We had began to listen to some hype in regards to the Virgin Voyages cruise line and needed to give it a strive. We aren’t avid cruisers, however it appeared to be made completely for us. With no stuffy costume code, fashionable ships, a give attention to meals, and leisure made for adults, it appeared like an ideal match for us.
We went on our first Virgin Voyages cruise departing Athens and going to Croatia, Montenegro and Corfu. We had such a good time that we booked a second cruise out of Barcelona a number of months later. So within the Virgin Voyage Overview, we’re going to share what we love about Virgin Voyages (and some points they’re nonetheless having).
Destructive Evaluations of Virgin Voyages
Whereas we completely beloved Virgin Voyages, we do see some unfavorable critiques every so often and wish to get these elements out of the way in which first.
The one main challenge with Virgin Voyages is app. It wouldn’t be a giant deal, however the App is the way you schedule your eating reservations and all of the actions on the ship. You’ll be able to go to sailor companies as quickly as you get on the ship which might handle all of the actions because the is the earliest you can schedule them anyway.
The primary challenge comes with getting dinner reservations. Dinner reservations open up 45 days earlier than the cruise and when you’ve got app points you gained’t have the ability to make reservations till you discuss to sailor companies on the cruise. With that being stated, they do reserve loads of seating to be booked after embarkation and the eating places do settle for walk-ins. Additionally, folks make modifications to plans on a regular basis so you may all the time regulate the app to see what turns into accessible.
The opposite legitimate frequent grievance is that the pool could be very small. The ship can even really feel crowded when they’re full when on different ships I really feel like there are sufficient frequent areas that you can all the time discover a quiet place to be.
Different complaints we hear are principally from people who find themselves accustomed to extra conventional cruise strains and don’t like or count on the modifications.
Complaints from folks anticipating an old-school cruise expertise
- “The inside was not elegant sufficient.” It has a contemporary really feel, not the standard inside with wooden in every single place.
- “Small storage space within the cabins.” I feel that’s as a result of they packed as in the event that they have been going to have formal nights or one thing as a result of we discovered the rooms to have ample storage. We truthfully didn’t use 2 of the massive cupboards. Simply deliver 1 suitcase every so it suits beneath the mattress and you may be high-quality.
- “One sailor complained they wished down-home cooking.” So sure, if you’d like boring meals, chances are you’ll not love the eating places on Virgin Voyages, however in addition they have nice burgers, sandwiches, pizza, steaks and different easy meals.
- “There isn’t a cruise director.” As an alternative, there’s a “Happenings Solid” which has 12 folks with totally different duties. We beloved this alteration!
- “Too many members of the LGBTQ neighborhood.” I’m truthfully shocked to listen to anybody complain about this. However sure, Virgin Voyages could be very inclusive and members of the LGBTQ neighborhood is not going to be hiding to make you are feeling extra comfy if you’re homophobic. The employees doesn’t care about your gender, age, shade, or sexual orientation and we have now discovered the opposite sailors to be very accepting as properly.
Virgin Voyages Awards
We aren’t the one ones who love Virgin Voyages. Listed here are just some of the awards Virgin has acquired lately.
Cruise Critic US – 2023 Cruisers’ Alternative Awards
- Greatest General Cruise Line
- Greatest Worth for the Cash
Journey + Leisure – World’s Greatest Awards 2023
- #1 Greatest Mega-Ship – Ocean Cruise Line
Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Alternative Awards 2023
Virgin Voyages Meals Overview
Virgin Voyages affords a particular eating expertise with over 20 totally different eateries included within the cruise fare, starting from informal bites to upscale eating, with out the normal buffet strains.
There are additionally no specialty eating places that cost additional. The one meals objects that value additional are a number of objects at a number of of the eating places, for instance, oysters at The Wake.
UK Photoshoot / Atlantis
Shoot Dates: Sept 27-30, 2021
Utilization: Full Buyout
Aim: Meals & Drinks
Deliverables: Retouched photographs, gifs, and movies
TEAM
Photographer: Scott Grummett
https://www.scottgrummett.com
Agent: Terri Manduca
Meals Stylist / AD: Elisa Merlo
CD: Christian Schrader
Artwork Purchaser / Producer: Kathy Boos
| Restaurant | Description |
|---|---|
| Razzle Dazzle | Informal Eating with American favorites with vegetarian and vegan choices. |
| Gunbae | Korean BBQ the place you might be seated in teams of 6 and meals is cooked on grilled in entrance of friends. |
| The Wake | A classy fashionable twist to the basic chophouses. |
| Pink Agave | Shareable Mexican delicacies |
| Check Kitchen | Laboratory-themed restaurant utilizing unconventional cooking |
| Further Virgin | Superb Italian meals with home made pasta and quite a lot of appetizers and homepage gelato. |
| The Dock | Outside tapas with lounge seating. (excellent for embarkation day) |
| The Dock Home | Indoor tapas |
| Lick Me Until… Ice Cream | The most effective home made ice cream at sea. |
| Ship Eats | Room service |
| The Pizza Place | Freshly made brick oven pizza |
| The Galley | Meals courtroom open 24/7 |
| The Social Membership | Snacks like pretzels, hotdogs, rooster wings, and popcorn. |
Our guidelines of consuming on Virgin Voyages
- Order as a lot as you need
- At Further Virgin you may order 1/2 sizes of pasta to strive a number of.
- Don’t skip the Gelato at Further Virgin.
- The Check Kitchen has 2 menus in addition to vegetarian choices. We most popular the menu served within the first half of the cruise.
- Brunch at The Wake or Razzle Dazzle is best than breakfast at The Galley when you’ve got the time.
- Room service just isn’t free, however if you buy something that’s an additional cost there isn’t a charge. Simply add a paid drink to the order.
- Get the guacamole and spiked agua fresca at Pink Agave.
- Gunbae might be skipped, its an extended eating time and you might be seated with strangers.
- The Candy Spot within the Galley is an ideal place for grabbing some dessert.
Drinks Overview
We love the way in which Virgin Voyages handles their liquer. As an alternative of getting to decide on between an unlimited drink package or paying for very costly drinks.
As an alternative, on Virgin you may select to repurchase a bar tab at a barely discounted price or simply purchase the inexpensive drinks on the menu. We discovered the drinks to be priced equally to a standard restaurant within the US whereas different cruise strains have costs extra according to costly resort.
| Drink | Pricing |
|---|---|
| Glass of wine | 90% are beneath $10 a glass |
| Can of beer | $5-8 |
| Easy Cocktail | $9 |
| Specialty Cocktail | $11-15 |
There are a number of bars on the ships and the eating places have wine lists and specialty cocktails as properly.
Virgin Voyages usually runs promotions that embody an additional $600 bar tab per cabin. There are additionally bottomless drinks on the brunches you may order.
Cabin Overview
Cabins on Virgin Voyages supply a mix of consolation, fashion, and revolutionary design impressed by superyachts, supposed to create areas for leisure and rejuvenation. The cruise line offers a variety of cabin classes to go well with varied preferences and budgets:
Choosing Your Cabin Location
Once you guide your cruise, your cabin shall be robotically assigned to you. Examine your cabin quantity to verify it’s not positioned about or under The Manor or The Pink Room, in any other case it will be loud in your room. In case you have been assigned certainly one of these rooms, chat with Virgin Voyages on their web site or give them a name.
If one other room just isn’t accessible, strive once more in per week or two. After everyone seems to be on board, strive once more by going to Sailor Companies if the noise is an issue.
Crew Overview
Relating to the crew on Virgin Voyages, they’re the most effective of all massive cruise strains. Virgin Voyages is understood within the trade as treating the crew the most effective and due to that, they’re able to appeal to the most effective crew.
Everybody we met was very pleasant and useful. As an alternative of a cruise director, there’s a Happenings Solid, with every member liable for totally different elements of the cruise.
Exercise Overview
When it comes. to actions, Virgin Voyages does have loads to select from, however with. rather less selection.
Relating to leisure there are a number of reveals you may go to together with cabaret performers and drag reveals. There are a number of musical teams on every cruise that you could catch at totally different venues. Every ship has round 3 productions which might be proven all through the cruise as properly.
If you need to remain lively you may join yoga, biking, and several other different exercise choices.
A number of the extra entertaining actions that have been additionally lively have been the dodgeball match, 80s VHS exercise and the boy band dance courses.
I hope this evaluate of Virgin Voyages is useful, tell us what you consider the cruise line!
