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Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady Deck Plans & Reviews

Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady

Activities & entertainment

• Active Diversions
• Aquatic Club
• B-Complex Build & Balance
• B-Complex Burn & Bike
• Boxing Ring
• Fitness Classes
• Gym & Tonic Bar
• Redemption Spa *
• Sports Area
• Stubble & Groom *
• Sun Club Sanctuary
• Tattoo Parlor *
• The Roundabout Atrium
• Training Camp
• The Tune Up *
• The Crow's Nest
• The Cabanas *
• Squid Ink *
• Richard's Rooftop
• The Casino *
• Vibrant Nightlife
• The Wake - Aft-facing Surf & Turf
• The Test Kitchen - Experimental
• Extra Virgin - italian
• Gunbae - Korean BBQ
• The Galley - Market-style food hall
• Pink Agave - Mexican & Mezcal
• Sun Club Cafe - Outdoor Casual
• The Dock - Outdoor Eatery
• The Pizza Place - Pizza
• Aquatic Club Bar - Poolside Bar *
• The Athletic Club Bar - Sports Drinks *
• Razzle Dazzle - Vegetarian
• Excellent 1,899
• Very Good 489
• Average 324
• Terrible 175
• All languages ( 3,048 )
• English ( 3,037 )
• Spanish ( 11 )

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Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady Deck Plans & Reviews

Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady

• Excellent 1,899
• Very Good 489
• Average 324
• Terrible 175
• All languages ( 3,048 )
• English ( 3,037 )
• Spanish ( 11 )

I've been on more than 150 cruise ships; here are my first impressions of Scarlet Lady, the first-ever Virgin Voyages vessel

I expected to hate it. I really did.

But four days into my first sailing on Scarlet Lady , the hot new cruise ship for adults from start-up line Virgin Voyages , I am finding that I am not hating it all. In fact, I'm sort of loving it.

It turns out that this flashy new brand, which initially filled its marketing messages with so many images of the young and the hip that some people thought it was just for millennials , might be the perfect cruise line for someone like me: A somewhat balding, 52-year-old father of three who is starting to look back wistfully at the fun of his younger, more carefree days.

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I'm not sure what that says about Virgin Voyages' prospects. It may not be what they want to hear. If too many people like me start booking Scarlet Lady, the line's chances of drawing twentysomethings and thirtysomethings may be lost forever.

But maybe this is all part of the plan. People my age do have more money to spend than the youngsters.

The allure of Scarlet Lady

Designed as a no-kids zone , Scarlet Lady is filled with stylish, adult-oriented nightspots and bars promising a hopping scene late into the night as well as such hipster venues as a tattoo parlor and a colorful karaoke lounge . There's onboard entertainment that is innovative and sometimes edgy in a way that you don't normally see on cruise ships. There's staff that are there in part to encourage you to let loose a little -- or a lot.

In short, it feels like the sort of cruise ship that young people would want to sail on, even if, in the end, it doesn't draw as many young people as some might have expected (early word is the average booker is in her or his 50s ). And that may be what makes it the perfect ship for somewhat older people like me who miss the wilder and crazier days of their youth.

If we can't be young again, at least we can pretend for a few days, right?

I expected to hate Scarlet Lady in part because of the way it was initially marketed, as a place for the young and the hip and the beautiful. That clearly isn't me.

I also was put off a bit by Virgin Voyages' "we know better" attitude toward cruising. It has been a cruise company that has talked itself up at times in the lead-up to Scarlet Lady's launch by pooh-poohing the things that other cruise companies do . This seemed suspect to me given how incredibly successful these other cruise companies have been.

RELATED: Why you've got it all wrong if you think Scarlet Lady is just for millennials

Could Virgin Voyages and its backers at Richard Branson's Virgin Group really know better?

Now that I have been on board Scarlet Lady for a few days, I am starting to think that maybe, in a few areas at least, they do.

Here, some of my first impressions of the vessel, which is on its maiden voyage out of Miami (I will post more of my initial thoughts on the experience in the coming days):

It's a ship for adults like no other

It's taken me a few days to fully appreciate what a difference it makes that this is an adults-only cruise vessel -- one where nobody under the age of 18 is allowed on board.

The fact that there are no kids on board means Virgin Voyages can offer a far more adult array of entertainment from one end of Scarlet Lady to the other than you'll find on the ships of Royal Caribbean , Norwegian Cruise Line and other big cruise brands, even during the daytime, and even in public areas such as around the pool. The line even can be a little naughty.

A couple of days ago, during an impromptu wedding event at the base of the swirling staircase in the center of the ship, an emcee loudly quizzed one of the two women getting married about their favorite sexual positions, much to the delight of the crowd of passengers looking on. You probably wouldn't see that on Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas .

Naughty sex talk also was the theme of a one-woman cabaret show called Never Sleep Alone that took place last night in the ship's The Manor nightclub (transformed into a cabaret lounge). Raunchy and heavy on audience participation, it involved "resident sexologist" Alex Schiller, who claimed to have slept with more than 4,000 people, offering up tips on how to make sure you're never lacking for a partner in bed at night.

In a playful hint at what we were supposed to do with the information, there were condoms on every table in the room for us to take away. And just to sexy it up a little more, Schiller (who some may know from her sex-focused podcast, also called Never Sleep Alone) stripped down to her bustier and stockings at the end of the show.

The kicker here is that I was watching this performance at 8 p.m., before I even had gone to dinner (there was another showing at 10:30 p.m.). This is a time when pretty much every other big ship at sea is running PG-rated entertainment in its showrooms to cater to a family crowd.

Virgin Voyages isn't the first cruise line to tout adult-focused ships where no kids are allowed . A handful of other lines such as Viking and the U.K.'s Saga Cruises have similar no-kids policies. But those lines offer a more traditional cruise experience aimed at older travelers. They are lines for sixtysomething and seventysomething retirees looking for late-in-life "enrichment" in the form of onboard lectures and educational touring in ports.

As you can see from the image above, Virgin Voyages is offering a whole new type of adult cruise.

The entertainment sets a new bar

Virgin Voyages promised to shake things up when it comes to cruise ship entertainment, and -- in my opinion, at least -- it has delivered. Big time. The entertainment that you'll see on Scarlet Lady is edgy and experimental and really pushes the boundaries of what entertainment at sea can be -- and not just because it includes a sex-themed show with a "resident sexologist."

For starters, the line has done away with the traditional, Broadway-style theater with rows of fixed seats that you'll find on most big cruise vessels as well as the traditional, Broadway-style shows and Las Vegas-style musical reviews that you'll typically find playing in them. In its place is a soaring, box-like entertainment space called the Red Room that can transform into all sorts of configurations to allow for different types of unusual performances.

The Red Room, notably, is home to what is surely the most avant-garde "show" ever on a cruise ship -- an energetic, dance party-meets-performance extravaganza called UNTITLED DANCESHOWPARTYTHING. Created by the well-known choreographers Sam Pinkleton and Ani Taj, it takes place in the Red Room configured as a flat dance floor, with a rolling stage in the middle and several other platforms on which dancers perform and interact as showgoers stand on the dance floor around them. The music is blasting, and the walls are lined with video screens projecting an ever-changing kaleidoscope of often incongruous images, including a giant cat head that exclaims "don't be an a**hole" to the crowd as assistants push the stage around the room, ushering showgoers out of the way. At times, the dancers encourage the crowd to join in with the dancing, and many do.

The line has described the show as "a hype music video disguised as an absurdist style dance party," and that pretty much sums it up. I absolutely loved it.

Reconfigured to have two rows of stadium seating with a performance area in the middle, the Red Room hosts another wowzer of a show called Duel Reality that is a modern take on Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" told through highly choreographed, music-infused acrobatics.

Other entertainment on board is more subtle but no less avante-garde. Throughout this sailing, small groups of performers have appeared as if out of nowhere in lounges and bars to perform short "micro plays" lasting just a few minutes before disappearing. I was sitting in Sip, the ship's Champagne bar, a few nights ago with my TPG colleague Madison Blancaflor (stay tuned for her take on Scarlet Lady in the next few days) when a seemingly crazed man wearing a poncho and carrying an umbrella began asking me if I had "seen her." He then launched into a tale that I think was about some sort of rogue sailing ship of old.

Madison and I were both so stunned by this odd intrusion into our otherwise quiet conversation that neither of us really caught what he was talking about. But in retrospect, it was kind of delightful (at least for me. Madison seems to still be a bit traumatized by the whole experience).

The entertainment on Scarlet Lady also includes a lot of party-like events such as the everyone-wear-red-and-be-prepared-to-dance Scarlet Night Pool Party that happens on the second night of this itinerary. There are performers dancing on the pool deck and part-way through the event, they encourage passengers to jump into the water with them.

There also is nightly dancing in the ship's two-story-high nightclub, The Manor.

In general, it's a ship where there's always a party going on somewhere at night, and there's always music playing in almost every venue, even in places where it probably shouldn't be (often at a sound level several twists of the speaker dial too high -- at least for a 52-year-old like me; by the time you get to my age, you like to actually be able to hear the people with whom you're talking in bars and restaurants).

The dining sets a new bar, too

The days of cruise ships having one big main dining room where everybody on board eats in fixed seatings is long gone. These days, you'll find a wide choice of restaurants on most big cruise vessels, and even smaller vessels offer at least a few choices.

But the idea of a main dining room hasn't completely disappeared from the cruise world. On many ships, even when there are a lot of restaurant choices, there still is one or more "main" restaurants that is notably bigger than all the rest and where you will eat the bulk of your meals.

Often, these big main dining rooms are included in the fare, whereas the smaller "specialty" restaurants, which typically offer a more intimate and upscale experience, come with an extra charge.

Virgin Voyages has done away with this sort of main vs. specialty restaurant arrangement completely on Scarlet Lady. There really is no main dining room on the ship. There is no default place where you will eat on most nights. Like a resort on land, Scarlet Lady is home to an array of eateries, none notably bigger than another, and there is no differentiation between "included eateries" and extra-charge venues.

The cost of going to any of the restaurants on Scarlet Lady is the same: nothing.

My take on this is one word: finally. Longtime cruisers are accustomed to the idea of the main dining rooms vs. specialty restaurants split on cruise ships. But to anyone who isn't a regular cruiser, it can just feel weird -- and outdated. I suspect it's a major hurdle for many non-cruisers (still the majority of Americans) to give cruising a try.

Virgin Voyages hypes the fact that it has more than 20 eateries on Scarlet Lady. But the reality is there are just six restaurants. The line gets to the higher number in part by counting all of the many separate food stations at Scarlet Lady's buffet-like food court . There are about a dozen of these stations, depending on how you count them.

But six restaurants for a ship the size of Scarlet Lady still is impressive (at 110,000 tons, Scarlet Lady isn't nearly as big as the biggest ships from some other lines).

I've tried four of the six eateries so far, and I've enjoyed them all, even if I quibbled a bit about the quality of a 'secret,' off-menu steak that is available at one of them.

I particularly loved Gunbae, a Korean barbecue eatery with circular tables built around specially engineered flameless grills where servers cook Korean-style seafood and meat in front of you. These same servers also lead you in Korean drinking games (the first round of shots of Korean soju is on them).

I also was impressed with the pasta dishes at Extra Virgin, the ship's Italian eatery. I ordered a side of carbonara to accompany my main course, a porcini-rubbed New York Strip steak, just to test it. I was pleasantly surprised to see the dish was made with bucatini, the long, narrow tube-like pasta that is considered proper for carbonara but often isn't used at Italian restaurants.

The pasta, notably, is hand-made on site.

It's inclusive in a wonderful way

The fact that none of the restaurants mentioned above come with a charge is a big deal.

There are $2,000-a-night luxury ships such as Crystal Cruises ' new Crystal Endeavor that include the cost of dining in all of their restaurants in their fares. But you don't see this sort of thing on the bigger ships operated by the likes of Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line.

And it's not just the restaurants that are included in the fare on Scarlet Lady. So are gratuities for the ship's staff, a line item that can cost $15 a day per person or more on many lines, and onboard Wi-Fi (for a basic Wi-Fi connection that is relatively slow; a faster connection on this sailing came with a $40 per person, per cruise upcharge ).

In addition, a wide array of wellness classes, including spin classes and yoga classes, are included in the fare. That's not something you see on many lines.

A common complaint about Virgin Voyages that I have heard from cruising regulars over the past year as it has prepared to debut is that its pricing is too high. And, indeed, it's not an inexpensive line. The starting rate for four-night Scarlet Lady sailings out of Miami over the coming months is $650 per person. That's more than four times as much as the $151 per person starting rate you'll find for some four-night sailings out of Miami on what many cruisers consider the port city's best short-haul ship: Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas.

But you'll pay a lot more in "extras" if sailing on Freedom of the Seas, where specialty restaurants, gratuities and Wi-Fi are not included in the fare.

Bottom line

I'm not blown away by everything that I am encountering on Scarlet Lady. While much of the ship is well-designed, with stylish, contemporary spaces, there are a few areas that are so minimalist as to appear almost unfinished. The elevator hallways, in particular, are so plain, unadorned and brightly lit that they give off the air of a hospital ward. There also is a noticeable lack of signage around the ship, to the point that it took me two days to discover one tucked-away bar called The Loose Cannon. Virgin Voyages' app isn't much help when it comes to getting you around, either (nor is it particularly intuitive).

But, for the most part, I am impressed by what I am seeing on Scarlet Lady -- and that's coming from someone who has sailed on more than 150 different ships during 20-plus years of writing about cruising. Virgin Voyages clearly has spent a lot of time rethinking what a cruise can be, and it has come up with some wonderful new ways of doing things.

That doesn't mean that I'm sure Virgin Voyages is going to be a success. It's possible that, despite the line's best efforts, the ship is still not cool enough for the young and the hip crowd that some have thought would be its natural market. Maybe no cruise ship can be. It also may be too pricey for a younger crowd. At the same time, Scarlet Lady may turn out to be just a tad too cool for many people in my generation, even for those of us looking to have some fun.

It's a fine line that Virgin Voyages is trying to walk. Whether it's a hit with the younger generations, older generations, both groups of people, or none at all, remains to be seen.

Gene Sloan is part of a three-person team from TPG and sister brand Lonely Planet reporting live this week from Scarlet Lady's maiden voyage out of Miami. You can find all of his dispatches on his author's page .

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Scarlet Lady

Courtesy of Virgin Voyages |

Find a Cruise on Scarlet Lady

with a cruise advisor

The first ship within the Virgin Voyages fleet, the adults-only Scarlet Lady welcomes more than 2,770 passengers and 1,160 crew members. Debuted in October 2021, the Scarlet Lady boasts a collection of unique amenities not often found on cruise ships, including a tattoo studio, a record shop and a blow-dry bar. And instead of a buffet or a dining hall, the Scarlet Lady offers a collection of more than 20 specialty restaurants, all covered by the cruise fare. Standouts include Extra Virgin, a traditional Italian restaurant serving handmade pasta, and Gunbae, a Korean barbecue eatery.

The Scarlet Lady also deviates from cruise industry tradition when it comes to onboard entertainment. Instead of Broadway classics, cruisers will be treated to six original shows, along with "micro plays" that are performed throughout the ship.

Cabin sizes range from 105 to 177 square feet for the Insider rooms to nearly 2,150 square feet for the RockStar Quarters suites. The latter are outfitted with marble bathrooms and serviced by RockStar Agents who are available to assist guests 24/7. All accommodations feature mood lighting, minibars, free Wi-Fi and adjustable Seabeds, which allow travelers to transform their beds into couches when they want to entertain.

The Scarlet Lady sails to destinations in the Caribbean, like the Bahamas , from Miami .

U.S. News Insider Tip:  Use the app to book dinner reservations as far out from your sailing as you can, or 45 days out for most sailors. If you wait until closer to time or until you're on board, you will likely find that the most popular restaurants and dining times are all booked up. –  Holly Johnson, Contributor

Pros & Cons

All specialty restaurants included in the cruise fare

Nontraditional cruising style may not appeal to travelers looking for a more conventional experience

• Expert Rating » 4.5
• Traveler Rating » 4.3
• Health Rating » 5.0

Scarlet Lady ranks # 2 out of 3 Virgin Voyages Cruise Ships based on an analysis of expert and user ratings, as well as health ratings.

• # 2 in Best Virgin Voyages
• # 2 in Best Cruises for Singles
• # 6 in Best Affordable Cruises
• # 7 in Best Cruises to the Caribbean
• # 8 in Best Cruises for Couples
• # 10 in Best Cruises to the Mediterranean
• # 12 in Best Cruises to Europe

Scarlet Lady offers a wide range of accomodation options. Browse cabins to find the stateroom that suits your needs.

Scarlet Lady contains 14 decks. Find out which features are available on each Scarlet Lady deck.

Traveler Reviews

A ship’s traveler rating is provided under license by Cruiseline.com , which manages one of the largest databases of cruise reviews and ratings by travelers. A total of 193 guests have reviewed Scarlet Lady , giving it a rating of 4.3 on a scale of 1-5.

Cruiseline Travel Rating:

Reviews by traveler type.

Ship Photos

Disclaimers about ship ratings: A ship’s Health Rating is based on vessel inspection scores published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If a ship did not receive a CDC score within 22 months prior to the calculation of its Overall Rating, its Health Rating appears as N/A; in such a case, the ship’s Overall Rating is calculated using the average Health Rating of all CDC-rated ships within the cruise line. All ship Traveler Ratings are based on ratings provided under license by Cruiseline.com.

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Cruising on Virgin Scarlet Lady Review – Our First Lady Ship

Since the cruise line’s inception, we’ve been curious about sailing with Virgin Voyages. Finally, we can say we sailed the Virgin Way, which did not disappoint. In our Virgin Scarlet Lady review , we dive into what made this cruise one of our favorites and where it could improve.

The Scarlet Lady is Virgin Voyage’s inaugural ship, making it the flagship of its current fleet of four Lady Ships. It holds a maximum of 2,770 passengers.

When we booked the Scarlet Lady, I didn’t know if cruising the four-year-old ship on a short itinerary out of Miami Cruise Port would be enough to sway us since this would be our first Virgin Voyages cruise. Would I be giving it the best chance? At the time, it was what worked with our schedule, so we went ahead completely open-minded.

We had a fantastic five-night stay on the Scarlet Lady cruise ship. While we booked the Dominican Daze itinerary, visiting Puerto Plata, DR, and Bimini, Bahamas, in the Caribbean, the cruise was the standout destination on this trip. We loved our Virgin cruise. It wasn’t by any means perfect, but it was enjoyable throughout and the best value for a cruise of this class.

Table of Contents

Sailing on Virgin Scarlet Lady Review

This is our first Virgin Voyages cruise and our first time sailing the Lady Ship, Scarlet Lady.

Virgin Voyages Lingo: Lady Ship = Cruise Ship. It comes from the British term ‘Your Ladyship’.

If this is your first time visiting our site, there are a few things you should know as you dive into this review:

• I [Kathy] travel with my husband; therefore, when I say “we,” I usually mean us.
• My husband is sober. So, we are not cruising with the goal of drinking our faces off. But I do like a drink here and there.
• We love to cruise for many reasons , but when we cruise are looking for a great itinerary on a great ship that serves great food, shows, and entertainment.
• The party scene is not for us, but we love great music.

Virgin Voyages App

The Virgin Voyages app has the potential to be amazing. The problem is that it does not work as well as it should. Even though we upgraded to Premium Wi-Fi on the ship, it gets bogged down easily, which is frustrating when you’re trying to make reservations. Have some patience while dealing with it. When it works, it works.

• Download the Virgin Voyages App
• Check-In Using the App : Complete your check-in process as soon as you can get the best check-in time for cruise day. 
• Book Dining Reservations at the 60-Day Mark : Mark your calendar to secure your dining spots as soon as the booking window opens, 60 days before your cruise on the app.
• Use the App for Embarkation Day Check-In : Have the app handy on embarkation day.
• Book Activities Once Onboard : Connect to the ship’s Wi-Fi to reserve Shore Things (excursions), Fitness Classes, and Entertainment options.
• Don’t fret if you have issues booking things. You can book many of these things once onboard on that first day, and they will happily work it out for you. Do this first thing you’re onboard.

One of the things we loved about the app was the notifications we received in the messages. You may not have a cruise director, but you have an app to remind you of all your bookings, port information, and the ship’s ongoings.

You can also ‘shake for champagne’ with the app.

Embarkation on Scarlet Lady in the Miami Cruise Port

• Scarlet Lady embarks in Terminal V of the Miami Cruise Port.
• You can drop off your baggage with the porters starting at 9 a.m. They provide the luggage tags. ( Don’t forget to tip them ; they do not work for the cruise line.)
• Boarding does not start until 2 pm, but depending on your check-in time and status, you can start lining up as early as 1:15 pm.

Full disclosure:  We had status matched to Deep Blue Extras with Virgin Voyages in 2023 for 2024. Deep Blue Extras was a status-match loyalty program they offered until the end of 2023. One of the perks is priority embarkation, which allowed us to embark right after the Rockstars. 

Virgin embarks a little differently from other cruise lines. They have a late embarkation process and are strict about arrival times. Because we had Deep Blue Extras, we lined up to get into the terminal at around 1:15 pm. At 1:30 pm, they allowed us to enter the terminal, where we passed through security, checked in, received our Sea Bands, and then an attendant guided us to a comfortable, air-conditioned terminal.

While we waited in the terminal, music played, and MC worked on getting us excited to board and start our cruise vacation. It was unlike anything we had experienced before embarking on a cruise. Usually, we are frustrated with lines and waiting, but this time, we were excited to make it on the cruise.

Before we knew it, we were boarding the ship. Rockstars boarded first, followed by Deep Blue Extras, Splash of Romance, and timed entry groups. The Happenings cast welcomed us on the cruise as we entered the ship.

Embarkation was a breeze, and it was when we truly started to experience the Virgin Way.

The Scarlet Lady Ship is Like a Trendy Boutique Hotel for Adults Only

The Vibe: The Scarlet Lady cruise ship has a cool, chill vibe that is different from your typical cruise experience. It’s like stepping into a modern boutique hotel that’s classy and a lot of fun. The decor is trendy, clean, and vibrant. I wouldn’t call it 5-star luxury, but it’s relaxed, modern, with a touch of luxury, and enjoyable in its unique way.

No Announcements: What a breath of fresh air — no cruise directors or constant PA announcements! We loved that there were no cruise directors or announcements over the PA during our entire cruise. The Captain spoke only for the welcome and muster drill, hinting at the undisturbed peace we’d enjoy the rest of the cruise.

Entertainment and Leisure : The ship sometimes felt like a playground for adults where you could find your inner child by playing board games at the social club, your favorite arcade games, or joining lively dance parties at night. However, you choose to experience it how you want to experience it.

Ample Outdoor Spaces: There was plenty of seating space throughout the cruise ship, not just by the pool areas. The pool decks are small, and there are not enough lounge chairs for everyone.

Quiet Corners : If you want to find a quiet nook, you will. My favorite spot was The Dock, where I could relax with a drink and small bites.

The Layout: Navigating the ship is an adventure in itself, and the layout encourages discovery. Getting lost was part of the charm, leading to new finds. I’m sure there were spots on Scarlet Lady I didn’t get to see.

Photographic Opp: The fun Instagrammble spots throughout the ship made for great photos.

Scarlet Lady’s XL Sea Terrace Cabin

We booked the XL Sea Terrace Cabin on the Scarlet Lady. Initially, we were assigned to a cabin that didn’t even have one of their infamous red terrace hammocks—a chair instead. When we found out, we immediately called, and they kindly moved us to a cabin with a hammock.

So, just be aware that some XL cabins do not have hammocks for security reasons because of their location on the ship. You’ll also find that instead of a glass partition, there is a metal one.

Our final assigned cabin on this Scarlet Lady itinerary was XL Sea Terrace 12322A. It’s located on deck 12, portside (what the “A” stands for), and FWD.

Tip : Always research your cabin # on YouTube or Google to see if you can find photos or videos of the cabin. 

This XL Sea Terrace cabin worked out great for us during our stay. It did have its pros and cons, but the cons are superficial at best and do not stray us from booking it again.

We loved: 

• The bathroom in this cabin category is larger than the regular Sea Terrace, with a separate toilet and rain shower. If you’re tall, you’ll appreciate this shower.
• The mattress was so comfortable, which surprised us since it was a sofabed turned into a bed.
• Located near the forward elevators.
• Quiet area of the ship. Never heard noise overnight. 
• The tablet controls everything in the cabin (except the bathroom light) and where you can order services.
• All the free movies are included.
• They refill the still and sparkling water daily.

We didn’t love:

• Ikea-like decor. Didn’t match the rest of the ship.
• The sofabed situation.
• There was just enough storage for 2 for a short stay.
• No other seating in the room besides the ottoman.
• The cabin is starting to show its wear and tear. 

That said, we’d stay in this cabin again.

Watch Our Cabin Tour On YouTube

Dining on Scarlet Lady

How was the dining on Scarlet Lady? Above and beyond what we expected. 

If you’ve followed me for a while, you know that food is my love language. When I booked my cruise on Virgin Voyages, my priority was the food. I couldn’t get to everything within the five nights on the cruise. I did get to dine at five out of six sit-down restaurants, had brunch at The Wake and Razzle, and tried a few things from the Galley.

We loved that The Galley was not a buffet but more like a food court with the option of having servers take your orders. You could make lines, but with a flag raised for service at a table, they came quickly to take your order. Not only was the food made fresh, but I think it also helped reduce food waste and kept people from touching everything.

My final verdict is that Virgin Voyages has some of the best food at sea I’ve tried so far. Almost every meal was like eating at a specialty restaurant. The dining experience was as good as eating at some of my favorite restaurants here in Pasadena. The food was high quality.

The best part is that ALL dining from the 20 eateries is included, except for a few upcharges for extravagant selections like oysters and caviar. Fountain drinks (sodas), teas, and regular coffee are also included.

The downside is making and finding reservations for the sit-down restaurants. You can make reservations on the Virgin Voyages app at 12:01 am EST 60 days before cruise day or on embarkation day; straighten that out immediately.

A few standouts (but not all) of the amazingness we loved:

• Pink Agave: The Ribeye (Bistec Marinero en Escabeche)
• Razzle Dazzle: The Fried Chicken
• The Test Kitchen: The Venison
• The Wake: Steak and Eggs
• Korean BBQ: Spicy Chicken appetizer
• The Daily Mix at The Galley: Spinach and Quinoa Salad
• Well Bread: Chocolate Chip Cookies
• The Sweet Side at The Galley: Pistachio Macaron
• The Social Club: The Pretzel
• The Grounds Club: Excellent espresso drinks
• Like Me Till Ice Cream: Stop by for the flavor of the day
• The Pizza Palace: Pretty Fly For a White Pie

Pink Agave is one restaurant to add to your must-eats.

We missed dining at Extra Virgin (not enough days in our itinerary) but only heard amazing things about it when we spoke to other sailors.

Virgin Voyages Lingo: Sailors = passengers

❤️ Be aware of the food pushers serving you at all the dining establishments. They will ensure you leave happy and full and will not let you leave until you’ve had dessert.

We watched a couple try to sneak out without dessert, and the waitress caught them just in time and lovingly ordered them to sit down for dessert. It was a hilarious moment in which they said they’d stay for a taste and then ate the entire thing.

🍽️ Late-night Eats: Diner & Dash is open 24 hours, and The Pizza Place is open until 1 am.

We will have another post about our dining experience and guide.

The Scarlet Lady Crew

Speaking of food pushers, the ship’s crew we interacted with throughout the cruise couldn’t have been more helpful, happy, and going out of their way to ensure we had a great vacation. Everyone we encountered was nice and ready to assist, from the cabin attendants to the shore things staff. 

On our last night, when hubby decided to get a latte from Sips bar (Grounds Club was closed), the bartender went out of his way to get my husband a to-go cup they normally do not have at the bar. We couldn’t have been more thankful, even though we hadn’t asked him to go out of his way. The bartender replied and said it best, “It’s just the rockstar treatment.” 

Even though we were not staying in the Rockstar Quarters and wearing black bands, we felt we got excellent service throughout our time on the Lady Ship.

Scarlet Night on Virgin

One of the biggest nights on Virgin Voyages ships is Scarlet Night. It is THE NIGHT that everyone looks forward to. This night is a ship-wide event and celebration that starts with sailors dressing in red and transforming the ship into an array of festivities.

The evening is a tribute to the Octopus Goddess of the Sea and the Sailor whose love story captured her heart. 

We are not partiers. We were unsure what to expect, but we dressed in red and went out to experience what made this night so epic. We found out that this night is more than just a party.

The ship COMES ALIVE. 

From deck to deck, you find everything lit up and decorated for the night. Music, entertainment, and live bands playing from one venue to another. Performances popping up when you least expect it.

Later in the night, there is the pool party. It is unlike anything we ever experienced on a cruise. There were dancers and entertainment. The DJ is playing a remix of music from old school to present that would have gotten anyone up to dance at some point. The music was amazing!

It really takes off when everyone jumps into the pool to dance—well, not everyone. Many onlookers and people on the top deck take in the festivities from afar. You can enjoy the night as you see fit.

We watched and danced, but there was no pool jumping – maybe in the future.

We thought the night was EPIC and so much fun. We finally understood the hype.

The Happenings Cast on Scarlet and Entertainment

From day one to the end, The Happenings Cast enthusiastically welcomed us and saw us off. You can always make out who they are bouncing with energy, which I appreciate – it keeps me feeling young. You see them at activities and performances throughout the ship.

We didn’t attend many of the activities and shows. Most of the time, the times did not work for us, and the venue was fully booked. However, we did get to see the Diva playing Karaoke and singing at one of the bars, some other fun pop-up performances by the cast, and the band playing at The Dockhouse, which was good.

Duel Reality:   I booked a reservation upon getting on board. This is a modern tale of Romeo and Juliet with dancing and acrobatics at the Red Room. You must give the show a moment to take off and get into it because you’re impressed by the incredible talent once you do. It was a beautiful and fun show about love and not war.

LOLs Supper Club:  Reservations recommended. This is a comedy club hour with dinner at The Manor, a nice venue. We chose not to eat and only got drinks since we were heading to the Test Kitchen afterward. There were three comedians; the first two were okay, and the last was the funniest. The host was full of lame jokes but funny because they were intentional. 

There is one complaint about the lack of entertainment on the ship. We didn’t see it that way because we like to relax during the day. What we did find is that shows are booked quickly.

Disembarking Scarlet Lady

The 1-2 days before disembarkation, you will receive a notification to book your disembarkation time. You do this through the Shore Things section of the app. We chose a 9:45 am disembarkation and chose to keep our luggage.

We had one of the easiest walk-offs on a ship we’ve ever had. It’s not because we decided to keep our luggage with us but because we got to sleep and disembark the ship at around 10 am.

That’s right—10 am! I fell in love with Virgin Voyages even more. Technically, you have up to 10:30 a.m. to get off the ship, which is not how it’s traditionally done with other mainstream cruise lines.

The Best Value We’ve Booked on a Cruise

Booking the cheapest cruise doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get the best value. That also applies the other way around; booking the most expensive cruise doesn’t mean you’ll have the best cruise.

The value of what is spent may mean something different to you than it does to us. We paid almost $3500 for our Scarlet Lady Cruise in an XL Sea Terrace, which came with a couple of promotions: a $350 bar tab and $600 in sailor loot. Plus, a $100 bar tab for being Deep Blue Extras, $10 a day at Grounds Club, and Premium Wi-Fi for one.

Virgin Voyages includes all dining, entertainment, gratuities, basic Wi-Fi, and Fitness classes in your cruise fare. Their offer is the closest to an all-inclusive experience at sea because they don’t nickel and dime you for specialty restaurants, soda, and every other little thing on the ship.

We spent most of our sailor loot at Shore Things, so Virgin paid for our excursions. They also paid for the Premium Wi-Fi upgrade for hubby. We never spent the bar tab, but believe me, we tried.

With all that they offer, along with the quality of their food, top service, and beautiful ship, this cruise was the best value we’ve booked in a long time.

We will sail with Virgin again as we purchased the My Next Virgin Cruise Voyage while on the ship.

Other Thoughts, Pros, Cons, and Things You Should Know

• Instead of a cruise sea pass card, you’re given a sea band for your cabin and all charges.
• Loved the to-go containers for food in The Galley and The Dockhouse. And the fact that they are reusable and environmentally friendly.
• Love the inclusivity on the ship and the you-do-you motto.
• The casino on Scarlet Lady is too small and situated inconveniently by The Manor.
• The tattoo shop is a surprising and fun addition to a cruise ship. FYI: Their spots get booked up quickly.
• Get to the pool earlier if you want seating and a laid-back vibe. The vibe changes once the DJ starts around 1:30 p.m. Tip: Book a private pool cabana for an extra charge.
• At The Groupie, you can find Karaoke rooms that you can book for up to 10 people.
• If you can’t get into a restaurant, Diner & Dash always has a special meal of the night, such as prime rib and truffle mash.
• The cocktails they offer on board are not typical frozen vacation cocktails. Throughout the ship, you’ll find more mixed and crafted cocktails.

What is the average age on Virgin Voyages?

Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady’s demographic includes people in their mid-twenties to the late 60s and above, with a higher representation of adults in their 30s to 40s.

Is there a formal night on Virgin Voyages?

Virgin Voyages does not have formal nights. Instead, the cruise line promotes a relaxed and inclusive atmosphere where passengers are encouraged to express their personal style. Additionally, the cruise line celebrates themed nights such as “Scarlet Night” and “We Fancy Night,” where sailors are invited to dress in red and gold, adding to the festive atmosphere.

Is Virgin Scarlet Lady adult only?

Yes, Virgin Scarlet Lady is for adults only. Virgin Voyages is an adult-only cruise line.

Must-Know Tips for a Successful Virgin Voyages Cruise

BEFORE YOU SET SAIL, HERE ARE SOME RELATED ARTICLES YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS:

• What Sets Virgin Voyages Apart
• Review of Cabin 12322A on Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady
• Caribbean Cruise Packing List
• Is the Retreat on Celebrity Beyond Worth it?

Meet Kathy Ava, a food, travel, and cruise writer based in Los Angeles/Pasadena, and the owner and main writer of Tasty Itinerary. With over 20 years of experience planning trips and logistics at her full-time job and for herself, she's become a pro at crafting unforgettable tasty itineraries. She's always on the hunt for delicious, fun travel destinations and cruise itineraries. She firmly believes that life is short and we must make the most of it, so always say yes to dessert.

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The Luxe Review

Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady review: This fun, feisty cruise ship is foodie heaven

Winning over a whole new audience to cruising, as the star of Channel 5’s reality docu TV series The Cruise , Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady has ripped up the cruise playbook and thrown it overboard. 

From the moment you board, this Virgin Voyages cruise feels different. Part of it is down to the Scarlet lady’s design, which doesn’t comprise cookie cutter deck destinations (a tattoo parlour, yep they have that), and part is down to the entertainment and choice of eateries.

The ship’s livery is distinctive , with the outside areas predominantly grey and red. The interior is somewhat more glitzy, and instagrammable. Instead of a staid atrium, there’s the Roundabout, a bustling lobby with vinyl record store and coffee shop. 

Is hotel hipster chic a thing? If it is, this might be it.

View deals on upcoming Virgin Voyages cruises here.

The casual atmosphere and upbeat nature of the staff is a major plus point. There’s no formal night, which will delight many, but there is a dress to impress policy for Scarlet Night, wherein everyone is encouraged to wear red. There’s suitably colourful activities around the ship.

TLR turned sailors (Virgin’s pet name for guests) for Scarlet Lady’s UK-centric inaugural season, as part of its Summer Soiree season saling out of Portsmouth, before the ship relocated to its new homeport in Miami.

For 2022 Scarlet Lady is offering four and five night cruises out of Miami, taking in Nassau, Puerto Plata, Cozumel and Beach Club at Bimini, prices start at $960 per cabin. 

Virgin Voyages sister ship, Valiant Lady, is sailing out of Portsmouth, before transitioning to Barcelona in May 2022.

Virgin Voyages third cruise ship , Resilient Lady, will begin sailing this summer, initially out of the Athens port of Piraeus.

Virgin Voyages clearly hopes its novel approach will appeal to non-cruisers – but we suspect it’ll also appeal to cruise veterans looking for something different. The Scarlet Lady can accommodate just shy of 3000 passengers and virtually all cabins have an outside balcony. It’s classed as a mid-size vessel, but feels spacious and airy.

One big difference between the Scarlet Lady (and Valiant Lady ) and rival cruise ships is the deck area. Rather than go for a conventional sundeck, the ship has created a beach club. A powerful sound system accompanies early morning aerobics. There’s also a secondary wellbeing pool area.

There’s around 20 dining options onboard the Scarlet Lady, six of which are premium dining destinations, and you’ll struggle to visit them all. We tried, of course. The food is so good, and the choice so varied, it would have been a shame not to put in the effort.

The fact that these restaurants are included in the price you pay is a significant bonus. They are equal to, if not superior to, other lines premium pay options.

The Galley food court, used for breakfast, lunch and afternoon snacks, goes beyond the usual. There’s a ramen noodle bar here which has an irresistible Spicy Tonkotsu, but do try out the Bento boxes, breakfast burritos and the sensational pastries.

The dining choices genuinely surprise: the much vaunted Test Kitchen has a laboratory vibe and serves an experiential six course tasting menu that pushes the gastronomic envelope: mushroom mouse in the shape of a mushroom, beef with chocolate, blue cheese ice cream.  Not every course is a hit, but it sure makes a change from Beef Wellington.

Then there’s the vegetarian-forward Razzle Dazzle – its plant-based cooked breakfast is an absolute treat, and a great way to start the day. If you have a sweet tooth, try the Fairy Toast – a brioche slice topped with sweet sprinkles.

The Wake is a premium steak and fish restaurant, with predictably spectacular views. You enter via a winding staircase, it’s all very grand. 

In what’s a cruise line first, there’s also Gunbae, a Korean BBQ, where octopus, Squid, pork belly and vegetables are cooked over a flameless grill – delicious! We didn’t need too much encouragement to join in with the complimentary Korean soju drinking game starter.

One of the best dressed restaurants onboard is the Pink Agave, a Mexican with interiors designed by Tom Dixon . Don’t plan on dining late. Come 10pm, the restaurant opens up its dance floor and a DJ hits the decks. There’s also an Italian, Extra Virgin.

While there’s no premium attached to these many dining options, all are included in the price, you will need to book on the dedicated app. All charges are made to your room using the Feeling Nautical wristband. There are no drinks packages though.  

Fancy a light lunch? The Dock House Open-Fire Grill does a superb selection of tapas, with meat and seafood skewers grilled to order. There’s also The Pizza Place, the Pretty Fly for a White Pie (with a combo topping of Mozzarella, ricotta, parmesan and garlic) is to die for.

Our cabin, was smart and relatively spacious, with a high level of fixtures and fittings. The balcony features a hammock, and a small table – not quite large enough to accommodate an indulgent in-cabin champagne breakfast.

Entertainment options range from classic arcade machines and casino to cabaret. The Red Room Theatre is no hackneyed haven for show tunes. The stunts and athleticism of Montreal’s The 7 Fingers troupe had everyone gasping. 

The ship has free Wi-Fi, although when we were onboard it was almost comically slow. During the Risky Quizness pub quiz, our host encouraged players to use their smartphones, jokingly pointing out that pages wouldn’t load fast enough to be of any use.

There’s no shortage of places to chill. The Scarlet Lady literally has a dive bar. The Loose Cannon is dressed with diving paraphernalia, but it’s more notable for its rock ‘n’ roll jukebox, beer choices and excellent cocktails. It’s a great place to meet before heading off to eat, or winding down later in the evening. 

The Manor Nightclub has its own glitzy ambience; inside is a stage for live music and dance floor. Entrance is via a mirrored walkway, perfect for social posts. 

Need to work off your meals? The ship also has two well equipped gyms, and a running/walking track up top. There’s also the Athletic Club, an outside boxing area with a retro-Venice beach aesthetic, including punch bags and weight training. There’s also the Redemption Spa, with mud and salt rooms, and a hydrotherapy pool.

Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady Verdict

Fun, frivolous and feisty, there’s nothing predictable about Virgin Voyage’s Scarlet Lady. With some of the best dining experiences we’ve had at sea, and a refreshing, contemporary ambience, this is cliché-free cruising. We had a ball. You will too.

Ready to set sail in style? Here are the best luxury cruise deals for 2023…

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Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady – Cruise Review – (Photos of Ship, Food, Cabins, and More)

I’ve just disembarked Virgin Voyages ‘ first cruise ship Scarlet Lady and the cruise wasn’t what I expected AT ALL.

I have to admit, I boarded the ship with low expectations. I’d toured the ship in early 2020 and didn’t fall in love with the ship in the way that I hoped I would.

I came away from that initial visit with more questions than answers and I had no idea who to recommend a Virgin Voyages cruise to.

If you’d asked me then if I’d ever cruise with Virgin I’d probably have said no, not unless some big things changed and spoiler alert, they did. 

Why Did I Decide to Book a Virgin Voyages Cruise?

A lot has happened since the start of 2020, and when I saw a 3-night cruise in a balcony for less than £500 ($700) I knew I had to try it.

I had no idea if I would like the cruise but I knew I had to get onboard to see if Virgin had listened to feedback and made any changes and to see if there were things I missed when I was last onboard. I ended up doing things, and seeing things I never thought I’d see on a cruise, and I’ll probably never see on any other cruise line. 

My initial visit was only for one night and my review was very based on the ship rather than the cruise line. I was hoping that there would be things about Virgin Voyages that would make me overlook the fact that the one and only pool was, and still is, so small and that there isn’t a single drawer in any of the cabins. 

The Early Signs Were Positive and I Was Optimistic

I was excited to see other people I knew cruising on the ship and even companies like CruiseCritic saying that although they were confused about Scarlet Lady before they had a great time onboard.

I really hoped my experience would be the same. 

Virgin always wanted to be different, they even have a tattoo parlour onboard which was quite popular.

Most cruise lines just have seats on the balconies, Virgin have hammocks, most cruise lines have little drinks in the mini bar, Virgin have erm… adult toys and in most of the world, soap is white, not on Virgin cruises, it’s black! 

I Paid £166 Per Night For The Cruise (More Than I Usually Would)

I paid £499 for 3 nights in a mid-ship sea terrace. I’d usually book an inside cabin but they were all sold out and that price included all gratuities, WiFi and soft drinks so I didn’t think it was too bad.

Every cabin had $100 onboard credit too. 

The cabins were one of the main bits of Scarlet Lady that I didn’t like when I first visited so I was interested to see if anything had changed.

Virgin really went all out when designing the cabins to do something that no other cruise line does and they did succeed with that, I’ve never been in a cabin quite like it. The cabin had a ‘get it on mode’ that turned everything pink and shut the curtains, I’ve never seen that one before! 

Virgin Voyages Name Things Differently

Virgin call their balcony cabins sea terraces, their passengers sailors and the cruise and voyage. The travel agents are called first mates.

It is kinda like learning a new Virgin Voyages language but we got used to it pretty fast. You can work it out. 

The Virgin Voyages App Was Frustrating

Our cruise experience got off to a bit of a frustrating start trying to use the Virgin Voyages app.

It worked well for the embarkation info but when it came to booking dining reservations all kinds of weird things would happen. I would book a table and only half the people would go through, it would book for other people and not for me, then I didn’t have permission to delete them or add myself, I never managed to get it to work.

The customer services people called ‘sailor services’ did book the restaurants for me in the end and I’m glad I preserved because a lot of the restaurants were fully booked by the time we got onboard. 

I knew I had to try Razzle Dazzle and we ate a LOT of food on this cruise, I would have been so annoyed if I missed out because it was already fully booked. 

Virgin don’t have the traditional ‘main dining room’, ‘speciality dining’ kinda of set up. All of the restaurants are included which is awesome and it’s all about the kinda small intimate spaces.

Virgin are very tech-focused so hopefully, they’ll iron out the problems with the app, they are a very new cruise line so some little kinks are to be expected but it was very frustrating. It has 1.9*s in the app store so it’s not just me that struggled with the app and I’ve seen newspapers mention how frustrating it was too. 

I Was Nervous Boarding The Ship

I have to be honest I was very nervous when we were boarding the ship. I didn’t know what to expect at all and I was worried I’d just feel awkward and nervous the entire time.

I knew that Virgin didn’t have traditional cruise entertainment and I’m quite introverted so the idea of participatory entertainment terrifies me and the daily schedule had things on it like like erotic evaluations and I just wanted to relax for the weekend, I was a little bit scared. 

Embarkation Was Okay But it Could Have Been Improved

Embarkation took us just over two hours because we had to have COVID tests done. Everybody on the cruise was fully vaccinated and tested.

The testing was okay, it definitely could have been improved but I think we’re all pretty used to it by this point. We had to wait in our cars for a testing time, then go to a testing centre, then go into the port to board the ship.

I didn’t get onboard until after 5pm which was a bit disappointing because my 3 night cruise really was 2 days and an evening.

Hopefully the whole COVID testing bit won’t be needed forever. 

The Seabands are Seriously Cool

Before boarding we were given our sea bands, these acted like our cruise cards onboard to open our cabin door and buy things, you don’t get a cruise card at all, the band does it all.

Some people’s had their names on but mine just said ‘make a splash’ which I have to admit I did find quite funny given the size of the pool.

The bands made from recycled ocean plastic which is cool. 

The Roundabout and ‘Lick Me Til Ice-Cream’ Icecream Parlour

When we got onboard I instantly recognised the spaces. In the middle you’ll find this atrium area that Virgin call the roundabout and off the sides you’ll find a draught beer house and other bars where you can get a drink. 

To the side of the roundabout you’ll find an ice-cream parlour called lick me til ice cream.

I think people either love or hate this kind of naming, people either find it funny or in bad taste but either way the icecream was amazing, they had lots of cones and flavours to choose from and they had non dairy options too.

On other cruise lines I’m pretty sure an ice-cream parlour of this quality would have cost extra, it was much better than the cone of soft scoop you usually get by the pool. 

Virgin Voyages Crew Uniforms Are Very Casual

On most cruise lines the crew have very strict uniform and appearance guidelines that everybody has to stick to. Everybody wears the same thing and even things like makeup or hairstyles have to be approved.

This wasn’t the case at all on Virgin Voyages and it was amazing. Most of the waiters just wore a Virgin voyages t-shirt, jeans and trainers (sneakers).

It was still really easy to see who was the crew and who was a passengers but it was so nice to see the crew with visible tattoos, different hairstyles and makeup. The crew onboard were all so friendly and helpful and they seemed genuinely so happy. 

A friend of mine Lucy works onboard and she says Virgin are the best cruise line that she’s worked for, all of the crew get free WiFi, which they usually don’t and the food for the crew is great too. It’s really nice to hear that the crew are happy, happy crew make a happy ship. Check out her channel here: CruisingAsCrew .

The Virtual Muster Drill Was Easy Peasy

As soon as we got onboard there were announcements saying that we had to do the muster drill and we should go to watch the video in our cabin and then go to our muster station.

I really don’t like being late for things so I was thinking ‘ahh, we have to go’. We very quickly popped into our room, and were greeted with the curtains opening for us and the lights coming on. It was very cool, we didn’t have any of that last time I was onboard! 

I really wanted to try the hammock on the balcony and to see if the bathroom was as small as I remembered but after watching a very strange musical safety video we had to go to check into our muster station. Ours was in a venue called The Manor.

We only had to be at our muster station for about 10 minutes as they showed us how to put on a lifejacket and scanned our sea bands so they knew that we attended the drill. 

The Manor and Our Hilarious 80s Themed Exercise Class

The Manor is a very cool space that is split over two levels and we did an 80s themed exercise class here.

I don’t usually do too much exercise when I cruise, apart from walking up and down the stairs and around the ship but Virgin are all about the exercise classes.

They are included in the cruise fare so I decided to give it a go with a couple of friends.

The 80s class was so much fun, it was ridiculous, funny and also a really hard workout.

Often when you do things like an 80s exercise class they’ll just be kinda gimmicky with a bit of exercising, this was a proper exercise class led by 3 instructors.

There definitely was some innuendo going on, but that’s Virgin Voyages for you. Scarlet Lady is a completely adult only ship, Virgin do have plans to build a family ship in future, but for now Virgin Voyages are strictly 18+. If you are easily offended, it might not be the cruise line for you.

The instructors were pretending to do all kinds of things with the shake weights, which just made us laugh so our abs were worked out too. 

Virgin Voyages Are All About Exercise

There were lots of exercise classes happening onboard and the gym area is HUGE. There are things like pull up bars on the top deck, boxing rings and even gym like areas on the sides. 

Theres also a running track which goes around the top of the ship, the running track is out of the way of the people walking below which I think is great. It’s always annoying when people are trying to walk, run and stand in the same place at the same time. 

A Free Glass of Something Bubbly!

After the muster drill we headed up to the top deck for a free glass of something bubbly.

The sun was shining which was a miracle and the pool deck was full. Our cruise sailed from Portsmouth on the south coast of England, round and round in circles and then came back to Portsmouth.

The ship was at 65% capacity due to COVID and social distancing. The ship normally holds around 2700ish passengers. 

Scarlet Lady’s Tiny Swimming Pool Caused a Lot of Controversy

This main pool caused a lot of controversy when we first visited. Admittedly the pool does look much better in the sunshine than it did the first time we visited but it is still incredibly small, theres no getting away from that.

I saw a few people describe it as handkerchief size and that’s about right.

This is the only pool on the ship, there’s no inside pool, or aft pool, this is it. Only the middle section is actually a pool, you could get your feet wet on this larger area but this part is the pool. 

There is a whirlpool a little further on and it was quite funny to sit and watch people swim in circles around the whirlpool. I don’t think it was designed for that but people clearly do want to swim and as the main pool is so tiny you can almost reach from one side to the other you really can’t swim in it.

It didn’t make a huge difference to us because it was pretty chilly on our UK cruise anyway, not exactly swimming weather but I do think it’s a strange choice given that the ship focuses a lot on exercise. I guess just not swimming. 

I did pack a bikini but I wasn’t brave enough to go in the pool, I did have every intention to but it was always quite busy and I didn’t want to just stand in the pool with all the people on the seats around the pool staring into the middle. 

Razzle Dazzle – The Best Vegan and Vegetarian Food

Our first dinner onboard was in Razzle Dazzle. Razzle Dazzle is perhaps the most famous venue onboard, it’s all about vegetarian and vegan food but there are lots of meat options too. It’s the only cruise I’ve ever been on where cookies were an actual dessert. 

The atmosphere in Razzle Dazzle was great, it was really laid back and friendly, I had multiple Coke Zeros and the waiters were always on hand to help and answer any questions. 

In Razzle Dazzle I had a non meat impossible burger for main and a jar of cookies for dessert. Of course. They also have rainbow churros and a few other things. It was really good, one of the best meals I’ve ever had on a cruise, for sure. 

To see the menu we scanned QR codes that were on the table.

It is assumed on a Virgin cruise that you’ll use your phone for most things but paper menus are available if you don’t have a phone that you can use. We found that the menus on the phones always worked well and I’d usually looked at the menu before I even got to dinner.

The allergen information was clearly marked on all the menus on the ship and it was always really clear which options were vegan, vegetarian or gluten-free. If you are vegetarian or vegan you’ll find that you have a LOT more options on Scarlet Lady than the majority of the other American cruise lines. 

Razzle Dazzle menus:

You Need to Download Virgin Voyages Online App

The onboard app is used for more things than just looking at menus. You can see your onboard spend on the app and it is also where you’ll find the daily schedule of sorts.

You don’t get a piece of paper in your cabin each night with the next days events like you usually would on a cruise.

One thing that I thought was missing from the app was clear deck plans. On most other cruise lines the app will have deck plans which I usually look at to work out where I am or where the nearest toilets are.

Scarlet Lady Has The Strangest Toilets, Ever

While we’re on the subject of toilets, Virgin Voyages managed to do something no other cruise line has done, that I know of, they changed the toilet! 

It still has the same function but the seat is bigger.

The public toilets around the ship seemed to come in a couple of designs, a few were what I would describe as the ‘black hole’ toilets where all the walls were black and some were ‘tin foil’ toilets where it felt like being inside a big crisp packet.

We ate in Gunbae and Pink Algave

We also ate in Gunbae and the Mexican Restaurant.

Gunbae is a Korean BBQ restaurant where they cooked the food on the table in front of you. This would definitely be a specialty restaurant on any other cruise ship. We did make a terrible mess with all of the food but the Bibimbap was my favourite thing. It was a bowl of rice, egg and vegetables, yum.

The Mexican restaurant was good too.

If you are somebody who usually pays to go to specialty restaurants on a cruise, and likes to try lots of different things, Virgin are definitely a good cruise line for that.

I don’t normally pay to go to speciality restaurants on cruises because I prefer to eat the food that’s included in the cruise fare.

The Virgin Voyages price tag is a little higher than some of the other mainstream cruise lines, but there is a lot included in the cruise fare like WiFi and soft drinks. If you were somebody who would eat in specialty restaurants, use the WiFi and enjoy the drinks, it definitely can be good value.

Virgin have reduced their prices a lot since they originally launched. Only time will tell if the prices go back up again. 

When I originally visited the ship we didn’t have the chance to taste any of the food, well we had one meal late at night but I had no idea how much was included.

In my opinion Virgin should be advertising their food as one of their main selling points, that and the crew. 

When I came on before it was all about drag queens and tattoo parlours and all of these things which really didn’t affect my cruise experience at all. In the original Virgin Voyages advertising everybody was an absolutely beautiful 18-25 year old and I think that scared off a lot of people, me too! 

I didn’t get a tattoo on my cruise but plenty of other people did. I believe the little tattoo designs they have start at $150 and they can do other things too. 

Virgin Voyages Sea Terrace Review – Some Improvement!

Virgin have taken onboard a lot of the feedback that was given after our first visit.

The idea behind this bed in the cabins is that it converts to be a sofa or a couch during the day and a bed at night. It’s definitely a clever bit of kit but I always thought that I’d probably just keep it as a bed. I don’t need it as a sofa, I’m rarely socialising with people in my room and even if I was I wouldn’t have a big problem with the bed being there. The cabin was a decent size and sometimes I like an afternoon nap.

When we arrived in our cabin the bed was in bed mode.

This was one of the things that Virgin have changed, before when we arrived the bed was in sofa mode and I think a lot of people were confused by it.

Our bed wasn’t ever changed to a sofa during our cruise, we could have requested it at any time on the tablet in the room but we didn’t feel the need to and I suspect most people will be the same. It’s nice to have the option, but I think having it defaulted to being a bed is a much better. 

The bed was really comfortable and you’d never know that it was a converting bed. This is what it looks like when it’s been converted.

The lights, curtains and TV are all controlled by an tablet in the room.

Royal Caribbean Also Tried This Converting Bed Idea, Briefly!

I learnt recently that Virgin Voyages weren’t the only cruise line to ever try this converting bed idea, some of the very early Royal Caribbean ships also had the same idea, a L shaped design.

If you look at early cabin photos of ships like Majesty of the seas you can see where there is another headboard on the wall besides the bed, where it used to swing round into an L shape. Royal Caribbean decided to scrap the idea.

Scarlet Lady’s Cabins Don’t Have Much Storage (Not a Single Drawer!)

One thing that hasn’t changed in the cabins that I didn’t like before, and still don’t is the amount of storage space.

In the corner there is a place for hanging clothes, and 7 shelves, lots of which are taken up with towels, the safe, life jackets and a hair dryer.

Realistically if you were two people sharing in the cabin you’d be lucky to have 3 shelves each and some hanging space.

Usually, on a cruise, you’ll have bedside tables, drawers under the desk, and probably some freestanding drawers too. This cabin doesn’t have a single drawer and because of the way the bed converts you’ll probably have your suitcases at the bottom of the wardrobe area.

My suitcase did fit under the bed, just but it was a size small and I know not everybody packs as light as me. 

We were only in the cabin for a weekend and it was totally fine for that but any longer and I think I’d really miss having a drawer for all my chargers and drawers for things like t-shirts or socks. You could always bring packing cubes or maybe one of the hanging drawer things you can get, to make more space. 

I always try and put things away in drawers before I take photos of my cabin or record anything but there wasn’t anywhere to put these things that were on the desk.

There are a LOT of plug sockets in the cabin, including 4 USBs which is amazing. If you ever need to know which plug sockets are in a cabin, check out our searchable table here: Complete Cruise Ship Plug Socket Guide: Search by Ship

In total there were 10 places to change things, which is way more than I needed. It was great. 

Virgin Voyages Have Adult Toys in The Cabins

Under the desk there is a minibar, a seat, a bin (trash can) and a time to play kit available to buy for $30.

The time to play kit is pretty tiny and contains a few ermm… adult toys. 

All Balconies Have a Hammock – It Was So Comfy

I LOVED the hammock on our balcony.

At first I totally thought that this was some gimmick but after climbing in it to take a photo I realised how comfortable it was. If the weather was good you could easily spend an hour or two swinging in the hammock.

Virgin Voyages all include soft drinks as standard and I drink a lot of soda. Usually the soda you’ll get in a bar is fountain soda but I found that the sip lounge would often give me a can, so I’d pick up a can on my way back to my cabin and sit in my hammock with my drink, it was great. 

Scarlet Lady’s Cabin Bathrooms are Tiny, But Functional

The bathroom was very small but functional. I think I had been spoilt having cruised on the Celebrity Silhouette last which has a bathroom at least double the size, but it worked.

Again there weren’t any drawers in here. I guess Virgin cruisers travel light! 

I did worry about how the bathroom would work for larger cruisers but my friend Tristan who describes himself as a fluffy cruiser said that the bathroom was fluffy cruiser approved, so that’s good! 

The shower itself was great. No sticky shower curtain and the waterfall shower head was really powerful. I don’t think the shower door really worked because the towels I put in the main room were soaked and lots of other people said the same thing, but maybe that will be fixed as time goes on. 

The Seating in The Public Areas is Different

After I shared my initial review I had a lot of comments about the seating in the public areas. There definitely were some seats around with strange designs, some that were very low to the ground, made of strange materials or ones where you had to climb onto them.

There were a lot of more practical seats around too. A lot of the ship had quite an industrial design, particularly outside but I think that’s trendy at the moment and it goes with Scarlet Lady’s battleship grey colours. 

I Braved The Net!

I did try out the big net that Virgin Voyages have onboard.

It was really tricky to get onto and off of, you kind of have to crawl to the edge or balance on the ropes which I tried to do. It’s a LONG way down but I was feeling confident with my drink in hand and I didn’t really look down.

There are people below but I didn’t think about that, I was wearing a skirt so I’m glad I didn’t think about that at the time. 

What is There to do During the Day on a Virgin Voyages Cruise?

We spent quite a lot of time in the draught beer house, the dock house and the sip lounge. The entertainment onboard Scarlet Lady was different from that of a normal cruise, we would be sat enjoying a drink in the dock house and all of a sudden some pop up entertainment would arrive.

It would be something like this where crew members wave around umbrellas, I thought it was bad luck to put up umbrellas inside but they clearly didn’t think so. It was always interesting and a great talking point.

I was worried I’d feel really awkward onboard but I didn’t at all, the crew were really nice and nobody was made to participate in anything, if you want to just sit down and relax, no problem! 

When it came to the daily schedule there was more happening than I thought there would be. I had seen reports from other people saying that nothing was happening during the day but I don’t think that was the case.

It might be that people didn’t know what was happening because we didn’t have a printed daily schedule and the app could have been clearer.

The schedule wasn’t as busy in the day as you’d find on a lot of other American cruise lines but there was trivia and game shows and things happening if you wanted to go to them.

Sometimes there would be entertainment without a fixed venue and time which I found a bit strange, Virgin have made it so that there are lots of secret things onboard, the names of places and events are sometimes like riddles which is all well and good but it did mean I didn’t find some bars until the last evening of my cruise.

In fact I think there are some I didn’t find at all. 

I Missed Live Background Music

One thing I did miss was that there wasn’t really live music around the ship.

Usually, on a cruise, you’d find a band or singer singing cover songs. I did sometimes hear songs playing that I knew but it would usually just be some sort of music designed to get people pumped up. 

Dual Reality Had me on The Edge of my Seat (It’s Death Defying)

Another thing that’s pretty different from other cruise lines is the main entertainment. We watched a show called Dual Reality which was an incredible death-defying display of acrobatics and dancing.

They would have people swinging around from chains on their necks, jumping on big bouncy boards. Everything!

It was definitely the kind of entertainment that has you sat on the edge of your seat. 

I’m pretty sure that they’ve made a change to the show since the first time I was onboard. The show is designed so that there is a red team and a blue team and they battle it out kind of Romeo and Juliet style.

The seating in the red room for this show is set up with the audience on both sides.

At the end (spoiler alert) they take off their red and blue clothes. When I originally saw this show the dancers striped down to their underwear but this time they all had vests and shorts on.

When I shared my photos from the original show I did have a LOT of comments asking me if the people in the photos were naked, so maybe they decided to leave a few more clothes on. Either way it was really interesting to watch and I love the different design of the show area.

There’s no ‘Theatre’ on Scarlet Lady

Scarlet Lady doesn’t have a traditional theatre like most ships have so she doesn’t have a group of singers/dancer that perform a different show each night. I quite like my routine of having dinner, then going to see a show so I did miss this being on that kind of schedule.

I might be too much of a traditional cruiser though. 

Scarlet Lady Has Lots of Promenade Deck Seating

In the evening we would sit out here on the promenade deck, there were lots of comfy seats and I’m glad that Scarlet Lady makes use of the promenade deck.

Lots of modern cruise ships have lost the promenade deck completely and although this one is blocked by lifeboats for a lot of the way, it does go all the way around. 

Don’t Miss The 24/7 Included Pizza!

There’s a pizza restaurant here which is open 24/7 and the pizza are good. The pizzas are made freshly to order. You can sit inside, or outside on the promenade deck.

The entertainment does go on into the early hours of the evening so an early morning pizza is a great idea. They either give them to you on a plate or in a takeaway box if you want to eat it outside or in your cabin.

Is Room Service Free on Virgin Voyages?

There is room service on a Virgin Voyages cruise but there is a $5 charge if you only order free items from the menu. If you’re ordering something that costs money like beer, as long as you spend more than $5 there isn’t a charge.

In true budget style, I didn’t order anything on the room service.

Scarlet Lady Doesn’t Have a Buffet (But Kinda Does)

Virgin Voyages were very firm on the idea that they don’t have a buffet, and technically that’s true. They do have a space that takes that place of the buffet though and when walking around the ship you would always hear everybody asking ‘what time should I meet you in the buffet?’.

The difference between Scarlet Lady’s buffet, or galley as it’s called and a usual cruise ship buffet is that all of the food is made to order.

Usually, in a buffet the food will be there, being kept warm ready for somebody to take it, but in the Virgin Voyages galley, everything is only cooked when it’s ordered.

It’s kind of like a food hall with lots of different sections that specialise in different things. Most of the food was ordered on the app, the avocado tacos from the taco stand are my personal recommendation, that and the breakfast pancakes.

I was really impressed with how fast the food came and how many crew members were around to get you a drink and take your order. There are self-serve soda and water/tea/coffee machines in the buffet and guests were free to use these whenever they liked. 

Scarlet Lady COVID-19 Safety Measures

Because everybody was tested and vaccinated it was almost like COVID-19 didn’t exist. It was really nice. The passengers didn’t have to wear masks but the crew did.

There weren’t any rules about how many people could be in the lifts, or not touching things like the soda machines. It was pretty much business as usual. 

Who Was Onboard?

The other passengers were maybe a little younger than on the average cruiser, the ages onboard really did range though from 18 all the way up to people in their 80s.

I’d say the average people onboard were people in their 40s and 50s. Lots of younger people, and older too. Lots of friendship groups on board, but people were cruising solo, as a couple, everything really. 

Do Virgin Voyages Have Dress Codes?

There are no dress codes on Virgin Voyages cruises. Virgin Voyages do have ‘Scarlet Night’ where the suggested dress code is to wear something red but this is just a suggestion. There are no restrictions on what can be worn on board.

It was all very relaxed and I like that aspect a lot. 

How Much do Drinks Cost on Virgin Voyages Cruises?

A cocktail on a Virgin Voyages cruise costs between $13-$15. A beer costs $7-$8 and a spirit and mixer around $10. Soft drinks are included such as soda, tea and juices at no extra charge.

If you are somebody who really likes a drink, a Virgin Voyages cruise could get expensive. Virgin include soft drinks but don’t have any alcoholic drinks packages meaning you have to pay for each drink as you go. It’s easy to keep a track of your spend in the app.

I Spent a LOT of Time Being Lost

If I could give Virgin one bit of advice that would improve the ship instantly and wouldn’t cost much money it would be to add maps around the ship.

Usually, on a ship you’ll find the side on pictures of the map with the red you are here sticker. They didn’t have anything like that on the ship and I really rely on those maps.

Some ships will have 3D map models around so you can see on I need to go up here and along to whatever place you’re going. 

I’m sure this is something that Virgin will add as time goes on but I wasted a lot of time lost because I just had no idea where I was or where things were. If the app had, had deck plans that would be helped with this too.

Maybe that’s the plan though, some restaurants were tucked away and maybe the mystery is all part of the plan. 

The Cabin Decks Are Split into Z and A Sides

There was one part of the ship that I found easier to find my way around than on other ships.

The cabin decks are designed so that one side will be the A side and the other is the Zed/Zee side. It made it so easy to know which way to turn when you came to the top of the stairs.

Usually I would be trying to work out which numbers were in which direction, I really don’t have a good sense of direction but being able to head straight to the bit Zed helped a lot. 

Would I Recommend a Virgin Voyages Cruise?

When I first visited Scarlet Lady I was confused, I didn’t know who to recommend the cruise line to at all and I just didn’t see a match between the experience and the price.

When I was on board this time, I was still confused but in a different way.  

I felt as though the strengths of the cruise line, like the incredible food and amazing staff weren’t advertised enough AT ALL before the cruise.

I had some of the best food I’ve ever had on a cruise onboard Scarlet Lady, but most of the things I’d heard about the cruise line before focused on gimmicks that didn’t affect my experience. 

I don’t think I’ll ever understand the need for the soap to be black, it got under my nails and made everything look dirty BUT the actual cruise product I felt was a good one. 

In my original review, I said that if Virgin’s prices were similar to other cruise lines I’d view them as a quirky alternative, now that they are I definitely think that’s the case.

The cruise wasn’t all that different from the other cruise lines, I know Virgin probably won’t like me saying that but if you like a Royal Caribbean cruise or a Celebrity cruise or something like that, you’d probably like the Virgin cruise too, particularly if you like specialty restaurants! 

I never thought I’d book a cruise on Scarlet Lady but I’m glad I did, we had a brilliant weekend.

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Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady Deck Plans & Reviews

Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady

Activities & entertainment

• Active Diversions
• Aquatic Club
• B-Complex Build & Balance
• B-Complex Burn & Bike
• Boxing Ring
• Fitness Classes
• Gym & Tonic Bar
• Redemption Spa *
• Sports Area
• Stubble & Groom *
• Sun Club Sanctuary
• Tattoo Parlor *
• The Roundabout Atrium
• Training Camp
• The Tune Up *
• The Crow's Nest
• The Cabanas *
• Squid Ink *
• Richard's Rooftop
• The Casino *
• Vibrant Nightlife
• The Wake - Aft-facing Surf & Turf
• The Test Kitchen - Experimental
• Extra Virgin - italian
• Gunbae - Korean BBQ
• The Galley - Market-style food hall
• Pink Agave - Mexican & Mezcal
• Sun Club Cafe - Outdoor Casual
• The Dock - Outdoor Eatery
• The Pizza Place - Pizza
• Aquatic Club Bar - Poolside Bar *
• The Athletic Club Bar - Sports Drinks *
• Razzle Dazzle - Vegetarian

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Virgin Scarlet Lady Cruise Ship Review – Best Adults Only Cruises (2024)

The Virgin Scarlet Lady cruise ship is a completely novel experience. Take all preconceptions about cruises and leave them on dry land. With a relaxed dress code, flexible boarding and unboarding times and a huge array of high-end bars and restaurants, Virgin Voyages are revolutionising the cruise industry.

The Scarlet Lady sails from her home port of Miami to a variety of Central American and Caribbean cruise ports , including Key West, their beach club at Bimini in the Bahamas, Mexico and Roatan in Honduras.

Virgin Scarlet Lady Cruise Ship Review

Scarlet Lady was the first ship from Virgin Voyages and she was designed with fun and relaxation in mind. An adults only experience , the Scarlet Lady has taken a totally new approach to cruising.

There is no specific dress code, and the cruise fares include free WiFi and all gratuities. Restaurant dining and essential drinks such as water and non-pressed juices are also complimentary. With a whole host of entertainment and group fitness classes thrown in, the Scarlet Lady all-inclusive cruises are great value.

First Impressions of Virgin Scarlet Lady Cruise Ship

As we stepped aboard Virgin Scarlet Lady, we could sense this was no ordinary cruise experience. The vibrant designs that greeted us in the sleek entryway foretold an adventure unlike any other.

This innovative new ship is redefining the luxury cruise industry with its emphasis on thoughtful touches, flawless service and unique experiences for adventure-seeking travelers. From the moment we checked in, we were intrigued to discover all that Richard Branson’s Virgin Voyages had infused into its inaugural cruise vessel.

Over the next week, we would find ourselves treated to incredible cuisine, fun entertainment and opportunities to immerse ourselves in local culture during our ports of call, all delivered with Virgin’s signature casual sophistication. In the following article, we will share insights into how Virgin Scarlet Lady is resetting expectations for what a luxury cruise can offer globetrotters in search of one-of-a-kind experiences.

We were welcomed on board by a cheerful group of First Mates, as the crew members are called. We were handed our smart technology bands made from recycled plastic, which are activated by swiping with your wrist. Single-use plastics have been banned on board.

The Band gives you hands free access to your cabin and enables you to pay for drinks and make other on board purchases. If you’re feeling flush, you can even Shake for Champagne with one!

Scarlet Lady Cabins

On this innovative cruise liner, technology has been cleverly incorporated into the design. Mood lighting is controlled by the in-room tablet, which has various options including a “Get it On” mode ;-).

Each cabin has a good-sized rainshower, a 43″+ 4K flat-screen HDTV with Bluetooth connectivity, an in-room safe which fits a 17″ laptop, an in-room mini bar with ice bucket. There are also toiletries including body wash, hand wash, shampoo and conditioner as well as a hairdryer.

You’ll find at least 6 USB ports, 4 North American (110v) and 1 European (220v) power outlets.

Rockstar Suites have great sea views and large balconies. In the Rockstar quarters, there are electric guitars, a record player and a complimentary fully-stocked bar. Designed by Tom Dixon of the Design Research Studio, these suites have extra large bathrooms. The Massive Suite is Virgin Voyage’s largest and most luxurious cruise suite .

Rockstars also have access to Richard’s Rooftop , an exclusive sun deck for those staying in the suites with a bar and whirlpool bath. They also have priority booking on the Virgin Voyages app for restaurants and evening entertainment.

XL Sea Terraces have a larger wardrobe space than Sea Terrace cabins, as well as a separate toilet. On the terrace, there’s a table, chairs and a hammock.

Sea Terrace Cabins also have a balcony with two chairs and a small table, as well as a hammock. The shower rooms are quite small, although there’s a proper power shower and a good sized toilet.

On the tablet, there’s a clever option to request that your bed be transformed into a sofa during the daytime. We tried this on the second day and loved the extra floor space.

We recommend bringing some packing cubes to keep your belongings tidy in the cabin.

Sea View Cabins have a porthole but no balcony, while Insider rooms don’t have a window view. There are also some single cabins available to book.

Scarlet Lady Food and Drink

There isn’t one main dining room, but a series of 20 dining venues. You book most of them on the Virgin Voyages app, as well as some of the entertainment options. We did find the app a bit clunky to use, but have heard reports that it’s improved a bit since then.

If you don’t manage to get the time of your choice, head to travel services on board. They’ll be able to help you move bookings around or get on reserve lists. There are also quite a few places to eat where you don’t need to book, so fear not as you’ll always find somewhere.

Among the Scarlet Lady dining options that we tried, our favorites are:

The Wake – lovely sea views and tasty steak and fish dishes, with a raw bar and table-side drink cart service.

Gunbae – an interactive dining experience where you play a traditional Korean drinking game and cook your own food on a flameless grill.

The Dock Kitchen – appetizing small tapas dishes. One of the best places on board for a relaxing drink.

Razzle Dazzle – friendly, efficient service and fun food, with “naughty” or “nice” options.

We also tried Extra Virgin , an Italian restaurant which had slightly erratic service – one of our entrées was delivered to the table next to us who ate it. However the freshly prepared food was good.

For breakfast, we enjoyed avocado on toast in The Galley . They also have some moreish Scarlet Lady pastries, which go quite quickly so grab them when you see them. And if you’re on a health kick, they have salads in boxes that you can eat there or take back to your cabin.

Lick Me Till…Ice Cream is a popular ice cream booth with colorful red and blue cones and daily changing flavors.

Among the other eateries that we didn’t get a chance to try out are:

Pink Agave – a Mexican restaurant with an interior by famous British designer Tom Dixon .

The Social Club Diner – a casual American eatery.

Sun Club Cafe – for healthy Hawaiian poke bowls.

The Pizza Place – on Dock 7, this is open 24/7 in case you have a late night craving.

The Test Kitchen – a cooking school and restaurant with a laboratory ethos.

Scarlet Lady Entertainment

Life on board the Scarlet Lady is as chilled out or energetic as you wish it to be. One thing’s for sure, you won’t go thirsty with a whole host of bars and lounges including:

Sip – a stylish Champagne and cocktail bar.

The Dock – a beach club with fantastic sea views and lounging areas.

Draught Haus – offers eight beers on tap, together with bottled beer and shots on Dock 7.

Athletic Club – an outside bar with the largest daybed at sea and some cosy cabanas.

There are also some great entertainment options, such as:

The Red Room theatre – the first transformational multi-usage theater at sea, The Red Room hosts some fantastic shows such as Duel Reality .

The Manor – a nightclub and live music entertainment space. Don’t forget to get a photo at the Instagrammable club entrance!

The Groupie – bookable karaoke, gaming and movie rooms.

You can also borrow board games and play shuffleboard next to the Scarlet Lady indoor swings.

Bring something red to wear for Scarlet Night, which takes place all over the ship. The rest of the time, the dress code on board Virgin Scarlet Lady cruise ship is simply smart casual attire .

Scarlet Lady Facilities

There are quite a few decks with sun loungers so you should always be able to find somewhere to sit and relax outside. You can also book cabanas with sea views for privacy.

The Aquatic Club features a dipping pool, together with a hot tub and two plunge pools. There is fitness apparatus and the Gym & Tonic bar next to this. You’ll also find two hot tubs at the other end of the ship.

The Runway running track at the very top of the ship is great for working out. There are two lanes so if you simply want to walk fast, you can do that too!

The Perch is a sundeck where sunrise and sunset yoga classes are held.

B-Complex are two well-equipped gyms with fantastic ocean views. There are lots of weights, spinning and running machines – the only thing we’d add is a PowerPlate.

Training Center at Athletic Club is an outdoor workout area with a boxing ring, gymnastic and strength equipment. There are also swings and seesaws next to it, for all round entertainment.

The basketball court stays open at night, so you can use it whenever you feel like it.

Redemption Spa is also popular with Scarlet Lady cruisers. The day passes were fully booked during our cruise, so we didn’t get a peek inside but there’s a mud room, salt room, cold plunge pools and a hydrotherapy pool.

The Tune Up is a mani-pedi and medi spa, while Squid Ink is the first tattoo parlour at sea. Other amenities include Dry Dock , a salon and beauty parlor and Stubble & Groom , a gentleman’s barber shop.

There’s also a few shops where you can buy branded slogan t-shirts, plushies, MAC Cosmetics, jewelry and luxurious beachwear .

In Conclusion: Virgin Scarlet Lady Cruise Ship

All in all, the Virgin Scarlet Lady is a great option for those looking for an upscale yet affordable cruise experience. The Scarlet Lady cruise ship herself is beautiful and offers a ton of different activities and amenities for guests to enjoy. If you’re keen to try all inclusive cruises, book on Scarlet Lady or Valiant Lady, the second ship from Virgin Voyages which first set sail in 2022.

Would you like to try an adults only all inclusive cruise? If you’re thinking about booking a cruise, be sure to check out our other articles for more information and reviews.

Looking for more travel hacks and tips? From hidden gems to unique experiences, we’ve got you covered. Join us on  Facebook ,  Instagram ,  Pinterest  and  Twitter .

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• Edinburgh Boatel Review
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Suze and Paul Renner

Suze and Paul are the founders of LuxuryColumnist, one of the leading luxury online magazines worldwide.

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Scarlet Lady

Cruise line Virgin Voyages

• Miami (Florida)
• Barcelona (Spain)

Scarlet Lady current position

Scarlet Lady current location is at West Mediterranean (coordinates 41.37047 N / 2.18128 E) cruising en route to Barcelona. The AIS position was reported 2 minutes ago.

Current itinerary of Scarlet Lady

Scarlet Lady current cruise is 7 days, round-trip French Daze Ibiza . Prices start from USD 2230 (double occupancy rates). The itinerary starts on 12 May, 2024 and ends on 19 May, 2024 .

Specifications of Scarlet Lady

•   Itineraries
•   Review
•   Wiki

Scarlet Lady Itineraries

Scarlet lady review, review of scarlet lady.

The 2020-built/2021-inaugurated MS Scarlet Lady cruise ship is the first in the Virgin Voyages fleet . The name was announced on July 20, 2018. Scarlet Lady's three sisterships (of the same design ) are Valiant Lady (2022 May), Resilient Lady (2023 May) and Brilliant Lady (2024 March).

All Virgin cruise ships were constructed at Fincantieri's Sestri Ponente yard (near Genoa Italy ).

These liners are known as "Lady Ships" - a play on "your ladyship" term regarding Virgin Group's British heritage. A number of renown designers were chosen to create a new "cruise ship" style and "adult cruising" vacation concept. For the ship's interior design, the Virgin cruise line contracted the marine architecture and naval design companies Roman and Williams (NYC), Concrete Amsterdam, Tom Dixon's Design Research Studio (London UK), Gem Srl (Italy), Softroom (London UK), WORKac (NYC), Knibb Design, HL Studio (UK), HKS Architects (Dallas USA), PearsonLloyd (London UK).

Virgin Voyages (fka Virgin Cruises) is a new cruise line company headquartered in Plantation (Florida USA). Virgin Voyages was created in December 2014 as a joint venture between Virgin Group Ltd (UK-based multinational holding company, 49% stake) and Bain Capital LP (USA-based multi-asset investment company, 51% stake). Virgin is an adults-only cruise company (passengers' minimum age is 18) and officially starts operations in April 2020.

The vessel (IMO number 311000807) is currently Bahamas- flagged (MMSI 311000807) and registered in Nassau .

Scarlet Lady is owned by the company VC SHIP ONE LTD and managed/chartered by VIRGIN VOYAGES LTD.

Decks and Cabins

MS Scarlet Lady staterooms (a total of 1408 passenger cabins for 2770 guests/ max capacity is 2860) include 78x Suites, 1030x Balconies, 95x Oceanviews and 105x Interiors. The staff and crew (total 1160 people) are accommodated in 813 crew cabins.

The boat has 17 decks , of which 13 are passenger-accessible and 9 with cabins.

In mid-January 2019, Virgin Voyages announced details on the RockStar Suite cabins. Staterooms were designed by Tom Dixon Design Research Studio (interior, product and design consultancy). All staterooms are "smart", with mood lighting and sensors auto-adjusting the lighting according to passenger's movements. The cruise ship has a total of 78 cabins in the category "RockStar Suite", including 15x "Mega RockStar Suites" (9x Gorgeous, 2x Posh, 2x Fab, 2x Massive). Most of them are on Deck 15, with the above Deck 16 housing one "RockStar Suite Sailor" (bow-facing Owner Suite).

The decor is music (rock-and-roll) themed, with a retro-futuristic design, a color palette of deep blues with iridescent dichroic elements in the cabin's bathroom. Massive Suite has a separate bedroom that doubles as a music room (fitted with electric guitars and an amplifier). The cabin's terrace (bow-facing) is fitted with Jacuzzi, dining area (6-seat table with built-in stairs), lounge area (circular sofa with low table), padded sun loungers, 2 hammocks, outdoor shower, catamaran net (canopy partially covering the terrace), live plants. Keeping with the music theme, each of the 78 suites boasts a record player.

All categories RockStar Suites (SB-Brilliant, SG-Gorgeous, SP-Posh, SF-Fab, SM-Massive) have marble-clad bathrooms (with hot tubs, premium brand bath products, rain-shower heads, multi-colored dichroic glass doors and windows / Peek-a-Boo shower), Terrazzo flooring, Tom Dixon brand furniture, large mirrored vanity tables, modern L-shaped sofabeds (for 2), low tables, cabinets, 3-door wardrobe, large smart TV (55-inch), vinyl turntable (gold-plated player with a collection of records), complimentary full bar (nautically-themed barware kit), brass and leather finishing, chaise lounge chair (bedroom).

RockStar Suite passengers enjoy exclusive access to "Richard's Rooftop" (VIP club lounge located forward on Deck 16). RockStar Suites receive as perks (price-inclusive amenities and complimentary services) airport-ship transfer (via private drivers), priority helicopter arrangements, luggage assistance, private walk-down service (express VIP pathway) at Virgin Voyages Miami Cruise Terminal (upon arrival), anytime boarding, early access to special shipboard events, complimentary laundry service, clothing pressing, nightly swimsuit drying, RockStar Agents (dedicated butlers per stateroom), dedicated hair and makeup crew (upon request), complimentary Thermal Suite access (Redemption Spa), all-inclusive premium drinks (in all shipboard eateries and bars), personalized bottomless in-room bar (free of charge), option to curate in-port activities.

All Virgin cruise ship staterooms offer as standard amenities European King-size bed (premium linens, plush bedding), wall-mounted reading lamps, bedside tables, mirrored vanity table / writing desk with stool, large wardrobe, electronic safe box (in the closet), 4K smart Ultra HDTV (with infotainment system), large balcony (with padded loungers, low table, 2-seat sofa, Yellow Leaf hammock, dining table / custom-designed champagne table fitting an ice bucket). Balcony access is via floor-ceiling sliding glass doors.

Every cabin is equipped with a custom-designed "seabed" and "mood lighting" which is familiar to customers of Virgin America (part of Alaska Airlines). Cabin lights automatically adjust according to passenger's movements. There are also staterooms suited for groups (each with 4 bunk beds) and single cabins (designed for solo travelers). Staterooms are divided into 21 categories. Balcony cabins have "sea terrace" (private, step-out veranda) and are serviced by "Rockstar Coordinators" (personal assistants), while "personal wardrobe teams" provide luggage packing and unpacking.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Dining on Virgin Voyages ships is ticket price-inclusive - no extra charges are applied to any of the 20-plus onboard dining options. The cruise company doesn't believe in "paying more for great food", so it ditched traditional surcharges levied in specialty restaurants. All eateries on Scarlet Lady offer "exceptional made-to-order eats" - complimentary.

As part of the company's sustainable travel policy, Virgin Voyages banned single-use plastics and there is no buffet food on the ships. All shipboard food is made-to-order - to reduce waste and lower energy consumption and emissions. Savings are reinvested into fresh (locally sourced) top-quality products, exotic ingredients, highly trained staff, and clean technologies.

The company doesn't follow any traditional cruise dining concepts. Virgin ships don't have the main dining room, buffet restaurant, dress code (formal wear policy), assigned dining times or seating. All these concepts were replaced with intimate (boutique hotel-type) eateries offering 20+ dining options - all of which are included in cruise fares.

Follows the complete list of Scarlet Lady restaurants and food bars.

• The Galley (main venue for casual dining and quick meals) is modeled on popular food halls. Here guests can taste food from various onboard restaurants via 8 shops and carts, including panini shop, bakery and pastry shop, a taco shack, noodle bar, a burger grill, a sushi bar with bento boxes, soup, and salad island, 24-hour American diner.
• The Test Kitchen (laboratory-like eatery with metallic furniture, beakers, test tubes) offers "avant-garde cuisine". It is a part restaurant, part cooking school. Chef-driven menus are presented in the form of ingredient list to guests to discover how the chef combines the flavors throughout the course of each meal.
• Wake (sized 5866 ft2 / 545 m2) is a steakhouse-seafood restaurant located aft and featuring views of the ship's wake. It serves "theatrical take" food inspired by The Grill-New York and The Wolseley-London.
• Geonbae (Korean barbecue restaurant) is "hosted by the loudest servers at sea". Meals start with complimentary soju (distilled beverage) for the table with guests encouraged to take part in Korean drinking games.
• Pink Agave (Mexican restaurant) provides shared plate experience with DJ music until late. It features porthole windows, metallic lighting fixtures, large tables, elongated curved area (intimate seating with 2-seat tables), separate bar (in the Lobby), private dining room (can be booked for parties and other private events).
• Extra Virgin (trattoria restaurant) serves traditional Italian food specialties, including handmade fresh pasta.
• Dock (sized 220 ft2 / 20.4 m2 beach club-inspired restaurant) offers Mediterranean cuisine with small plates, dips, mezze, salads. The Dock features wooden deck chairs, day beds, and loungers.
• The Pizza Place (beach club-inspired restaurant) offers complimentary oven-baked gourmet pizzas by the slice.
• Razzle Dazzle is the ship's vegan-vegetarian restaurant. Part of Razzle Dazzle Restaurant is the Red Bar - juice bar offering fresh-squeezed juices and tonics, as well as crafted cocktails from a menu that varies every night. In two days per cruise, at Razzle Dazzle is hosted Drag Brunch featuring live entertainment by "sassy drag queens". Considered one of the ship's most energetic spots, Razzle Dazzle gets its design and name from the practice of camouflaging vessels during both World Wars via patterns of black and white paint.
• Sun Club Cafe - Outdoor Eatery
• The Sip is the ship's wine bar lounge (Virgin's champagne house) where along with a selection of premium wines can be enjoyed traditional British Afternoon Tea service.

Virgin cruise ship passengers (Sailors) are offered complimentary water (filtered and sparkling) at all onboard bars and dining venues. Throughout the ship, there are also complimentary water stations.

Via the Sailor App (when your phone is shaken) a secret "Champagne button" allows Sailors 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 board.

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

Each Virgin ship features 93% oceanview cabins and 86% balconied staterooms (called "sea terraces"), casino, several live entertainment venues (similar to traditional theatre lounges).

Ship's signature venues include:

• Athletic Club (training center) is an outdoor gym area with a boxing ring and gym club equipment) located top-deck aft. Part of the Sports Deck is also the raised jogging track (Runway track, red-white colored), sundeck with open-air lounge (furnished with double daybeds and semi-circular loungers), triple netting area (220 ft2 / 20.4 m2 overlooking below decks), 10 private cabanas (cushioned bed, low table, 2 lounge chairs), beverage service (from the outdoor Sports Bar), foosball tables, swimming pool, showers. The Athletic Club on Scarlet Lady was designed by Concrete Amsterdam and inspired by New York City's sports clubs in the 1920s.
• Sun Club - Sun Worship Sanctuary
• MyBeast is an outdoor playground / poolside gym area.
• The Crow's Nest (aft sundeck) offers 360-degree views and is furnished with loungers and mats colored in Virgin's signature red. Here are also hosted sunrise and sunset outdoor yoga classes.
• The B Complex is an indoor fitness center with Technogym ARTIS equipment, floor-ceiling windows and separate rooms (studios) for cycling, yoga, cardio and spinning classes.
• Gym and Tonic Bar serves cold-pressed fresh juices.
• Aquatic Club Sundeck - Poolside Oasis and Aquatic Club Bar.
• Two Pools (including the Well-being Pool - ship's main pool surrounded by an adult playground and fitness apparatus named MyBeast).
• The Manor is the ship's 2-deck high Disco Nightclub with a large dance floor. The NYC-based design studio Roman and Williams designed Scarlet Lady's ballroom, The Manor, which is a venue for innovative entertainment, dancing, music, and fun, destined to be one of the most exciting spots onboard. The Manor Nightclub was inspired by Richard Branson's first Virgin music studio of the same name and has been expertly outfitted with platforms, corners, and details that make it both somewhere to see and to be seen.
• The Dock is an outdoor lounge (aft on Deck 7) with cushioned wooden furniture (loungers, deckchairs, daybeds).
• Richard's Rooftop is a top-deck VIP area (Suite passengers only sundeck) furnished with daybeds, deckchairs, circular loungers, large umbrellas, colored crystals. Named after the company's founder Richard Branson, it has a futuristic feel with giant umbrellas, circular loungers, and accents of colored crystals that cast rainbow reflections.
• "Ministry of Ground" and "Ministry of Ground Too" are specialty coffee bars serving Intelligentsia coffee (Virgin Voyages Blend) and made-to-order beverages made by expert baristas. Ministry of Ground (designed by Softroom of London) is located midship on Deck 7 (in The Galley food market) and features round-shaped/porthole-type large windows with window seats, purple and aquamarine hues for seating, comfy loungers and modern tables. In addition to the hand-crafted Intelligentsia Coffee brews, passengers receive complimentary cakes and light bites. Retail items (bags of Intelligentsia Coffee and JoJo loose-leaf teas, kettles, coffee cups, and others) are available for purchase.
• Redemption is the ship's Spa complex (on Deck 5) consisting of Reception, Mud Room, Salt Room, Hydrotherapy Pool, cold plunge pool, Jacuzzi, Thermal Suite (indoor spa with porthole windows, plunge pool and Jacuzzi), treatment rooms (for massages and treatments) with quartz-mattress beds, Dry Dock Salon (hairdressing services), Stubble and Groom (barbershop), Blow Dry Bar, Male pedicure Spa, Mani-pedi Spa. At night, the wellness complex transforms into a dancing lounge with live DJ music.
• The Scene Event Space
• Squid Ink is a tattoo studio via a partnership with World Famous Tattoo Ink. The facility is operated by two full-time tattoo artists (handpicked by Lou Rubino Jr) plus celebrity artists. All tattoos are created by using original vegan ink. Other services at Squid Ink include body piercings and permanent makeup treatments (using certified vegan Perma Blend pigments).
• The Red Room was designed by theatre consultants Auerbach Pollock Friedlander and renowned architects WorkAC as the first-ever transformational multi-form theatre at sea. The Red Room transforms into 4 different configurations: an alley stage used in fashion shows, a traditional Proscenium stage, a dance flat-floor configuration, and a unique reverse stage setup. The first at-sea theatre enables the cruise line to create different experiences for each day of the cruise. Scarlet Lady offers 6 original shows that include production by Randy Weiner (The Donkey Show, Queen of the Night, Sleep No More).
• The Groupie (privately bookable karaoke room/for sing-alongs) also doubles as Cinema and VIP Casino (gaming lounge).
• The Den Flex Event Space
• DJs in residence who perform on Scarlet Lady (at call ports and at Virgin's Bimini Bahamas destination) include British musician Mark Ronson, NYC-based band "Sofi Tukker" and DJ MK (Marc Kinchen).
• Voyage Vinyl (record store) features listening stations, record collections and a DJ spot for live performances (by resident and guest DJs).
• "JLo Beauty" is an onboard shop selling skincare products of Jennifer Lopez's brand "JLo Beauty & Lifestyle".
• Draught Haus (on deck 7, adjacent to Voyage Vinyl) is the ship's taproom - an exclusive bar serving craft beers.

Draught Haus offers 8 different draft beers, also boilermakers (beer cocktails), bottled craft beers, shots, shot-cocktails. The bar also provides growler/jug service that allows passengers to take their drinks throughout the ship (public spaces and in cabins). The beerhouse features themed furniture, rustic decor, a beer tap display (behind the bar).

Onboard MS Scarlet Lady is served Virgin's own brand of craft beer (English Pale Ale) created by Wynwood Brewing Company (Miami). For the new "Virgin cruise beer" is used English yeast and American malts and hops.

In April 2023, Virgin Voyages signed a partnership deal with WPT/World Poker Tour (2002-founded, internationally televised gaming and entertainment brand). The premium poker experience is offered on Scarlet Lady during all 4-5-night Caribbean itineraries. The ship's new WPT at Sea Poker Room is fitted with 8 poker tables and served by professional dealers. The new gaming venue hosts beginner training sessions, as well as cash games and WPT Prize Package poker tournaments with buy-ins between US$80-320. The US$320 buy-in WPT Prize tournament is held once per cruise. The prize (US$5000) can be used on any future voyage or WPT tournament.

Virgin cruise deals

In regard to onboard gratuities, the company has "No Tipping" policy, which means all gratuities are included in the base cruise fares. Also included in basic fares are beverages, all eateries, group fitness classes. The company also doesn't charge penalties or change fees. Customers are able to hold staterooms for 24 hours with no money down once they've placed a 20% non-refundable deposit. They also have a 7-day grace period allowing them to change bookings for any reason. Cruise departure date and names on bookings can be changed without fees or penalties.

Shortly before opening the bookings on Scarlet Lady (Feb 14, 2019), Virgin announced all-inclusive deal policy by which cruises are sold "by cabin price". Fares are also inclusive of dining (shipwide / 20 options, some 24-hours), unlimited WiFi, all fitness classes. Cabin pricing only varies by the number of occupants. For 5-day itineraries, fares start from ~USD 250 pp per day (excluding taxes-fees).

Itineraries

In early-April 2021, Virgin announced that after multiple delays, Scarlet Lady will debut on August 6, 2021 (Inaugural Cruise date) with a mini-season in the UK. The "Summer Soiree" sailings (3-4-day cruises to nowhere roundtrip from homeport Portsmouth England ) were open for booking (to UK residents only) on April 13, 2021.

Virgin's Scarlet Lady inaugural season (2021) is based on 4-5-day Caribbean roundtrips leaving from homeport Miami (Florida USA) . During the maiden season (originally 2020), the ship was also planned to visit Cuba. Virgin's decision was influenced by conducted customer and travel agency research in the UK and North America. All cruises to Cuba offered an overnight in Havana , allowing passengers ("sailors") to explore the country's capital and its unique nightlife.

• 5-day "Mayan Sol" itinerary visits Havana (overnight) and Costa Maya (Mexico) . In Mexico, shore excursions include scuba diving (coral reefs) and Mayan ruins.
• 5-day "Dominican Daze" itinerary visits Havana (overnight) and Puerto Plata (Dominicana) or Bahamas ( Bimini Islands ). In the Dominican Rep, shore excursions include trekking, surfing, and shopping.
• 4-day "Havana After Dark" itinerary visits Havana (overnight) and Bimini Islands.

The liner will be also seasonally deployed in Europe (via Transatlantic crossings), with planned visits to several major Mediterranean and UK ports (including Dover and Liverpool ).

Virgin cruise bookings on Scarlet Lady opened on February 5, 2019 (for customers with pre-sale deposits) and on February 14 (for the general public). Following the June 5, 2019-issued US Government restrictions on the USA to Cuba travel, Virgin Voyages revised all scheduled itineraries to exclude Havana. The new/revised itineraries offer late-night call port departures (some at midnight).

• 5-night "Riviera Maya" itinerary visits Playa Del Carmen (across Cozumel Island), with opportunities to explore archaeological and ecological sites or touring the neighbouring Tulum (walled Mayan city).
• 4-night "Fire and Sunset Soirees" (short-breaks) visit Key West Florida (sunset departure) and Bimini Bahamas (with a late-night beach bonfire party and midnight departure).
• 7-night itineraries (for Xmas 2020 holidays/cancelled) included the themed cruises "Holidaze and Nights" and "New Year's Ahoy" visiting Puerto Plata (Dominicana) with Bimini Bahamas and San Juan Puerto Rico .

All Virgin Scarlet Lady cruises visit Bimini Bahamas as a private island destination.

MS Scarlet Lady's Maiden Voyage from the USA is currently scheduled for September 22, 2021 (4-day "Fire Sunset Soirees" itinerary).

Scarlet Lady - user reviews and comments

Photos of scarlet lady.

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Other Virgin Voyages cruise ships

• Brilliant Lady
• Resilient Lady
• Valiant Lady

Scarlet Lady Wiki

Scarlet Lady ship's construction (Fincantieri yard/hull number 6287) started with the steel-cutting ceremony held on March 22, 2017. Vessel's keel-laying ceremony was on October 31, 2017, attended by Giovanni Toti (Liguria's President), Marco Bucci (Genoa's Mayor), Richard Branson (Virgin Group's founder), Tom McAlpin (Virgin Voyages' President and CEO) and Alberto Maestrini (Fincantieri's General Manager). Boy George (UK singer, songwriter, fashion designer) performed as superstar DJ. During the ceremony were revealed ship design and hull art.

On July 20, 2018, was the drydock's flooding, during which 2 drydock-assembled hull sections were floated out and connected. On the same day (also at Sestri Ponente Shipyard, near Genoa ) was held the steel-cutting ceremony for the second Virgin cruise liner ( Valiant Lady ).

The vessel's launch (float-out from drydock) was on February 8, 2019. The special ceremony was attended by Tom McAlpin (Virgin Voyages President and CEO), Luigi Matarazzo (Fincantieri Merchant Ships Division's Director) and Paolo Capobianco (Sestri Ponente Shipyard's Director). The ceremony's godmother was Giuliana Rindone (shipyard employee). The ship successfully completed the Mediterranean sea trials in November 22-30 navigating between Genoa and Marseille and back. On Nov 27, the 69-year-old Richard Branson, together with his family (wife Joan and kids Holly and Sam) boarded the vessel in Marseille.

The Bahamas- flagged vessel Scarlet Lady (MMSI 311000807, registered in Nassau ) was officially delivered to Virgin Voyages on February 14, 2020. The delivery ceremony was attended by Tom McAlpin (Virgin's President and CEO), Giampiero Massolo (Fincantieri's President and Chairman), Giuseppe Bono (Fincantieri's CEO) and Marco Bucci (Genoa City's Mayor).

The ship's first Master/Captain was Wendy Williams. Her appointment was announced in June 2019 by Sir Richard Branson. Captain Wendy Williams (from Sept-Iles Quebec ) became the first Canadian woman appointed Master of a major cruise line vessel. She has 28+ years of maritime service (as of 2019), including on commercial fishing vessels, ferryboats and large cruise liners (15+ years). By the Scarlet Squad (recruitment and training program), Virgin Voyages hired Captain Williams plus 12+ other female officers for Scarlet Lady, including for the positions Hotel Director (Jill Anderson), Safety Officer (Christin Wenge), Environmental Officer (Lindsay Kerber), as well as engineers and 2nd and 3rd officers.

Scarlet Lady refurbishment 2022 review

In 2022-Q1 (January and February), all Scarlet Lady staterooms were updated while the boat was operational (deployed in the Caribbean) and carrying passengers. Noise-generating works were conducted during the stays in PortMiami (between the voyages).

The refurbishment project included refreshing the cabins' interiors by adding authentic artworks, new-theme linens and decorative pillows (with nautical stripes), vertical wooden beams (decorating the wall facing the bed), more wooden furniture (increasing the drawers and storage space).

Virgin ship technology

Virgin cruise ships are with passenger capacity 2750 (plus 1150 crew), GT tonnage 110,000 tons, ABB Azipod XO propulsion system (electric drive motors with off-hull submerged azimuth thrusters / 360--degree rotating propellers). These units provide the best maneuverability (allowing in-port navigation without tug assistance) and minimal vibrations/noise. By placing the propulsion units outside the hull, the Azipod system frees up space for more lower-deck staterooms. ABB Ability technology is based on a network using real-time data transferred to remote centers monitoring and analyzing the propulsion system data and also offering remote technical support.

These vessels stand out with innovative design ideas and solutions, as well as the latest marine technologies for energy recovery and environmental impact reduction. Ship's cleaning energy system is provided by the Swedish company Climeon Ocean. The technology allows reducing CO2 emissions by converting diesel engines generated heat into electricity (capacity approx 1 MW) for onboard use. Each of the Virgin liners has 6 such units, saving annually approx 5400 tons of CO2. The ship's waste processing system is provided by Scanship.

Wartsila (Finnish marine technologies corporation / former shipbuilder) was contracted to provide ships' powerplants . Each liner is powered by two 8-cylinder plus two 12-cylinder "Wartsila 46F" marine diesel engines. Wartsila's Hybrid Scrubber System operates in both open and closed-loop and uses seawater to remove SOx from the vessel's exhaust, also significantly reducing NOx emissions. The Wartsila-made navigation and automation control systems are from the company's latest NACOS Platinum series.

Alternative power is provided by 4-stroke engines powering the 4 electricity gen-sets, each equipped with TPL-C turbochargers (by ABB).

In February 2020 Virgin announced "The Band" - smart wearable technology introduced on Scarlet Lady (April 1st). The device is made from recycled marine plastic (sustainability initiative) and developed via partnership with The Bionic Company. The lightweight device (RFID wristband) is mailed to all passengers and is complimentary (keepsake). The Band is activated upon boarding the ship and used for onboard purchases and payments (beverages, Casino gaming), booking tours, cabin access (room key), room service ordering (points guest's current location), VIP pass (for Richard's Rooftop).

In early-April 2021 was announced that following multiple delays, Scarlet Lady's Maiden Voyage (August 6, 2021) will start a mini-season in the UK. The "Summer Soirees" (3-4-day cruises to nowhere roundtrip from Portsmouth England ) were open for booking (to UK residents only) on April 13, 2021.

The mini UK season ended on September 3, when the liner left Portsmouth Harbour for the Transatlantic crossing to the USA ( NYC New York ). The Caribbean Maiden Voyage departed on October 6. The 4-day "Fire Sunset Soirees" itinerary was themed "MerMaiden Voyage". Its prices started at USD 1700 (EUR 1430 / GBP 1230) per person with double occupancy.

Inaugural itineraries 2020-2021 (CANCELED)

In early-April 2021, Virgin Voyages canceled all ex-USA cruises on Scarlet Lady previously scheduled for the period July 4 through September 17 (2021). With the latest cancellations, a total of 102x Caribbean roundtrips (from PortMiami) were canceled in a one-year period (April 2020-2021).

Next table shows the ship's MAIDEN VOYAGE from the USA in 2021 (4-day "Fire Sunset Soirees" itinerary) priced from USD 1170 per person (GBP 855 / EUR 985) with double occupancy.

Virgin also announced that after multiple delays, Scarlet Lady will debut on August 6, 2021 (Inaugural Cruise date) with a mini-season in the UK. The sailings (all roundtrips from homeport Portsmouth England ) were open for booking to UK residents only.

Next tables show the canceled inaugural cruise itineraries (originally planned maiden voyages from PortMiami by length and theme) as call port sequences, port stay times (arrival/departure) and prices per person (double occupancy rates).

Scarlet Lady's ever-first cruise was planned to start on April 1, 2020. However, due to the Coronavirus crisis, Virgin Voyages cancelled (CruiseMinus) a total of 102 departures from PortMiami.

4-day "Inaugural Cruise" ("Havana After Dark" itinerary) - from USD 4100 pp

5-day "Havana After Dark" itinerary - from USD 4300 pp

5-day "Mayan Sol" itinerary - from USD 3800 pp

On June 26, 2019, Virgin announced that Scarlet Lady will be chartered for a themed LGBTQ+ cruise ("lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender") by Atlantis Events. The charter deal was confirmed by Rich Campbell (Atlantis Events' President and CEO).

Following the June 2019-issued US Government ban on the USA to Cuba group travel, Virgin Voyages revised all scheduled itineraries by replacing Havana. The new/revised itineraries have late-night call port departures (including at midnight).

4-day "Fire And Sunset Soirees" itinerary (from USD 3550 pp)

5-day "Riviera Maya" itinerary (from USD 3400 pp)

5-day "Mayan Sol" itinerary (from USD 3400 pp)

5-day "Dominican Daze" itinerary (from USD 2200 pp)

In mid-November 2019 were announced two pre-inaugural (themed "Sneak-a-Peek") mini-cruises. The 3-night voyages (March 26-29, and March 29 - April 1) were both Miami roundtrips visiting only Bimini Bahamas.

In late-October were canceled all December 2020 departures (6 more cruises) including two holiday-themed voyages.

7-day Christmas "Holidays And Nights" - from USD 2600 pp

7-day "New Years Ahoy" - from USD 3250 pp

In mid-December 2020, Virgin canceled all Scarlet Lady cruises (PortMiami-roundtrips) scheduled for January 3 through and including May 5, 2021. The ship's Inaugural Cruise was rescheduled from January 3 (5-day "Dominican Daze") to May 9 (5-day "Riviera Maya"). The cancellation affected a total of 25 departures from PortMiami.

Virgin Cruises' private island resort "Bimini Beach Club" (Bahamas)

The liner Scarlet Lady is the first cruise ship to stop at "Bimini Beach Club" (Virgin Group's private island resort in Bimini Bahamas ). The exclusive destination allows Virgin's Sailors to enjoy world-class entertainment from a rotating cast of DJs led by Mark Ronson.

Virgin's Bimini Beach Club offers premium food with locally sourced ingredients and traditional Bahamian favorites like banana leaf-wrapped queen snapper, conch and mango salad, Bahamian rum cake. The complex has 6 bars, outdoor lounge areas with hammock groves, beach loungers, watersport activities, (optional/at extra cost) private poolside and beach-side cabanas for rent.

RockStar Suite passengers benefit from complimentary food service, exclusive bar and outdoor terrace lounge, VIP beach cabanas. The 7-mile (11-km) long island offers extraordinary activities like boating, snorkeling, wreck diving. The partially sunk wreck of SS Sapona (concrete-hulled steamship that ran aground in 1926) is located just a few miles off the island's southern coast.

Virgin's private resort is located on North Bimini Island and at a short bus transfer from the docking pier. It was built via a partnership with Resorts World Bimini. This is a 750-acres (3 km2 / 1,2 mi2) beachfront resort-casino-marina-hotel complex operated by Genting Group (Malaysia-based multinational corporation). North Bimini is approx 68 km (42 mi) east of Miami. Resort's estimated building cost is USD 220 million.

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.

102 episodios

The Joy of Cruising Podcast is a conversation with one of the dozens of amazing cruisers with fascinating stories that have been featured in The Joy of Cruising Trilogy—The Joy of Cruising, Cruising Interrupted, and new, The Joy of Cruising Again. In addition there will be conversations with global cruise personalities and cruisers I encounter with fascinating stories the cruise community would enjoy hearing.  Order here: The Joy of Cruising; Cruising Interrupted; bit.ly/TheJoyOfCruisingAgain; Contact Me 

The Joy of Cruising Podcast Paul C. Thornton

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Send us a Text Message.This week on The Joy of Cruising Podcast we want to share our reflections on our recent cruise—a transatlantic on Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady—Miami to the Med. Not a review, YouTube can do a much better job than us, but just our random reflections. The cruise starts with 8 sea days, so we will be trying so much of the award-winning food we have heard so much about. This cruise was special in a couple of ways. As you know from a podcast we did a couple of mont...

Paul & Carole Love To Travel, Mekong River Cruise, AmaWaterways, AmaDara, Japan!

Send us a Text Message.I am delighted to welcome back to The Joy of Cruising Podcast Paul & Carole, creators of Paul & Carole Love To Travel. I go aways back with Paul & Carole whom I consider friends though I have never properly met then. But I kind of felt like I met them in our first interaction when I featured them in my first cruise book, The Joy of Cruisinghttp://amzn.to/2EAMddF and they took the readers on a Havana, Cuba bar crawl and it was like I experienced it vicariousl...

Spike Davis, Comedy On the Ocean

Send us a Text Message.We love stand-up comedy here at The Joy of Cruising Podcast, and no one does it better on the ocean than Carnival Cruise Lines. I am delighted to welcome this week on The Joy of Cruising Podcast, Spike Davis, a Carnival favorite comedian, host, and writer. He is a native of Louisville, Kentucky, now residing in Atlanta—when not on the ocean. Perhaps after looking at his Carnival Cruise Tour Dates at https://www.spikedavis.com, I should restate that as: when not residing...

Le Boat, Who's On Board?

Send us a Text Message.This week on The Joy of Cruising Podcast, I am delighted to welcome Lisa Mclean, Le Boat, Marketing Manager for North American. Le Boat is the market leader in providing luxury houseboat vacations on the beautiful rivers, lakes and canals of Europe and Canada. They have the world’s largest fleet of luxury houseboats and the widest choice of fabulous boating destinations to choose from. Le Boat has been at this a long time—over 50 years’ experience on the water. Here’s t...

• 24 ABR 2024

Lucy, Cruising As Crew

Send us a Text Message.This is Paul and this week on The Joy of Cruising Podcast, I am delighted to welcome Lucy, creator of the Cruising As Crew, website, YouTube channel, and Instagram platform. Lucy has worked for P & O and Virgin Voyage in the shops, and for Royal Caribbean and Disney Cruise Lines as a shopping ambassador. I will be sure to ask Lucy to elaborate on and differentiate between those positions. Lucy’s passion, the mission of her website and channel is to facilitate the en...

• © 2024 The Joy of Cruising Podcast

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