Wednesday, April 3, 2024

Virgin Voyages Cruise Reviews 2024 UPDATED: Ratings of Virgin Voyages

virgin cruise ship

Still, between food, gratuities, and wi-fi alone, the included items add up to hundreds of dollars per passenger. Trying to explain all the differences between Virgin and more traditional cruise lines is a challenge. Never sailed on Virgin Voyages and not quite sure what to expect? Maybe you’ve seen the advertisements and weren’t sure exactly how it compared to other major cruise lines like Carnival, Royal Caribbean or Norwegian.

At the same restaurant, I had fancy doughnuts for dessert.

There’s a vibe onboard this ship like no other, almost like you are a specially invited guest. That’s a “rockstar” in Virgin parlance, and really that’s how the ship and the crew make you feel. When you choose to apply (and are approved) for a new credit card through our site, we may receive compensation from our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information. I was also impressed how the cruise line creates parties and events that everyone shows up for and gets into.

Virgin Voyages Adults Only Cruises

These extra-large rooms come with attractions like music rooms, turntables, peekaboo showers with windows to the sea, fully-stocked bars and large balconies. I loved that every night I ate someplace different – one night filet mignon at the classy, upscale The Wake, the next experimental dishes at Test Kitchen or communal Korean BBQ at Gunbae. To start, there are no drink packages — and that was a big complaint I heard on the ship from folks who were used to sailing with other lines that offer unlimited drink inclusion options. Instead, Virgin Voyages offers a bar tab that you can load before you sail. Sometimes bar tab credit is also included with the sailing as part of a promotion. Virgin Voyages is known for its creative fitness classes, such as an '80s-themed workout where crew and guests don legwarmers and neon leotards to set the mood.

foodie-approved eateries designed by a Michelin-starred chef collective

And the cruise line has just revealed the mermaid design on the side of its brand new ship. Virgin Voyages is committed to having one of the cleanest fleets at sea, by investing in clean efficient technologies and implementing policies to reduce our environmental footprint. You won’t find single-use plastics onboard our ships – we want everyone to make use of recyclable and reusable materials.

Some restaurants I loved so much that I went back a second time; at others, I took a solitary bite of food before deciding to move on. Besides the main restaurants, there's the previously mentioned Galley, where you can savor everything from sushi roll bento boxes to 24-hour diner food. It is a hybrid of a grab-and-go and dine-in experience, meaning how you order will vary depending on which station you visit. Every Virgin Voyages ship has the same 20 restaurants and eateries on board with menus designed by Michelin-starred chefs, according to the cruise line's website. Last summer, I sailed the Mediterranean Sea for seven days on a luxury Virgin Voyages cruise ship. But our name goes far beyond the vivid, incandescent glow of the sea and the inevitable post-vacation glow we set out to give our Sailors.

virgin cruise ship

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). Scarlet Lady is peppered with restaurants and bars, and it's possible you won't be able to try them all in one sailing. Do your research in advance because some venues are easy to miss if you're not looking for them.

Drinking age

Although it's not quite a private island like Royal Caribbean's CocoCay and Disney Cruise Line's Castaway Cay, that doesn't really matter. You'll feel like you're in an exclusive setting after taking the open-air tram from the ship's dock to the modern, beautiful beach club. While I appreciated the array of options at our disposal, I found the quality of the food and service to be hit or miss.

Is Virgin Voyages Right for Me?

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.

Photos Show What Sea Terrace Room on Virgin Voyages Cruise Looks Like - Business Insider

Photos Show What Sea Terrace Room on Virgin Voyages Cruise Looks Like.

Posted: Tue, 05 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Our most brilliant experiences

The Band — an adjustable cord bracelet with a scannable device attached — is your room key and charge "card" when you sail. It's also used to scan you on and off the ship when you go ashore. More importantly, perhaps, it allows crew members to locate you when you shake for Champagne delivery.

While the sex-themed cabaret is gone, the shows do not shy away from sexual or R-rated themes. For solo Sailors looking for quiet moments with the sea from our super large single beds, or duos perched on our nautically-inspired window seats — the ocean is yours to make eyes with. Gazing out at the waves every morning, this is the closest you can get to the ocean (without the windblown hair). From the massive European king bed overlooking the sea to the custom hand-made terrace hammock, luxury and self care here are a serious art. A lavish Suite cheekily located at the corner of the ship for wrapping panoramic views of the wake (you’re welcome).

I hadn't heard of Cochinita Pibil before my cruise, but now, it's one of my favorite Mexican dishes. The pork seemed to melt in my mouth, and the pico de gallo was a refreshing touch to the otherwise hearty entrée. According to the cruise line, Pink Agave's menu was inspired by Mexico.

Instead, the shows are more intimate in crowd size, but still feature amazing talent. You’d expect that a ship focused on adults might have different entertainment, and in this case, you’re right. Typically there is a major difference between newer and older ships.

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. Scarlet Lady is not a "read in your cabin" type of cruise ship.

Everyone raves about the meatballs, the pappardelle pasta and the ricotta bomboloni (like Italian donut holes). The most highly sought after reservation on the ship is Gunbae, Scarlet Lady's Korean BBQ restaurant. Be prepared to make friends – all tables seat six, and your smaller party will be seated with strangers. That's OK because the communal dining and drinking games (you don't get the full experience if you don't play) aren't as much fun without a group. Perhaps if the app were more intuitive, some of these issues could be mitigated.

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