Did go through and format this lump but unfortunately the site wants to shoehorn my review into a series of small boxes rather than letting me tell my own story.
First time cruiser travelling with close friend. Drawn to Virgin because of the ‘no children’ policy.
Interested in cruising due to a fascination with the size and impressive engineering of the boat and the chance to feel very small when looking out at the big wide ocean.
Had my fears that the demographic would either be too old or too low brow (i.e. football shirts and plastic cups like Carnival) or that if not, I would feel that I didn’t fit in and that the boat and lifestyle it represented was almost too classy for me. I guess when you have been planning and looking forward to a holiday for so long your mind contemplates different ways that it might not ‘land’.
Boat
So the boat is beautiful. I truly love the way it looks so cool, fresh and modern compared to so many other ‘bog standard’ cruise ships. The way the structure extends all the way into the bow makes it look so sleek and aerodynamic. I also love the way that it owns it’s grey rather than the traditional white and leans so heavily into its red accent colour. It really is such a good looking boat.
And for me it was reasonably easy to navigate. Once you had found your room, you could anchor to your nearest elevator hub (forward/mid/stern) and work out when you needed to head up and down. Although a big boat, it still felt intimate enough that you could find a way around it and that if you were going to visit the Dock House at the end of the boat it wasn’t an unpleasant walk.
There was a good chance you might run across someone you recognise, see some flesh by the pool or enjoy the sea views.
But being attractive is no good if you don’t maintain it and it was constantly being kept clean and maintained. Metal and the Sea do not go together well and so you really have to keep on top of the upkeep. The crew on board are tireless at working on this fabulous boat. Whether cleaning, wiping, painting, repairing or updating – they were always on it and the boat always looked clean and fresh despite the amount of people using it.
Embarkation
This went nice and smoothly. The transfer from our hotel dropped us at the Port at around 11.30 and our time slot wasn’t until 13.30. We could have headed back into Barcelona but instead just chilled at the café/bar at the Port.
Handed over our cases and then waited. Moving into the queue and then onto the boat was efficient and trouble free. I might have started off a little negative because I was feeling a touch of anxiety about whether the experience would be as good as I so wanted it to be. They put the bracelet on my wrist and it snapped within a minute as I attempted to tighten it up.
The welcome was friendly and the Cabin staff even said hello and knew our names as we moved to our room. Checked the room and watched the video and then quickly booked the relevant bits that we wanted.
As things moved into place and Virgin were clearly coming through on my expectations, my uncertainty subsided which was helped by an initial tour of the ship and then the sail away party. By that point, and with numerous Pina Colado’s in myself and quite a few champagnes in my friend, I was in a very happy zone. The room was great, the suitcases were in and unpacked and I was ready for something special.
Disembarkation
We booked our disembarkation slot on the app the night before we arrived back in Barcelona, had our final breakfast in the Galley and with heavy feet made our way off the boat. Again the process was very smooth though filled with a bit more melancholy that our adventure had come to an end. Jumped in a cab at the taxi rank at the port who whisked us to the airport for 50 Euros.
Cabins
We thought the cabins were great. We were in a normal sea cabin with a balcony on the 11th floor (11 298 Z) and it was perfect. I’d moved us down from the 14th floor because I didn’t want the overhang from the 15th floor to make us feel ‘hemmed in’ and unable to see the stars as well at night.
It was modern and non-tacky, a decent comfortable size, the shower was just fabulous (quick to work, great pressure and big enough to move around in), the famous hammock was as great as everyone says, the balcony was a more than adequate size to sit on and consume food or look at the sea without feeling that you had compromised cabin space.
Small carry on cases and bags could go under the beds, there was more than enough hanging space and storage for our 7 day cruise after we had unpacked everything and plenty of clever ‘cubby holes’ here and there to accommodate the items that you accumulate on a trip. The walls are metal so placing magnetic hooks on them was easy. We took some magnetic vinyl’s, like you might place on a fridge, and would populate them around our door in the corridor just to add a bit of fun and for other passengers to move around if they wished.
One negative that I would say about the cabin (and I’ll revisit this at the end) was the lack of a music station, radio stations or free Spotify. For such a music related brand I found it astonishing that you couldn’t play any music in the room when getting ready for a night out. Now the VV info channel had some background tunes which were hit and miss. Likewise the standard Wi-Fi on the boat was so poor that you couldn’t play any streaming music.
It didn’t ruin the experience but I really feel that Virgin are missing a trick here because the chance to play some tunes while you are getting ready for a night out or getting dressed for a show would only augment the experience and make you form a greater attachment with your cabin. Now maybe Virgin decided that they don’t want music blaring out from rooms because some rotten apples will always take that too far but it would have been nice to have some tunes. Maybe if I go again I’ll just have to load up an MP3 player with a selection of tunes.
Cabin attendants
These guys couldn’t have been more friendly, warm or professional. They knew our names, were always smiling and were in and out of the room to tidy up our crap in record time.
Other staff
Again I couldn’t make a single complaint against anyone. Whether the Happenings crew or a helper in the Galley, everyone was always friendly and helpful. Whether resolving a query, offering a smile or making a complimentary comment on one’s attire they were the perfect touchpoint to the brand.
Sailor services were always patient and helpful; maintenance issues were resolved amazingly quickly and bar staff didn’t keep you waiting for ages.
Restaurants
The Wake – My fave. The classiness exudes from this fine restaurant which we visited once for brunch and twice for dinner. The clam chowder is as epic as it looks and I found the steaks amazing. On both nights I had the New York Strip and the Filet Mignon. I like my steaks medium – well done (heresy I know!) and for me they came out perfect. The NY strip had a nice charred crust on it and while every piece cut had to be checked for any fat/gristle, each mouthful was always succulent and tasty. The filet mignon was a solid chunk of decent quality meat but it really needed a meaty style gravy to lift it to another level. The béarnaise sauce was lovely but more like a mayo sauce and for me it needed the option of a proper runny gravy which would have worked fabulously with the quality meat as well as the numerous sides.
Pink agave – The best service in any on board restaurant from Stefano. The food was lovely (that sweet corn man) and made for a great first night meal. Even the Strawberry Margherita was fabulous. Had my first ever Sea Bass here and I loved it.
Razzle Dazzle – Had brunch here which was okay but the dinner was another really great meal. A secret menu, tasty fried chicken, pork escalope and the craziest but tastiest black and white farfalle pasta. Staff were lovely as well.
Extra Virgin – Probably my second favourite restaurant. The al dente pasta was exceptional including the meaty ragu and the carbonara. Had more Sea Bass and another steak. Oh and a wonderful cocktail called the Italian Stallion.
Gumbae – the food was okay but it felt a bit bitty, like a piecemeal selection of disjointed bits that didn’t really come together very well. Also who you are sitting with can really make or break the meal. Michael and Lee from Vietnam were great table partners here.
Test kitchen – the food was tasty and the experience was different but if I’m honest it felt a little pretentious to me. Still we did get to spend some time getting to know Jeanelle (such a fabulous laugh), Michelle (or rather Lady Michelle of Den-ver) and Sheri (such a pretty smile).
Pizza Place – Really great pizza that you can eat there or take back to the room but such a shame that it kept closing so early. The food options at the end of the night can be quite limited in The Galley so the Pizza Place offered a welcome alternative when it was actually open.
Galley – Great for breakfast and lunch. The different stations offer a great variety of food from epic desserts to wonderful pastries. The menu gets very limited at night and I’m surprised they don’t offer the great cheeseburgers after hours. An omelette might be healthier but a burger after cutting a rug in The Manor feels better.
Shows
Duel Reality – Just amazing. The acrobatics, crowd involvement and choreography are just off the chart. Many instances where I was laughing and/or clapping at the impressive insanity that I was witnessing. Special props to the hula hoop girl and the guy with the spinning thing on the rope.
Ben Price – Just fabulous. Loved his dry humour and sarcastic delivery. His tricks were great and his stage presence magnetic. A thoroughly entertaining show.
Miss Behave – Oh wow what a show this was. Wasn’t sure what to expect and it defies a useful summation. It was just a lot of fun that made you laugh and made you think. The end when all the audience was throwing soft balls at each other was so cool to witness. Sit in the middle for this one. Not because you’ll get picked on at the front but just so you can feel the atmosphere of the audience around you.
Around the world in 80 minutes – A whole lotta fun. The Diva has a bundle of charisma whose drag queen-ness didn’t stray at all into cheesiness. Talented and involving.
Untitled dance party – We saw this on the last night and it is a strange and creative show. There were great visuals and dancing and a refreshing uncertainty about what was going to happen next.
The Ship Show – Now this one was just weird. Unfunny, bland and outdated. The compere was telling cheesy jokes replete with the drummers ‘duh dums’ that were embarrassingly unfunny. The cabaret acts really weren’t all that impressive and didn’t hold a candle to the performers in Duel Reality and it was everything that you think Virgin weren’t. Safe, corny and stale.
Theme nights
Pyjama party – This was a fabulous night that capitalised on everyone’s excitement of that first night. The music was full on party and the majority of sailors embraced the fun shenanigans.
We Fancy night – This was a really good night. The happening crew got involved in The Manor handing out crowns and beads and getting people dancing. It added a kick of energy to the night.
Scarlet Night – We’d been looking forward to this a lot and wore some epic outfits. There was a great atmosphere on the boat and the pool party was excellent but The Manor needed to step it up a little bit more to carry on the buzz. Maybe some more theming, silly red giveaways on the table, octopus hanging from the ceiling, more red lighting etc. It needed something extra to maintain the earlier energy.
It also needed (and this happened a couple of times) but a DJ that actually watches the dancefloor and changes their set dependent on dancefloor activity. Too many times the dancefloor would empty and the DJ would make no attempt to course correct or drop some floor fillers to get people back.
Seemingly their ego of playing the right track within their self-important set was more important than giving those still trying to have a good time some decent music. On the Wednesday we spent some time convincing people to come to The Manor only for our efforts to be in vain because the DJ made zero effort in keeping the dancefloor going.
The food
Overall it was excellent. You had your culinary highs of The Test Kitchen for those food connoisseurs, you had your meat lovers appeased in The Wake, Pink Agave and Test Kitchen and you had your fun food fulfilled with Razzle Dazzle and to a lesser extent Gumbae. There was always something to eat during the day in The Galley and the other eateries including Lick me till Ice Cream which received a solid number of visits.
The drinks
They felt quite expensive if I’m honest. We had $600 in bar loot and went through that by the Wednesday night. A Pina colada was $13 and a BBC (Baileys Banana Colada) was around $20. I understand that they needed to add something extra to cover the extra ingredient but it felt a little much. They had Kopparberg Cider but only the Pear one (urggh) and no peach snaps on-board so I couldn’t have an Archers and Lemonade.
I took Red Bull on-board and no one ever hassled me about this. I don’t drink wine but if I did it would have been worth taking some on-board to drink whilst getting ready for a night out.
Movement of the boat
I never felt sea sickness once. The forward movement of the boat was stable and so smooth and I loved the sound of the sea as the boat pushed through the water. Once or twice I might have felt a movement but it was rare enough to actually make me question whether the boat had moved or I had!
Classes/activities
I did three spin classes (which I’d never done before) and they were all great. Got me super sweaty and a proper workout all with a view of the passing ocean which was amazing. Also did the VHS workout which we dressed up for and had a lot of fun. I tried the 90’s Boy band workout but my co-ordination was shockingly bad and I bailed after 20 minutes because I just wasn’t getting it.
My friend did the Cocktail making course in the Test Kitchen which she said was really good. The organisation of the tenders and going to shore (which we only did for Cannes and Ibiza) was smooth and trouble free.
Spa & gym
Paid the $39 for a three hour session in the Spa and it was a lovely experience. The different steam rooms, the sauna, cold plunge pools, warm marble beds and the complimentary mud rub were all really enjoyable. The three hours flew by helped by a little doze on the heated marble area!
The gym, which was split into weights and cardio, was really cool. Modern, clean and functioning equipment maintained to a very high standard.
Shops
They all seemed pretty cool when they were open but quite expensive, which I guess is understandable. I had considered getting a proper wet shave which would have been a first but it was like $90 which was hard to justify.
Other sailors
The demographic was a really good mix. Apparently the boat was only half full (around 1,300 sailors) on our cruise but it did feel like the beautiful people. What I mean by that was that there were all races and sizes but virtually everyone carried themselves with class and decorum. They dressed up nice, they were friendly and willing to bestow and receive compliments on their outfits easily.
I’m not trying to be classist but I think it’s nice to feel like you belong and it felt like the whole crew of passengers were united in a desire to have a good time and to look good. There were no excessive sports apparel, no Benidorm bridesmaids and no Prague stag groups.
People were there to have fun and to enjoy themselves and I didn’t see any excessive drinking or tense situations caused by over indulgence. As I said, I am new to cruising so I don’t know if they are usually a friendlier crowd but everyone seemed so willing to talk.
And because of having so many different restaurants to visit there were always really simple conversation starters for when you did start chatting to people. “Where are you from”, “what restaurants have you visited” and “what are you wearing for Scarlet Night”.
I did three separate Karaoke nights on board and because of the inclusive songs that I chose everyone always ‘backed my play’ when I performed the numbers. They sang along, they cheered and they enjoyed themselves.
I guess the only time I felt a little self-conscious was around the pool area. I didn’t have a problem with the size as I never actually went in the pool but it really didn’t need to be big when all it really was, was somewhere to pose and look good in your swim wear. I had some good clothes but still wasn’t quite ready to embrace that pool party vibe.
We met so many cool people on the Grog Walk (big shout to the Texas Twelve), on the way to the Monaco or in the Clubs. We met a fabulous older couple (Ellen and Larry) in the tender to Cannes who invited us to Monaco and another couple in the karaoke (Peter and Nicole) who we all partied with later in the clubs. Plus there were many other people that you would randomly strike up conversations with wherever you came across them. A lovely family of four (Max Snr and Jnr), three young brothers who we called the Musketeers who were a credit to their parents, a lovely married couple in the Casino (Thank you. Period) and the Black Magic Divas who were all so warm and friendly.
I think the only time I was disappointed in the sailors was in the last night. I’d had such a great time, such a wonderful experience that I really wanted it to go out with a bang and whether it was a mix of the DJ not trying hard enough or people’s energy levels but it seemed to go out with a whimper. Suddenly every seemed to get sensible and want a quiet night to take care of their packing!
But apart from this, my fellow sailors seemed to be a really great bunch of people.
Things that could be improved
Now I don’t say these as some whinging perfectionist. The holiday was fabulous and I loved the boat and the brand. Look at these comments as having a friend that looks amazing but their clothing label is sticking out. They look great but you just want to draw their mind to something that could be fixed to make them look perfect.
Nights when the boat was in dock just felt dead. Granted I understand that if the youngsters are piling off the boat to visit a sweaty cramped and overpriced club in Ibiza, then the boat can’t hold onto them but it felt like the heart had been ripped out of the boat. The casino was empty, the shops are shut, most of the bars closed early and the DJ is providing zero energy to those who’ve chosen to remain on the boat. It gave the boat this depressing Monday night feeling
Why not then make the Friday night an oldies night? Drop some 60’s/70’s/80’s in the Manor and offer an alternative to those not wanting the Ibiza clubs? I appreciate that it must be hard to maintain the party vibe and you don’t want the boat turning into a Carnival but it kinda felt that the boat ran out of steam when in port.
Maybe if not on the Friday night, you could have a themed cheesy night with shamelessly cheesy tunes like you find in the VHS workout. Music that everyone can get behind, some silly giveaway trinkets and offers that upmarket but fun party vibe that people might want. I just felt it needed a couple of notches up on the wild factor come the nightlife.
In addition I would say somehow making it easier to play music in the rooms (I know some of the rockstar suites have a record player) and keeping the Pizza Place open slightly later than the Manor.
In summary, I had a truly fabulous time. Probably, if not, the best holiday I’ve ever had. The brand, the technically impressive boat, the welcome, the adult non kiddified nature of the cruise, the fact that there were activities if you wanted but you weren’t force fed them like cattle, the wonderful lovely people that we met, looking at the ocean either in the middle of the day, middle of the night or as the sun set which we accidentally managed to catch one time. It was all magnificent.
I truly didn’t want to leave and felt that I was living on an elevated plain where I felt like one of the beautiful people. Thank you Virgin Voyages for allowing me to experience something fantastic. Hope you can find a way to take on-board some of my thoughts to make it all even more perfect.
