Virgin Voyages is a new cruise line that offers adults-only, all-inclusive, and luxurious voyages. The Scarlet Lady is one of the two ships operating in the Virgin Voyages fleet.
IN THIS POST
THE SCARLET LADY
In the fall of 2021, the Scarlet Lady started its sailing regularly, providing guests with unique amenities such as the first-ever tattoo parlor at sea, various inclusive dining options, complimentary exercise classes, a spa, and more! I had the opportunity to sail on the Dominican Daze voyage on the Scarlet Lady, and here is my honest review of Virgin Voyages.
The Scarlet Lady sails around the Caribbean and Mexico from Port Miami. This ship can accommodate over 2,770 passengers and 1,160 crew. The vessel has 1,408 passenger cabins, including 78 suites, 1,030 balcony cabins, 95 window cabins, and 105 inside cabins.
The Scarlet Lady cruise ship offers a variety of features and amenities for its passengers, including 20 dining options, a variety of bars and lounges, a spa and fitness center, a casino, and nightly entertainment.
The Scarlet Lady cruise ship provides a trendy and exclusive adults-only experience.
THE DOMINICAN DAZE VOYAGE
The Dominican Daze cruise on the Scarlet Lady is a 5-night Caribbean itinerary that leaves from Miami, Florida, with a stop in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, and includes a full day at the exclusive Beach Club in Bimini, Bahamas.
EMBARKATION
Embarkation was a breeze. I was given Rockstar Status, which provides the following:
- VIP entrance with priority boarding.
- Exclusive access to Richard’s Rooftop – a members-only sundeck
- Early booking and priority access to spa treatments
- Early booking to eateries on board
- Early booking for events onboard
- Early booking for offshore experiences
- Exclusive access 24/7 to the team of RockStar Agents
The ship creates an ambiance right from the moment you step on board. Virgin has its aesthetic, and if I had to compare Virgin Voyages to a hotel, I would compare it to a W Hotel. It has a fun and hip vibe to its ship.
THE SEA CABINS
On the Scarlet Lady, there are three primarytypes of cabins and a variety of suites: Insider (interior, without a window), Sea View (with a window that has a porthole), and Sea Terrace (featuring a balcony and a rope hammock).
I had a Sea Terrace Room on the 13th Deck. The Sea Terrace cabins on the Scarlet Lady offer guests a balcony with a rope hammock and a convertible bed that can be turned into a full-sized bed. Except everything you would get in a luxury hotel in your cabin except way smaller.
WHAT I LOVED ABOUT MY SEA TERRACE CABIN
LOVED:
- The Sea Terrace room featured a balcony with a rope hammock, which provides a comfortable and relaxing space to enjoy the ocean view.
- The room was extremely clean when we arrived!
- The modular converting bed is a unique feature that allows for more space during the day and a comfortable sleeping arrangement at night.
- The room was controlled with an iPad-like device, which I thought was pretty cool.
DISLIKED:
While the sea terrace cabin on the Scarlet Lady may offer stunning ocean views, there are some negatives to consider. One downside is that these cabins have small bathrooms and lack storage space. Additionally, the sea terrace cabins may be smaller and more compact than other cabin options on the ship, which could be a drawback for those who prefer more space. Keep in mind, you are meant to spend time on the ship versus being in your room, and I was barely in my room unless it was bedtime.
IS THE SCARLET LADY ALL-INCLUSIVE?
All tips are included in the fare. All dining venues are complimentary, with chef-curated experiences at 20+ eateries. Passengers can also enjoy free Wi-Fi and unlimited group fitness classes.
WHAT IS A BAR TAB ON VIRGIN VOYAGES?
Alcohol is NOT included. You will need to set up a bar tab on the app. Virgin Voyages offers a prepaid bar tab for passengers to use on board. The Bar Tab is onboard credit that can be used on board or at The Beach Club in Bimini for any beverage not included in the voyage fare, like alcohol, premium coffee drinks, and more!
Passengers can pre-purchase their $300 Bar Tab on the Virgin Voyages app. By pre-purchasing the $300 Bar Tab, passengers will receive an extra $50 bonus to spend at any bar on board or The Beach Club at Bimini. This must be done 24 hours prior to sailing. The Bar Tab is the only option for purchasing drinks that are not included in the voyage fare.
RESTAURANTS ON THE SCARLET LADY
If you follow me on TikTok, this was the most talked about in my daily videos highlighting my trip – the food. For me, the food was the only negative thing about my cruise.
You will be emailed a month before (if you are Rockstar Status) to book your dining reservations. Be sure to do this immediately. I waited a week after being notified, and our dinners were at 9 pm. Reservations fill up quickly!
The Scarlet Lady cruise fare covers all dining options; no central main dining room exists. Instead of the typical buffet or main dining hall, the Scarlet Lady offers a variety of distinctive restaurants, bars, lounges, and quick-service dining options.
The Galley on the Scarlet Lady is designed to resemble modern food halls or marketplaces found in many cities. The Galley offers a variety of casual meal options throughout the day, with a unique layout that features a mix of counters and food stations instead of traditional islands or rows. You can access menus through QR codes here, but orders are taken in person. Guests can help themselves to drinks; brand sodas are included in the fare. The options were okay – but when you are on a cruise for a week, the options become limited. Our orders take a long time to arrive after placing them, so be patient.
Pink Agave – This is their upscale Mexican restaurant. The drinks here were amazing, and the food was good. Don’t expect tex-mex style food. Instead, you will have authentic style Mexican food. Again, menu options are limited, but remember that you can order as much food as you’d like, as it is all included. All plates are about medium-sized but are meant to be shared. This was one of my favorites on the ship compared to the others.
Razzle Dazzle: This restaurant on the Scarlet Lady cruise ship offers a vegetarian-forward menu with a mix of plant-based and meaty options. The food was okay, but the desserts were amazing!
Extra Virgin: This is the Italian restaurant aboard the Scarlet Lady. They have fresh pasta dishes here. I had a pasta and shrimp dish and I was not much of a fan. I found that the food lacked flavor.
The Dock House – Tucked away in the back of the boat on Deck 7 – this eatery is designed with a nautical theme and offers a variety of specialty cocktails and small plates. I tried their grilled shrimp and chicken skewers here, and again, I needed more flavor. The food took over 25 minutes to come out, which I though was very long considering that these were small plates. However, they have delicious healthy juices to choose from, which was nice.
The Pizza Place: You could not go wrong with The Pizza Place. Your pizza is made to order, and you can customize your pizza. I ate more pizza on my trip than anything because I was quite disappointed with the food on the ship. However, the pizza was very delicious.
Outdoor seating with Ocean Views at The Pizza Place
The Wake – The Wake is a steak and seafood restaurant on the Scarlet Lady. It is the largest restaurant on board, showing beautiful views of the ship’s wake. The restaurant offers a refined dining experience with a menu that includes premium cuts of beef, fresh seafood, and an extensive wine list. The food was good here. I liked that they had a variety of dishes to choose from.
There are other restaurants like Gunbae, a Korean Restaurant with flameless grills for you to cook your food, and the Test Kitchen, where you get to experiment with different flavors.
Overall, the food did not meet my expectations. I’ve spoken to many people, and the food reviews were mixed. Some loved it, and some did not so much.
VIRGIN VOYAGES ACTIVITIES, ENTERTAINMENT & AMENITIES
The Scarlet Lady offers a variety of unique and exciting activities, immersive theater performances, and parties. The ship also features a casino, a spa, and a variety of bars and lounges. Passengers can also enjoy various outdoor activities, such as a jogging track and a basketball court. The entertainment on board is designed to be immersive and interactive.
The shows get booked up rather fast, and because of this, I was unable to check any of them out. This is why I can’t stress enough to get on the ship as early as you can and start booking your shows and spa treatments immediately; otherwise, you will miss out as I did.
Be sure to participate in the sail-off party, where you receive complimentary champagne, a pajama party where you get cookies and milk, and dress up in all red for the infamous Scarlet Night. I had a great time at these events!
The Pool
There are two pools on the Scarlet Lady. The main pool is very small for the number of people on this ship. This is a pool you get in to cool off, and that’s it. It gets very crowded, as you can see here.
They also have a second pool, but I was told it was more like a jacuzzi. Either way, both pools could only hold a few people on this ship.
Thermal Suite on Scarlet Lady
The Scarlet Lady features a thermal spa, a relaxation and wellness area that includes a variety of hot and cold experiences to soothe and rejuvenate passengers. The thermal spa on the Scarlet Lady is called Redemption Spa, designed to be a calming oasis for passengers to unwind and relax.
The spa features a mud room, a salt room, cold plunge pools, saunas, and steam rooms. Passengers can purchase a day pass or a voyage-long pass to access the thermal spa. I highly recommend visiting the Thermal Suite.
SERVICE AND SUSTAINABILITY
The Scarlet Lady Dominican Daze Cruise with Virgin Voyages service was exceptional. The staff was friendly, attentive, and always willing to go above and beyond to ensure a great experience for everyone on board. Every aspect of the service was top-notch, from the restaurants to the bars to the spa. I was particularly impressed by the attention to detail and the personalized touches throughout the cruise. It was clear that the staff truly cared about making my trip unforgettable.
What impressed me was Virgin Voyages‘ commitment to sustainability. They’ve eliminated single-use plastics and use sustainable materials in their decor. They take their responsibility to the environment seriously, which sets them apart.
WOULD I GO ON A ANOTHER VIRGIN VOYAGE CRUISE?
Although I was very disappointed in their food, I would be open to trying their newer ship – the Valiant Lady, in the future, with hopes that there is an improvement with the food. While food might be a big deal to some, for me, I love to travel and I am a foodie, so my expectations were a bit high. The overall experience of exploring and participating in activities on the boat was incredible. There is truly something for everyone on the Scarlet Lady ship! I like the direction that Virgin Voyages is heading, and I know it will get better with slight improvements.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I love what Virgin Voyages is trying to accomplish with their ships. Overall, my trip was fun! The ports of call were incredible. Getting on and off the boat was simple. I spent the majority of my time at Richard’s Rooftop. Richard’s Rooftop was quiet and relaxing, but I wish I could access a less crowded pool.My only issue was the food and the poor design of the pool space. This was my first cruise, and I had very high expectations as Virgin Voyages is categorized as a luxury cruise line. However, there is no secret that Virgin Voyages has a unique approach to cruising that sets itself apart from any other cruise lines. They have so much potential. Needless to say, I had an incredible first-time experience on a cruise.WOULD I RECOMMEND VIRGIN VOYAGES?
Based on my experience, I would recommend booking an adult-only cruise with Virgin Voyages for your next vacation. The exceptional service and personalized touches truly made for an unforgettable trip.
For more information on how to book your adult’s only cruise visit Virgin Voyages and enjoy their awesome discounts happening now! 