Tuesday, April 2, 2024

Inside Virgin Voyages, the cruise ships that want to make sea travel cool again

inside virgin cruise ship

Scarlet Lady has all the requisite poolside and sun deck bars, including ones offering smoothies and juices after your indoor or outdoor workout. Virgin Voyages does not sell drink packages as typical cruise lines do. Instead, you can purchase a Bar Tab in advance, which is onboard credit you can only spend on drinks on the ship and at Virgin's Bimini Beach Club in the Bahamas.

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But I thought B-Complex's offerings were consistent with gyms I've been to at home while offering a much better view — the ocean. Guests got comfortable and looked up at the night sky while crew members told stories about the stars. Virgin Voyages' ships are the first-ever cruises where you can get a tattoo on board, according to the cruise line. From personal pizzas to juicy steak dinners, there's plenty to eat on decks 5-7. From shops and swimming pools to game rooms and swing sets, I thought there was so much to do.

Suite dreams are made of this

The real attraction here is the full-size red hammock hung from the ceiling. A grown adult can easily lay out or simply sit and swing in the hammock. Be prepared to come to blows with your cabinmate over who gets the hammock first and for how long.

Inside deck 15, there's the Galley, a large dining space with several eateries similar to a buffet.

Virgin also does not use standard cruise industry lingo to refer to its rooms. Inside cabins are Insider rooms, ocean views are Sea Views, and balconies are Sea Terrace cabins. Many rooms can accommodate one to four guests, often in slightly unusual bed layouts, so pay attention if you're traveling in a pack and looking to save a few bucks on your cruise fare. Scarlet Lady is the perfect ship for modern, young-at-heart travelers who love cutting-age entertainment, good food, a good party and lots of R&R. It's not the right choice for folks who are conservative minded or easily offended, or longtime cruisers looking for a traditional experience.

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The intent is for the lower beds to be made up as couches during the day and transformed into beds at night. Virgin claims that 86% of its cabins feature private balconies, and if you can, you want to book one of these. Because nearly every Sea Terrace comes with a sustainably sourced hammock that is extremely comfortable and unusual in the cruise industry — and for us, was the best part of the entire Virgin accommodation experience. Food is another major focus on the ship, and instead of one main dining room, there are six different restaurants—none of which have a buffet. These are not your typical cruise ship dining experiences, either, as each restaurant sports a distinctive design and concept. So on board you’ll find the first-ever tattoo parlor at sea; a record shop; a luxury shopping arcade with rotating partners like Bulgari and Gucci; and a one-of-a-kind convertible theater offering three unique shows (no Broadway revues here).

But I also hate paying extra for meals when food is already included. Scarlet Lady defies categorization when it comes to pricing, as well. Its cruise fares are more inclusive than your typical mass-market ship, and therefore more expensive than other mainstream lines. But it doesn't have the same vibe as luxury cruise ships that tend to cater to a retired, wealthy clientele, who are less active and not into dance parties or cutting-edge entertainment.

Scarlet Lady itineraries and pricing

The swanky night club was designed by Roman + Williams, while the two pool decks have plenty of hot tubs, loungers and swings, plus 10 private cabanas. Inside, passengers can expect a hot tub, a music room that can be transformed into an extra bedroom, two hammocks, an outdoor shower and more. As of Saturday's preview, there was still plenty of work to be done on the Mega RockStar Suites, just like the rest of the ship. With a more peaceful, private vibe than the rest of the pool deck, Richard's Rooftop was the only place on the ship where I could lie in the sun and feel like I was in bed simultaneously. So next time I cruise with Virgin Voyages, I'll consider upgrading to a suite. All cabins can sleep at least two, but adjustments can be made during the reservation process to accommodate more depending on the party.

inside virgin cruise ship

Scarlet Lady activities

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. Perhaps if the app were more intuitive, some of these issues could be mitigated. But I, who have successfully employed numerous cruise ship apps, had to ask a crew member to show me where to find deck plans in the Sailor App. In-app room service ordering was glitchy, but my cabin attendant hadn't left me a printout of the menu, so I never tried in-room dining. The drag show was a hoot, and the DanceShowPartyThing was different than any cruise ship show I've ever seen and a lighthearted fun time. The late-night jazz band at the On the Rocks bar kept the crowds engaged, and the crew knew how to keep the party going on the dance floor at The Manor – whether that was dancing on the stage wings or covering the crowd with a large parachute.

Inside Virgin’s new Scarlet Lady cruise ship with a tattoo parlor

Each cabin is custom-created to accommodate the Seabed, the first-ever transformational cabin bed-at-sea, specially engineered and handcrafted by Walter Knoll in Germany. Think of it as the sofa-bed or futon of the ocean as the bed can be reconfigured to a couch easily, reflecting Virgin's emphasis that this is a social ship rather than a place to quietly get away from it all. There are minor tweaks from ship to ship, like the original artwork.

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Also here is Virgin Voyages' groundbreaking tattoo parlor, Squid Ink, where you can pay inflated rates for the bragging rights of having gotten a tattoo at sea. For your other bodily needs, The Tune Up offers medispa treatments, manicures and pedicures by the pool on Deck 15. Scarlet Lady's Redemption Spa is also broken up and scattered around the ship. The main venue is tucked away on Deck 5 on the other side of the elevator bank from Sailor Services, Pink Agave and Razzle Dazzle.

I kept placing my toilet bag under the elevated soap dish and realizing the soap would drip on it. I had the same experience at The Dock after a late excursion; several of us waited far too long for a waiter to appear and take our order – even though a server had escorted me outside five minutes prior. As much as I'm not a fan of buffets, sometimes I just want to eat quickly and get on with my day. This concept works well when you have time to kill or the venue is empty.

In April 2024, the ship will sail an epic 14-night transatlantic cruise to Barcelona, which will be Scarlet Lady's homebase at least through October 2024. From Spain, it will sail seven-night itineraries to ports in Italy, Spain and the French Riviera, all with overnights on the party island of Ibiza. Pretty much every night there's a themed party in The Manor or out on deck, but the ones you need to pack for are the PJ Party and Scarlet Night. Scarlet Lady's first-night pajama party is optional, but if you do want to get your Virgin vibe going on day one, pack a pair of party PJs and head to the Athletic Club bar on the first night. 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.

According to Virgin Voyages, the lounge was named for and inspired by founder Richard Branson. Valiant Lady just debuted with her "mermaiden" voyage this spring. Resilient Lady will follow later this summer, and Brilliant Lady will set sail, as originally planned, in 2023. "We have the newest fleet in the industry. So we've been able to benefit from all of the work that we've done to make it as fuel efficient as possible," McAlpin says. "And with every last ounce of energy, we tried to train and not consume, and we have a lot less waste on board." Valiant Lady just debuted with her “mermaiden” voyage this spring.

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