“Inspired by the allure of yachting and the romance of the open ocean, we’ve created our very own boutique hotel at sea — with no kids and no ordinary experiences.” That’s what Virgin Voyages says about themselves.
Here’s what I thought!
On board Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady, you quickly learn that when Virgin says they want to do things differently, they mean it! From the all-specialty restaurants and “food truck” themed Galley dining, the enhanced and reinvented cabins and suites, to the eclectic and electrifying entertainment, Virgin is hard to even compare to traditional cruise lines.
With 6 sit down restaurants, including a Korean BBQ Gunbae and the vegetarian-forward Razzle Dazzle, the choices are varied, and the quality is high. There are a few extra offerings (for an added fee) in each restaurant. But, trust me that the regular menu items are all outstanding. (I really attempted to try them all!)
The crew all over the ship is amazing. They are very experienced, most say they have worked in the cruise industry for many years. They are also super friendly and fun, and not just when it’s time to look for tips. (Tips are included on Virgin Voyages, and while appreciated they are not expected.)
There is no better time than on an all-inclusive cruise to try new things, and Virgin makes sure you have many opportunities to do just that while also offering more traditional fare. (This is not a hamburger and chicken finger cruise line, while you can find an excellent burger at The Burger Bar). The ultimate test of your willingness to try new things will take place in the Test Kitchen. They offer a 6 course meal with a fixed menu. If you decide to be daring, I do suggest you add the cocktails pairing package ($35). We thought It is well worth the additional cost. After eating your fill around the ship, you will be rolling back to your cabin or suite. And if you didn’t get enough there are always Ship Eats that can be delivered to your cabin, or anywhere you happen to be on board!
The cabins and suites have so many amazing details, I won’t be able to tell you about all of them! The main points for me were the large shower (with a door and not a sticky shower curtain), the bed that converts to a sofa during the day, the hammock on the balcony for relaxing, and a mini fridge for your own personal snacks and drinks. (They are currently not stocking the mini fridge/bar, so for now you can stock your own with room service and “quickees” found around the ship. (Quickees are small boxed meals, snacks, and desserts).
They include salads, wraps, sushi, charcuterie, fruit, pudding, cake, etc. There is no extra fee.) We appreciated the still and sparkling water bottles in our cabin, these were were refilled throughout the day. The tablet that controlled everything, from the curtains to the lighting and “mood” music, was a super fun touch. Ready to watch a movie? Hit the Cinema Mode. Not feeling ready to face the day? Choose the Hangover Mode. When has a cruise ship cabin been so comfortable that you haven’t wanted to leave? Virgin may have achieved that.
The entertainment descriptions in your Virgin Voyages app are intentionally vague. The entertainment venues are non-traditional, Many of the shows repeat more than once during the cruise and others are a one-time showing. This really helps you plan ahead so you don’t miss anything important to you.
The discovery and exploration of the unknown heightens the experiences of the entertainment on board, so I won’t give away too much.
Some highlights for me were: Ships in the Night – a broadway style spectacular, Duel reality – a cirque du Soleil type performance, the Diva Presents – I can’t even begin to describe what she dishes out, but you probably can’t say you know everything there is to know about drag shows until you see the Diva perform, and Never Sleep Alone – an engaging session of therapy for anyone looking to spice up their love life. We also really enjoyed the unique musical offerings from the looper Flute Loops (not sure what a “looper” is? Look it up!) and the haunting sounds of the Phantom Folktales Players.
The most unusual event onboard is the Scarlet Night. We chose to join in the fun and wore red. (For us it was night 4 of the 5 night cruise.) My advice is to wear red but to also wear comfortable shoes! Not to ruin the fun, I will just say we were led on a ship-wide entertainment “scavenger hunt” that ultimately ended in a pool party beyond all pool parties. Some sailors even kept the party going all night in the Manor (nightclub). Super fun, super different, multiple ways to experience and enjoy the night, and no two people had the same experience. The Scarlet Night is hard to describe and was amazing to experience. Everyone who has an affinity for the sea, a love for adventure, and a desire to take part in the ultimate “different” cruise event needs to attend the Scarlet night.
Overall, I think no cruise line will ever compare to the experience The Scarlet Lady gave us this week. Ports of call were Cozumel and Bimini on what they call their Mayan Sol sailing. Virgin also offers their own brand of excursions (at very reasonable prices) and the Beach Club at Bimini Beach (all included) is absolutely amazing and offers something for everyone! Other destinations that Virgin is sailing to from Miami include the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic. The Scarlet Lady’s sister ship is sailing in Europe and Virgin Voyages in Australia and New Zealand were just released.
There is no better time than NOW to plan your Virgin Voyage! Send us a message and we can get Holly to help you experience all that Virgin Voyages has to offer!!!
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