VIRGIN VOYAGES - THROWING OUT THE CRUISE RULE BOOK

VIRGIN VOYAGES SCARLET LADY CRUISE REVIEW

Sir Richard Branson promised to throw out the ‘cruise rule book’ when he announced he would be launching his own cruise line. Here’s Amy’s Scarlet Lady cruise review on whether or not Virgin Voyages successfully threw out the cruise rule book, after she recently spent two nights onboard  Scarlet Lady  while in Dover. Read her Virgin Voyages Cruise Review…

In a previous blog about  upcoming cruising trends, I wrote about the launch of a brand new cruise line, which promised to ‘shake up the cruise industry’. As it represented the first forage into cruising from the Virgin Group, I noted that Virgin Voyages  would benefit from their strong brand awareness, and that they would be bound to attract many non-cruisers for the first time.

WHAT DID I THINK OF VIRGIN VOYAGES?

I described how Sir Richard Branson had been ‘typically confident and bombastic about the impact Virgin Voyages will have on cruising’, quoting his claims that ‘there’s a Virgin twist on everything you’ll see aboard the Scarlet Lady’, and Virgin Voyages’ promise to ‘throw out the traditional cruise dining rule book.’

I am going to be frank here in my Virgin cruise review. As someone who has cruised for over 20 years, and loves the diversity cruising offers, and especially the delicious dining experiences and impeccable service I have enjoyed on many different ships, I am going to admit now that my nose was put somewhat out of joint when Branson explained that ‘throwing out…the rule book’ in this case meant ‘there will be no stuffy formalities, boring buffets and no main dining rooms.’

VIRGIN VOYAGES CRUISE REVIEW

I perhaps took it a little personally, almost as if I was being called stuffy, formal, or boring, and I thought it was perhaps a trifle ignorant; as I put it, ‘tellingly, Branson admits he has never been on a cruise before, which seems self-evident in his remarks, given that many cruise lines have been gradually moving away from so-called “stuffy formalities”.’

THROWING OUT THE CRUISE RULE BOOK

VIRGIN VOYAGES - SCARLET LADY

Oh, but how I had missed the point! (Granted, I still think it would be nice not to disparage other cruise lines in order to praise one.) But after spending two nights onboard Scarlet Lady in Dover, about six weeks before her first Caribbean cruise for paying guests from Miami, I began to see the light. Virgin Voyages have since launched three other ships and have a fleet of four cruise ships - Scarlet Lady, Brilliant Lady, Valiant Lady and Resilient Lady.

To be honest, it is probably best  not  to think of Scarlet Lady as a cruise ship, or Virgin Voyages as a cruise line.  Forget all that you know about other cruise lines, or what you’ve experienced on other ships , because it would be like comparing apples and oranges.

The fact that you wake up in a different destination (albeit possibly more hungover or tired after a night of dancing and partying onboard), and you are travelling between ports onboard a ship, is perhaps as close to cruising as currently recognised as Virgin Voyages gets. Well, that, and excellent service and food, because I thought the crew were fabulous, and the food – especially in The Test Kitchen and Razzle Dazzle – was fantastic.

In some ways Virgin Voyages is almost unrecognisable from the cruising norms that I am used to

Some of the changes seemed a little superficial, or just marketing; ‘sailors’ instead of ‘guests’ or ‘passengers’; ‘sailor’s loot’ instead of onboard spend, and calling travel agents ‘first mates’, for example. But there are some fundamental changes to the onboard experience, which make Virgin Voyages a completely unique proposition, and in some ways almost unrecognisable from the cruising norms that I am used to.

WHAT DID WE THINK OF VIRGIN VOYAGES?

THE VIRGIN VOYAGES DIFFERENCE

Gone are the Cruise Directors; instead, you’ll find Happenings, who cover different areas, from the ‘Foodie Guy’ to impromptu pop-up parties. Virgin Voyages have also got rid of the overtly hierarchical crew system, too; you won’t see stripes or epaulettes on the officers, although you may see V-shaped stripes on crew member’s jumpers, if that’s the uniform they’ve chosen to wear. You will not see any children either – the ship is “adult-only” Curious? Check out our Virgin Voyages page and cruise search.

EXPRESS YOURSELF

The crew uniforms were launched during London Fashion Week, and designed by Gareth Pugh, and Sir Richard himself wrote that the uniforms were designed specifically to ‘make our crew feel really special while onboard’ as ‘people do their best work and can be their happiest selves when they feel comfortable and confident.’

There’s a variety of outfits that crew members can choose for themselves, many of which can be paired with red PLAE sneakers which are not only gender-neutral, but also eco-friendly with lining sourced from coffee grounds! Not only can crew members choose their uniform, they are also allowed to express themselves with how they wish, whether it’s with tattoos, men wearing make up, or colourfully dyed hair.

HAPPY CREW = HAPPY GUESTS

They really have taken an unique approach to their crew, which seems to be paying dividends with one of the happiest crews I’ve met at sea, thanks partly to the free Wi-Fi and reports of a fabulous dining area for the crew, and the fact that Sir Richard himself took the time to meet each and every member of crew onboard (some described bursting into tears of joy).

DINING ON VIRGIN VOYAGES

And yes, they really have got rid of the main dining room, and there are no speciality restaurants, because every eatery specialises in something different, from Italian, steak and seafood (so far, so familiar) to Korean BBQ with drinking games, ‘vegetarian-forward’ fare, and a ‘laboratory-like eatery’ that’s ‘part cooking school and part restaurant.’

But you do not have to pay a penny extra towards eating in these dining venues; you have a wealth of choice included in your cruise fare! This goes beyond the open dining available in many main dining rooms across the cruise industry’s fleets, and the idea of a first or second sitting is completely alien – so actually, I must admit, that yes,  Virgin Voyages were not lying when they said they would be tearing up the cruise dining rule book, they have gone far beyond the evolutions, changes, or amendments made by other cruise lines.

ENTERTAINMENT ON VIRGIN VOYAGES

I am not a fan of cruise ship entertainment. It doesn’t matter how much it has improved over the years, or some of the impressive offerings some of the ships nowadays boast, including West End-style productions, I always require a ‘two-drink minimum’ to get me through a cruise show on an ocean ship. But this was one area that, in my humble opinion, Virgin Voyages not only excelled at, but did far, far better than the established cruising industry.

RED ROOM ON VIRGIN VOYAGES

The  Red Room (I couldn’t help but make The Shining ‘Red Rum’ references, that’s just how I roll) is unlike any theatre I’ve seen at sea. In fact, it’s not a theatre, it’s what Virgin Voyages refer to as a ‘live performance space’, because it’s certainly not static, or fixed. We had the opportunity to sample two of the performance productions available on Scarlet Lady.

DUEL REALITY ON VIRGIN VOYAGES

The first we saw –  Duel Reality  – was the creation of The Seven Fingers, an artist collective founded in Montreal in 2002, originally by seven circus artists.

This production is best described as ‘A fast-paced retelling of Romeo and Juliet with an elaborate circus twist,’ and the sheer skill of the performers is unquestionable. Mum’s reactions were probably just as entertaining as the show itself, as she was literally on the edge of her seat, and gasping away, and didn’t realise until a few days afterwards that the guy in blue sitting in front of us was part of the show. For this show, the Red Room has mats in the centre and two tall poles, while seats are raised in tiers on either side of the mats, resembling a basketball match rather than a traditional theatre. Sailors (or guests, in more normal parlance) are given a blue or a red wristband as they enter and are shown to sit on their respective side.

There is little spoken narrative, most of the storyline is portrayed through acrobatic segments to music, including a sultry version of Blackstreet’s No Diggity, and Careless Whisper, but sadly, the Reds and Blues (or the Montagues or Capulets) did not show down to the Jason Nevins’ 1997 remix of Run DMC’s It’s Like That. It was certainly a very different entertainment experience at sea, and bowled over the viewers, although if I am going to be hand-on-heart honest, I thought that some of the segments went on a little too long for my personal taste, although that could have been more to do with the fact that I was hungry, or I am not famous for an overly attention span.

UNTITLED DANCE PARTY SHOW THING

But, at 12.30 (yes, a show  after midnight!), we returned to the Red Room, where it had been transformed. The mats, poles, and tiered seating had disappeared, replaced with a stage and catwalk with a large, inflatable pink whale and large screens, and some podium stages dotted here and there, at least to start with, as the staging moved and changed throughout. It is hard to describe this performance, but Virgin Voyages entitled it ‘UntitledDancePartyShowThing’. I would describe it as amazing, invigorating, unique, and not like anything else I have experience at sea, or on land.

It was fun, it was fresh, it was ironic (at times), it was a laugh, it was interactive and immersive. At times, it was surreal, especially when a dancer appeared dressed as a seagull who appeared to be giving birth to large bubbles while Paul Anka’s ‘You’re Having My Baby’ played. In short, it was incredible. But perhaps not for everyone!

One thing is for sure, cruising the Caribbean on Scarlet Lady would be completely unlike any other Caribbean cruise you’ve tried!

If you’re a traditional cruiser, then Virgin Voyages is not for you (unless you wish to try something a bit different from your usual cruising experience). If you like the London or New York Bar/Dining scene, Las Vegas, or Miami South Beach, and you’ve probably never even considered a cruise, then it would be worthwhile giving Virgin Voyages a try.

SPA AND WELLNESS ON VIRGIN VOYAGES

Get ready for the spa session at sea with Virgin Voyages' spa and wellness offering. You're on board, cruising in paradise, and suddenly you realise it's time to treat yourself. That's where the spa comes in. Think serene vibes, massages, and facials. They've got all the services you would expect, from hot stone massages to seaweed wraps. Virgin Voyages is all about keeping you feeling good inside and out, which means they've got some cool fitness and wellness classes too. Detox then Retox. Whether you're a yoga guru or just looking to break a sweat, they've got something for everyone.

CABINS ON VIRGIN VOYAGES SCARLET LADY

Modern, yacht-inspired aesthetic and clever cabin technology make for more than just a space to live (or sleep). The cabins and suites onboard Virgin Voyages are places to escape and retreat from the world, complete with a clever bed configuration. Set up as a sofa during the day, and then converted into a bed at nighttime! They are cozy, stylish, modern and smart, complete with hammock on the balcony!

THE VIRGIN VOYAGES FLEET

Click the buttons below to learn more about each ship in the Virgin Voyages fleet, or head to our main Virgin Voyages page.

VIRGIN VOYAGES CRUISE SUMMARY

So, no,  Virgin Voyages is not for everyone. But then again, neither is P&O, Fred. Olsen, Royal Caribbean, Silversea, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Carnival, Norwegian Cruise Line, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, or my beloved Hebridean Island Cruises. The list could go on and on, because there is not one singular cruise line to appeal to everybody. That is the sheer beauty of our cruising industry, and why cruise specialists have for many years now been proudly proclaiming that there is a cruise line out there for everybody, because of the diversity on offer.

It’s OK that Virgin Voyages are offering a completely different cruising experience, it doesn’t mean it’s better or worse than established cruise lines, nor does it mean that there is something wrong with cruising as we know it. Some more recent cruise lines have tried to position themselves as cruises for non-cruisers, with greater focuses on destination immersion, but I think that Virgin may have a more genuine offering for non-cruisers. Yet, I would say that it can also be a cruise for cruisers looking for something entirely different; one thing is for sure, cruising the Caribbean on Scarlet Lady would be completely unlike any other Caribbean cruise you’ve tried!

For more information about Virgin Voyages, contact us or view our Virgin Voyages page