 weeks before BA.

Appreciate many of these questions personal but any guidance, particularly from those who have flown BA to the Caribbean recently would be helpful.
Thanks

1. Most people rate VS PE over BA, who use their oldest 777s on the LGW routes.
2. It doesn't open until Wednesday, so no-one knows!
3. A flat bed on a night flight is undoubtedly worth having, if you can stretch to it.

The old V Room was superb, as was the CH at Gatwick, but as Gumshoe says it's all change this week.

I would definitely go for CW or UC if you can afford to.

Interestingly the price for the holiday with VS for PE both ways is the same as with BA WTP out and CW back

Although VS PE with right seat choice / availability can be better than BA WTP there is no contest (and why would there be) between VS PE coming back and BA CW coming back for the same price so I would go with the BA option but if you have no BA 'executive club status' then don't forget you may have to pay for your seat choice in CW unless you don't mind waiting until OLCI / your status allows it for free and choose from what is left.

After using BA twice last year in CW to go to the Caribbean we've gone back to VS as our experiences were well below par. The main reason choosing them over VS was price but in the end it wasn't worth the saving. BA's good for NYC and the midwest but not the bucket and spade routes from Gatwick.

The 777 aircraft that fly the Caribbean routes are the same 777 aircraft the fly to NYC and the midwast

After using BA twice last year in CW to go to the Caribbean we've gone back to VS as our experiences were well below par. The main reason choosing them over VS was price but in the end it wasn't worth the saving. BA's good for NYC and the midwest but not the bucket and spade routes from Gatwick.

Yeah, but compare like for like, the OP is talking one leg being BA Club vs VS PE.

Never flown BA WT+, but last PE from VS was as fail for me. I flew VS PE in the bubble back in around 2010 and it was a great product, even if you didn't get the free extra legroom seats up in the bubble.

But my last PE to LAS was a different experience, economy food on PE plates. Booze not particularly free flowing. Legroom pretty much gone when person in front reclines and you don't (would love to know if this is same in BA WT+).

Oh yes, and the VS Clubhouse isn't relevant here, he's going over in PE...

If you are flying on a 747 then the legroom on Virgin PE is very, very poor. BA WT+ has far better legroom but the seat isn't as good. Food is better on Virgin than BA in PE. I've not flown Virgin PE on anything other than the 747 so it may be better on other aircraft. Service is probably better on Virgin than BA, the crew I had on my outbound to Havana last month blew away anything I have experienced from any other current airline. Nearly as good as the old first class on the now defunct Ward Air....

If you are flying on a 747 then the legroom on Virgin PE is very, very poor. BA WT+ has far better legroom but the seat isn't as good..

Thinking about it, the only PE I've had trouble with were 747's downstairs, one on a LHR 747 back in the day, the other LGW 747...

Solved it by flying Club recently, and Upper soon...

Seat - Virgin PE seat is more comfortable than BA premium (world traveller plus)

Food - I think this depends on the day, but probably comparable. On BA now in WTP you get club main courses and I've always found them pretty good.
Service - with VS it could be brilliant or poor and all points in between, with BA I've never had an issue; officient and friendly enough if you engage (they won't initiate like VS do).

But, the opton of club world on the return or PE on Virgin at the same price? No brainer, it would be club everytime.

But my last PE to LAS was a different experience, Booze not particularly free flowing. ).

if you was in economy then they probably would have told you they had run out of booze!