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If you've never cruised because you don't like kids, crowds, banquet-style dining or lackluster entertainment, this might be the ship that changes your mind. Neither its ships nor its private beach club on Bimini in the Bahamas offers a buffet. 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 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. Virgin Voyages, on the other hand, is a luxury, adults-only cruise line that's only been sailing since 2021.
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I had no trouble finding a place to lounge at any time of the day. Virgin Voyages also had high-end restaurants with a wide range of genres to fulfill any craving I might be having — Mediterranean seafood, Korean barbecue, and Birria tacos, to name a few. The Virgin Voyages ship was much smaller — 125 feet tall, 910 feet long, and 110,000 gross tons, to be exact. The 17-deck ship holds up to 2,700 passengers, according to the cruise line. In August 2023, I took a seven-day Mediterranean cruise on Virgin Voyages' Valiant Lady ship, sailing everywhere from Ibiza and Barcelona to ports in Italy and France, including Toulon, Ajaccio, and Marina di Carrara. In the Caribbean, Virgin boats are homeported in Miami and all itineraries visit Bimini Bahamas as a private island destination.
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Instead, the ship becomes your playground for you to enjoy however you like. The two most popular bars on board each night are Sip, the Champagne bar (which also serves wine and cocktails), and On The Rocks, which is central to everything and usually has live music. If you want to get a buzz at a venue that's buzzing, choose one of these for your nightcap. You will certainly have many opportunities to spend your Bar Tab on board, whether that's wine with dinner, a morning latte or a cocktail at On the Rocks while you listen to live music. Drinking is a key component of Scarlet Lady's nightlife, but as far as I saw, most people embraced the fun but drank responsibly.
Wifi included
The way the staging and performer interaction engaged the audience was original and brilliant. They're great for checking the weather, drying swimsuits and eating room service breakfast – but I rarely spend much time hanging out on them. Usually that's because the chairs are upright and made of metal (or metal and plastic mesh) and the veranda is small, and you can't get comfortable. Nine of them were included in the price of the cruise, like the main buffet, Windjammer, which served three meals a day, including French toast, burgers, and pastries. On my first cruise with Royal Caribbean, I felt like the ship was made primarily for families. Kids ran around the pool deck filled with water slides and spilled ice cream cones.
Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Voyages Surprise Delta SkyMiles Members with Free Vacation - Virgin Voyages
Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Voyages Surprise Delta SkyMiles Members with Free Vacation.
Posted: Thu, 29 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
These activities made me feel like a kid again without all the screaming and rushing around. The ship also had a water playground for kids known as Splashaway Bay. Now that I've experienced the calming environment of a cruise free of screaming children, I don't think I'll ever take a family-friendly voyage again without children of my own. Meanwhile, all Virgin Voyages ships are the same size, according to the company's website.
The minimum age to sail Virgin is 18 years old, and the ship embraces its adults-only status. You won't find kids on board, yet you will find board games, an arcade, swings and unlimited pizza and ice cream. Both ships had a wide variety of entertainment, from dancing and gymnastics to comedy shows and concerts. But only Wonder of the Seas had dazzling ice skating shows, thanks to the in-house rink. On board the Valiant Lady, the artwork matched the ship's design style with a bold color scheme contrasting a red theme and modern works in a variety of mediums, from iridescent mirrors to sculptures. Outside, the Virgin Voyages ship had a playground for grownups with giant seesaws and swing sets, a jumbo-sized chess set, a foosball table, and a basketball court.
The shower has one measly shelf and pump bottles of Red Flower shampoo, conditioner and body wash. The rest of the tiny bathroom features a bowl sink and a small vanity where you can store toiletries if you move the hand towels somewhere else (possibly the shelf below with the garbage can). A triangular-with-rounded-edges odd-shaped white table serves as a desk and vanity in most standard cabins, with a round vegan leather stool beneath. It partially overlaps the shelving unit beneath that houses a mini-fridge and small shelves. Above is a round mirror and a shelf holding the room-controlling tablet. Other cabins and suites in all categories can sleep three or four guests.
All the scheduled between March 26-August 7th (a total of 29) departures were canceled. In mid-May 2020 were canceled 15 additional departures (through October 15). The 4-night "Richard Branson's 70th Birthday Cruise" (originally planned for July 15, 2020) was rescheduled for July 14, 2021.
In addition, you will need to check in for your cruise online, fill out the appropriate information and select an arrival time for embarkation day. I highly recommend booking a three-hour pass to the suite and enjoying the sauna, steam room, salt room, mud room and more. There's nothing like taking a cup of mud (which looks like a chocolate milkshake) and rubbing it all over your body (or your partner's – this is Virgin after all) in the company of strangers. You won't need three hours, so consider showing up a bit late to avoid the rush at the beginning of each session.
There are also no set dining times, restaurant rotations or dress codes, though you can — and should — make dinner reservations. As a result, you can dine at whichever restaurant you prefer at a time that works for you. Additionally, unlike Disney Cruise Line, where cabin attendants make it a point to get to know you and your preferences, Virgin Voyages lacked the same personalized service. I never interacted with a person in charge of our cabin, as it would be serviced while we were out (after pushing a button that sent the request to the crew) by a person that, to us, remained nameless and faceless. Unless you splurge on a pricy RockStar suite, you'll be placed in a cabin that looks modern but otherwise seems fairly standard, other than the fancy mood lighting. Given all the options available, there were more places than we could try on our first Virgin Voyages cruise.
In our cabins, an easy-to-use tablet gives you access to sophisticated lighting controls, including mood lighting. We’ve reimagined the way people holiday at sea from the hull up — so that epic service becomes the norm. Our Crew is knowledgeable, friendly, and incredibly stylish — but mainly, our Crew is genuinely happy to help you make your vacation one of a kind. So get pampered, taste everything, and enjoy a drink (or two) knowing that all tips are covered.
As part of the partnership, fleetwide was introduced "JLo Beauty" (onboard shop) selling the superstar's products at sea for the first time. In June 2023, she was appointed as Virgin's Chief Celebrations Officer. 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.
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. Dining and drinking are highlights of your time on board, so you'll want to visit as many bars and restaurants as you can. The 45-square-foot terrace is furnished with two uninviting metal upright chairs and a round drinks table. I wouldn't even bother to sit out there – except for the striking red hammock hung from hooks bolted into the bottom of the balcony above.
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