Table Of Content
- Overall great first time cruise, but be aware for racism on board from other sailors
- Virgin Voyages Has Put a Lot of Thought into Scarlet Lady Activities, Cabins and Restaurants
- Sails To
- CardMatch
- What I loved about Resilient Lady
- Learn About Credit Cards
- Be the first to get our exclusive deals + onboard happenings

Outside, the balcony was tiny but pleasant, featuring two metal chairs, a small drinks table and — my absolute favorite feature of the entire room — a red hammock from Yellow Leaf Hammocks. Their products are handwoven by women of the Mlabri ethnic group in Thailand, allowing them to support their families and end the poverty cycle. Despite some improvements that were made due to customer feedback, cabins still have curtains instead of closet doors and beds that are less than comfortable, thanks to their convertible sofa-to-bed setup. Like other companies within the Virgin family of brands, Virgin Voyages is trendy and chic, bringing passengers a perfect balance of over-the-top fun that doesn't veer into tacky. Its ships only allow cruisers who are 18 and older, and they attract a wealthier crowd.
Overall great first time cruise, but be aware for racism on board from other sailors
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. 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.
Virgin Voyages Has Put a Lot of Thought into Scarlet Lady Activities, Cabins and Restaurants
These extra-large rooms come with attractions like music rooms, turntables, peekaboo showers with windows to the sea, fully-stocked bars and large balconies. Perks include exclusive access to the Richard's Rooftop sun deck, access to a RockStar Agent (i.e. concierge), priority reservations for dining, onboard events and shore excursions and complimentary access to the spa's thermal suite. Instead, you can make dinner reservations at one of its six restaurants, or make a more casual meal from the pizza parlor, food hall, snack bar (featuring wings and hot dogs) or the Dock and Dock House lounge with their mezze menu.
Sails To
There also is nightly dancing in the ship's two-story-high nightclub, The Manor. 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. 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. Despite some underwhelming aspects here and there, such as some design choices we didn't love and a very crowded pool area, we had a great time.
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As a team of phenomenal singers and dancers takes to the main stage, you might find aerialists and pole dancers performing to either side while a group of demons climbs the walls of "hell" near the back of the room. Also worth mentioning are Test Kitchen's mixology classes, where you'll learn how to create a social media-worthy cocktail, and the Grog Walk, a hosted bar crawl that will take you to the vessel's most popular watering holes. Just open the Virgin Voyages app and shake your phone to have a bottle delivered to wherever you are on board. On your way in, stop to take a selfie in what the crew calls the most Instagrammed space on board — a mirrored hallway inlaid with thousands of glowing white lights.

With rates that hover around $1,300 per cabin for 4-5 night trips, Virgin is poised to become the perfect upscale yet affordable vacation for a friends group looking to experience some new destinations. Virgin Voyages adults-only scene changes up the attitude and energy of everyone onboard, giving the whole experience an exclusive, club vibe. The ship doesn't lack for anything you'd find on your standard cruise, with plenty of uniquely themed bars (a dozen to be exact), two pools, plenty of hot tubs and a nightclub as cool as any I've seen on more solid ground. The guests on my sailing were from all walks of life and notably younger. The ship made its debut on the world stage in February 2020, but it was not until August 2021 that Virgin's Scarlet Lady set out on its inaugural cruise, starting with a series of short sailings to nowhere in the U.K.
What I loved about Resilient Lady
You're likely to see a wide range of ages, from millennials through Gen X and the baby boomer set. In fact, multi-generational families (minus kids under 18, of course) aren't exactly uncommon either. Any liquor purchases made ashore will also be held for you until the conclusion of your voyage. Pay special attention to customs limits if you plan to purchase large quantities. The result is that the Mind Mangler, a character from a land-based show, can now be found on board Resilient Lady.
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"I loved my experience with Virgin Voyages. I have previously cruised with many other cruise lines. This cruise had the best entertainment and food." If you'd like to read more about the entertainment onboard Resilient Lady, check out our experience on the ship's Mermaiden Voyage. Also, it's worth noting that while you'll see smiles across the faces of almost any demographic onboard (and yes, that includes baby boomers), most entertainment skews racy. But for those with a sense of adventure, that's only part of the fun. Note, too, that entertainment does change on Virgin's ships, so check your itinerary before sailing. Things are decidedly more high-end in the 78 Resilient Lady suites, which are referred to as Rockstar Quarters and divided into Rockstar and Mega Rockstar categories.
Brilliant Lady Cruise Ship Review First-hand Expert Review - Cruise Critic
Brilliant Lady Cruise Ship Review First-hand Expert Review.
Posted: Wed, 12 Jul 2023 18:20:59 GMT [source]
Be the first to get our exclusive deals + onboard happenings
The balance works well; the ship does not feel oppressively crowded, but there are plenty of restaurants, bars and attractions on board to keep you entertained at sea. During your visit to the club, any drinks you order are charged to the ship, so bar tab credits you have during your cruise will work here, too. The food, which ranged from snapper steamed in a banana leaf to a salad featuring Bahamian mango and macadamia, is included, though some dishes were better than others. I loved mixing the curry, rice and snapper I ordered all together to create a pretty tasty bowl.
If you're someone who likes to go out – to dinner, a show, a bar or a party – this social ship will be for you. Many restaurants have communal tables designed to bring people together, such as Gunbae, where tables exclusively seat six and you're encouraged to join in a drinking game with your newly-met tablemates. The entertainment is top notch, but it's more experimental and modern than the traditional song-and-dance cruise ship shows. Scarlet Lady is not a "read in your cabin" type of cruise ship. As is the case with most of its cruise-related endeavors, Virgin Voyages doesn't do food and drinks like the other lines do.
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. 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.
Twin beds can be arrayed in various configurations along the platform. I had two pushed together into a queen with one-third of the platform as a bedside table, but a triple could have a third bed jutting out perpendicular from the other two. Or, if you plan on hosting an event in your cabin, or don't like reading on a bed, you can ask your room attendant to strip the sheets and arrange two daybed mattresses into an L-shaped sectional couch. No one tells you how the ship works, even though it's nontraditional for the cruise industry. If you don't know to get on board and immediately make reservations for all the restaurants, shows and fitness classes you want, you will find yourself locked out of meals and events you were looking forward to.
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