Adults only All inclusive Fun Plus amazing Eats
Valiant Lady Cruise Review to Caribbean - Western
Contributor Level:
Second Mate
Cruises: 4-6 cruises
Reviews: 6
Helpful Votes: 44
5 Night Riviera Maya (Miami Roundtrip)
Sail date: June 30, 2024
Ship: Valiant Lady
Cabin number: 13242
Traveled as: Couple
Reviewed: 3 months ago
Review summary
The Valiant Lady, Virgin Voyages Cruise was a fantastic experience! I had no idea how much Virgin is really standing apart in some specific ways compared to other cruise lines! Included all food, basic wifi and gratuities! The food: I was supremely impressed by the quality, creativity and flavor of the food. It also blew me away that all of the restaurants are included. There are a couple of items at each restaurant that you can buy as an upgrade too. From Pink Agave, the Mayan/Yucatecan/Mexican restaurant to the Korean BBQ- Gunbae and also the Galley which presented you with a variety of food options at stands-almost like a food court. We tried Razzle Dazzle-another one of our favorites which included plant-based options in addition to delectable meat varieties including an amazing lamb shank. My tummy was happy the whole time. The rooms: Another highlight were the hammocks on the balconies. Loved relaxing in that red hammock while looking at the ocean. I also really enjoyed the technology part of the cruise.. You are given a bracelet fob that gets you into your room and you can use to pay for things, so you just tap your wrist. You can also use it at the casino to register your play/earn points. I loved the tablet in the room and how it controlled the lights, curtains and how you can contact your stateroom attendant through their or from using their app. The ship: The ship was mid-to smaller size but it is well designed and easy to get around. It seemed well kept and clean. I liked how there were a lot of seating on the pool deck, including different style lounges, beds, and other fun swingy things to hang out on. The pool and jacuzzi: I really liked the pool because they kept it cold! Also, they had jets in the pool. Of course, like most cruise ships it gets crowded, but the temperature was great. Was kept much colder than a few other cruise lines I have been on. The jacuzzis fell a bit short for me, but they did the trick. I say this because a couple of them did not have any jets! So more of a warm bath? The ones that had jets were fine, just all of them were a bit small. Entertainment: While we never made it to any show, I did like the variety of the events. The pool party we heard (and felt-think base) from our room until midnight one night. A bit annoying, but I heard it was a blast, so next time I’m thinking to attend it! Also of note is that they do host a pajama party so that could be fun as well. Casino: A bit small, but nice variety of machines. I liked that it was non-smoking. The hosts were very nice. One thing that wasn’t as up to par is the drink service. It seems like they may be still working some things out on that end. I’m not a big drinker so I would normally order a Pellegrino with lime, but they only had soda water. I think they should have some type of sparkling water in the casino bar. The cocktail party for casino players felt odd. We waited in a room and were not told what we were waiting on. The bartender was extremely slow and there was a long line to get a drink at that “event”. Finally the host came on and explained a few things and to welcome us. Maybe some form of entertainment..a band or magician while we waited to hear from the host would be good. The service: The servers at the restaurants and our room attendant were all fantastic. They were all very professional, friendly and mostly fast! I felt at a couple of the restaurants took a long time, however it was well worth the wait! Just something to keep in mind. We were at each restaurant an average of 2 hours. We couldn’t’ get into a couple of the restaurants as we did not have reservations so something else to keep in mind. We booked last minute so I’m not complaining that we did not get reservations. We were still able to walk in to a few of the restaurants and wait just a bit and got seated, but don’t count on that for all of the dining. Finally, the café was one of my favorites! I’m a big tea and coffee drinker and their café just blew Starbucks away!!!! Great high-grade tea and the coffee concoctions were incredible as well! Staff was fantastic! Impressed how the staff remembered people’s names and drink orders. Even though gratuities are included in the cruise fare we felt compelled to give tips to all of the hard working crew members that made the experience more memorable for us.Embarkation
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
Amazing. Loved the variety and top notch food at each restaurant. Loved how it was all included
Onboard Activities
Mostly just pool, jacuzzi and casino. But others sounded intriguing, such as pool party and pajama party.
Service and Staff
Fantastic. Friendly, professional, attentive.
Ship Quality
Cabin / Stateroom
A little smaller. Loved the technology however. The automation with the tablet was great. We were able to turn on lights and set mood lights and close curtains with tablet. The platform next to the bed is a wast of space. I did put my luggage on it- that is what it is for supposedly, but I think a small couch would have been better. Loved the hammock on balcony. Bathroom is tiny.
Ship tip
Enjoy!
Thumbs up
0
Ports of call
Disembarkation
This became a mess. Needs more organization. But hey, I got to be onboard longer!!
Traveler Photos
