I am currently on a seven-night cruise with Virgin Voyages that is part of the cruise line’s Virgin Celebration Cruises.
This roundtrip cruise out of Barcelona has special guests with appearances that include Sir Richard Branson and Boy George. After spending a few days on board, here are my brief first impressions of the cruise.
Virgin Voyages invited me onboard for this special sailing and it is my first time cruising with them in Europe.
It’s cruise day on @VirginVoyages Scarlet Lady. Sir Richard Branson will be joining this Virgin Celebration Voyage. pic.twitter.com/rjcUlN8yPe
— Cruise Fever (@CruiseFever) September 1, 2024
One of first things I’ve noticed is that Virgin Voyages has made some good changes from when they first starting sailing in 2021. I was on their first ever sailing and the experience on board is now so much better. It’s a night and day difference.
I will cover this more in depth after I get home from the cruise. I’m glad to see that are no longer trying to be edgy or provocative and now offer things that cruisers (Sailors is what they are called on Virgin) want.
The food on Virgin continues to rank among the best of all the mainstream cruise lines. All restaurants are included, although there are a few items that come with a surcharge. But most of the menu has no extra charges.
I ate at Extra Virgin last night and it’s without a doubt the best Italian restaurant that I have dined at on a cruise ship.
There’s no main dining room, just specialty restaurants and casual eateries that are all included in cruise fares.
There is food all over the ship, The Dock is an awesome spot for lunch when you are at sea.
The crew have been a highlight of the cruise so far. They have been fantastic in every way. A special shoutout to Laurence at the Casino Bar, can’t say enough good things about him.
Virgin Voyages’ CEO, Nirmal Saverimuttu, just held a talk with sailors and he gave some insight on why the crew on Virgin is so awesome. He said that they’ve created a culture for them to thrive and it’s evident all around the ship.
They take a different approach than every other cruise line. Crew members can be themselves they are managed by exception rather than rules. This creates a better experience for guests.
I’ll have more on this later, back to the cruise ship.
One of my favorite parts of the ship is Richard’s Rooftop. This exclusive area at the top front of the ship is reserved for Rockstar Sailors. It’s a great relaxing space and one of the quietest spots on the ship.
You can see a few photos from this area in my X post below.
We are loving Richard’s Rooftop on @VirginVoyages Scarlet Lady. An exclusive area for Rockstar Sailors. pic.twitter.com/eTBt73pYjL
— Cruise Fever (@CruiseFever) September 3, 2024
I have a Central Sea Terrace cabin on deck 9. I love that Virgin has a hammock on every balcony. It may sound like a gimmick but greatly enhances having a balcony. I love to sit in it drinking a cup of coffee each morning.
I rarely spend time on my balcony on cruises but find myself out there a lot more than usual due to the hammock. Every cruise line should add them.
I also love how a tablet in the room controls everything from the curtains, to lights, to the TV. You can control your entire room without getting out of bed.
I forgot how much fun Scarlet Night is, and I am not a party person. It’s so cool to walk around the ship when it’s all lit up in red. While most cruise lines have parties in one area of the ship, this one takes over everywhere.
It’s cruise day on @VirginVoyages Scarlet Lady. Sir Richard Branson will be joining this Virgin Celebration Voyage. pic.twitter.com/rjcUlN8yPe
— Cruise Fever (@CruiseFever) September 1, 2024
I will write more about this sailing after the cruise is over so stay tuned for that. We have a sea day today and I want to get out and enjoy what the ship has to offer.
You can follow along on my cruise on social media (@CruiseFever for all).
