June/July 2024: Are you ready to Set Sail with Virgin Voyages?
Happy July! Can you believe that summer is halfway over? I hope that whatever travels you have experienced mad memories that will last a lifetime.
This past June, I had the opportunity to experience Virgin Voyages for the first time. I invited a dear friend of mine to come along and join in on the fun and we experienced many things along our voyage that I wanted to share with you.
Have you ever considered cruising with Virgin Voyages? Although I have booked clients on different lady ships, I have always wanted to cruise the brand myself, and I finally had the opportunity to. Sailing five nights on the Mayan Sol with Valiant Lady, I experienced a few “firsts” that a veteran cruiser would have not experienced being a Virgin Virgin.
I have presented my experience in the form of a short set of pros and cons. This is just my opinion and not a fact, but my opinion based on what we experienced while sailing with Virgin Valiant Lady.
Virgin Voyages is Adults Only
Pro: Virgin Voyages is adults only. If you are 18 and older and looking for that cruise experience where you are not surrounded by your kids or other people’s kids, you may want to consider Virgin Voyages. Not having to focus on “kids” activities, more attention can be provided to things that adults like to do – both day and night.
Con: Virgin Voyages is adults only. Yes, I know that I just listed that as a pro, but if you are looking for a multigenerational experience, this would not be the option for you – unless, of course, your multi generations are 18 and older.
Virgin Voyages Lady Ships
Pro: The lady ships of Virgin Voyages do not have the traditional promenade that veteran cruisers may be accustomed to. With this design of the ships, it provides many opportunities and locations for friends and family to gather and socialize. Additionally, food venues are located throughout the ship and not only on the back of the ship.
Con: The lady ships of Virgin Voyages do not have the traditional promenade that veteran cruisers may be accustomed to. Throughout the five-night cruise, we spent many looks at the ship maps, learning our way around and locating venues throughout. Can be a little confusing – but we figured it all out on the last night of cruising.
Staying Connected
Pro: As stated by Virgin Voyages - Wi-Fi is a right, and they provide it to all sailors free of charge!
Con: The WIFI on Valiant Lady was spotty throughout the ship – making it a little difficult for those trying to work while vacationing. There is an option to purchase the premium WIFI for a decent price, if it is needed. I did not purchase that option, and with a little wait time of spinning circles, I was successful in communication with my clients.
Are you a Virgin Cruiser?
Pro: Virgin Voyages caters to all shapes, sizes, genders, and ways of life. Nothing more needs to be said other then all are welcome on a Lady Ship – if you are an adult. The guests of Virgin Voyages are an eclectic group bringing all different points of view to the cruising experience and I enjoyed getting to know people I would not encounter in my everyday life.
Con: If you are not accepting to anyone and everyone, than Virgin Voyages may not be for you. Although all ages of cruisers were on Valiant Lady, the cruise is catered to a 20-30 crowd. Don’t get me wrong – at approaching 50, my friend and I still had fun! The experience is what you make of it.
Activities and Entertainment
Pro: Daytime activities throughout the ship are in abundance. This was the first cruise I had in the Caribbean where it rained, with heavy winds every day of the cruise except for the last day. Therefore, the entertainment staff did a wonderful job providing Indoor activities and we took advantage of many of them – from the seahorse races to jigsaw puzzle challenges, to Last Man Standing Trivia.
Con: Nighttime entertainment may not be for everyone. I personally enjoy a little raunch every now and then, but I found some of the entertainment to be a little much. The first two nights, I really missed the traditional broadway entertainment as we left the shows wondering if we would like any evening shows. By night three, the gymnasts of Dual Reality brought back our love to Virgin. They are so talented and to do what they did while the ship was rocking back and forth was impressive!
Healthy Lifestyles at Sea
Pro: Virgin provides a wide variety of exercise opportunities for those who are still wanting to live their best life while cruising. With a walking/jogging track around the top of the ship, and an indoor-outdoor gym and fitness classes – there were ample opportunities – even with the heavy winds and rain.
Con: You need to plan your workouts ahead of time – as the reservations for the classes filled quickly. If you are just looking for the track or gym equipment – crowded times are the usually crowd times anywhere.
Elevated Dining Experience
Pro: All dining is included – for those foodies that want the specialty without having to “add a dining package.” Sodas, juices, flavored water are all located throughout the ship and all the restaurants are included with the cost of the voyage fare. We dined at a different venue each night to experience the options available sailing with Virgin, and by the end of the voyage, we had our favs and our not so favs.
Con: If you are going to “elevate your food” for the “foodies” all of it needs to be fresh and elevated. The first couple nights that we dined, the food did not seem to be fresh, but more heated under a lamp. We started with Extra Virgin – their Italian restaurant, and it did seem like a reheated Olive Garden with fancy names. But, working our way through the week, we thoroughly enjoyed the Test Kitchen and The Wake were amazing! The food was so creatively presented and deliciously tasteful! Please know, reservations are required for some of the dining venues, so make sure to check out your app when planning your cruise to reserve when you are ready! We were not able to get a reservation for Pink Agave – their Mexican fare, but everyone we spoke to said it was top notch!
The Bar Tab
Pro: Virgin does not offer a drink package, but a Bar Tab. You can purchase the Bar Tab in increments from $100 to $300 and if one person in your party wants to buy a round of shots for the group, you can. There is not a drink limit at the time at the bar, as you can purchase a bottle for your table as well. The Bar Tab also works on specialty coffees and teas too and does not need to just be spent on alcohol. Lastly, should your sailing port of call at Bimini Bahamas, your Bar Tab works at their Beach Club as well!
Con: Nothing. The Bar Tab is a fantastic idea, allowing only one person in the room to purchase, if needed and not having to have both people at the bar to purchase two drinks.
Embarkation to Debarkation and All In Between
Pro: Embarkation and Debarkation process was smooth and efficient. Additionally, Virgin Voyages has done away with the room key cards and moved all purchasing and scanning options to a bracelet that is so much easier than worrying about where your card is!
Con: They do honor their boarding times and will have you stand in a queue for your time. Although we had a 3:13pm boarding time, we arrived at the cruise terminal at noon, because of flights and transfers. However, our timed queue was allowed to embark at 2pm. This may not be a con, because unlike other cruise companies, they have the times and honor them, but just be prepared to wait, if too early.
Would I Sail Virgin Voyages Again?
Whew! I know that was a good amount of information, but at the end of the sailing, I asked myself, would I sail with Virgin again? That answer is yes. Not that I mind children, but I did enjoy adults only on the cruise ship. I liked the experience of the ship, with the daytime activities being my favorite of my last few sailings. I know for future which shows or nighttime entertainment I would see again and which ones I would pass as well but did enjoy the experience overall.
If you are wanting to experience the Virgin brand for yourself, let me know and we can get a few sailing options together for you – from the Caribbean to Europe, Virgin has something for everyone.
