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Virgin Voyages drink costs are comparable to other cruise lines, however, and the prices include tips, so there are no surprises when settling the bill. When it comes to additional costs, Virgin Voyages has you covered - all food, soft drinks, group fitness classes, entertainment and Wi-Fi are all included. Scarlet Lady hits it out of the park when it comes to entertainment, both performances and parties. On many cruise ships, I'll go to a show, sit in the back and leave after 10 minutes.
Best dining. Best nightlife. And counting.
In the summer (August through September 2024) Resilient Lady visits Bordeaux, La Coruna, and Bilbao on the relocation voyage to England. All rebookings made with the 200% FCC were fully refunded (200%) and additionally received 25% in FCC (to be used on another booking). Virgin Voyages also introduced the "Smooth Sailing Program" which allows for itineraries in 2020 (through December 16) the final payment dates to be moved to 60 days (previously 120 days) prior departure. Smooth Sailing also allows cancellations up to 48 hours (prior departure) with receiving a full (100%) refund in FCC.
Late Sail-Off from San Juan
A full (100%) monetary refund was optional for cancellations made between May 21-December 31, 2020. Via the Sailor App (when your phone is shaken), a secret Champagne button allows you to order Moet-Chandon Champagne (Brut Imperial, 750 ml bottle) delivered in an ice bucket and with two glasses. The service is called "Shake for Champagne" and provided anywhere on the ship.
What’s Included on Virgin Voyages?
Virgin Voyages Is Offering a Summer Pass to Remote Workers - Travel + Leisure
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Leading up to its maiden voyage in 2021, Virgin Voyages marketed itself as the cruise line for vacationers who otherwise weren't interested in traditional cruising. It aimed to appeal to those who were young and hip, wanted to party and craved an atmosphere without little kids running around. Staff are cheery (wait for your first “Ahoy”) and empowered – sleeves rolled up, tattoos on display, piercings and stylish haircuts de rigeur. There’s a vibe onboard this ship like no other, almost like you are a specially invited guest. That’s a “rockstar” in Virgin parlance, and really that’s how the ship and the crew make you feel. Virgin Voyages’ second ship, is getting ready to set sail in spring 2022.
What I loved about Scarlet Lady
In February, Virgin replaced Harding UK (Bristol-based global travel retail business) with Starboard Cruise Services (Doral Florida-based company). As of 2023, Starboard was contracted by 11 cruise lines and operated on 90+ ships worldwide. The onboard programming features live performances (by the company's Hapenings Cast) and is managed by Richard Kilman (Virgin's VP of Entertainment). Then there are a number of sit-down restaurants serving anything from upscale Mexican to Italian, steak, and more.
Our biggest complaint is that the pool area seems small given the size of the ship. There are two pools, but the main pool only had seating for a couple of hundred people around it that seemed to fill up quickly when at sea. As well, by including many things with the cruise, the headache of being nickeled and dimed around the ship is gone. Essentially the only things you’ll pay for onboard are alcohol, spa treatments, and gambling. While the ships don’t have buffets, The Galley is a large dining hall with a number of different stalls serving different foods. There’s a burger spot, a taco spot, ramen/noodle bar, a sushi area, salad area, dessert spot and more.
Inside, you'll find daybeds for lounging and a drinks cooler prepped with fresh-pressed welcome juices. Scarlet Lady's Happenings Cast (ie, the entertainment team) lead Grog Walks around the ship that are a mix of pub crawl and icebreaker games so you can meet your shipmates. They do incur an extra fee to cover drinks, but they're insanely popular and sell out quickly. Try to book the one early in the cruise to meet people and get the lay of the lounge landscape. No one tells you how the ship works, even though it's nontraditional for the cruise industry.
Our cruise ships are making quite a splash online
The food, which ranged from snapper steamed in a banana leaf to a salad featuring Bahamian mango and macadamia, is included, though some dishes were better than others. I loved mixing the curry, rice and snapper I ordered all together to create a pretty tasty bowl. The ship made its debut on the world stage in February 2020, but it was not until August 2021 that Virgin's Scarlet Lady set out on its inaugural cruise, starting with a series of short sailings to nowhere in the U.K.
The new technology allows reducing CO2 emissions by converting the generated by diesel engines' heat into electricity for shipboard use. Each of the newbuilds has 6 such Climeon units, saving ~5400 tons of carbon dioxide annually. As part of the company's sustainable travel policy, Virgin banned single-use plastics and there is no buffet food on the ships.
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In the Caribbean, Virgin boats are homeported in Miami and all itineraries visit Bimini Bahamas as a private island destination. Virgin's Bimini Beach Club overlooks the sea and features a large lagoon-style swimming pool. The "resort experience" also features morning open-air exercises (yoga and meditation), afternoon DJ poolside parties, night beach bonfires and live musical performances. Virgin's private resort is located on North Bimini Island and at a short bus transfer from the docking pier. This is a 750-acres (3 km2 / 1,2 mi2) beachfront resort-casino-marina-hotel complex operated by Genting Group (Malaysia-based multinational corporation).
Kick back and enjoy the Suite life with uninterrupted sea views (really...even the bathroom has an ocean view). Pink Agave was also home to my favorite dessert on the ship, Taco de Chocolate. I hadn't heard of Cochinita Pibil before my cruise, but now, it's one of my favorite Mexican dishes. The pork seemed to melt in my mouth, and the pico de gallo was a refreshing touch to the otherwise hearty entrée. According to the cruise line, Pink Agave's menu was inspired by Mexico. We've taken care (of taking care) of your servers, so we cover the gratuities for your onboard experiences.
One of the most common questions among those planning a cruise is, Are drinks included? Virgin Voyages has gone the extra mile with its inclusions and offers a range of free basic beverages that include branded sodas to all passengers. This is a notch above the standard water-tea-coffee offerings in most other lines. 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.
The atmosphere — ranging from the vibe on the ship to food to entertainment — definitely caters more to adult tastes. We think who would love the cruise line the most would be a couple from years old celebrating an anniversary, special occasion, or simply wanting a romantic trip away. That, however, also casts too narrow a net as we saw all sorts having a great time.
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