I Spent 7 Days on My First Adults-Only Virgin Voyages Cruise

Table Of Content

• I compared every aspect of a Royal Caribbean and a Virgin Voyages cruise ship. One was worth the higher price.
• Wifi included
• Virgin Voyages cancels Australia&New Zealand cruises 2024-2025 due to Red Sea crisis
• Scarlet Lady itineraries and pricing
• From getting pampered to popping champagne, what’s happening on our adults only cruise ships.
• Meet Virgin Voyages' second ship – Valiant Lady
• Scarlet Lady cabins and suites

Virgin ships' hull art designs are Mermaid-themed (by different artists) and Inspired by traditional figureheads mounted on the bows of historic wooden ships. On November 12, 2019, Richard Branson announced that the second Virgin ship (Valiant Lady) will be seasonally homeported in Sydney (NSW Australia). Branson was in Sydney to launch a partnership between Virgin Australia Airlines and Virgin Voyages and promote affordable Australian and Caribbean fly-cruise deals on Scarlet Lady. Virgin Group's best-known brands are Virgin Holidays, Virgin Voyages, Virgin Megastores, Virgin Hotels, Virgin Care, Virgin Trains USA (Brightline), and Virgin Airlines (Australia, Atlantic, Connect, and Galactic/spaceflights). Virgin Voyages (formerly "Virgin Cruises", VirginVoyages.com) is a new cruise line company headquartered in Plantation (Florida USA).

Month-Long Summer Mediterranean Cruise Pass - Virgin Voyages

Month-Long Summer Mediterranean Cruise Pass.

Posted: Thu, 07 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

I compared every aspect of a Royal Caribbean and a Virgin Voyages cruise ship. One was worth the higher price.

Virgin cruise line's staff and crew uniforms were designed by Gareth Pugh and manufactured by Cintas Corporation (via the "Design Collective by Cintas" division). The next image shows the ship's stern (aft) and the signature funnel shape - designed to be a major part of its exterior design. The aft of the superstructure also shows the Promenade Deck and 7 decks of cabin balconies towering above. In mid-November 2021 was announced an investment in Virgin Voyages by Patricof & Co (1969-founded by Alan Patricof, specializing in venture capital investments).

Wifi included

We were genuinely impressed by the quality and the variety, from molecular gastronomy Test Kitchen (our favorite) to Korean BBQ Gunbae and vegetarian Razzle Dazzle and The Galley, essentially a food hall at sea. Like her three sisters who’ve come before, we’ve been extremely thoughtful about selecting her name; making sure that whatever we call her not only represents her, but represents the values and the beliefs we hold so dear. So it’s our absolute honor to introduce Brilliant Lady to the fleet.

Virgin Voyages cancels Australia&New Zealand cruises 2024-2025 due to Red Sea crisis

While practically no one uses the daybed layout, the arrangement means you're sleeping on a couch cushion rather than a plush mattress. My bed on Scarlet Lady was not the comfiest I've had on a cruise, but the sheets and duvet were fine and I slept well. Twin beds can be arrayed in various configurations along the platform. I had two pushed together into a queen with one-third of the platform as a bedside table, but a triple could have a third bed jutting out perpendicular from the other two. Or, if you plan on hosting an event in your cabin, or don't like reading on a bed, you can ask your room attendant to strip the sheets and arrange two daybed mattresses into an L-shaped sectional couch.

Along with these changes, Virgin also seems to have taken a hard look at traditional things in cruising and made changes that will appeal to many. For instance, the cruise director, art auctions, and roving photographers are out. Instead of a buffet where everyone serves themselves, the cruise line offers a food hall with a number of spots to eat where food is either prepared as you order or plated for you if already made. On this special evening, entertainers filled the decks' main spaces as cruisers gathered around for intimate shows.

Three more sisterships were inaugurated in the following years - Valiant Lady (2021), Resilient Lady (2022) and Brilliant Lady (2024). There’s a lot that’s different about Virgin Voyages, and we think that’s what makes it a great cruise line to sail if you’re an adult looking for a getaway. It’s a bit easier than having to dig out your card each time to need it, but it does have a tendency to want to come off occasionally. It also means you don’t have to worry about picking the right ship for your cruise. While marketing for Virgin seems to focus on the “cool” factor with lots of beautiful and trendy people, there are all sorts of people on the ship — young, old, black, white, beautiful and not-so-beautiful, gay, straight. I spent $2,000 on my seven-day Royal Caribbean Cruise, and my Virgin Voyages cruise cost $5,900 for a trip of the same duration.

Work from Helm with Virgin Voyages new Scarlet Summer Season Pass Virgin - Virgin

Work from Helm with Virgin Voyages new Scarlet Summer Season Pass Virgin.

Posted: Wed, 06 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

It manages to deftly combine this with nautical touches and a nod to tradition, however. In regard to onboard gratuities, the company has "No Tipping" policy, which means all gratuities are included in the base cruise fares. Also included in basic fares are beverages, all eateries, group fitness classes. Customers are able to hold staterooms for 24 hours with no money down once they've placed a 20% non-refundable deposit.

Meet Virgin Voyages' second ship – Valiant Lady

One of my favorite traditions on land or sea is afternoon tea, and Scarlet Lady offers a surprisingly impressive one at its Sip Lounge. I shouldn't be surprised, given Virgin's British origins, but I figured tea was not hip enough for the line. Tea service does cost extra – more if you want Champagne with your goodies – and I suggest you make it your lunch because it's way too much food for a snack. You get a full three-tiered tray with scones, finger sandwiches and too many sweets for one person to consume in one sitting. But the real casual-dining winner is The Pizza Place, churning out oven-fresh pizzas day and night in a light and airy space. I was a fan of the white truffle and egg pizza; the amusingly named "pretty fly for a white pie" also had staunch supporters.

Also unlike the classes you may have tried on other cruise lines, Virgin's are aimed at active, younger adults, not seniors. If you're someone who likes to go out – to dinner, a show, a bar or a party – this social ship will be for you. Many restaurants have communal tables designed to bring people together, such as Gunbae, where tables exclusively seat six and you're encouraged to join in a drinking game with your newly-met tablemates. The entertainment is top notch, but it's more experimental and modern than the traditional song-and-dance cruise ship shows.

Our first ship, Scarlet Lady, is unlike any other ship you’ve ever met. With RockStar Quarters, champagne on demand and amazing food, this is cruising but not as you know it. All cabins are outfitted with North American, USB and universal (European, U.K. and many other countries) outlets. Passengers may only smoke (this includes vaping) in the Deck 6 smoking room outside the Red Room and in a designated outdoor area on the starboard side of Deck 16 by the entrance to Richard's Rooftop.

Like Royal Caribbean's, this room had a desk, a bathroom, and plenty of storage space. But naturally, the room felt more luxurious with modern, sleek furniture and an in-room tablet with smart controls for the curtains, lighting, and entertainment. On the Royal Caribbean ship, my ocean-view stateroom was a 179-square-foot space with an en-suite bathroom, a desk, and a king-sized bed.

If you Google Virgin Voyages, you may find earlier articles indicating that adults-only cruises are meant for raunchiness. My friend’s husband read too many comments about “swingers,” “in-cabin toy packages,” and other tales that made him wonder why we chose Virgin. We, and the people we met on board, laughed at those exaggerated stories. Like her three sisters Scarlet Lady, Valiant Lady, and Resilient Lady - Virgin Voyages has chosen a name that represents the values and beliefs it holds. As the team continually aims to create an exciting and radiant experience for its Sailors, it feels right that the fourth ship reflects that. So it’s our absolute honour to introduce Brilliant Lady to the fleet.