Great boat, fun inviting atmosphere but the crew and the staff definitely made it a totally fun experience. Would highly recommend.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Embarkation was pretty straightforward we had gotten a Covid test a few days before so they checked our credentials and we were sent to wait in the rockstar area that's what they call Sweet holders we waited there approximately 30 minutes and then we were allowed to pre-board by the time we were on we met with our specialized rockstar agents they introduced themselves ask us if we had any special request and then we were permitted to go straight to our cabins there was even a champagne reception it was very nice and a positive experience.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
All of the restaurant experiences were top notch on Virgin there are no buffets however there are 22 restaurants that you can go to pretty much anytime you wanted they did ask that you book reservations in the main restaurants only wants but you could eat in a place multiple times you just cannot make a reservation all the restaurants had impeccable service and the presentation of the dishes were first class all the way the taste of some of the food was not as good as the presentation but the overall experience was excellent. You could purchase certain charge items but it really wasn't necessary I think in the steakhouse you could get a tomahawk steak for $40 if you wanted to but there was so much to choose from and everything was very nice
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
The ship definitely has a sort of a fitness theme to it there was lots of bars and lots of place sis to work out there was a boxing ring a basketball court pull up and shut up bars all around the boat the spa area was very nice had multiple facilities there were spin classes treadmill's everything you can imagine all the equipment was the very latest and top of the line. As far as the swimming pools go there are two and they are small not necessarily for swimming but more cooling off and socializing.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
The entertainment on the cruise ship was different they had some very skilled performers on the shows but I kept getting the feeling that it was directed to a more gay audience. Lots of grinding and gyrating during dance performances and they had a I guess it was like a sex talk show where they had two guys come up to the stage they were kissing. I am not anti-gay by any means but I really don't need it cram down my throat either. No pun intended. I did enjoy most of the entertainment but they could've tone down the sexual tones a bit. With that said this cruise is for persons 18 and over and no children are permitted on the boat which is an awesome thing .
Children's Programs
Virgin is for sailors 18 and over no children allowed and that is a good thing. A very good thing.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
The service and the staff is What made this cruise so special. I have been on at least 30 cruises on multiple cruise lines and the staff and their willingness to go above and beyond to cater to your every need was exceptional. People from the restaurant staff to the room Stewart's newest by name would stop us in the car doors and speak to us it was a very warm and inviting experience. The staff on Virgin was allowed to express themselves with things such as visible tattoos and things of that nature which I think helped relax everyone. Everyone was very professional. My cabin Stewart was truly phenomenal his name was Guillermo I'm not sure if I'm spelling it right but we were in cabin 11 009 a if anyone from Virgin is reading this review. This guy needs a promotion he is under utilized in his position but I am all the better for it. My rockstar agent Mila was also fabulous.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
The layout of the ship was almost like a yacht almost every area was a little bit different and had a personal touch and design quality elements that you would not expect on a vessel of the size we definitely enjoyed the boat and our suite with the oversize balcony was really awesome
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
We had a chance to visit several cabins while On board And they did very in size. My wife and I opted for a rockstar cabin and I'm so glad we did we always try to get an aft cabin whenever we cruise because we just like the back of the boat and on this boat all app cabins are suites with oversize balconies the bathroom was larger rainfall shower and let's not forget a hammock on our patio it is by far the best cabin we've ever seen on a cruise ship and this particular category. The room is controlled by an iPad which has multi function uses it can control the lights with different themes it control the TV which was oversized. And could even open the remote control blinds. All very cool not to mention we had our own private bar with specialty glassware. It was over the top.
Ship tip
The boat is fantastic the staff was over the top it is leaps and bounds the best boat we've ever been on. Although it was on the gay side I have to say so if you have any homophobic tendencies this is not the boat for you. If they could tone that down just a little bit I think they're well on their way to making their mark in the cruise industry.
We get came in a day early and booked a room at the Intercontinental which was a rather on the expensive side $500 a night it had a great view and the hotel itself was nice as it should be at that price point. However it is downtown Miami and walking around it's kind of dirty. Next time we will just fly in and go straight to the boat. Everything in Miami is very expensive.
Like most every other cruise port area it's a tourist trap. We were scheduled to go offshore fishing it got canceled because of weather. It's OK but expect to get harassed by vendors wanting you to buy their wares.
It was great you could pick the time you wanted to get off we had a late flight so we were able to stay on the boat until 10 AM which gave us time to go down and have a nice breakfast or brunch we took our own luggage off the boat which was our option hopped in a cab and went straight to the airport. All very seamless and straightforward I will say as soon as you step off of the boat and get into the customs Area You realize you're not in Kansas anymore and you're back in the real world so mask up and have your passport out and ready to go.
*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.
