Sunkissed Bliss Travel recently got the opportunity to experience one of the hottest cruise lines in the travel industry. They are racking up awards left and right, shaking up the cruise industry, and they are unlike any other cruise line on the market.
What Virgin Voyages does well:
1. The food – No buffets and all of the food is included in your fare – even the specialty restaurants. And it’s all very good. The main dining area is set-up like a food hall with different “street food” style vendors. There’s a panini station, a sushi bar, a ramen stand, pizza, burgers, salads, desserts. You name it, they have it. You walk up to the counter and your food is made to order. Specialty dining restaurants (included in the price) typically require a reservation and consist of Mexican, Korean Barbecue, Italian, American Steakhouse, Experiential/Gastronomic, and Plant-based.
2. The spa – Around $70 to enjoy the spa for a few hours without a treatment. There is a warm marble loungeroom, salt room, steam room, sauna, cold plunge pool, warm mineral pool, and mud baths. It’s a great place to spend a few hours on your day at sea. Go a few hours before your massage and enjoy the amenities, decorated in a glam but understated art deco style. You’ll need to make your spa appointments immediately after boarding to get a time during the day at sea.
3. The entertainment – It’s difficult to describe how different and intriguing Virgin Voyage’s entertainment offerings are. One night we went to a dance show that turned into a dance party where the entertainers joined the spectators. The deck parties played the greatest hits of our college days. (Remember, this is an adults-only cruise line.) On another night, there was a hilarious one-man drag show. We watched a jaw-dropping acrobatic show and dressed in red for Scarlet Night alongside the rest of our shipmates.
4. Ship design – I can only imagine how many planning meetings took place to achieve the perfect ship aesthetic. Every space is thoughtfully designed to create the sense of small, cozy nooks, art deco mixed with nautical elements, with every space flowing seamlessly into the next. Simply put, you do not feel like you’re on a large cruise ship. You feel like you’re at a quirky and fun boutique hotel.
What could be improved:
5. The bathrooms in the central sea terrace staterooms were small and the shower was tiny. If you’d like more room, booking an XL sea terrace or an entry-level suite will literally give you more elbow room in the shower.
6. The spa appointments, fitness classes, paint & sips, and other shipboard activities that open for reservations once you’re logged onto the ship’s WiFi fill-up quickly. There may not be a way to improve this, but if you’re not on your phone immediately after you board trying to snag your activity reservations, there’s a high likelihood that you will not get one before they’re gone.
All things considered, there aren’t many areas where Virgin needs to improve. Virgin Voyages is the perfect cruise for adults who like to unwind on their vacation, have fun, but also want to take care of themselves at the spa or through one of the many fun fitness classes. It’s a high-quality ship with well-appointed rooms, thoughtful ship design, fantastic food, and mostly all-inclusive at a very attractive price point.
Sunkissed Bliss Travel can offer a $600 onboard credit and $300 off cruise fare (combinable with other promotions) for any sailing taking place in 2024 or 2025. Please contact us if you’re interested in setting sail the Virgin Voyages way.
