Sailed in November 23 and had no idea you needed to reserve restaurants. I missed out on Agarve and the Wake because I could not get a seat. Not cool. I booked two weeks ahead and now I know you have to book the cruise and reserve restaurants weeks ahead. The food I got to try was very good 👍
I have been on one and it's amazing. The food is great the drinks are great and the service is fantastic. I wish it had a bigger pool and better entertainment like a comedy show though. Overall it was a great time I could have stayed on board and chilled the while trip. Age, race and sex don't matter just do you boo. A no judgment zone. Going again soon. No hidden fees or unexpected charges. Be sure to get tge app and reserve your restaurants before you get on ship. 😂
I’ve been in Virgin twice and never wanna sail on another cruise line. I appreciate your review. I never left my cruises with a balance, everything included is amazing. Also tip with reservations, they do open restaurant reservations 45 days out, but only a limited block of them. Do your reservations immediately on boarding if you book late or couldn’t get early reservation. Also as a solo sailer, I was able to meet a ton of people (some I still chat with months later) and really felt included.
Just got done with my first Virgin Cruise. The no kids is wonderful. No slides. No screaming kids, no fighting. If you want to party then party. If your the chill with a book, plenty of spaces for you. Planning the next Virgin cruise.
Did a 5 day Cruise on Virgin and by far the best Cruise I have ever been on. I love kids but to be kid free was amazing! Everything was adult friendly and food was the best I have ever had on a Cruise. I will re-book on Virgin for my next Cruise for sure.
Just returned from VV and loved it. We did all the restaurants except Test Kitchen. You can start booking restaurants 45 days before your cruise with the app, or I think you can call and book. The app definitely needs work. The Italian restaurant, Extra Virgin, was my favorite. There was always somewhere to sit, and anytime you went to the galley for casual food you could still find a place to sit. We missed the shows, but saw the bands, and they were good. There's a lot of techno music with the same beats, but I enjoyed it. We put a deposit down toward a future cruise. That's something we have never done. I sat on the balcony and just a little in the hammock. Next time, I'll take more advantage of our balcony. Our service was top notch. We sailed the Valiant Lady out of PR and went to Aruba, Curacao, Martinique, and St Kitts.
Great vid. Currently on my second VV cruise as I write this. My partner and I tried RC and Celebrity in the past , did not enjoy the experience. We tried VV on a whim while on a 3 week holiday in Greece, we were blown away! We booked our next cruise while on board, we liked it so much. If you are not a cruise enthusiast then this is the cruise line for you! It’s different in the best possible way. We have booked another Mediterranean cruise for spring 2025. Can’t wait!
We cruised Scarlet in December and loved it. We booked for April 2025 for an 8 day. Pink Agave was our favorite with Gunbae being our least favorite. We enjoyed the Test Kitchen and had 2 helpings of their venison. We’re in our late 50’s and just loved this ship, the vibes and the staff. For us, a wonderful experience.
I love Virgin Voyages, it gives you options. If you want to relax you can relax and no one will bother you. If you want to party, you can party all day and night and no one will judge you.
Cruised Virgin in March for 5 nights and had the time of our lives! Food, drinks atmosphere...everything was perfect. Best part about the entire thing...NO KIDS ALLOWED ❤❤❤
Zach, so glad you enjoyed your (virgin) Virgin cruise so much, just like we did in January. Our experience paralleled yours almost identically, though the crew for us was the best we've ever experienced, but from day one. We loved it so much we have two more Virgin cruises scheduled in 2024. I think anyone hesitant in trying them should put those concerns aside and give them a shot, just like we (diehard middle-aged NCL) cruisers did. Yes, they *are* different, but in the best ways possible. (I'm not affiliated with Virgin Voyages in any way, believe it or not!)
I wouldn't call The Galley a buffet, because it is table service and food is cooked to order and I really enjoy the selection of food they have up there.Their grab and go food was always excellent and always plenty of it. If there was nothing you liked, they would gladly make it up for you. i'm going on mgy 3rd Virgin Voyages cruise next month and already looking forward to being in my hammock, reading my book and watching the world sail past.
I just took my first cruise ever on Valiant Lady a couple weeks ago. I thought it was really a fun experience. Not sure how to compare it to others but the staff and food were amazing. I’d definitely go again.
STEPS--how clever!! I've never seen a red Christmas tree before! Was that a red hamburger bun I saw? Red everywhere you look throughout the ship it seems. Scarlet Night: naturally, the colour of choice! A teeny tiny too many red sightings for my blue eyes! I didn't find the general decor relaxing at all. The one pool is very small with no interior pool. Not everyone is a sun worshipper. The balcony hammock is a nice touch and red, of course. VV ain't my thing. Thanks for confirming this, but glad you enjoyed yourself!
We just recently did a 6 day out of San Juan PR. Our stops were Tortola British Virgin Islands, Guadeloupe, St. Lucia, Barbados, & St. Johns/ Antigua. You are absolutely correct about the hammocks! Man, my wife and I took turns sleeping out there getting rocked like a baby. My favorite restaurants were #1 Razzle Dazzle #2 The Wake, #3 Gunbae. I missed out on Pink Agave & the Italian restaurant. The pizza spot was good and came in handy especially on late nights. I discovered new places to eat and drink daily because there are so many nooks on the boat. Social Club is probably where we hung out the most. We watched the Super Bowl in The Red Room with theater seating & that experience was cool! We ordered pizzas & brought them in there for the game. My only complaint was the main pool was so darn small, being that was our only pool action the whole trip, it could have been bigger. The pool and Jacuzzis stayed packed in like human soup. Other than that, The Valiant Lady was amazing!
That Super Bowl sailing was the best! Might book again for another Super Bowl. Scarlet Night falling on Valentines Day was fitting. We enjoyed ourselves as well. So much so that we booked another while still onboard. Can't wait for the Greek Island Glow cruise!
@disom8957 Exactly! That Super Bowl situation was special. Everything on that voyage worked out awesome and I forgot about Valentine's Day being the same as wear your red day. That was the one thing I dropped the ball on, not thinking it was a big deal. Next time I will have on my red! Looks like we'll be back on the same boat again, as we booked for Greece in 2025 as well, on the Scarlett Lady. See you there!
Hi Zach! I had been anxiously awaiting this review. As you are such a fan of Celebrity, I did have some concerns about how you would feel about VV. It is very different, and I am so glad you enjoyed it. I will be heading on my third VV this week:). And I love what you said about the entertainment- if it isn't your cup of tea, go do something else:). So glad you had a great time.
Virgin is awesome. We have been on 2, both on Scarlet. The best food and service we have experienced. We love that there are no kids, a very unique experience. Great bar service as well as we never waited more than a minute or so at a bar. They take care of their guests as our first cruise was very rough due to high winds and we didn’t stop at our first port. They ended up giving everyone a 25% future cruise credit so that is what we used for our second one. Interesting about the service issue you experienced. We had nothing but great service on our 2 cruises. Bimini is fun but better get to the beach club early if you want chairs by the pool. We will be back for sure.
Completely agree about the cruise director announcements. Tried to get a nap on the first day after boarding (long drive down and wanted to be able to stay up later that night), but nope. Every 5 minutes they were announcing how many still hadn’t done their muster station 😩
Just went on my first cruise that wasn't Disney as a kid, and your review was fantastic. Went on the "Irresistible Med" out of Barcelona, and everything you covered is 100% correct (obviously). Loved the ship, felt like the pools were very cramped, and the dinner venues are way too crowded/cutthroat for what they offered. We ate everywhere except the Italian place and Wake steakhouse. Also, kinda wild 8 months later the Test Kitchen was exactly the same menu was offered.
My husband and I love Virgin Cruises, we just booked our 5th cruise (3rd on Virgin) and cannot wait! Thanks for the video love the way you do your reviews!
I'm doing my first VV cruise in April on the Scarlet Lady.....a 14-night Transatlantic from Miami to Barcelona...thanks for the review.....lots of great information. I can't wait!!!!
Great review! I loved the almost all inclusive aspect of VV the most. Especially after paying the extra fees for wifi and specialty dining for my Celebrity Ascent & NCL Viva cruises in March. Loved Extra Virgin & Pink Agave for dinner, Wake for brunch & the Dock for lunch. Loved the thermal suite for only $49. Loved Taino Bay & Bimini beach club. The App needs major work, tiny bathroom in central sea terrace, low hard bed, but service, other sailors & staff were great. Booked 5 more.
Loved your video. I love, love, Virgin. I have been on 2 cruises with them so far, and I can't say enough good things about this cruise line. I have 2 upcoming 14-night cruises with VV this year. My daughter is hooked on VV also. She has been on 3 cruises with them. She has another 3 booked this year.
Zack, you must cruise with Virgin in the med. not only is the cruise itself amazing, the ports of call are equally amazing. History, architecture, art, beautiful landscapes and the food in Europe is great. And in most places it’s so easy to get around, you really don’t need to pay for excursions. We have our 3rd Virgin cruise in the med booked for 2025.
I did my 1st comment at beginning. I enjoyed test kitchen i am a picky eater but i tasted everything and paired it with adult beverages. The galley is sit down and they bring it to you. I have been on carnival and the pool was no bigger. Any time i need someting i got it in a timely manner. The shows are not supper risque the Diva was amazing there are so many areas to go if you just want to chill. I did a group trip 80 people in the Mediterranean and just a friend in the Bahamas fantastic experience. Your bags even get to your room before you sail away.
Love the candor, it doesn't feel like a virgin commercial like some of the other videos appear to be. Looking forward to my first one this November. Thank you for your insights.
We sailed on Valiant Lady on June 16th. We had a great time apart from the rough weather and seas we endured heading to Mexico. We were rocking pretty bad all night long. But everything else made up for it.
I like the captain speaking and the cruise director announcements about whats happening on the ship not sure if I like doing everything on a app booking shows and resturants would go with sister once to try but not solo does not appeal to me to go solo would never do it
You were on the ship with us! The reason it took them a couple days to get service sorted was that the delay of the 4th boat, pushed 1000 sailors over onto this voyage when their scheduled voyages were cancelled. They had never been at 100% full, so they were adjusting on the fly. They typically run around 80%. FYI, their capacity is 2600 sailors, its a smaller boat, but doesnt feel small! Glad you enjoyed it, we did as well!
I want to try this one! Gotta find a friend to take with me. I love having a balcony because sitting on it to watch the ocean go by while I relax is one of the main things I enjoy doing.
Virgin Voyages are definitely our favorite cruiseline now. I love that they don't try to nickle and dime you to death. We literally spent no extra due to their very generous perks, and the food that is included was the best ever. Next time, try the pizza. It's our favorite for all the cruiselines. Plus, they will give you a buzzer that alerts you when your pizza is ready. We had fun in the casino while they were cooking our pizza.
At this point in my cruising, I really enjoy just sitting in a bar with some live music: A solo pianist, a band playing 1970's music, solo guitarist, a jazz band, etc. do they have anything like that on virgin? Nobody mentions it.
@irapbmd...please, just go for it! I was (quite) hesitant myself, but am a complete convert after just one cruise (have 2 more this year now). Just put any preconceived notions aside and adopt a "go with it" attitude and you won't regret it.
Thanks for your review. I am not sure how i feel about the decor - it seems like a cross between an adult Nickloden vibe crossed with Ikea furniture? I actually love elegant nights, so i would miss that. I do like the adults only vibe & their private island looks amazing. I definitely want to try them on a 3 or 4 night and see for myself without a long commitment ❤
I’ve gone on two cruises either Virgin, one in a suite and one in a regular room. My experiences have been absolutely amazing and I have a third one booked for 2025!
I'm jealous you're so close to your sail date (and that's from someone cruising with them again at the end of March, lol). I hope you have as wonderful a time as we did. (and Zach, it would seem! ) Safe travels, sailor...
Thanks for this review! Am doing a 7 day cruise in Greece with VV in July - this review helped me get into the mindset that you’re paying to be in a floating playground and should focus on that value and not the destinations. Last summer I hired a yacht for 5 friends for €2,000 to sail the same route as VV in Greece but we stopped in 14 locations instead of 5 offered by VV. We didn’t have a chef making avocado toast though so I look forward to that.
Took a VV cruise last year with my fiancée and we loved it! Going on another one from Barcelona around the Mediterranean this September for our honeymoon, I can’t wait! I def recommend virgin voyages!
Been waiting on your STEPS review on VV 🇦🇺👍 really great to hear your thoughts, especially on the ship as it gives dark, pokey vibes in pics I see, but glad to hear it’s not so. I was a little hesitant to try VV before but based on this thorough review, I’m thinking “why the heck not!?”, especially since some disappointing experiences with Celebrity lately. As always, great review Zach 🙏
We enjoyed our cruise with them. I agree with all score except the entertainment. Really enjoyed how the food was done and the way the ship is cut up into smaller venues. I thought the entertainment was good but not 5/5 compared to the wonder of the seas we went on. Also found it hard to figure out what the entertainment was going to be and where. But that is also part of virgin trying to be different. Would recommend
I just booked my first Virgin cruise for Feb 2025, and the offer to match status from other cruises did come up. I've only cruised with NCL before, so I am looking forward to seeing how Virgin is different! :)
Your videos are so useful. Big fan here🙌. I’m a Celebrity Cruise Line loyal customer but I’m really intrigued by Virgin. Your information about Virgin is awesome and gave me such great insight. The thing that’s holding me back is that the ship doesn’t seem aesthetically pleasing. Everything seems so dull and kinda cheap looking. Is it just the way the ship photographs or seems like in videos?
I really like your take on VV. It has promoted me to consider VV for my next cruise. Everything looked very interesting. The overall style of the ship is very minimalistic and declutterred. Everything seemed very quiet and low pace.
I have been binge-watching your videos and love them. I went on my first cruise a couple of weeks ago and want to try Virgin Voyages for the next one solo.
In all honesty, alright, really enjoyed this review. You have made me a believer. I am currently considering a 5 day cruise with this ship. And I think I'm going to book it today. Thanks a bunch great video
I’m curious to know what you thought of this ship for a solo cruiser in her ‘50s. Because it looks cool but I’m a little worried it’s for a younger crowd.
I can't speak to the solo cruiser experience, but my wife and i are in our 50s and it was a great experience. Agree with Zach that it skews younger, but not jarringly so..and everyone was so laid back and friendly that it was easy to forget the age differences. We once spent an hour or so in one of the hot tubs with a couple in their 70s, some Cali guys in their 20s, and a solo woman in her 50s, and it was a relaxed, enjoyable time for everyone...age never seemed an issue at all.
I celebrated my sixtieth birthday on the Valiant Lady on a solo Transatlantic. It was fantastic. Great people of all ages. They have dedicated activities for solo passengers early on in your voyage and everyone I met (solo or otherwise) was happy to be there and friendly. Are they for everyone? Of course not, but I highly recommend Virgin.
there are singles and couples of all ages, just bring thongs or gstring bikinis and a very open mind. please dont bring a prude mind on a virgin cruise
So you think VV’s beach club is better than CocoCay especially with the new addition of Hideaway Beach? Just curious. The food looked very interesting but I must say that the shows were not the type I would enjoy for a full week. Thanks for your thorough review.
First off, thank you, Zach. Based on this excellent, balanced VV review, I have subscribed. I have never cruised before only for two reasons: 1) If I experience seasickness, I don't want to 🤢 in front of people and then spend too much time in my cabin each time that happens. 2) I can't bear screaming children running around and placing their fingers in food at buffets. So VV sounds like a dream regarding point #2. As to point #1, I would have a challenge no matter what cruise.😆 However, my virgin cruise is overdue, and, with a milestone birthday in 2025, I'm going to take the plunge (oh no, wrong word🤭) and go on a VV cruise as a solo. I won't dress skimpily because I have too much "area" for that😊, BUT I am no prude. I have no issue with fellow cruisers being scantily dressed. If I do the Scarlet, I'll make sure to pack red outfits. The LGBT+ friendliness is another reason I would select VV because I like fairness to all people. I am nothing to look at, but I hope not to be hit on in a vulgar way. Harmless flirting is cool, though -- as long as the flirter is not married. Hmmm, I should have made that point #3.🫢 Zach, I so enjoyed your cruise review! And if commenters can help me with my mentioned concerns, I really would appreciate your replies.😊 Something tells me I am too late to book a VV cruise for next year, but I would not mind at all celebrating my 2025 miletone birthday in 2026.👍🏼Thanks!🫶🏼
Sounds like a Sandals resort in Cruise ship form with great evening entertainment Sir Richard Branson would never let his Virgin brand be associated with something low budget or low quality
Hi Zack Great review!! We’re doing valiant lady in July from Miami. What time do you suggest to book dinner most nights and Scarlett night in order to see the evening shows.
Thank you for the informative video! I have just booked my first ever cruise, and I chose Virgin because it is so different looking g than traditional cruises and adult only.
I love VV and I love your review. I love that they are listenin and always improving on their experience with the cruise line. I already booked my second cruise with them! Meanwhile I’ve tried almost every other cruise line once and hated it .
I couldn't agree more regarding them taking feedback seriously. I am amazed at how it seems like they make improvements almost from one sailing to the next! Small example: we won an upgrade bid to an XL Sea Terrace, but it was considered the "worst" one because prior vlogs warned it didn't even have a hammock on the balcony. Guess what? We had one! And the previously complained-about wicker room chair was replaced with a huge rolling cushioned chair that converrted to an ottoman. Now they just have to fix the app! :)
Thank goodness you're not one of Tommy Hunter's Travelling Men. It was a long running (30 yrs) CBC program.I'm only 56 which is just way too young for country music!
The most irritating thing for my friend and I were that there were not hot drink making facilities in the room. We Brits sorta expect this in hotels! Having to walk for 5 mins just to get a cup to tea first thing in the morning was a real drag!
Under the S, did you rate Virgin higher than Celebrity E-class? Shocking! I enjoy entertainment on Royal and NCL and think I would miss that on this ship.
I've only been on one cruise to date and it was on the Scarlet Lady with VV. The reason we chose VV was that there were no buffets where people served themselves and no kids. I also like the no gratuities concept and the fact we didn't pay for specialty dining. I had a good time but I'm curious about how having kids on board would affect the cruise for me. I'd love to see more videos on RU-vid about if having kids on board actually made a big difference.
I don't think enough is said about the adults-only vibe on these ships! I know where everyone's mind goes when that's mentioned, but it really does make a HUGE difference. Even though it might get a little rowdy during some events--I'm lookin' at you, Scarlet Night--it's "sophisticated rowdy" if that makes any sense. Valiant had Grand Turk all to ourselves for most of our port day last month, but when a "family-frendly" ship showed up later in the afternoon, the whole vibe of the port and beach changed *drastically* . (I'm a parent, BTW :) )
I agree that food is all included, no specialty dining. But nothing is free and the cost of a cruise on Virgin ships is more expensive than on other ships like NCL or Royal Caribbean...
I absolutely love VV! I'm never bored, bingo, jigsaw puzzle competitions, trivia, yoga. I love it. The food is delicious but The Test Kitchen is horrible. You had menu A and it sucks. Menu B is soooo much better but when you're booking you never know what menu they will be on. My favorite drink on the ship is the Hydration Nation at the gym and tonic pool bar! Also, The Happenings Cast are the "cruise directors" each one is in charge of different events. The Gamer does trivia and games, The Hostess does Bingo, The Foodie does food photography classes etc.
My wife and I are travel agents. Our first time back last November. Food was hit or miss. The galley waited 40 min for a burger with 50 people waiting the same time 6pm. Bed sucked the floor was more comfortable. Entertainment was not for us.
@jonboll2066 Yes Celebrity is good adult option BUT can't guarantee won't be any teen to yearly 20's on board. We love RC as they do have great adult option areas. Look at going on RC when kids are in school. Also our favorite cruises here in US has been Alaska. Not many kids as not all the draws for younger kids. Hope that helps.
We were not impressed with Scarlett lady for four day cruise. I will say the food was good. However, this service the entertainment and the way that you’re treated on the ship stinks!!!! Not for me! Celebrity and royal Caribbean are far superior
Test kitchen was my only disappointment of the cruise. However a couple we met who went the night after had a totally different menu that sounded delicious so I think it is hit or miss
I've never been on a cruise and took the plunge on Virgin this year (was attracted to the less formal, younger aspect) and absolutely loved it. Did Scarlet Lady around The Mediterranean. I am VERY discerning and critical when it comes to entertainment. But I found it innovative, cool, different, exciting. Not the typical cheesy, mainstream stuff I was expecting. My only criticism is it is too geared to American tastes. In terms of the music and the food ("poshed up" versions of typical fast food the Yanks love - which I found quite absurd!) . The food was good quality but the restaurants were mostly quite unexciting to me.
Yes...but no. Yes, your up-front cruise fare will be higher than other lines. But you can *easily* take an entire cruise without spending another dime. No specialty dining upcharges. No built-in daily tips/gratuities. No "soda package". Unlimited (non-streaming) wifi included In-cabin movies...free. You get my drift. We sailed NCL and VV two weeks apart, and we spent *way* more in total on NCL than Virgin. And if you book with a Virgin "first mate" travel agent, they can get you A LOT of included onboard credit, bar tab, etc.
Was on Virgin as a solo traveler as well back in December and gotta say, i enjoyed it, except the test kitchen.. that was horrible, stupid and like 1 bite per plate. Had to go to Wake to get a real meal and full.
I just got off icon and virginia still way better to me. Icon is wayyyyyy too much money. Virgin spoiled me with no kids, internet free, movies free, food free. Ports way better than Icon.
