I’m considering booking an 8 day voyage on valiant lady over Xmas. My wife gets self conscious around provocatively dressed women or raunchy behavior, and is concerned because the cruise is out of Miami. Is this something that we should expect to be an overt thing on the ship? I don’t want her to be uncomfortable.
Onboard our first VV cruise and it’s been great. Don’t think we’ll look back at any other cruise line. That said, went to karaoke tonight, had a song picked (and was available) only to be told shortly before going on that it wasn’t “appropriate”. The song was Chocolate Salty Balls by Issac Hayes. I asked if I could sing Pony by Ginuwine instead. That was also a no go. Are these immature songs for a grown man to be singing? Yes. Do they bring the house down? Absolutely. I’ve heard and seen far worse in the last few days, and given the reputation as a safe space for adults, I’m curious what the deal with this is?
This is no detriment to the talented dancers and circus acrobats aboard the Scarlet Lady, whose stunts and choreography had me in awe.
But I had the misfortune to sit through the show Booked! which was an hour of the worst ChatGPT-generated script I’ve ever seen, complete with AI-generated stage backgrounds, AI slop voiceovers, and an AI hologram of Richard Branson!
Please, Virgin: you have a massive budget. You can afford to hire actual human scriptwriters and set designers. Don’t put your amazing stage performers through the humiliation ritual of such a terrible show written by a generative AI tool. And don’t have such low expectations of your audience: we’re not on boomer Facebook, you’re marketing these cruises to a younger audience and we can all tell when something is AI. It just feels lazy and low-quality.
EDIT: shoutout to all the more tech-savvy elderly out there- of course “boomer Facebook” is only a stereotype and I only used it as a throwaway reference to try and give the problem some more perspective. Not all elderly and not only elderly are AI slop consumers.
I'm looking into possibly doing the three step nourishment body treatment. Does anyone have pros and cons?? Day to day, I work on a cattle ranch so my cruises are all about spoiling myself and new experiences. It's also my 45th birthday trip. Thank all ya'll for being so kind with all my previous questions!
My wife and I are going on our first cruise, it’s a Virgin cruise ship out of Puerto Rico that hits Barbados, Martinique, St. Lucia, Saint Kitts, and Saint Maarten. Is there an advantage to booking through the cruise line? If we book through private, do they charge an American dollars at all locations? Has anybody paid privately runned tours using a Wise card so that they are paying only once on the exchange from CAD to US?
Thanks in advance!!!
Hi all! I just got back from sailing on the Brilliant Lady and wanted to share some thoughts.
This is my second ever cruise--period. I last sailed the Valiant Lady in February 2025, had so much fun, I promptly came home and booked another trip with my friend, which we took last week.
Itinerary/Shorex
Well, let me just say this super El Niño had its own plans regardless of what I was hoping for. It was really hot and disgustingly humid the entire trip. Our voyage got extraordinarily lucky sailing between two storms and only one port change. We were initially scheduled to go to Cabo San Lucas, but ended up switching to Ensenada because the swells were too high for tendering. Otherwise, the weather was fine -- heat and humidity notwithstanding.
The excursions in Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta were fun and interesting. I really enjoyed the open air trolley in Mazatlan, and going to the tequila plantation was great, even though I got positively eaten alive by bugs.
The restaurant on the plantation was expensive, but delicious. Three tacos cost $7 USD, but you get a choice of pork, beef, or chicken, as well as salsa, cabbage, rice, and beans. The habanero hot sauce burned so bad (good?); a can of Coca-Cola was $2 USD. I'm not a spicy eater so it was literally painful, but my friend is a spicy eater and loved it. The staff and everyone who worked at the plantation were all fantastic and friendly. Oh, and this tour took us to a little shopping area where most locals go and we got to try some tortillas and salsa and churro -- so freaking good.
Crowd
I don't believe this was a sold out cruise in the first place and I also don't believe it was anywhere near capacity. In fact, it felt rather empty most times. It could also be that the west coast crowd is just super chill (that's what I was told, anyway) so we didn't notice people, but it was very quiet at all times on the ship, which was interesting. I have no feelings about that one way or the other.
Casino
For those who like to gamble, I visited the casino for the first time. I'm not a gambler, but my friend is and thought she'd try it out. There's a few tables for black jack, one roulette table (from what I saw), and slot machines. It's not huge by any means, but it was clean and there was no smoking so it smelled nice.
Service
Everywhere on board the ship, the service was fantastic. The room attendants were so good about turning our room around for morning service. Like, we'd go to breakfast at 11 on a sea day and it was done when we came back 20 minutes later.
Up in the galley, the staff were great at each station and were right on top of everyone to pick up trays and plates. It was very clean, even on very busy days. Being able to spread out and eat outside even when it was super busy inside was nice, and very enjoyable.
The "specialty dining" restaurants had great service as well. The servers and waitstaff at every restaurant we tried were all polite without seeming too disinterested in rehashing the same spiel for the thousandth time (if you've worked in the service industry, you know what I mean).
Food
Ok speaking of specialty dining, I was able to try every restaurant on board this time.
The Wake -- lives up to its reputation. The steak was cooked well and the food was tasty. I filled up on those damn Parker House rolls, but they were so good. 5/5 (I don't expect a prime cut on a cruise ship, nor do I expect it to actually be like a high end steakhouse, but for what it is, it's excellent). The brunch was just okay. That, I'd give 4/5, though that brioche french toast was tasty.
Pink Agave -- high end Mexican. I thought it was fine. Being from Los Angeles, I'm more keen on hole-in-the-wall authentic places where it's not "fine dining" by any means but the food is good. We started with esquite, enchilada (which came with only a very light green sauce of some sort, but was otherwise served dry), and potatoes (food highlight of the night for me). For my main course, I had the steak. It was fine. It wasn't anything to write home about. It came covered in some kind of cheese and sauce and was a bit of a fatty cut. The dessert choices included the chocolate tamale (have had it before -- wildly unimpressed with that), rum raisin bread pudding (not good), and chocolate tacos (excellent, loved it). Overall, I'd rank this restaurant 3/5. I'd eat there again but it's not my favorite.
Test Kitchen -- the semi controversial one (just kidding). They finally added a new menu and have decided to rotate it every 3 days. We happened to get Menu C: corn/truffle; tomato/olive; salmon/cucumber; beet/cashews, lamb rack; barley risotto; strawberry pistachio; mango/chia. I chose the meat side, my friend went vegetarian. It was all pretty good and I actually really liked it. Her biggest complaint was that everything was so wet. Literally everything included some sort of sauce that the food was drowned in. I know it's supposed to be like molecular gastronomy stuff, but I agree that not everything needs to basically be half soup. The desserts were a huge fail, IMO. The strawberry was supposed to have some sort of spice or something on it and I didn't taste a thing. The pistachios were overpowered by the strawberry. The mango thing was flavorless as well. I will say that the portion sizes are still too large for how many courses you have, but overall, a 4/5 experience.
Gunbae -- either you love it or you don't. The food isn't something to write home about, but the overall experience is fun for me. Your tablemates will make a huge difference and anyone who wants to act like a damned wet blanket is going to ruin it for everyone else. I understand that not everyone drinks. Our server came up with a great alternative to the teetotalers at my table by offering them cranberry juice. Overall, 4/5.
Extra Virgin -- Well, the pasta and the charcuterie board were delicious. Overall, I thought it was fine? 4/5.
Rojo -- wow, just wow. This is a new Spanish restaurant that replaced Razzle Dazzle and wow, the food was fantastic. We both got the chicken and it was cooked to absolute perfection. Crispy skin on the outside, tender, juicy meat on the inside. My friend is not a big eater and she cleaned her entire plate, it was that good (for us, anyway). And the churros I had for dessert were delicious. My only regret was not having enough room in my stomach for more than 2 of them.
The Galley -- Richard Branson's answer to the traditional cruise buffet. I like it, but my friend (who has been doing cruises since she was a kid) was a little thrown off by it at first. My only issue with The Galley is the menus never change. They’ll occasionally have a theme night, but it was kind of… meh. I do wish, especially for dinner, there’d be more incentive to eat up there — though I understand that they want people in the restaurants because those folks are more likely to buy alcohol or spend money on a “treat yourself” item.
Drink Package
I got a deal on my last cruise that included a $200 drink credit and a $200 onboard credit. I decided to purchase an additional $225 ($200+$25 “free” credit) for my friend and I to share, just to see how we’d do. We’re not big drinkers, though I admittedly did a smidge overboard since I was like fuck it, we have the credit. However, if you’re into coffee, the Intelligentsia premium coffee bar is so worth the extra credit (although we honestly probably could’ve gotten away with just $200). Their Americanos and cold brew were so tasty. I very much enjoyed those. The kombucha they sell in the can (Humm brand) is just okay, but I bought one anyway because, again, I had the credit lol.
So if you’re into coffee, a $200 credit is worth it for the Grounds Club.
Entertainment
This one is a bit interesting because my friend is really not into shows, and we didn’t take advantage of most of the onboard entertainment so I can’t really comment on BL’s stuff. I did enjoy myself on VL last year, for whatever that’s worth.
One thing we did do was pairs and paints, and I kind of wish I’d read the description more closely before I signed up. The idea was to paint your partner while you have some bubbly. I…. Am not an artist. By any means. I will not be sharing my work, but just trust me when I say that it was BAD. Fortunately, my friend thought it was utterly hilarious and she loves the awful portrait I made of her. The one she did of me was incredible, even if it looks absolutely nothing like me lol.
Scarlet Night was a brilliant hit as always. The Happenings Cast were terrific, and fun, and dancing in the pool was a damn delight. We got so lucky again with this. The day before, as we headed down the coast from Mazatlan into Puerto Vallarta, we passed through some thunderstorms. It was mostly just atmospheric stuff because the water was smooth. But the thunder and lightning was right on top of us. And right after PV, we had to head back up the coast to L.A. And there was no dillying or dallying to be had because Rachel and Simon are both making a beeline for Baja (godspeed, Mexico), so we had to rush out of port. But, the sky was clear and the weather was -- well, still disgustingly humid, but not too bad that Scarlet Night couldn’t proceed as planned.
Stateroom
Ok last bit. I booked us a sea terrace and they squeezed us into a corner next to a Rockstar suite. I think next time, I’ll try to make sure we’re more mid than aft. Our room had a connecting door to the suite and we could hear every single word that the people next door were saying. I thought maybe it was just that the walls were thin — nope! They were just loud, and the door didn’t help matters at all. We had neighbors on the other side of us and we didn’t hear a peep out of them the whole trip. So it was a combination of loud people in the suite and the door. But, our room was also quite small. Look, I know I didn’t pay for an enormous room — that’s fine. But this is admittedly slightly smaller than the average sea terrace.
Overall
For everything, I give the trip a 9.5 out of 10. There are some things VV couldn’t help, like the weather, so I don’t take away from that. But the food and the experiences and the room are some of the few detractors for me. There’s some bad, but it’s mostly all good. And yes, I will be sailing again. I already put down my deposit, like the sucker I am.
I will be shocked if anyone can give me a definitive answer. I'm booked for the Scarlett Lady Halloween cruise Oct. 31-Nov 5. The costume ball is our first night and my costume requires some assembly. Does anyone know if a glue gun might be available for passenger use. I have my own but could use all the packing space I can get.
We’re sailing in November and were hoping to bring one of our favorite card games with us. If it’s already available on board, we won’t bother bringing it, but if it’s not, we’re planning to buy a new copy and leave it behind for others to enjoy.
The game is called SKYJO, and we absolutely love it! We’ve gotten so many of our friends hooked on it that several of them have ended up buying their own copies. 😂
Sorry for the long winded post, but could anyone who’s currently on board do us a favor? The next time you’re in the Social Club could you see if they have SKYJO available?
I sailed on Virgin Voyages’ Valiant Lady from New York City to Bermuda, and I had such a great experience, especially as a first-time solo traveler. I was honestly nervous about traveling by myself, but from the beginning, the staff was incredibly welcoming and the other sailors were friendly and easy to talk to. I met new people and made friends, but I also had plenty of opportunities to enjoy being alone, relax, and appreciate the solitude. It ended up being a really great balance.
The ship itself was beautiful. One of my favorite features was the walking track on the upper deck. I spent about an hour just walking with nothing but the ocean around me, and it was probably one of my favorite moments of the trip. I also liked that there were plenty of fitness and activity areas available, even though I didn’t personally use most of them.
The parties were fun, the drinks were great, and I really appreciated that Virgin doesn’t have a traditional buffet. The dining overall was good. Test Kitchen was a cool experience, Gunbae was fun, and Ariya, the Indian restaurant, was probably my favorite meal of the trip. The food there was excellent.
I also really appreciated the Sailor Loot and booking through my First Mate. It made the overall experience feel like a good value.
Our Bermuda itinerary was unfortunately shortened because of severe weather, and our departure from New York was delayed by a day. The only genuinely negative part of the trip was the boarding process after that delay. Because everyone was trying to board Sunday night, we stood outside in the cold and rain for more than two hours. In retrospect, I probably would have waited and boarded the following morning. Given the unusual weather circumstances, though, I don’t think that experience reflected the rest of the cruise at all.
Even with the shortened Bermuda visit and delayed departure, I had an amazing time. I came home already wanting to book another Virgin cruise and have recommended it to several of my friends.
For anyone considering traveling solo but feeling nervous about it, I would absolutely recommend Virgin Voyages. I felt comfortable, welcomed, entertained, and completely fine doing things on my own when I wanted to. I would definitely sail on Valiant Lady—and with Virgin Voyages—again.
So I’m on the Mexican riviera cruise next week with my best friend. He’s leaving his husband at home and I’m leaving my BF and we are celebrating our 40th birthdays. Don’t really want to have to buy a new outfit but wondering if this sun dress will work. It’s not bright red but it’s a great dress for the trip but wondering if the hue of red will be off
If you are departing from Brooklyn port. Watch out for this guy on Uber. He is scamming to get riders off the app and pick up passengers. He is getting his way into area by accepting rides then canceling as he gets to park his car in the pick up area.
He canceled on us. I approach his car cuz he had accepted the ride. It was his picture and his license #. Then he said no I have no ride and kept showing me his phone app. Another lady said he did the same thing to her.
I told the security guys in the port area.
Don’t ride with him. You don’t know drivers like this and security.
Had a wonderful trip to Bermuda on the Valiant Lady from NYC.
I got up around 5:30 AM, looked out from my balcony, and saw that we were approaching the Verrazano Bridge. I managed to get this great shot.
We disembarked at 7:30 AM, and I think we had the quickest disembarkation ever! I was off the ship in probably under 10 minutes.
It's our first time on VV what to expect for planning costumes and Scarlet Night? We splurged for Rock Star! We are sailing out of LA mid Oct.. Hopefully we will sail to Mexico and not California (we live in Sacramento)
So first off we've never been virgin before. We're trying to decide between these two cruises.
9 nights Brilliant Lady Eastern Caribbean & Bimini Holiday Dec 14-23, 2026 Miami, San Juan, Charlotte Amalie, Philipsburg, The Beach Club at Bimini & Miami
8 nights Resilient Lady
Dec 05-13, 2026 Miami, St. Croix, San Juan, Puerto Plata, The Beach Club at Bimini
We've never been to any of these ports, but not sure what to pick. The brilliant lady is a newer ship and like 400 bucks cheaper and 1 day longer. But Resilient lady is just a tad bit better timing for us lol.
I'll be solo cruising on the Scarlet Lady.. I'm looking for tips and tricks to truly enjoy myself. TIA
Hi everyone!
I’ll be going on an upcoming transatlantic crossing cruise! This will be my first time being on a cruise ship this long and would like recommendation for items I should bring from experienced cruiser who’ve done this kind of itinerary before!
Since I basically being living in the ship for 2 weeks then spending a week straight at sea, how do you guys “move in” into your cabin? How do you make it feel more home and organized? It’s a solo cruise btw! All recommendations are welcome thank you!
My husband and I are getting ready to sail on our first Virgin Voyages cruise tomorrow on the Scarlett Lady in the Mediterranean sailing from Athens to Barcelona with stops in Greece and Italy along the way.
I would love any recommendations from you all to have the best experience possible, with some specific questions below:
General Questions:
- We are big football fans and there will be a game on the night we set sail that we’d like to watch. It seems unlikely, but does anyone know if there is a bar on the ship that would be able to show games? And if not, would the premium WiFi enable us to stream it via the NFL apps?
- We did manage to snag some reservations for dining already, and we were hoping to get more secured once we board. Unfortunately our boarding time is on the later side (3:30)— is it still worth going to try to get them as soon as we board at the help station, or should we just try walking in places?
- Would love any specific recommendations on restaurants/dishes/drinks! Currently have at least 1 reservation for all places except Test Kitchen and Gunbae.
- Disembarkation: Do we have to leave at our assigned time? Would kind of hate to, since we have a later flight out of BCN, and I managed to get us a brunch reservation at Razzle Dazzle the last day at 9AM which we would not be able to go to if we are required to disembark earlier.
Port-specific Questions:
Mykonos:
My husband is really into Greek and Roman history and mythology. We were eyeing the Divine Delos tour — is it worth doing? Otherwise, would love recommendations for Mykonos in general!
Catania, Sicily:
Would love recommendations for what to do here. Is booking an excursion a must? And if so, Taormina vs. Etna, vs. Syracuse recommendations?
Salerno (Amalfi Coast):
Would love recommendations for what to do here. Is booking an excursion a must? I’m a bit overwhelmed by the options — Amalfi vs. Capri vs. Pompeii! I have been to Pompeii as a teenager, my husband never has, but I am a bit reluctant to sign up for a long bus ride given that we’ll be doing that for our Rome tour the following day.
Thank you for your thoughts and tips in advance!!