Overview: One of the newest players in the cruise business Virgin Voyages has “more experience than our name suggests.” Sir Richard Branson brings his flair for design and detail that have been the hallmark of Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Airlines to create a new and unique cruise experience. Sexy and cheeky fun on the high seas!

Who This Is For: You like the finer things but without fussiness and pretense. You don’t want to wear a tuxedo in the Caribbean because you aren’t James Bond. The idea of a ship with no kids sounds ideal. You like to relax in the spa by day and dance by night. You are a couple who want a second honeymoon or a solo traveler up for new experiences. You’re gay, or like hanging out with them in their spaces.

What we like: This is a different kind of cruise filled with adventure and joy. Come ready to play and explore and the happy, friendly staff and fellow passengers will meet you more than half way. The food is delicious and with great variety, emphasizing fresh flavors from around the world and eating your way across the ship will be half the fun. And they are all included in the price! Elegant design and beautiful spaces throughout, all with a relaxed come as you are vibe. Friendly and helpful staff that feels truly diverse and worldly. Modern website for booking and managing your reservation and a more useful than usual app for a better onboard experience. The whole vibe is at once relaxed and relaxing. The sense of calm and ease of the crew cause the real world to melt away.  Great accommodations and activities for solo travelers, and fellow passengers who are friendly and happy to engage. Everyone has come to play! The suites, are huge with giant balconies and in-room bars that could turn anyone into a homebody at sea. Staterooms have many outlets with both US and European plugs plus USB charging too! All rooms have a “personal hammock” on the balcony. If your at-sea day doesn’t involve a nap in the gently swaying hammock as the waves crash below, you have missed out on the best experience available anywhere on the ocean. Later morning disembarkation at the end of the cruise is a revelation of calm and civility. Judgement free come as you are experience is very liberating.

What we don’t like: The standard Sea Terrace room is nice but the bathroom is TOO SMALL. While the app has many improvements over similar offerings on other cruise lines, it isn’t that helpful for connecting with new or existing friends who are on board (although with everyone getting basic wifi included you will be able to use your phone for texting) and the app is not always intuitive in helping find activities and make plans. Many fun boutique experiences and shows on board but the most popular ones may fill up quickly and some advanced planning and quick booking as soon as you get onboard will be your friend. Frequent travelers will find the ship layout confusing and you may get lost a lot. Ship is designed to be slowly explored and then surprise you with discoveries. That’s nice but when you are on a 4 day cruise, spending half a day trying to find your restaurant for dinner feels like wasted time. Casino is modest. Sailor loot and bar tab credit system can be a little confusing for new travelers. While much is included in the price, Virgin doesn’t offer an unlimited drink package. While drink prices are reasonable and the cruise line frequently offers deals for prepurchase of bar tab, for those worried about drink sticker shock at the end of the cruise, that could be an issue. While there are excellent music choices throughout the ship, appropriate to the time of day and mood, for some reason, in the hallways, cleaned up radio edits of pop songs are played. It’s an adults only cruise. Who will be offended by a pop song in the hallway with a curse word in it???

Where to sail: With its distinctly continental flair, this is a great line for Americans to explore Europe. You’ll also notice the lack of an unlimited drink package less on an itinerary built around long days of sightseeing and exploring. US travelers wanting to dip an easy toe in can consider a 4-5 night Caribbean sailing with a stop at the private beach club in Bimini, especially if you are a Florida resident looking for an upscale weekend getaway.

Best Ship(s): The line is so new you can’t go wrong with Valiant Lady or Scarlet Lady.

Price: $$$$. High moderate. While quite a bit is included in the price (wifi, tips, dining, basic beverages etc) and the design and food are first rate, this is not a cruise line for bargain hunters. Cocktails, beer, wine and fancy coffees which while fairly priced are not included and could add up quickly for some people. For the money this cruise line is best for specific travelers. Those who don’t mind paying a little extra to get a lot more and prefer a suite category room. If you have to stay at the W even when there is a nice Sheraton across the street, you will appreciate the attention to detail and the price is good overall for what you get.Also solo travelers. The solo specific insider and sea terrace rooms are well priced for singles, especially those used to paying a single supplement. Budget minded couples who usually do mid-range categories like oceanview or standard balcony will have a great time but may not feel like it was good value for their money.

Cancelation Policy: Subject to change. Please review cruise line policy directly as this information may not be current at your time of reading. Your deposit is non-refundable but is a future cruise credit before 120 days out. From 120 days to 45 days you can cancel and get a future cruise credit or transfer the reservation to someone else. Good flexible policy for routine travelers but less frequent cruisers or those unsure of their plans should use caution. With all cruises, we always recommend some form of travel insurance.

Bottom Line: Strongly Recommended! Truly joyous fun on a cruise line for 50 year olds to feel like 30 year olds!

How To Book: Use the Let’s Go Book link to check out upcoming sailings. You can even pay your deposit online or just put a reservation on hold to discuss further with us. When you use the Let;’s Go Book link we are alerted to your booking and we can continue to assist you with your reservation but you don’t need to wait for us to get started!