I did not know what to expect on my first adults only cruise and was willing to see what the changes to the dining were. I thought it was a very relaxing 5 night cruise, loved the inclusiveness of the cruise fare, Specialty dining, WI-FI, non-alcoholic beverages included, but thought hot chocolate should’ve been included also. I can accept paying extra for all alcoholic beverages since everybody doesn’t drink alcohol. Food was great at every dining venue, so too were the drinks. I enjoyed brunch and High Tea. Beautiful ship, very good entertainment, I thought the music selections by this DJ were great unlike those on the other cruise lines, small pool and hot tub, but all in all, I love the experience, even more so that capacity was capped at 50% and everyone onboard was fully vaccinated. I will be back on another Virgin cruise.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Embarkation was a tad slow but not bad. There was a small back up boarding after people ahead of us got their COVID test results. When it was our turn, we walked right on to the ship.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Virgin’s ships do not have a Main Dining Room or Buffet as we know the buffet.
There are 20 restaurants onboard, 6 are Reservation required Specialty Dining restaurants, included in the cruise fare, and other non reservation required dining venues. You seat yourself at a table in The Galley, a waiter or waitress comes, take your order(scan QR Code)for menu or ask for one, and bring your food to your table. Food was phenomenal at each restaurant. If you’re a foodie, you’ll love Scarlet Lady’s dining experiences.
They do an excellent job of clearing and cleaning each table after the previous occupants leave and the area is kept clean. Same goes for the Specialty Restaurants.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
We saw the Show Duelling something, don’t recall the full name now but it was very good. The other show I’m told was quite risqué so we opted not to go. Pool is small, Gym equipment is new and in very good condition, lots of outdoor activities up on deck 16 to enjoy.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Service was excellent, crew and Staff were pleasant and willing to help. The lack of unnecessary announcements was very much appreciated. The lack of daily paper advertisements of jewellery sales, spa specials, etc was welcomed. I loved going to the App for everything.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Excellent, everywhere was clean and well-maintained. I wouldn’t expect anything less, it’s a new ship. The layout isn’t complicated, it’s very simple. I did like the Roundabout, great name for the location.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
I had a Solo Sea View forward facing cabin that was a bit European in design but not far off from the norm. The room was very nice, the bed very comfortable, I slept like a baby. The shower area was large with both a wall mounted hand held piece and a Rain Shower head above me. I found the sink in the bathroom to be very shallow, was easy for water to splash onto the floor.
There is a tablet which controls the Mood lighting in the cabin, AC, curtains and television. The AC curtains and TV can also be controlled by thermostat, wall mounted switch and remote.
There is adequate closet and shelf space for clothes and luggage. There’s no space under the bed it’s a platform base bed.
I loved my cabin a lot.
Ship tip
Have an open mind, do not come with a lot of expectations.
This was my first trip to The Beach Club in Bimini and I enjoyed the day just lazing on the beach and enjoying the very very clear cool water. It was refreshing. Very nice facilities and Caribbean food. I had the Curry Pumpkin meal with Corn cob and Rum Cake. Later, I had the Caribbean Curry Chicken with Roti, oh, so delicious. I also sampled the Red Snapper on a fig leaf, with pepper sauce, tasty. Washed it all down with a glass of Coca Cola.
The ship’s DJ played great music at the Beach Club, weather was great, sun with a slight coolness in the air.
I did not do an excursion as I’m local to the area. Generally, Miami, especially Miami Beach hasn’t been having a good reputation lately, so I don’t go to Miami unless I have to.
I’ve been to Cozumel umpteen times so I didn’t book an excursion this time. Been to Playa Del Carmen often as well. Got off the ship primarily to take pictures of the ship and to walk around a bit. Got back onboard about an hour later. Great weather but a very warm humid 88 degrees F.
*Cruiseline.com is not a booking agent or travel agency,
and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Our partners
(travel agencies and cruise lines) provide prices, which we list for our
users' convenience. Cruiseline.com does not guarantee any specific rates or
prices. While prices are updated daily, please check with the booking site
for the exact amount. Cruiseline.com is not responsible for content on
external web sites.
Contact us
Submitting...
Need help from a personal vacation planner?
Loading...
Find the perfect cruise with weekly tips and cruise deals for as little as $30/night!
Sign up for weekly cruise deals
Join other subscribers and get the best
cruise deals of the week in your inbox every Thursday.
