Scarlet Lady

I've recently returned from a 4-night cruise with Virgin Voyages (February 2023). This was my very first cruise with Virgin, so I was intrigued by how they'd position themselves in the market as the only adults only (18+) mass market cruise line.

Background

Have you heard about the newest cruise line, Virgin Voyages? You probably have by now. Their entry into the market was disrupted by the pandemic, but they've been open for business since then and have even begun to expand. Their fleet currently consists of two ships - Scarlet Lady and Valiant Lady. A third ship, Resilient Lady, is about to set sail on her maiden voyage this May. Their fourth ship, Brilliant Lady, is scheduled for service later in 2023 or early 2024. All four ships are similar in design but will be based in different ports:

• Scarlet Lady operates year-round from Miami.
• Valiant Lady will operate out of Barcelona during summer, and Miami during winter.
• Resilient Lady will operate out of Athens (Piraeus) during the Northern hemisphere summer and Melbourne, Australia during the Southern hemisphere summer.
• Brilliant Lady is schedule to operate out of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Review

Okay, so what did I actually think of Virgin Voyages and my cruise? Overall, I loved my experience. They've been tweaking their offerings and experiences as they get some experience behind them, and gain valuable feedback from their cruisers - and will continue to do so as they move forward.

• Cabin - There's no getting around this. Their cabin decor screams Ikea to me. That doesn't bother me, but for some people it may. I found the cabin layout comfortable and easy to navigate. The bathroom in my Sea Terrace (balcony) room was small but efficient. Have you been in those tight bathrooms with a shower curtain that sticks to you during the entire shower? This is a huge step up from that experience. A glass door with ample space in the shower (and I'm not a small guy). For us taller people, I absolutely loved the overhead rain shower. The bed seemed low, and a bit too firm for me. Make sure to ask for a mattress topper if you need it softer. The in-room entertainment selection was probably the best I've had on mass market cruise lines. Plenty of free on demand movies, news channels, and television shows.
• Bars/Lounges - There's no shortage of space to hang out with family or friends over a drink. Varying vibes to choose from, their offerings were one of my favorite reasons I loved their ship.
• Entertainment - This is probably the area that'll be most polarizing for people - you'll either love it or hate it. Not your typical offerings, their production pieces come across more "experimental" with a hip vibe. Stripped down shows that lack the glitz and glam that other lines try to present. Trivia, check. Live music, check. Karaoke, check.
• Casino - If time in the casino is your thing (and it is for me, unfortunately), then prepare to be somewhat underwhelmed. A small space with a handful of tables for cards and roulette, as well as a basic selection of slot machines. It's enough to scratch the itch if you have one, but don't expect to find any new offerings. On the plus side, it wasn't as crowded as some of the other lines can get.
• Food - Virgin is trying to position themselves as a destination for foodies. They have some great high notes, but probably need to work a little more on a few of their offerings. What I absolutely loved was their reimagining of a buffet. They've replaced it with a food court style setting with sit down ordering and food delivery. The Galley has 6 different restaurants to order from - and you can mix it up and order from as many places as you'd like. For those that prefer the Main Dining room, Virgin offers 6 main restaurants (free, but reservations preferred). Extra Virgin is Italian, Pink Agave is Mexican, Razzle Dazzle is vegetarian (with a few meat items on their "naughty" portion of the menu), Gunbae is a Korean BBQ eatery where you share a table for 6 and the food is cooked on a grill in the center of the table, the Wake is steak and seafood, and finally, the Test Kitchen is a 6-course experimental tasting menu. I didn't get a chance to try all of them, but the Wake was my absolute favorite.

I enjoyed the cruise enough that I'm booked on another sailing out of Barcelona in October 2023. I look forward to comparing sailings to get a sense of how they're modifying offerings. If you want to experience Virgin Voyages yourself, reach out and I'll get you on board in no time!

Return to Previous Page