The ship venues are too small and the service was not top notch. I feel like the tip included policy may have something to do with that. I am hoping this was an off week for them, as we had a port change, the stomach flu outbreak, and it was the first Halloween cruise.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Embakation was a breeze. Virgin leaves and starts check-in later than other cruiselines. They do allow you to drop off your bags early and provides a shuttle to the bayside market if you want to wait in line. The cruise before ours had a Stomach Flu outbreak, so our check-in was pushed even later. I was disappointed to find out not everyone's check in was pushed back though.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
No main dining rooms or buffets on Virgin. The Galley that replaces the buffets was good and had burgers and breakfast food throughout the day. Late night eating open til 2am for burgers in the galley or the pizza place. The hours were odd for some of the galley, so missed a few eateries. Due to late check in I was only able to get reservations to Test Kitchen, Pink Agave, and the Wake. Pink Agave was AMAZING. Test Kitchen was strange, but an interesting experience. The wake was OK.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
Fitness classes filled up so fast. I did enjoy the trivia and mind benders activities. Sea horse games was not explained very well in the app. Casino is small.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
I was able to get into the Hypnotist and duel reality, but other shows filled up too fast. The hypnotist was the best show, she was funny and effective.
Children's Programs
Adult only cruise line.
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
I felt like the Happenings cast was more into having fun for themselves then helping others find the fun. The casino dealers were almost all too serious and not friendly. Bartenders did not go out of the way to serve you after standing in line. I felt it was hard to get a drink, did not have one person ask me if I wanted a drink other than standing in line at the bar. The casino servers were slow and sparatic.
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
Ship was clean and modern, but the design is horrible. I felt like i was constantly lost, at least it was a smaller ship, so it didn't take long to walk from the back to the front of the ship. Venues are too small for the number of sailors.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
The Central Sea Terrace room we were assigned was great. Location was good, not far from the elevators and only two decks from the Galley. The size is what you would expect from a balcony room. The bathroom was small as expected, but he shower was great! Had a rainshower showerhead and a separate wand. Had Shampoo, Conditioner, and body wash supplied. There was plenty of storage and power outlets. The room was controlled by a tablet which was interesting...but remember to keep it charged. The balcony was my favorite as it had the hammock which was the best place to relax and watch the water or port go by. Also, had two chairs and a table
Ship tip
Book everything AS SOON AS you can. Dining, shows, and fitness classes. Pack red for Scarlet night.
We flew in the night before and stayed at the Hampton Inn in Brickell and it was very nice and a good location. The mass transit and Lyft were easy to use and get around. We did check out the bayside marketplace and it was as expected and expensive.
The port itself is nice, beach is at the pier, and Margaritaville has a huge pool. John Glenn display was educational and informative. The water is absolutely beautiful, but outside the port the island itself is dirty. There was garbage everywhere and the tour we took was awful. No guide for the first half of the trip, and did not even stop log enough to get a picture of the Grand Turk sign. Only did a drive by of the space capsule, which has letters falling off. The lighthouse was smaller than I expected but the view is amazing at the north point of the island.
The beach club was great, but weather was not. There is a free tram that is constantly running from the port, to the fishing village, to the casino, and to the beach club. The beach club itself was beautifully landscaped. Plenty of bars and two eating areas. Large pool in two sections. Beach had plenty of chairs and the food and drinks were very good.
We waited for the last disembarkation time and it was smooth and quick. We did put our bags out the night before and they were waiting for us when we got off the ship. Facial recognition through customs was a breeze.
Appreciate your detailed and informative review. Sorry you were disappointed. The beauty of the industry is that there are other lines out there that fit your needs. Glad you tried Virgin and made up your own mind.
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