Recently, I was absolutely blessed to sail on Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady out of Miami. We booked the 5 night Dominican Daze with stops in Puerto Plata and the Beach Club at Bimini, packed our bags, and didn’t look back!

Why Virgin?

After being cooped up with my family for 2 years during Covid, I desperately needed some girl time! You know, the kinda time when you can take as long as you want to get pretty. Where you can ask, “do these jeans make my butt look fat?” and your GF will tell you the truth. “Girl, those jeans are a thirst trap!” Pure fun and laughs! No kids, no responsibility!

That said, while on the cruise, I decided I wanted to return with my husband. It’s a great cruise for some friend time, but it’s also an excellent cruise for “couple” time. Being an adults-only vacation just makes it sexy! Sexy shows like “Never Sleep Alone” and all that sexy Jazz music is sure to set the mood! There’s nothing like sharing a great meal with wine and a few laughs to help you reconnect, and this is the ship for that!

Embarkation

When embarkation day finally rolled around, we grabbed our bags and headed to the port. I wore my comfy shoes because I expected long lines and lots of waiting. Boy, was I wrong! Check-in was smooth. Real smooth… just like the jazz band that played in the Roundabout every night! From when our Uber dropped us off to when I was sitting in my little red hammock, 30 minutes had passed.


Most of the check-in process is done in advance on the Virgin Voyages Sailor app. You will even be able to pick your embarkation time on the app. You simply show up at your embarkation times, drop your bags off with the Porter, and pick up your bracelet. The process was speedy as long as you did everything required on the app, such as uploading your travel documents, emergency contact information, and adding a payment method. If you didn’t get everything done on the app, you got sent to the naughty lane to get help with the check-in. Don’t worry. It was still a quick process.

It will take your bags about an hour or so to get to your room, so I suggest heading to the Dock House to have a beverage and some tasty snacks. Use this time to watch your mandatory safety video and then head to your muster point to get signed off on the mandatory safety drill.

Let’s talk about the rooms!

The majority of the standard cabins and suites on Scarlet Lady feature a terrace with a hammock facing the open sea. The suites are known as Rockstar Quarters and are very roomy, and come with many extras like spa access and unlimited drinks. The standard cabins aren’t huge, but they utilize the limited space well. For instance, our room had a queen-size bed that could be used as a couch or turned into 2 single beds. The bathroom had a great waterfall shower with an actual shower door! The entire cabin was managed via tablet, from the lighting, and entertainment, to the temperature. With one click, you could change the mood of your cabin.

The standard cabins are great, but if you want to treat yourself and have the means to upgrade to Rockstar, do it! You’re worth it!

Which cabin is right for you? Click here to find out.

Now let’s talk food!

The first thing you should know is that all the food options are included in your cruise fare except for a couple menu options (tomahawk steak and seafood tower). Unlike other cruise lines where you have to pay for specialty dining, Virgin is all specialty dining and all-inclusive.

Virgin has decided to do away with buffet dining, and I’m so thankful. You won’t ever have to eat the same meal twice on Virgin, thanks to the 20 different restaurants on board, all of which provide full menus. However, you may find something you love so much that you want to eat there repeatedly, and you can!

Honestly, I didn’t have enough time to eat my way through the entire ship. Another reason to go back!

You can make diner reservations through the app about 1 week before you sail. However, if you miss making reservations, they accept walk-ups on a first-come, first-served basis. There are so many options, and let me highlight some of my favourites.

The Wake

This is a MUST! I highly recommend getting a reservation here because it’s busy. The food was excellent! I started with the clam chowder and had steak as my main course. Wendy and I shared a few sides, and none were disappointing!

The ladies at the table beside us had salt-crusted fish for the third night in a row. That’s how good it was.

Make sure to hit up the Wake for brunch as well.

The Test Kitchen

This was another highlight when it came to dining on Virgin. The Test Kitchen serves a multi-course meal that was carefully and creatively planned. The night we dined here, we started with a mushroom pate served with crostini. Delish and gorgeous! I will not list the entire menu because it has changed since I went. But let me tell you, the steak I was served was the best I’ve ever had!

Razzle Dazzle

This place was another crowd favourite! This restaurant tends to have a vegan focus but still offers several “naughty” menu choices.

Again, Wendy and I shared a few items off the menu because we wanted to try EVERYTHING! There was nothing that disappointed us. In fact, to our surprise, the smoked carrot vegan meal was to die for!

You can also head here for brunch.

The Pizza Place

Make sure you head to the pizza place at least once after a late night at the Manor! Actually, you should just run to the pizza place whenever you want! Get the “Pretty fly for a White Pie” and ask for truffle oil on top. You’ll thank me later!

There is no shortage of food options; each is as delicious as the next!

What’s the Deal with the Bar Tab?

Virgin has decided to forgo the typical drink package and have you pay for what you drink. Before you sail, you will be given the option to buy a “Bar Tab.” There will usually be a special offer for an extra $50 for every $300 bar tab purchased. And not everyone in the room needs to buy the bar tab. That’s great news for some couples where one of them doesn’t drink.

How far does the bar tab go? Well, I couldn’t spend all my money! I even bought a bottle of wine to bring home and still didn’t spend my entire tab! Click here to get an idea of drink prices.

The Entertainment

Book your shows as soon as you get to the port! We didn’t and missed out on a lot of fun, and I’ll use this as another excuse to go back.

We got into every show we wanted to by going “standby,” so don’t stress if you couldn’t reserve.

The entertainment is for adults and is a lot of fun. We went to “Never Sleep Alone” and had a lot of laughs. Yes, it’s “adult,” but you’re not going to leave there disgusted in humanity. It’s all pretty tame. Not appropriate for kids, but that’s why there are none!

Drag Queen Bingo was a lot of fun, and I would highly recommend playing. However, make sure you pay attention and don’t call Bingo if you don’t really have one! Don’t ask me how I know this. Just trust me. The “free” space isn’t always a “free” space! You’ve been warned.

There was always something going on, from music in the Roundabout to trivia in one of the bars. If you find yourself bored, it’s because you want to be!

Another show people raved about was” Duel Reality.” Unfortunately, I was busy having fun elsewhere and didn’t get a chance to see it.

Would I do it again?

Hands down, YES! The food was terrific, and the service was top-notch. It was nice not to be bothered by little kids running around and splashing pool water into my margarita or knocking over my Poke bowl!

Not only was the staff fantastic, but so was the clientele! I met a lot of incredible people on this cruise! Joy, David, David, Andy, Alex, Jean and her amazing husband who buys her Louboutin……. I met so many amazing people! Virgin Voyages seems to attract people who are incredibly fun and open.

This would be a fantastic cruise for a bachelor or bachelorette trip! In fact, I just booked a bachelorette group for a Virgin cruise next year! Amanda, you and the girls are going to have a great time!

If I’ve piqued your curiosity, I would be happy to chat about my experience on the Scarlet Lady! Book a call with me, and I’ll answer all your questions. I’ll admit Virgin may not be for everyone, but I can help you see if it’s a fit for you.

Book your complimentary consultation with me today.