One of the finest cruises I've ever been on, from the ship to the staff to the room to the food. Another first -signed up with Virgin for our next cruise before we even left the ship.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Fastest embarkation ever. And, if we had just checked the mail before the trip, instead of after, would have already had our bands and be ready to go. Only took 10 minutes to get through the embarkation process.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Food. Can't even begin to compare with other ships. Lots of options, great mid-day meals (from regular to just right bites (try the Dock for lunch and get a skewer), breakfast options (French toast at either Wake or Razzle Dazzle will keep you full until dinner), and unique dining choices. Every restaurant has the ability to serve just one or two, or an entire table of friends. Make certain you try all the options; you'll find most of them are just what you wanted.
As for drink, it seems every route around the ship dead-ends into a bar. Have a drink, and stumble on. Seriously, the restaurants often have bars (try a before drink cocktail and charcuterie platter at Extra Virgin), and there are bars through out the ship. Draughthouse just serves beer, and Sip is a Champaign bar that produces excellent Old Fashioneds. And, take some time for Shot for Shot - a great mixology/photography class. All the bartenders are very good, friendly, and know their stuff.
Lick Me Till...Ice Cream
5 out of 5
Not only a great selection of 6 different ice creams (and flavored cones!), but staff that could help you determine which two scoops go together! Always my go to stop after a good bit of exercise.
Gunbae
5 out of 5
Gunbae! You'll learn what this means, how to count and clap, Soju, and the difference a great staff can make to your meal.
The Wake
5 out of 5
Closest thing to big ship restaurant, but with smaller tables and very attentive wait staff. Not only was dinner great, but the Wake Benedict for breakfast was phenomenal. We did brunch twice here. A great place for your last morning on board!
The Test Kitchen
5 out of 5
The only time we ever had too much food. But how could you stop? Even more interesting than the food were the bar drinks they paired with it (at extra cost). Lots of tasty food served in interesting ways. Excellent!
The Manor
5 out of 5
Went here on embarkation day to meet our RockStar agent (thanks for everything, Mila!). It has a great bar. And went again for the Never Sleep Alone show. Now that's not the kind of entertainment you find on Carnival....
The Galley
5 out of 5
This replaces the big buffets with a food hall. All was good, from salads to tacos to burgers to breakfast, and again, don't skip dessert or the ice cream bar cart!
SIP
5 out of 5
Some folks like to bar hop, but on our second day we found SIP. It became our go to bar for drinks and pre-dinner relaxation. Lots of space, you can find your own private spot.
Richard's Rooftop
5 out of 5
A great spot to watch port departures, windy for hot tubbing on sea days, but well designed to minimize the effects of the wind.
Razzle Dazzle Restaurant
4 out of 5
Not my favorite for dinner, but for brunch/breakfast this was hard to beat. Again, good portion sizes, fresh food, friendly staff.
Pink Agave
5 out of 5
Not Tex Mex, but interior Mexico Mex. As with most Virgin restaurants, they won't overwhelm you with quantity, because the quality is so good. This restaurant has a good Mezcal bar, and the desserts should not be missed.
Extra Virgin
5 out of 5
Excellent Italian choices, wonderful staff, and a good place to go for appetizers and a drink before dinner.
Draught Haus
5 out of 5
First time I've found a regular dark beer on board. Great bar, nice location.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
Fitness in the morning, entertainment at night. Fitness equipment was in great shape, and where else can you find a boxing ring on your cruise? The best part was being able to work out, then grab an ice cream as a reward.
The Dock
5 out of 5
Go to for lunch. Every day (almost). Great appetizers and excellent skewers made for a small, high protein lunch.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Entertainment was first rate, from the shows (Never Sleep Alone, Dueling Realities) to Scarlet Night. The latter can't be explained, but has to be experienced. Bring red - lots of it! Always wondered where you could wear a red tux? Now you have a chance.
Children's Programs
No one under 21! No kids running down the decks outside of our room hootin' and a hollerin'
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
There is not a better crew and staff at sea. All are helpful, friendly, and know their stuff. Better yet, they participate in a lot of the festivities, and you'll often run into them on the ship, from show folk to regulars.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Layout was interesting, but well thought out. With a few minor quirks (no aquarium circling, like on other ships). Passageways may dead end, you may need to go up a few floors to get to mid ship, then back down to your restaurant, but there were always bars and other refreshments nearby to get you through the day. The ship was well maintained (lots of crew working on touchups and cleaning) and very clean.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
This was a RockStar suite that Virgin upgraded us to after our October 2021 cruise was canceled. Full stocked bar, bar ware, a king size bed, a couch, a marble bath with the best shower I've ever had on board a ship. And the terrace, at the aft corner of the ship, could have held 20 people for a comfortable party. The hammock in the corner was our go to place on sailing days, and it was nice at night to see the stars and watch the wake. Plenty of room to store stuff for a 5 day trip, staff was excellent, and the room was very comfortable. All your controls on a single tablet. Want your room to have a nice red look? Select it on the tablet, and let the lighting commence!
Ship tip
Relax on sea days, enjoy the ports, catch as many shows and different restaurants as you can. And participate! Even us introverts could have fun. Never miss Scarlet Night.
Actually - we went to Costa Maya, a nice quiet town without being overrun by tourists (even though the Royal Caribbean Wonder was in port). Excursion cancelled due to high winds/surf
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