Virgin Voyages Say They've Revolutionized Cruising. Have They?
Kinda, yeah. And we liked it a lot of it, but not everything.
The Virgin Voyages cruise line was formally launched in 2021, founded by Virgin mogul Richard Branson. Since then, the company has made quite a splash — pun intended. Michael and I have heard all about how they’re supposedly “revolutionized” cruising. And also how they’re just plain fun.
So last month, we booked two back-to-back week-long Mediterranean cruises on the Scarlet Lady, one of the company’s three — soon to be four — almost identical boats.
Here are some of Virgin’s most obvious changes from other, more established cruise lines:
The passengers are surprisingly diverse. We saw all ages but the crowd skewed younger than on most cruise ships, along with many different races and lots of LGBTQ folks. Virgin is drawing a markedly different crowd than other cruise lines, which tend to be full of old, white Republicans.
The ships are adults-only, and the vibe is “hip and edgy” — but not pretentious, in-your-face, or off-putting. There is a strong emphasis on “inclusion,” but in the happiest, most broadly defined way possible. Some of the shows have off-color jokes, but you mostly have to seek this out.
The prices are all-inclusive — mostly. Your fare includes all service charges and gratuities (there’s no tipping, even in the spa). It also includes basic wi-fi, fitness classes, access to all restaurants, and juices and sodas (but not pressed juices, specialty coffees, or alcohol, although everything is reasonably priced; there are no “drink packages,” but you can start a non-refundable “bar tab,” which will also give you a credit of 10% or more). You can also “treat yourself” with upgraded food options at all the restaurants, and you can pay for faster wifi-fi. Spa services and shore excursions — called “Shore Things” — also cost extra.
There are no grand dining rooms, no “early” or “late” seatings, and no suggested dress codes. Instead, you eat at any restaurant you want, giving passengers an almost endless amount of dining options.
Because they serve a younger demographic, Virgin Voyages claims to be taking “a commitment to sustainability and the environment” more seriously than other cruise lines — but this is probably just your typical “greenwashing.”
The crew on our boat was friendly, upbeat, and extremely professional, and it all seemed fairly genuine.
They’re taking chances with the onboard entertainment, and it mostly pays off. There’s also a lot of it.
There are quirky little touches all over the boat. Some are a bit silly, like the fact that the “front desk” is a line of crew members sitting with laptops at tables that look like big strawberries. But there are also some genuinely passenger-friendly little quirks:
They do long port stays, and sometimes even overnight ones.
On the day of your disembarkation, you can stay on the ship as late as 10:30 a.m.
There are no laundromats on board, but the ship will do your laundry: everything you can stuff in a massive bag for a very reasonable $30.
Here’s the bottom line: Virgin cruises really are different, and the whole experience is a cut above most mainstream cruise lines — Royal Caribbean, say, or Princess.
But even if they’re more all-inclusive, they’re also more expensive. What about value? Is a Virgin Voyage worth the extra cost?
I’ll have an answer to that at the end of this article.
In the meantime, the devil is always in the details, so let’s break down the individual elements of a Virgin cruise, shall we?
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