Why Virgin Voyages?
PSA: This post is NOT affiliated with or sponsored by Virgin Voyages, although maybe someday it could be. (wink, wink I’m talking to you Virgin).
As much as we love to travel, a cruise was something neither of us were interested in. It’s a nice idea in theory, waking up in a new destination each morning, being able to island hop without having to unpack and change hotels. But the reality of it all kept us from booking. Did we want to be stuck on a floating micro city with thousands of people, screaming kids running around with a junk food buzz while their parents are getting plastered at the pool bar, vats of subpar food at an enormous buffet, having to dress up for dinner and sit with strangers, loudspeaker activity announcements all day long? Absolutely not. Listen. We love kids. Really, truly. But given a choice we will book adults only accommodations every single time. Why? Well, why not?
Given our general feelings about cruising, no one was more shocked than me when I stumbled upon a deal for a five-day Virgin Voyages trip departing out of Miami and heard myself ask Jaime if he was interested. He thought I was kidding. But the Virgin concept was intriguing to us both. No formal sit down dinners, pay as you go drinks (read: high end liquor, exceptional wine list, craft cocktails and no college spring breakers puking in the hallway after drinking all day trying to get the most bang for their buck out of the drink packages so popular on other cruise lines), the promise of really good food at their multiple eateries, NO buffets, a come as you are mentality, and did I mention adults only? Ultimately, curiosity got the best of us and we booked. Plus we went a day early so we were able to experience Miami. On that first voyage we didn’t disembark at any of the scheduled ports until we arrived at Virgins private beach club in the Bahamas. We wanted to explore every aspect of the ship and see if we really liked it or not. Cliff notes: we had such a great time that we booked a second cruise as soon as we got home and then invited friends to join us. Oh, and the beach club scene? So fun! more on that later.
Our second cruise was eight days, twice as long as that initial spend a few days at sea experiment. Ports of call included the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, St. Croix and the Beach club in Bimini with multiple sea days sprinkled in between.
Vacation part 1: Miami – South Beach
Last time while in Miami we choose to stay in the Brickell area. Sparkling high rises, incredible restaurants and dress to impress night life made for a great city stay. This trip, we wanted to experience South Beach. And what better way to see South Beach than a boutique hotel right on Ocean Drive. The Pelican Hotel was where we called home for three days and two nights and it was a vibe of its own. I scored a great pay ahead rate for a room on the back side. I choose to be as far away from the party scene/ street side as possible in hopes of sleeping. I know, I know….boring, but it was such a smart move. Our room had no ocean view, or any view honestly but it was comfortable and enormous. Each room at The Pelican is unique – in name and decor. The staff is personable, fun and so helpful. The onsite restaurant was incredible (the ceviche!!!) and hosted a daily inclusive happy hour. The rooftop bar offers a fantastic view of both the sunset and Ocean Drive making it a great spot to people watch. Did I mention the secret speak easy? Our room rate also included the rental of two beach chairs and an umbrella on the beach right by the 8th street lifeguard tower. The only amenity lacking was a gym…..but we made up for this with all of the walking each day. Our friends stayed nearby, and the four of us had the best time sightseeing, brunching and soaking up the sun on the beach. I’m still dreaming about the fresh empanadas and Cuban coffee. Travel tip: always, always, always wander out of the touristy areas. Great example: I asked the hotel concierge where he stops for coffee on his way to work and went there. Our time in South Beach was like a vacation of its own and we still had eight nights on the boat to look forward to.
Ahoy Sailors!
First things first – download the Virgin Voyages app. You need the app to complete the pre voyage checklist and once on board it’s the best way to see the daily schedule, ask questions via chat, make reservations and so much more. A few weeks before you board, you will have the opportunity to make brunch/ dinner reservations, book shore things (excursions) and some spa treatments right in the app. If you’re traveling with a group, just link up your reservations in the app if you want to set things up for multiple people at once.
There are plenty of good eats in the galley (think high end, fresh, made to order food court) and multiple eateries are walk in only so if you don’t make reservations before boarding, don’t stress. Also worth noting that more reservations will become available the day you board. Jaime likes to plan his day around food, his feeding schedule is real, so I made sure to have dinner plans taken care of ahead of time. Last cruise I discovered some fun classes and events while on board, but because of their popularity and small class size I wasn’t able to participate. This time I was determined to get into some of the spinning classes and really wanted to try the bungee workout class, so we had a boarding game plan. As soon as we were on board and before heading to our room, we connected to the ship wifi. Once you’re “in” you can view the detailed daily schedules right in the app. Jaime made a dash to the spa to make appointments while I signed us up for the classes and special events that I thought might fill up or sell out quickly. If the class or event you want is booked, you might want to just go anyways and cross your fingers there’s a last minute cancellation. A lot of people sign up, but fail to show up. When this happens, if there’s a slot open and you are there, they will let you participate. It’s worth noting that you might get charged a no show fee….so make sure you cancel any bookings in advance.
I encourage you to do your homework before your trip to find out what your “must have’s” and “must do’s” are and then come up with your own boarding day plan.
Activities and Entertainment
The sail away party shouldn’t be missed! Head to the pool deck, grab some free champagne and enjoy the view and the party as you wave goodbye to land. Later that night, be sure to check out the pajama party – the first theme night event of your cruise. Yes people really walk around the ship in their PJ’s and slippers! If you’re a sucker for a good theme night, check your itinerary and pack accordingly as the theme’s will vary by ship and by cruise duration. There are dance parties at the Manor on board and each night is a different musical era/ genre, which can be really fun to dress up for. We decided to all wear matching green and white velour track suits and headbands for 80’s night and even made a stop to the pre party glam station for face glitter and jewels.
Every single cruise will have a Scarlet Night and wearing red is encouraged. The entire ship essentially turns into one massive party with pop up events, performances and activities everywhere. It’s impossible to see and do everything that takes place on Scarlet night. If you can, head to the pool for the main event at least thirty minutes before the scheduled start time, earlier if you want a spot right by the pool. If you chose to dress up and have on clothes you don’t want to get ruined, perhaps go to the observation deck above the pool and watch what happens below. That’s all I’m going to say….you need to just experience Scarlet night to fully appreciate and understand.
From the casino, to board games, shuffle board tables, arcade, puzzle challenges to karaoke, drag shows, comedians, dance parties, painting, organized bar crawls, live music and cirque du soleil inspired performances there is an endless amount of activities to take part in if you want. There are also food based events, one of our favorites included a Champagne tasting paired with fried chicken. And there is a huge amount of things to do that are health, wellness and fitness oriented. None of these activities are announced. You will need to consult the app agenda to see what is happening when, and just show up. Some do have an extra cost. There are also plenty of quiet areas sprinkled around the ship for reading, journaling, napping or just watching the waves roll by. Truly there is something for everyone while on board. Getting to know your cast and crew can be super helpful and fun too. Don’t be shy! They love to interact with the sailors. They are a huge part of what makes the cruise so fun and why we will continue to book with Virgin.
Food
I could, and probably should dedicate an entire post to onboard food and drinks. Instead of a full food review, I will share just a few things: Test Kitchen isn’t for everyone, but we love it. It’s art, it’s food, it’s delicious and the menu rotates throughout each voyage so you might want to try it more than once. We’ve been lucky enough to have three separate and unique dining experiences and have thoroughly enjoyed each one. You can also add wine or cocktail pairings with each course. If you’re feeling adventurous after your Test Kitchen meal, ask to play the “smell game” with the onsite sommelier. Ship Eats (room service) can be ordered anytime right from the app and has a fun selection of menu items and snacks that you can’t get anywhere else on the ship. In the galley you will find sushi, coolers with treats and bento boxes that change throughout the day which make great to go options. The grounds club specialty coffees and lattes are worth the upcharge. There are delicious gluten free options everywhere, which I truly appreciate. Jaime has a lemon and lime allergy which can be tough but they took this very seriously and he never had an issue while on board. And the popsicle champagne cart shouldn’t be missed! This is Virgins take on milk and cookies. Pick your popsicle flavor and champagne type and dunk away!
Ports of Call
Have you seen the YouTube videos of people running down the dock trying to catch the ship before it departs? Or worse, being left behind because they didn’t make it back on time? To prevent being one of those people, simply book your excursion (or Shore Thing as Virgin calls them) directly with Virgin. If for some reason your tour is late getting back, the ship has to wait for you. On the flip side, if you book through a third-party vendor and your tour van gets a flat tire, or your ATV runs out of gas leaving you stranded in the jungle or any number of things that could go wrong, does go wrong the ship will depart without you if you are not on board. They do not mess around with their schedule. And speaking of schedule, when you get off the ship at a port pay special attention to Ship Time vs watch time of wherever you might be. The ship never changes time, so in our case it stays on Miami time for the duration of the journey. If you happen to change time zones you have to be back on board by ship time, not port time. If you have questions about this, find a crew member and ask!
We wanted a more laid-back agenda with time to explore the port towns at our leisure. Our time in the Dominican and Puerto Rico was spent soaking up the local culture, eats and shops. The only excursion we booked was a catamaran and snorkeling trip to Buck Island while we were in St. Croix. Buck Island consistently lands on the list of the worlds most beautiful beaches and now I know why. The tiny uninhabited island is part of a protected area totaling almost 20,000 acres. The beach is pristine, and the surrounding coral trails are home to over 250 fish species. I’ve never seen so many different types of fish while snorkeling in one spot before.
Bimini
Remember the private beach club I mentioned earlier? If you board one of Virgin’s Lady Ships in Miami, chances are you will stop at the magical Bahamian Island of Bimini the last night of your trip. There is a golfcart tram that takes you from the dock to the beach club and runs continuous loops all day. Just like on board, you can choose what kind of experience you have at the beach club. Pool or Ocean? Quiet or Crazy? Sun or shade? You really can’t go wrong. Maybe you’d like to have a quiet day by the glittering turquoise sea. If you want an unobstructed ocean view from the beach, consider taking the earliest tram offered to try and get an umbrella and loungers in the front row.
Perhaps you’re after some crazy fun on your last full day of vacation? In that case, head to the beach club pool for all day music, games, entertainment and of course the epic pool party complete with pool floats of all sizes. Yes, yes you can float on a giant peacock or a big yellow duck and you should! Although climbing on to one of the inflatables is pretty tricky after a few cocktails, you’ll see! Our group thought having a homebase would be a good idea, so we rented a poolside cabana for the day. It included a bar tab credit, a dedicated server and most importantly shade! Just like on the ship, you pay for drinks with your bracelet and food is included (and delicious).
Even if you spend all day at the pool scene, please just go to the beach for a few minutes to take it all in. The sand is white, soft and sugary. And the ocean? The ocean at Bimini is simply divine. The water is so clear and beautiful that it almost looks fake. The shades of blue and green swirl together to make some of the most gorgeous colors I’ve ever seen. When I say my favorite color is ocean…. I always think about the beach at Bimini. Virgin also offers a plethora of shore things (excursions) to choose from if that’s more your style, but we enjoy the beach club so much that we haven’t tried any.
Helpful hints and random bits of information
In no particular order, here’s some other things that I have learned:
- There is a platform next to your bed that looks fixed into place, but it actually opens. This gives you so much extra storage.
- Open your suitcase and then slide it under the bed if it won’t fit while closed.
- If you need something from sailor services don’t go the first night because everyone else will be trying to do the same thing.
- They do not sell bottled water on board. Make sure to take a refillable water bottle with you and utilize the filling stations in the galley. Your room crew will bring glass water carafes daily and if you ask nice, they will bring extras. DO NOT DRINK THE WATER in your bathroom. There’s a little sign by the sink to remind you.
- Taking magnetic hooks is a great way to hang up damp/ wet items and lets you organize things a bit.
- Your balcony door has to be shut and locked in order for your AC to turn on.
- The red hammock on the balcony is the best place on earth to nap. Yes that’s a bold statement and I stand behind it. If you plan on being out there for a while, put the throw blanket from your bed on first to prevent your legs from having hammock lines. I only made that mistake once.
- If you think you will want to do another cruise in the next two years, it’s worth putting a deposit down before the end of your trip. There’s plenty of information about this on board.
- Pack non drowsy Dramamine even if you don’t think you will need it. We encountered some very rough seas and were glad we had it as the ship store sold out.
- The pool is not for swimming. It’s barely for sitting in so adjust your expectations ahead of time. There are multiple showers around the sun decks that can be utilized to cool down while lounging.
- You’re able to take two bottles of wine or champagne on board per room if they are in your carry on. There’s a wine opener by the mini fridge that isn’t user friendly, but really does work once you figure it out.
- Take and wear reef safe sun screen for all ocean activities. And having an SPF shirt is always a good idea.
- Don’t forget to pack a beach bag for the pool and excursion specific gear as applicable. We also take a small lock bag/ safe with us to secure our valuables.
- The gym is split into multiple separate areas. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, check out one of the other spaces. There are lots of classes offered and no prior experience is needed. You’ll also find workout areas outside and the running track on the very, very top of the ship. Zero excuse to not stay on top of your exercise game while vacationing.
- The spa is great. In addition to a full menu of services, you might want to check out the thermal suite. You can book a three hour time slot that gives you access to a mud room, salt room, sauna, steam room, hot and cold plunge pools and a large relaxation area with heated marble. Visit early in the morning or on a port day to avoid the crowds.
- And finally – you can shake your phone and within minutes a bottle of chilled champagne will appear. Just like all alcohol on board, there is a cost for this. But oh my goodness was this a fun thing to do!
Rockstar life
We had such a great time with our friends that we all booked another cruise while in the departure airport lounge before coming home. This next voyage will be a shorter duration on purpose because we wanted to see what staying in Rockstar Suites will be like. Confession: I call Jaime ‘Bougie Bellos’ but this time it was ME that wanted to upgrade. Maybe his bougie ways are rubbing off on me after all these years together. Rockstar quarters have much larger staterooms and balconies, include lots of extras like a fully stocked in room bar, plush robes and a dedicated concierge. You also get to sport an elusive black band around your wrist which gives you access to Richards Rooftop, priority reserved seating at shows, expedited disembarking at ports, daily happy hours with other Rockstar Sailors and so much more.
J’s worried that once we “go Rockstar” that we won’t want to revert back to non Rockstar status. I kinda hope he’s right. Stay tuned!
Whew! That was a lot of information jammed into a short post. Happy to answer any questions you might have about cruising with Virgin – drop them below!