Why A Transatlantic Cruise Is The Best Way To Experience Virgin Voyages

Forbes

5 days ago

Virgin Voyages' Scarlet Lady is a trip in itself. Virgin Voyages
As avid cruisers, my friend and I are happiest when we're on a beautiful ship, sailing through blue seas, far away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. So, when we finally found time to try a Virgin Voyages cruise — we had heard only rave reviews for years — we immediately opted for the 14 night Miami to Barcelona Transatlantic itinerary, which features an amazing 10 days at sea. It was a great decision because we got to immerse ourselves in the adults-only Virgin Voyages culture — which is a very different experience than any other cruise line we've been on, including those that are also adults-only. We were so blown away, we're already looking at doing it again next year.
A transatlantic cruise is one that literally crosses the Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe, offering numerous consecutive days at sea. Our ship started out in Miami and didn't make its first stop until day 10 when we docked in the Canary Islands. Being on Scarlet Lady for that long was pure bliss.
Virgin's decadent ice cream parlor. Amber Redmond
As Virgin virgins — a term you'll hear often on their ships, where double entendres abound and vibrators are sold in the gift shop — we were ready to try everything. Get your mind out of the gutter because, despite the lighthearted sexual references (the ice cream shop is named Lick Me Till Ice Cream), it's all in fun. The ship actually has a casual sophistication and, although every activity feels like a celebration of some kind and there's a consistently happy vibe in the air, this is not a party boat.
What really stuck out to us was the fact that the Virgin demographic was the most diverse of any ship we've been on, with guests of all different backgrounds, ranging from their 20s to their 80s. With a resident Drag Queen, the ship was obviously LGBTQ+ friendly and everyone was so respectful and friendly, it was such a breath of fresh air.
Our "Anxious People" book club on Virgin Voyages. Lois Alter Mark
I know it seems weird to start off a cruise review by talking about a book club but this was a real highlight of our trip and a totally unexpected pleasure. Virgin offers three book clubs on their transatlantic itineraries and, if there's room, you're welcome to join all of them. They supply copies of the books and we chose to participate in the discussions for Anxious People by Fredrik Backman (although we ended up also reading the other two selections, Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano and People You Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry).
The three book club choices. Lois Alter Mark
We met three times during our cruise, with plenty of time in between to read the required pages for each meeting, and had amazing discussions. Everyone had an interesting perspective to share and the conversations were thought-provoking and often led to fascinating tangents. We enjoyed the experience so much, we started a Facebook group to continue it post-cruise. Staterooms on Virgin Voyages
The irresistible hammock on our balcony on The Scarlet Lady. Lois Alter Mark
Unlike most cruise ships that have odd number staterooms on one side of the ship and even numbers on the other, Virgin has an A side and a Z side. This is such a good idea because, let's face it, there's always a minute when you get off the elevator that you have to stop and look at the closest stateroom number on one side and think about whether it's odd or even and whether it's the side where your own room is located. On Virgin, the A and Z are displayed prominently so you immediately know which way to turn.
The rooms themselves are small but colorful — red, as you know, is the brand's signature and it makes everything cheerier. I'm still not sure why they decided on a layout where, in a stateroom for two people who are not a couple, the twin beds are set up in an L shape. My friend slept with her feet near my head and couldn't really sit up in bed to watch a movie because there was no back to rest her head. This wasn't a huge deal because we didn't spend a ton of time in the room but I don't think this layout was the best use of the space.
Our stateroom on The Scarlet Lady. Lois Alter Mark
Our favorite feature of the room, hands down, was the Yellow Leaf hammock on the balcony, which was perfect for reading our book club selection and for napping to the sound of the sea. This exclusive Virgin amenity is unique and a real treat. Dining on Virgin Voyages
The Galley on The Scarlet Lady. Lois Alter Mark
As someone who loves cruise ship buffets, I was wary about their absence on Virgin — until we boarded the ship and got a glimpse of The Galley, the food hall-like area filled with stations offering everything from grab your own Bento boxes of sushi to made to order burgers, salads, tacos and so much more. Everything was delicious and civilized. We spent a lot of time here and also spent a lot of time deciding what we wanted to eat. Because there were so many tempting options, we often opted for more than one station.
Scarlet Lady boasts more than 20 eateries, all of which are included in the price of the cruise and all of which we managed to try during our two weeks. It's hard to pick favorites but we really enjoyed the Mexican food at Pink Agave, the Italian dishes at Extra Virgin and the ever-changing menu at The Test Kitchen.
Virgin gets our vote for best pizza at sea. Lois Alter Mark
We absolutely fell in love with The Pizza Place, which I feel pretty confident declaring the best pizza at sea, and Lick Me Till Ice Scream, which we often visited twice in a day. We picked up popcorn and big pretzels at The Social Club whenever we passed up and we don't drink alcohol so we really appreciated that Diet Coke was included in our fare and available 24/7. We also don't drink coffee but managed to find our way to The Grounds Club for almond croissants every morning. Wellness on Virgin Voyages
The VHS 80s workout is a blast (from the past). Amber Redmond
Maybe it was because we ate so much, maybe it was because we had so much time or maybe it was simply because it was so much fun but somehow — and I mean, miraculously — we got ourselves out of bed early every single morning to go to whatever fitness class they were offering that day. We did Zumba, a boy band class, a high heels class (in our sneakers) and, our all-time favorite — which they should offer every day because it's so popular — the VHS 80's workout. I would pay to have a link to this at home (Virgin, are you listening?) because the music was fantastic, the moves fun and just the right amount of challenging and the instructors enthusiastic and hilarious.
The Thermal Suite at Redemption Spa Virgin Voyages
Of course, I also indulged in a couple of massages at the award-winning Redemption Spa, which were as restorative as I'd hoped they'd be. Next time, I'll also treat myself to a Thermal Suite Pass to take advantage of the Himalayan Salt Room, the sauna, steam, plunge pools and mud room but, honestly, there were so many other activities I wanted to try while onboard that those took precedent this time. Entertainment on Virgin Voyages
The Diva, Scarlet Lady's resident drag queen. Lois Alter Mark
I had heard a lot about the edgy entertainment aboard Virgin but wasn't really sure what to expect. Not only was I pleasantly surprised since I don't usually find most cruise ship entertainment particularly exciting but I would go so far as to say it's the best and most creative at sea.
One of the best shows I've seen at sea. Lois Alter Mark
Over the course of our cruise, we saw a magician, a comedian, an a capella group, a mind reader and an acrobatic show called Duel Reality that was worthy of Cirque du Soleil. But the piece de resistance — and something you probably won't find on any other cruise line — was The Diva, Scarlet Lady's resident drag queen. She was spectacular and we got to see her in two different shows and during a special karaoke event. What I loved most about her constant presence aboard the ship was how 'normal' it was and how impactful that is during these times.
Scarlet Lady also hosts a PJ Party as well as a Scarlet Night extravaganza where everyone is encouraged to wear red and the festivities take over the entire ship with lots of music and special performances. Activities on Virgin Voyages
Making friendship bracelets. Lois Alter Mark
We participated in more activities on this cruise than I think we've ever done on any other! Our favorites included taking arts and crafts classes, including a couple where we perfected our friendship bracelet making skills (oh, if only we had done this before our attempts for the Taylor Swift concerts we attended in Edinburgh!), playing a shocking amount of table shuffleboard, enjoying afternoon tea, listening to records at Voyage Vinyl and belting out songs in a private karaoke room where you can reserve a room to sing your heart out alone or with your friends.
Scarlet Lady also boasts Squid Ink, the first tattoo parlor at sea, and it was always busy. We met many guests who left the ship with permanent souvenirs.
As for us, we're looking at future Virgin Voyages and are seriously considering the upcoming True Crime cruise in October. It feels like it would be a crime to miss it.