10 Things Virgin Voyages Does Different Than Other Cruise Lines

By Brooke Franco

Virgin Voyages stands out among other cruise brands for its innovative and bold approach to cruising. It has a modern and unique operating model setting it apart from legacy cruise operators. Onboard, you will find vibrant entertainment options, unconventional cruise dining, minimum guest age requirements, and a sophisticated and fun atmosphere tailored to the contemporary traveler.

I just returned from a short 2-night sailing on Virgin Voyages’ third ship, Resilient Lady. Following are 10 things I discovered during my time onboard that Virgin Voyages does differently than any other cruise line.

1. No Kids Allowed

No one under the age of 18 may sail with Virgin Voyages. No exceptions. This departure from the norm sets Virgin apart from other mainstream and premium cruise operators today.

To some travelers, this will be the deciding factor on whether they plan to or plan not to sail with Virgin. The Virgin Voyages brand was designed specifically to be adults-only. Its vessels cater to adult-friendly themes and serve as a place for adults to vacation without children and teenagers.

*Gyms, Champagne Bars, and Tattoo Parlors are Among the Adult-Friendly Spaces You Find on A Virgin Voyages Ship* - *Photos by Brooke Franco*

On Virgin’s lady ships, you will find activities and entertainment geared for an adults-only audience and a touch of whimsical elements for those young at heart. No kid’s clubs, splash pads, waterslides, go-karts, or family events exist. Instead, you will find expanded fitness facilities, a lounging pool, tons of bars and other themed watering holes, dining for adult-friendly palates, and much more.

2. No Announcements and Cruise Directors

There are limited public announcements around the ship or inside your stateroom when sailing with Virgin Voyages. Outside of major informational announcements, Virgin does not make regular proclamations about going-ons for the day or upcoming events, port information, or anything else. There is no Cruise Director who leads entertainment that you will hear from regularly across the public address system.

*Resilient Lady Deck Lookout - Photo by Brooke Franco*

Instead, communications are done via the Virgin Voyages app. Here, sailors can find information about ship events, port details, disembarkation information and more. Additionally, message screens are found around the ship with notes about upcoming events and other essential details.

For disembarkation, I expected to arrive at my stateroom on the last full day, have the typical piece of paper with an assigned boarding time to get off and be bombarded via loudspeaker about details needed to exit. To my surprise, none of that was done! All the information I needed to know about how and when to disembark was found on the app. It had the time I needed to be off the ship, details on what to do with luggage, and I everything I needed to know when getting back to port right at my finger tips.

Disembarkation is very casual and it’s pretty much, leave at your leisure. Virgin just requests that all passengers disembark no later than 11 am, which if you’ve cruised other lines, is much later than what you find on traditional cruise lines.

3. Zero Buffets

There is no main buffet area on any Virgin Voyages lady ship. But do not fear; you won’t go hungry and will never be far from a quick bite or a place to sit down, relax, and take your time.

Instead of a traditional buffet, Virgin has revamped casual ship dining with several quick-service eateries and a central food hall space. Dine whenever and with whomever you like, and enjoy a range of culinary options.

*Food and Stations at The Galley -* *Photos by Brooke Franco*

Imagine no use of communal tongs, walking around aimlessly with a plate looking at food options, or standing in line.

Head to The Galley to experience casual dining reimagined. The Galley is a centralized food court-style space onboard Virgin vessels. It has dozens of eateries to choose from serving up a variety of themes and options to suit every palate and craving. Sailors order at a themed food stall or place an order with a crew member at one of the many tables available throughout the area.

At The Galley, you can enjoy breakfast to dessert in one sitting. Food options at The Galley include a burger bar, all-day diner food, tacos, ramen, sushi, sandwiches, a coffee bar, a bread station, a sweet shop, and a cart offering popsicles and champagne. Choose as many options as you like, just like a traditional buffet, but served at your table or boxed up to grab and go.

I experienced The Galley a few times during my time onboard from a quick croissant for breakfast with a coffee one morning to sushi at the bento station for lunch. The entire process was easy, and I never felt like something was missing by not having a buffet station. All orders are made fresh, so the process technically takes longer than a traditional buffet. However, the food quality and variety more than makeup for the few extra minutes it takes. Not to mention, there are no lines to stand in nor any crowds to fight. The best part is not having to touch communal tongs and dig through trays of food that other people have already touched.

4. The Best Lounge Options at Sea

When I say lounge, I literally mean spaces to sit and lounge. One of the things that I noticed was how many couches, comfy chairs, outdoor daybeds, and other places all around the lady ship were available for guests to simply sit and enjoy.

*Indoor and Outdoor Lounge Areas on Resilient Lady -* *Photos by Brooke Franco*

What do adults like to do on a cruise vacation? Sit and do nothing, sit and read, sit and lounge in the sun, sit and chat, sit and sleep, sit and eat and drink, and just sit and enjoy the experience of being away from home and responsibilities. On some larger cruise ships, it can be challenging to find a space just to sit and lounge. Not with Virgin Voyages.

Lounge space was not an issue at any outdoor spaces on Resilient Lady. Lots of outdoor space is certainly a welcomed feature on a sunny Caribbean or Mediterranean sea day. On one outdoor deck, I saw daybed-style loungers, as well as loungers that looked like nets, and more loungers that looked like swings, huge couch areas, and regular sun loungers. You name the lounger style, they had it onboard.

If you want to be by the music in the action, loungers were around the pool and adjacent bar area. If you want to be quiet and take in the views, there are quiet lounge spaces at The Perch, an area at the aft of the ship.

*More Indoor and Outdoor Lounge Areas on Resilient Lady - Photos by Brooke Franco*

Virgin has even incorporated this trend of lounger accessibility into all of the staterooms. The cruise line has become well-known for its red hammocks on all of the balconies. We have members who consistently rave about the hammocks on their balcony, noting it as one of the best elements of their trip! Imagine cradled in comfort, gently swinging in the ocean breeze while you drift away into one of the best naps of your life. Yes, please!

My stateroom category (XL Sea Terrace) did not have a hammock but rather a fun bright red retro egg-shaped chair attached like a swing to the balcony. It was one of my favorite spots that I enjoyed on my short trip, making my stateroom much more special.

5. So Many Inclusions

Virgin Voyages’ pricing may seem more expensive than other cruise lines in their category; however, the number of inclusions makes up for the slightly higher upfront cost. Here’s what all Virgin Voyages fares include:

Gratuities
All Dining - BOTH Casual and Specialty Eateries
Wi-Fi
Essential Drinks - Water, Sodas, Drip Coffee, and Tea
Fitness Classes

Things that will cost you extra with Virgin include select entertainment options, spa/salon services, retail shops, alcoholic beverages, specialty coffees, and shore excursions.

Alcoholic and specialty beverages will cost you extra, but Virgin has a different model than many other lines offer. There are no multi-day beverage packages that all members of your party must purchase. Instead, pay for all drinks a-la-carte (like you would landside), or they can be subtracted from a sailor’s Bar Tab. The latter is a value amount you set to your onboard account that can be used for beverage purchases. Drinks are moderately priced, and you know how much you spend as you go. Instead of a drinks package a Bar Tab can be prepurchased and many times comes with a monetary bonus. For example, purchase $300 and get an extra $50 added to your onboard credit. Also, be sure to look out for booking incentives, which are occasionally offered that include an onboard bar credit.

All of these inclusions from Virgin Voyages are a great selling point for the line, as the sailor knows what kind of charges to expect. Fewer onboard charges means no surprisingly expensive bill at the end of the cruise.

6. No Main Dining

Virgin Voyages has shelved the Main Dining Room experience on its ships. There is no central space for eating dinner at an assigned time, with a dress code to follow. While this concept may be well received by more traditional cruise lines and passengers, Virgin Voyages decided it prefers to give guests more flexibility to choose where and when they want to dine. It’s somewhat reminiscent of Norweigan Cruise Line’s Freestyle Dining, sans the main dining room.

Prepared to be wowed at all the choices for dinner. Replacing the main dining room concept is a variety of themed eateries where sailors can opt to dine at one of the casual onboard spots or select from the wide range of specialty eateries. All at NO extra charge!

Each Virgin lady ship offers the following variety of dining venues:

Pink Agave - Serves Mexican-Inspired Fare
The Test Kitchen - Offers a chef-inspired tasting menu
Extra Virgin - Features a menu of Italian favorites, including fresh-made pasta
The Wake - An elegant steakhouse with a menu designed by Michelin-star chefs
Gunbae - Serves Korean BBQ prepared tableside
Razzle Dazzle - An eclectic spot that serves creative dishes

*No Main Dining Room, No Problem -* *Photos by Brooke Franco*

I dined at Pink Agave and Extra Virgin on Resilient Lady. Both meals were excellent, and I found the menus to be incredibly creative. Among the highlights of the food I had was homemade focaccia, mango lime sorbet, guacamole topped with jalapenos and pomegranate seeds, and aguachile (tuna, avocado, and jimica).

Not only is the food quality and service outstanding, but all the specialty restaurants are included with your cruise. There are no extra per-person costs to dine at any of these eateries. It's recommended that you pre-book a table as soon as it opens 60 days prior to sailing, but if you are late, don’t worry, most spots can accommodate walk-ins.

All the restaurants are decently sized and can accommodate large numbers of guests albeit staged during the evening so it never feels crowded. Try one or all of the restaurants, depending on the length of your cruise!

*Dining on Resilient Lady* - *Photos by Brooke Franco*

7. The Parties and Entertainment

Entertainment and parties on Virgin Voyages are bold and anything but ordinary. Virgin has set a new standard for cruise shows and nightlife. On each voyage, sailors can enjoy pop-up events, live music at On the Rocks, immersive performance shows where you are in the middle of the action, dance parties at The Manor, and tons more.

Each cruise includes a themed event called Scarlet Night, an homage to the Virgin brand’s signature color, a celebration of dance, music, performances, travel, and having a good time together. The whole-ship party starts indoors with music, fun activities like photo booths, and champagne served left and right. The night gets going as the party moves upstairs to the pool deck for a dance party under the red lights and stars above. By the end of the evening, everyone ends up splashing around in the pool!

Note: The Scarlet Night party is the time to dawn your craziest and most outlandish red or scarlet-colored outfits. Be prepared to be amazed by the creativity of your fellow passengers!

8. Photo-Worthy Ship Spaces

If you want an Instagram photo-worthy setting on your vacation, Virgin Voygages’ creative and elegant ships are just the ticket. From deck to deck, you will find artwork and fun elements that add a fun ambiance to the ship, perfect for your social media posts. It’s creative and unique, just like the Virgin Voyages brand.

Here are a few of my favorite spaces that I saw during my time onboard Resilient Lady:

*Be Brave, Fearless, and Daring When You Sail Virgin Voyages -* *Photo by Brooke Franco*

*More Photo-Perfect Spaces Around Resilient Lady -* *Photos by Brooke Franco*

9. Unique Staterooms and Suites

Whether you are traveling as a solo sailor, looking for accommodations to fit a group, or a couple looking to splurge like rockstars, Virgin Voyages has stateroom offerings to suit your needs. In total, each lady ship has over 1,400 stateroom and suite types.

*Inside An XL Sea Terrace on Resilient Lady* - *Photos by Brooke Franco*

Staterooms are designed to be comfortable but also functional. There are a lot of nooks and crannies for organizing your personal effects, but for the most part, everything is relatively minimalistic. White and neutral colors are the predominant decor, with accents of reds, purples, and blacks throughout.

All staterooms are controlled by a tablet device included in the room. It serves as the cabin’s thermostat, TV remote, and can open/close the shades. One of the best-kept secrets on the tablet is the cabin lighting themes which offer several selections ranging from romantic night in to getting ready for a party night ahead. Pick your favorite color or theme and make your stateroom pop!

Sailors lucky enough to score a balcony or suite cabin, be prepared to enjoy the lovely red hammock mentioned above and have your own personal oasis to enjoy the outdoor ocean views. Many staterooms have a glass balcony railing designed to connect sailors to the sea.

*Inside a Selection of Rockstar Quarters on Resilient Lady -* *Photos by Brooke Franco*

Suites are called Rockstar Quarters in an homage to Virgin’s days as a record company. These accommodations range from 352 sq ft to 2,147 sq ft and come with more bedroom space, larger bathrooms, spacious balconies, and some with their own whirlpools and music rooms. All guests staying in a suite have access to Richard’s Rooftop (an outdoor lounge area with daily happy hour), priority boarding, spa access, a dedicated agent, and more perks.

Note: Sailors can bid for stateroom upgrades prior to sailing. While many times the ships are full, making it hard to upgrade, if you are sailing in the off-season or just feeling lucky, submit your bid, cross your fingers, and see if you are successful!

10. Laidback Attitude

There is a casual, laid-back atmosphere that comes when sailing on a Virgin Voyages ship. You can dress up or down; the choice is yours and how you want to craft your own vacation experience.

In my time onboard, I saw how the brand has aimed to create a stress-free environment where travelers can focus on unwinding, connecting, and enjoying the journey on their terms.

Whether you want to go to every show, take part in every event, dine at every restaurant, or relax and unwind with no schedule at all, the Virgin Voyages experience is all about making your cruise just the way you want.

Closing Thoughts

Virgin Voyages has created an innovative approach to cruising that’s both sophisticated and fun, geared towards today’s modern traveler. From its adults-only policy to the absence of traditional cruise ship staples like buffets and main dining rooms to its vibrant entertainment and inclusive pricing, every element is thoughtful and designed with the guest in mind.

During my short time onboard Resilient Lady, I saw how the brand creates a relaxed, stress-free atmosphere where travelers can craft their adventures. I look forward to my next adventure sailing on the line!