(Updated 2024)
This past Summer, we voyaged on one of most talked about cruise lines at the moment: Virgin Voyages.
Virgin Voyages is a new cruise line that is shaking up the industry with its innovative approach to luxury cruising. The Scarlet Lady, the line’s first ship, launched in 2020 and has been met with mixed reviews from passengers and critics alike.
Ultimately, we do recommend sailing with Virgin. It was one of our best cruises, and we’ll definitely be back. So what makes Virgin Voyages so different from other cruise lines? Here are a few things to keep in mind:
The Good About the Scarlet Lady
The onboard atmosphere is fun and kid-free.
Yes – adults only! One of the things that really influenced our decision to sail on Virgin is the fact that they do not allow anyone under the age of 18 onboard. This means, there are absolutely no children on the ship. While some are against this, others (like myself) prefer having a kid-free vacation without worrying about sticky hand rails or screaming in a pool.
The staterooms are spacious and gorgeous.
With most staterooms being around 105-225 sq ft (unless you book the Rockstar Quarters), the rooms feel trendy and modern with creative tech imbedded into each one. We booked a Sea Terrace stateroom (balcony/veranda on other cruise lines) and each one has a seating area outside with a balcony to relax on while you look out into the ocean.
The food is absolutely delicious! Best food at sea by far.
Unlike other cruise lines, Virgin has ditched the traditional buffet and instead replaced it with a food hall containing 8+ shops and food truck style carts. The Galley (what the food hall is called) contains a variety of food choices like a dedicated dessert bar, sushi (yes, included!), and tacos. There’s even a 24-hour American-style diner to eat at so you can grab a bite no matter the hour.
Besides The Galley, there are a number of sit down restaurants to eat at (even a vegan restaurant), and they were all delicious. We loved this experience compared to the traditional main dining room found on most cruise lines. Our favorites consisted of The Wake, Pink Agave, and Extra Virgin.
Virgin Voyages is (almost) all-inclusive.
What’s great about booking with Virgin Voyages is the price includes almost everything from tips to basic WiFi and even essential drinks (drip coffee, water, etc.). They even have activities, like private karaoke, included in your cruise price. The only thing the fare does not include is alcohol. Though in my eyes this is a plus because on other cruise ships you play a flat fee for a beverage package, but there are so many rules to follow as to what you can and cannot drink. Everything is crystal clear here, with beers, cocktails, and wine all being a fair price.
If you’re the type of person who would rather not rack up a bill at the end of the trip, there is an option to prepay a bar tab and you’ll use that tab throughout your voyage.
The Scarlet Lady is super stylish and modern.
Scarlet Lady is a sleek, modern ship with a stylish design that reflects the brand’s edgy and irreverent personality. It’s like walking into a boutique hotel in a big city, except the entire cruise ship feels that way. It felt like it was decorated with the younger generations in mind. We found ourselves wanting to take photos of everything!
The Beach Club at Bimini is paradise.
It is the ultimate beach day. Located on the beautiful island of Bimini in the Bahamas, The Beach Club is the perfect place to relax and soak up some sun. There’s even a full-service restaurant and bar where you can use your bar tab (if you prepaid for one) and the food is included.
The Not So Good About the Scarlet Lady
There are no beverage packages.
This can be a negative for some, as every premium drink (beer, wine, cocktails, specialty coffee) will cost something. Now, that shouldn’t deter you because Virgin keeps prices pretty fair with all of the prices including tip. As long as you don’t go crazy, I don’t think you’ll rack up a bill as big as you may think. We definitely would compare drink prices to any bar in Chicago or New York, and similar to prices on Celebrity’s Edge class ships.
The cruise ship can get crowded.
Like any new ship, The Scarlet Lady has a lot of attention right now which means there will probably be a lot of passengers on board no matter the sailing. There are 17 decks on the entire ship, so there’s always space for you somewhere. Just keep this in mind when deciding whether or not to choose Virgin Voyages. There were several points on the trip where The Galley was so busy there was nowhere to sit to eat lunch.
The entertainment is okay, minus a few stand out experiences.
With the exception of a few performances (drag on a ship? sign us up!), a lot of the entertainment on board did not feel as unique as the cruise ship did. Some shows felt unfinished and unrehearsed, so don’t expect the entertainment to be jaw dropping. That said, I’m sure they’ll continue to develop new shows and even better performances, so I don’t think this will stay in the ‘not so bad’ section for long!
Have you cruised on Virgin Voyages yet? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
