VS39/VS40 questions

Hi, I am booked to travel on VS39 (LHR-ORD, 0920 departure) and return on VS40 (ORD-LHR, 1755 departure) later in the year. I am booked in PE (using a credit card upgrade voucher). Despite a trip on little red a short while back, this will be my first experience with Virgin Atlantic (I typically travel with BA in CW) and I would be grateful if you were able to assist in answering some (hopefully fairly straightforward) questions please:

1) Which meals should I expect to be served on each flight (e.g. will it be too late for breakfast on the outbound?). If lunch is served, how long after take-off is it typically served? I presume on the inbound that dinner will be served shortly after take-off (also breakfast prior to landing?)
2) Which seats are recommended (the plane is currently scheduled to be an A330 both ways) - I have currently booked 19A outbound and 20K inbound. On the return I would hope to get a little sleep after the meal service if possible and do have a clear preference for a window seat.
3) What are the chances of gaining Clubhouse access at LHR? I presume that, if offered, this would require some payment. Is there a standard charge and can Flying Club miles be used for this?

My preference would be to travel in UC, but the limitations of the upgrade voucher have meant that my first UC experience will likely have to wait for another day (once I have earned some more miles)! I don't seem to be able to bid for an upgrade online which is a little disappointing but certainly not a big problem. I have heard good things about Virgin's PE cabin and am very much looking forward to the trip.

Many thanks in advance.

1) Which meals should I expect to be served on each flight

VS39 - Lunch around 1230.
VS40 - Dinner asap and breakfast around 1hour before landing.

2) Which seats are recommended (the plane is currently scheduled to be an A330 both ways) - I have currently booked 19A outbound and 20K inbound. On the return I would hope to get a little sleep after the meal service if possible and do have a clear preference for a window seat.

Row 20 manages 1 and a half windows so that might be a plus for some or a minus for others. There are no terrible seats in PE.

3) What are the chances of gaining Clubhouse access at LHR? I presume that, if offered, this would require some payment. Is there a standard charge and can Flying Club miles be used for this?

For a 0920 departure? Slim. Entry will be £55 if there's space but at that time of the morning the lounge will be dealing with the passengers from:
0905 New York
0920 Chicago
0925 Atlanta
0940 Boston
1010 New York
1030 Detroit

UC and status passengers aren't limited to 3 hours so you could even have people from later flights taking up space at the time you want. I'd have a backup plan just in case.

Yes as Stuart says Clubhouse access will very much depend on how busy it is - and mornings are the busiest time in there. Unlike the US airlines Virgin do not sell day passes as a matter of course, and as a rule PE passengers don't get access so it's purely down to the discretion of the lounge receptionists on the day. My advice - expect to be told "no" and consider it a bonus if it's a "yes".

Whatever happens Flying Club miles cannot be used to buy Clubhouse access.

Many thanks for the helpful responses. £55 seems quite steep to me, so I think I'll pass on the Clubhouse and make my first UC in the future that extra bit special with it also being my first time in there. I may pass on a lounge altogether if I have breakfast in a hotel first.

I'll keep an eye on the seat map to see how it books up, but it's good to hear that there are no terrible seats in PE.

I prefer the seats in the back row of PE so you can recline without disturbing anyone,

You won't be able to upgrade a credit card PE upgrade flight I don't think

As a separate but related question, how long before the flight should I aim to arrive at the airport for VS39? The VA website appears to suggest 'at least 2 hours before departure time'. However, this page says three hours. I think I may have also seen 4 hours on another page which seems very early. I am trying to decide whether or not to have (complimentary) breakfast at an airport hotel (which starts at 6am) and then make my way to T3, or to pay for access to the No 1. lounge and have something there? I don't want to cut it too fine!

I am also intrigued by the comment at the bottom of the page linked above which states one of the PE benefits being "Your own devoted cabin crew to guarantee prompt and attentive service." I thought I had read that this had been changed earlier in the year and now the same cabin crew serve both the PE and Economy cabins?

2 hours should be fine - so arrive for around 7.00am. If you have kids or someone less able to walk quickly with you then add some extra time but I wouldn't go over board.

What airlines (and airports) don't want is people rocking up 60 minutes before departure. Some people have no choice to get there early though. Indeed unless you're in F or CW or are Gold then BA for example won't take your bags before 3 hours.

You'll have the PE desks to check-in at so shorter queues than economy.

Unless you have other reasons for booking the lounge I'd have your breackfast at the hotel. You can always have a second one in one of the restaurents or pubs in departures if you so desire.

No 1 Lounge is a fine place to wait for a while but if you like a cooked breakfast you may find choice a little lacking. You'll get one small bacon roll or eggs Benedict as your hot choice then there's some croissants and cereals as self-serve but it's not a huge spread.

Menu is here http://www.no1traveller.com/menus/LHR-spring-2016.aspx

I still think having toast count as your hot choice from the menu is a bit mean when you can has as many croissants as you want.