Wednesday, April 3, 2024

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

virgin cruise reviews

I would also like to say a big Thank you to Maria, who I was on the phone with before I got on the ship because I was running late due to my flight being delayed. She sent an urgent email to the terminal crew and informed them we were running late. She stayed on the phone with me and offered encouragement while I panicked about missing the cruise. It was really appreciated, and it's something I will always remember. If you really want to live it up, you can book RockStar Quarters or Mega RockStar Quarters, Virgin's two categories of suites.

Food on Valiant Lady Is a Fresh, Choose-Your-Own-Adventure

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As far as I'm concerned, cruises are for eating — and Virgin Voyages offers numerous places to dine on Scarlet Lady. "What can I say? We absolutely love Virgin Voyages...you have customers for life. Already booked our third cruise." Pink Agave was also home to my favorite dessert on the ship, Taco de Chocolate.

Health & Safety on Scarlet Lady

RockStars get the first access to book restaurants and experiences and are moved to the front of the line for any shows that do not require reservations. Considering the booking window opens 45 days before the sailing date, and that passengers in the know set their alarms to begin booking as soon as the app launches, this first access alone can be worth its weight. Alcoholic drinks are to be purchased separately and drink and beverage packages are not offered. Virgin Voyages drink costs are comparable to other cruise lines, however, and the prices include tips, so there are no surprises when settling the bill. An impressive 86 percent of Scarlet Lady cruise ship’s cabins (or Sea Terraces) have a balcony, which are deeper and wider than on many other ships -- and each has a hammock, which is a really lovely touch. The cabins' design, with the walls at a slight angle, makes them less cookie-cutter than your traditional cruise ship, though it does mean shower rooms are smaller (yet they still have modern glass doors).

Included with your cruise fare:

I've had this popular dish at various restaurants, but this rendition stood out because it was made with fresh pasta. According to the cruise line, Pink Agave's menu was inspired by Mexico. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data.

Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady Cabins & Staterooms on Cruise Critic - Cruise Critic

Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady Cabins & Staterooms on Cruise Critic.

Posted: Wed, 12 Jul 2023 16:51:46 GMT [source]

Best dining. Best nightlife. And counting.

You'll find all of that, respectively, in The Galley's Noodle Around, Burger Bar, Hot Off the Press, Grounds Club Too and The Sweet Side. Razzle Dazzle is the only restaurant on the ship that was so intriguing I ate there twice. For dinner, I had the avocado green goddess salad and the fried green tomatoes and okra with chili lime spice and chili herb sauce as starters. If you're in the mood for a multicourse meal, there are several eateries to choose from. Seven offer a traditional "sit down and take your time" atmosphere, but the vibe in each is far from ordinary. Of the ship's cabins, 93% have ocean views (meaning only 7% are insides), and 86% have balconies.

Valiant Lady Deck Plans Are Designed For Discovery at Every Turn

The buffet replacement on Scarlet Lady is The Galley, a food hall with several themed stations. Instead of ordering at the counter, you find a seat, flag down a waiter and put in your order, which will be brought to you when ready. I particularly loved Gunbae, a Korean barbecue eatery with circular tables built around specially engineered flameless grills where servers cook Korean-style seafood and meat in front of you. These same servers also lead you in Korean drinking games (the first round of shots of Korean soju is on them).

Cruise Critic Reveals Its 2023 Editors' Picks Award Winners - Cruise Critic

Cruise Critic Reveals Its 2023 Editors' Picks Award Winners.

Posted: Wed, 06 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

What I loved about Scarlet Lady

You'll be totally comfortable in a Sea Terrace (Virgin Voyages' name for a balcony cabin), especially on the veranda, which offers a cool hand-woven hammock that is surprisingly chill and comfortable. If you're looking to upgrade, consider the excellent Brilliant Suite, which comes with so much space and some fantastic perks. You'll find these interactions happening everywhere from The Manor and The Red Room -- Resilient Lady's main performance venues -- to The Dock, where awesome tapas and cocktails go along with a great wake view. There are not-so-secret meat dishes on the menu, including snapper, slow-cooked lamb shank and an extra-charge seafood boil for $50.

What I didn't love about Resilient Lady

The music is loud, drinks are prominent and the free WiFi around the pool ensures easy access to social media. The music is great and goes beyond standard Top 40 hits and Caribbean beats. Plan to stay later into the night for the sunset bonfire, the perfect way to toast a day in paradise.

virgin cruise reviews

Although the menu was experiential, the dishes delivered didn’t wow us, especially when multiple servers lifted individual smoke-filled glass tops to be what seemed like a side dish of fresh peas and egg yolk. Our style was definitely the more lively, shared plates scenes. Actually, it was super easy to maintain a healthy lifestyle aboard Valiant Lady. We couldn’t get enough of Rees and his high-energy Spin classes set to Beyonce, Rhianna, and Madonna. Beneath one bed were two large drawers, and the closet/armoire featured another set of drawers so that everything had a place.

We tried a similar excursion in Barbados but were disappointed when the catamaran took us in view of the ship, deposited us on a crowded beach, and then sailed us back after a quick swim, claiming the waves were too rough. We later discovered others who took the same excursion and sailed further afield through the same company. We think our detour was due to being the last excursion of the day. Been going back and fourth with customer service for a while over an issue. Everyone is always so lovely however, really pleased with Nicholas who I spoke to today. He is one of the supervisors and was really friendly and happy to resolve my problem as quick as possible.

Most main performances take place in the multipurpose, rearrangeable Red Room, but more intimate shows take over The Manor nightclub. Outside Training camp is a boxing ring, props for alfresco body weight exercises, a sports court for basketball and an adult playground with swings and a seesaw. Above on Deck 17 is a jogging track and a space for outdoor yoga. Back on Deck 15 by the wellness pool is another open-air workout space – especially good for show-offs since everyone lounging in that area can watch you sweat.

Unless they're a real Broadway show (found on the likes of NCL or Royal Caribbean), I'm usually walking out or picking them apart before they end. Scarlet Lady, Virgin Voyages' original cruise ship, takes all your preconceived notions of a cruise ship and turns them on their head. Gene Sloan is part of a three-person team from TPG and sister brand Lonely Planet reporting live this week from Scarlet Lady's maiden voyage out of Miami. Virgin Voyages hypes the fact that it has more than 20 eateries on Scarlet Lady. The line gets to the higher number in part by counting all of the many separate food stations at Scarlet Lady's buffet-like food court. There are about a dozen of these stations, depending on how you count them.

The bed was also rather hard and uncomfortable for my personal tastes, so much so that by the last night of our trip, I was ready to return to my more inviting setup at home. There were a couple of shows that I wouldn't want to see with, say, my parents, such as the previously mentioned "Never Sleep Alone." During that event, participants were awarded golden condoms that granted access to a post-show VIP party. However, those adult activities were easy to spot on the agenda, so you could easily skip them if you wanted a more tame cruise experience. Bathrooms are standard sized for a cruise ship, though you'll find upmarket Malin + Goetz toiletries made especially for Virgin Voyages on offer.

The ship's main spot for coffee is The Grounds Club on Deck 7, and a morning stop there quickly became part of my daily routine. It sells hot and iced specialty coffee beverages, made with Intelligentsia Coffee, that run the gamut from espressos, lattes and cappuccinos to macchiatos, mochas and flat whites. Hidden two turns off the main drag between The Roundabout and The Dock House on Deck 7, Loose Cannon is a nautically themed bar accented by vintage diving helmets, rope accents and a jukebox. It's light and airy and often the site of multiple trivia challenges hosted by the entertainment staff.

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