So many have asked my thoughts on this new cruise line & ship, so here it goes! My Scarlet Lady cruise was my first cruise back since January 2020, sailing November 3rd-November 7th, 2021, and were celebrating our 14 year wedding anniversary. We had to be vaccinated, and Virgin has decided to test people at the port/terminal. I must admit, it was nice not having to prearrange testing. We were able to go into the terminal before our boarding time, to start the process of checking in and testing. This entire process took us 35 minutes max. That includes waiting for the test results. When those results came back negative, it was very exciting! Time to board the ship! 😊
All of you who follow me on FB, or have known me awhile, know how much of a passion I have for the cruise industry. I was very excited to be back on a ship!
The crew were excited, with a DJ playing as we walked onboard, it was a party vibe for sure. This whole ship has a “hip and cool” vibe, can you tell I’m old? Haha. The ship itself has a lot of great features, felt very sleek, modern, but comfortable. The changing lights to match the vibe of the ship was amazing.
You MUST get a balcony with a hammock….oh how much time we spent swinging in that hammock! It may have been my favorite feature. Note: Not EVERY balcony onboard has a hammock!
We also really enjoyed The Social. This was a place with great snack food, late night sweets and treats that were delicious, and an 80s-90s arcade plus shuffleboard tables, foosball, air hockey, all FREE! Very cool. Super Mario Brothers & Space Invaders we’re are game
of choI’ve! Lol Another great spot was the dock is on deck 7, aft, with great views of sunsets and the wake. This seemed to be where people were most evenings when not at dinner. Scarlet Night took over the entire ship, and the theming all over was on point amazing. Their late-night parties were over the top in a good way, and very fun! Scarlet Night was my favorite night on board!
The entertainment is definitely different. They have regular shows in their theater and pop up shows around the ship. Some are bizarre, some are plain fun, but it creates this atmosphere of, anything goes here….I really like it!
The shows at night are not typical cruise shows. One was good cirque style, one was funny, but I don’t ever feel the need to do again, and the other we decided to skip on the last night, singing clown?! This was not a ship I would sail, looking for multiple amazing shows like on Royal Caribbean.
Let’s talk about food options. Overall, they have great quality, upscale dining. This is a foodie ship!
They seem to have really good options for those who have dietary restrictions as well, Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten free etc. But, if you are a picky eater, you may have trouble finding a variety of food to eat on a longer cruise. This is me. Hi, nice to meet you! Haha
While I found a good amount of delicious food, I would have had more trouble if I was on a 7 night. But remember, this part is all subjective. If you enjoy trying new food, with some twists and variety, then this is perfect. If you are a foodie, this is for you. If you want to feel like you are at a high end specialty dining, every single night, and not pay extra, this is for you! We didn’t feel like we were on a cruise ship, we just felt like we were dining in an upscale restaurant. They were also great at making your meal to your liking, leaving certain ingredients out whenever they could for me. The 4 night cruise, is what I would suggest to more picky eaters, who still want to experience this fabulous cruise line!
The Galley replaces the buffet concept. While there was some really delicious food here, there is a lack of variety you would normally get from a buffet. This is the theme for the food options specifically for me. They have great pastries though! When you order your food, it comes out at random times, so you don’t have your full meal in front of you to eat. The brunch options are amazing, so don’t miss them!
Seating. There are tons of seating, and there are plenty of comfortable spots, if you are a bigger person. So many beds to lounge/lay on, that were actually comfortable as well. No hesitation with finding a place to relax. Our favorite was outside deck 7 bed, looking up at the ship and start at night.
The Beach Club at Bimini was absolutely beautiful! Unfortunately, it was a rainy day for us, but we found a clam shell bed to get out of the rain, while watching the ocean. Better than working! 😊
The 4 night itinerary is perfect if you are wanting to get the Virgin experience.
Most of the time we relaxed in a lounge, or balcony. The casino was small, but nonsmoking, and we were able to play for hours. This ship is great for groups of friends, or even couple friends who want to hang out, drink, and have some fun late-night parties to go to!
Also, No Announcements, at all! Even disembarkation day, could be stressful if it’s your first cruise, but we heard no mention of us getting off the ship the next day. In fact, they make it so you can leave, when you are ready! No times to get off by (within reason), no standing in long lines because people are leaving at different times. Amazing debarkation process, so smooth and fast! It took the stress of thinking about getting off the ship tomorrow. We didn’t even pack up until the morning of! That was fantastic!
Something I really love, is the all-inclusiveness! The only thing not included is alcohol. The value is definitely there. I would’ve had to pay extra for WIFI, we always do at least 1 specialty dining, so saved money there and got the same quality, and sodas whenever we wanted at no extra cost. This was the smallest bill I have ever had at the end of a cruise! It really didn’t feel like a normal cruise, it felt like a boutique hotel, floating on the ocean, with magnificent views!
This ship really felt like a judgement free, be who you are vibe. They embrace different. Their crew doesn’t all look the same. They are allowed to be who they are. They are also allowed to use the ships facilities when not working, but they would wear name tags, so you could tell who they were. This all created a really nice atmosphere onboard. It’s hard to explain the atmosphere onboard, but I really liked it.
Now, A few things I didn’t love.
1. BATHROOM SIZE! How they sized their bathrooms the way they did is beyond me. You step into the bathroom, and that’s it. You don’t have any floor space to move around. This makes for getting into the shower a bit difficult if you’re a little bigger. Once in the shower, it was very roomy! They could have easily taken a bit more space from the cabin, for the bathroom. I have heard its similar to Carnival Mardi Gras.
2. The APP- If cruising Virgin anytime soon, you’ll need lots of patience with the APP. Half the time it doesn’t work, you have to re download, it’s slow etc. I tried uninstalling and reinstalling. Most nights we went to dinner without reservations because the APP was so annoying, and we were still seated just fine. But, our ship was less than half full, and we were only a party of 2. You must have patience! We definitely missed out on things because the daily activities weren’t loading in the APP. But, it just didn’t bother me, I was just happy to be on a cruise! I don’t need to be entertained all day to be on a cruise. I just need to be on the cruise!
3. The bed/couch- Our bed was very firm, and always a bed! You have to ask your stateroom attendant to change it into a couch. We don’t like to give people extra work, so we never had it turned into a couch. Luckily, there was still a comfortable chair, plus the balcony seating, and hammock!
4. This is being picky to my cruising style but, they stay in ports late night, so without the sea day at the end, we would have been sitting at port more than sailing. I love Sea Days, obviously, so I could’ve used more time at sea. I also love the casino, which was closed until late at night, as were the shops. That last sea day was great to have! This would be the good part of cruising longer than 4 nights!
5. Food: This is completely subjective. And while it’s not something I disliked overall, because I had a lot of really great upscale meals for dinner/brunch, I thought variety of food was a bit lacking for picky eaters specifically. A lot of their food sounds weird, but when you get it, it’s not as weird as it sounds. I feel like they should stop trying to be fancy, and name the dish what it is…..That would’ve helped me! But, Get the Gnocchi, filet mignon, & 24 hour pizza is fabulous!
Overall thoughts:
This ship is for people who want to relax, chill, love all food, and can go with the flow. If you are a foodie, this cruise is for you! Sailing with Virgin is a state of mind. What experience are you looking for? This is not a cookie cutter, mainstream cruise line. It has a niche, but a large one. If you are open to new ideas, experiences onboard, and don’t easily get offended, you will enjoy this cruise line. You must be looking for a cruise experience that’s different from traditional cruising. If you pay attention to Virgin’s marketing, you will understand the type of experience you can find onboard. If their ads don’t appeal to you, you won’t enjoy it. It’s unique, but well done overall. The average age is 48, not 21! This is not a gender/age specific cruise line, it’s a state of mind!
I know the right cruisers will enjoy this cruise line, and I hope my review above has helped given you insight to whether this cruise line could be for you. If you want to experience a new type of cruising, are a foodie, wanting adults only & an all-inclusive feel, value, then give it a try! Anytime you cruise with an open mind, you’ll enjoy yourself! 😊
Now, the ultimate question, would I cruise Scarlet Lady again? Yes!! I really like their overall product, and think they have something very special. These are great getaways from Miami, to escape and try something new!
Did I mention….adults only, no dress code, so much included, & no kids 😉
Contact me if you'd like to learn more, or book your first Virgin Voyages cruise!
