Bimini-bound Bash with a detour in Cozumel

Scarlet Lady Cruise Review to Caribbean - Eastern

Cruises: 1 cruise (first)
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 12

Overall rating:

4.7 out of 5
Verified Review
Scarlet Lady

5 Night Riviera Maya (Miami Roundtrip)

Sail date: April 07, 2024

Ship: Scarlet Lady

Cabin type: Balcony

Cabin number: 8362Z

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 1 month ago

Review summary

I think that this cruise is totally worth the price if you are looking for a quick and easy getaway to some beautiful beaches for general fun-in-the-sun. From what I could tell touring the ship and making friends with my fellow sailors, there is little reason to buy into the suites. I may change my mind if I ever get to experience the rooms on a day-to-day basis. But, they didn't particularly look or feel like they had any features that warranted the exorbitant pricing. The Sea Terrace rooms were amazing compared to the standard cabins by comparison and were totally worth the premium. Do not invest too much energy into Cozumel and save it for Bimini and the boat. You will really enjoy this cruise if you are a couple and make all of your dinner reservations ahead of time. I do not recommend booking more than one dinner a night, and I recommend that you schedule your dinners between 6-8 PM. 6 PM at the earliest and 8PM at the latest. Gunbae, Razzle Dazzle, and The Wake are the best restaurants. The Wake was especially good for late-night dining. A Splash of Romance is the best deal on the cruise, and I likely would have had a significantly worse embarkation experience if I had not bought this package. The early queue alone was worth the money. I appreciated the free champagne and the snacks they provided on the 3rd and 4th days, but the best part was skipping the line (for the most part). I think Virgin should make the complimentary drinks that come with the Splash of Romance package valid for the Smoothies, too. I didn't end up having any of the juices, because I was disinterested with them when compared to the smoothie options. We used the gym every morning and I would have done without paying 20 bucks a day for those drinks when the juice options paled in comparison. I'd also like it if those drinks could be themed for the fitness community in some fashion. Instead of being protein-adjacent with certain fruits and ingredients like bananas and peanut butter, they could have done with some options that utilized whey protein

Embarkation

5 out of 5
Smooth, simple, and worth the price for the early entry queue via 'A Splash of Romance'

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

5 out of 5
Payment with the wristbands was convenient and reliable. The bar tab and general tab accrued while dining at restaurants was easy to access and simple to understand at a glance via the app. Drinks were delicious and abundant.

Onboard Activities

4 out of 5
All of the events and entertainment were fun and high-quality. Every performer and cast member tasked with entertaining the guests were helpful, friendly, and professional. I do wish there was more happening throughout the ship that was available to stumble across.

Entertainment

5 out of 5
The stage shows, DJs, and cast performers were hilarious, skilled, and totally worth the trouble to see with the crowd. The Diva, in particular, was hilarious and we made it a point to see her any chance we could.

Service and Staff

5 out of 5
Staff were receptive and attentive. The room stewards in particular were extremely helpful and proactive.

Ship Quality

5 out of 5
The ship was large, sleek, modern, and simple to navigate once you got a hang of reading the posted signs.

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5
Totally worth the price for all the extra room and the large outdoor terrace.

Ports of call

Miami, Florida

5 out of 5

Cozumel, Mexico

3 out of 5
The port was fine, but the island in-general was extremely underwhelming compared to Bimini. I would have been fine if we skipped the island altogether and just had an extra day at-sea.

The Beach Club (Virgin Voyages), Bimini Bahamas

5 out of 5
The beach club is awesome. The food, DJs, and bars combined with the beachhead are so much fun and this was definitely my favorite part of the trip. The pool party was the best part.

Disembarkation

5 out of 5
Straightforward and easy. We had no issues leaving at 8 AM and ran into no problems with customs staff or locating our baggage.
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