I’ve now been on two different Virgin Voyages sailings, on the Scarlet Lady and the Valiant Lady, and I find more and more things to love about the cruise line every time. From the food to the staff to the overall vibes, here are some of the top reasons I love cruising with Virgin Voyages!
Table of Contents
The Food Is Top-Tier
I can’t rant enough about how much I love the restaurants onboard Virgin Voyages. While there is no buffet, you’re unlikely to miss it, as you can get the same sort of offerings from The Galley – their version of a food court.
My favorite restaurant by far is their Korean offering, Gunbae. On my last cruise, I ate there three times – I couldn’t get enough of that dakgangjeong (sweet and spicy fried chicken)! Not only is the food at Gunbae absolutely delicious, but you also are sat with other passengers in a round booth as they grill Korean BBQ at your table. And, you get to play a fun Korean drinking game with the group, and your waiter – one shot of soju included free! I never beat the staff at the drinking game, but I sure did try my hardest.
Another fun experience is the Test Kitchen – a lab-themed, experimental eatery with smaller, coursed-out portions in a set menu format. It’s a bit of a novelty and very Instagrammable, and I recommend trying it at least once during your cruise, even if the menu scares you off a bit.
One of the best parts of it all? None of these restaurants are an “extra upgrade cost,” like many cruise lines do. While you need to pre-book each dining in the app, I never really had a problem getting the reservations I wanted, especially if I kept checking on the day of. Pro-tip: many people swap things around and cancel a few hours before, so just check back throughout the day, and you’ll likely get a reservation to wherever you’re looking to dine.
Instead of a Cruise Director, They Have The Happenings Staff
While having a fun cruise director is key to having a good time onboard most cruises, on Virgin Voyages, you instead get the 12 members of The Happenings. And they’re here to be the life of the party! There’s The Diva, The Hostess, The Artist, The Gamer, The Charmer, The Balancer, The Foodie, The Flare, The Spark, The Hyper, The Glow, and The Bounce.
One of my favorite activities I did onboard? A painting class with unlimited champagne. That was one of the few things that actually did have an additional cost, because of the bubbles, but it was so worth it!
I also went to many, many trivia games. And let me say, as a trivia aficionado, that was the best, most relevant trivia I’ve done on a cruise ship ever. Usually, it’s all questions only people 50+ would know the answer to. But here, we even had a round on Harry Potter! Which our team aced and won the whole game with, of course, nabbing ourselves a free round of drinks for our victory.
Oh, and another fun thing! If you befriend these particular staff members, they might gift you a pin. One guy on my last sailing actually became the first in Virgin Voyages history to collect all The Happenings Staff during our cruise. He must have done so many activities! Feels a bit like summer camp, really.
No Kids Allowed
These cruises are 18+! So if you’re looking to kick back and enjoy a cruise without having to fight kids for room in the pool, this is the cruise for you.
Now, there are pros and cons of a child-free cruise. With kids comes more entertainment options, like waterslides and go-karts and laser tag, and the like. But with no kids, you get more adult entertainment, like adult comedy performers and a Drag Queen show at sea. Do you know of another cruise line with a resident Drag Queen onboard? Because I don’t! So definitely don’t miss the activities that The Diva hosts, like Around the World in 80 Minutes: A Drag Show, Scoop There It Is! Game Show, and Diva Karaoke Night.
So Many Photo Spots Onboard
The design of these ships is right along with Virgin’s typical branding. That is to say, they know how to make things look trendy. From the balcony room hammocks to the stripey interior of the Razzle Dazzle restaurant to the tunnel of bubble lights going into the Pink Agave restaurant, Virgin sure knows how to give us a moment for the ‘gram. Let me just take you through a few of the most Instagrammable spots onboard Virgin Voyages:
- The Manor: My favorite photo spot on the ship is the entrance to The Manor, a twinkling mirrored hallway that looks like something you’d see at one of those selfie museums. I’m sure you’ve seen it on Instagram before.
- The Runway: Another favorite spot you’ll see on IG all the time? The Virgin logo on the side of the ship. Just go up to the Runway running track on top of the ship, and you’ll find the perfect angle for a photo with the neon sign.
- The Net: Last but not least, there’s The Net on the back of the ship. It really isn’t that comfortable to sit or stand on, but it does make for an epic snap, especially if you’re in port with a great view behind you.
Scarlet Night is a Blast With Its Own Lore
Grab your red swimsuits and red dresses because Scarlet Night is the best party at sea! Dancers lined up all around the pool deck getting everyone moving, it had a super lively atmosphere, and guests jumped into the pool fully clothed. This was the most fun I’ve ever had at any sort of club night aboard a ship!
Before the party, though, there’s a whole show telling the lore of Scarlet Night. I do love the storytelling aspect – it makes it feel like more of an immersive experience.
I won’t give away the whole secret, but if you want to know the lore, befriend one of The Happenings Staff and find them after the Story of Scarlet Night show. Then, you’ll be whisked away and told an alternative lore to the one shared with everyone else. I’ll just say – it involves pirates!
Have I convinced you to book your Virgin Voyages cruise yet? You can check out all of their upcoming sailings HERE.
![Toboggan on a street? Only in Madeira, Portugal! 🇵🇹
Madeira was the first stop on my 8-day Captivating Canary Islands cruise with @windstarcruises [hosted]. 🛳️
Luckily, we were docked there over night, so I had plenty of time to explore the port city of Funchal, including with a tuk tuk tour and this exhilarating toboggan ride.
This is the only place in the world you can toboggan on land without snow or guiding rails! You ride down in traditional wicker basket sledges with two runners, hitting up to 30 km/hr as you travel down from Monte.
The toboggans date back to the early 19th century where they were used as a means of transport by the local residents who wanted to travel quickly from the village of Monte to the city of Funchal. And nowadays, they’re definitely a blast for thrill seekers!
👉 SAVE this for your bucket list! Would you ride the toboggans? Let me know in the comments!
#madeira #madeiraportugal #madeiraisland #windstarcruises #cruiseblogger #RSJSCruises #cruisetravel / things to do in Madeira / Madeira cruise itinerary / top tourist attractions in Madeira / what to do at port in Funchal](https://readysetjetset.net/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)
