Looking for some Virgin Voyages reviews to find out what they are like to cruise with? Discover what sets them apart from other cruise lines as I share my experience of cruising on Valiant Lady’s UK MerMaiden voyage.
It was with some trepidation, I found myself boarding Virgin Voyages’ new cruise ship, Valiant Lady earlier this year.
I’d booked it on a whim after seeing a good price for a solo cabin on Valiant Lady’s UK MerMaiden voyage. Virgin speak for the ship’s first cruise with paying passengers.
It was a three-night cruise, with an overnight stop in Zeebrugge, so I thought it would be a good opportunity to see what Virgin had to offer at a reasonable price. Always a consideration when cruising solo.
Opinions seem very much mixed on Virgin Voyages with people either loving or hating them so I was a bit unsure what I was letting myself in. But how bad could three nights be?
A little bit about Virgin Voyages
Virgin set out to shake up the cruise industry. A cruise line for people that don’t cruise.
Their ships are stylishly designed, combining the luxury of a super-yacht with the feel of boutique hotel.
Cruise fares are all inclusive covering all onboard dining, wifi and fitness classes. They also include soft drinks otherwise known as ‘basic bevvies’.
In the spirit of doing things different passengers are called sailors, there is no dress code, you have a bar tab instead of a drinks package, dining times are not set and there is no buffet or main dining room. There is even an on board tattoo parlour.
Valiant Lady was the he second ship in their fleet. Today Virgin have three ships with one more on order.
Booking a Virgin Voyages cruise
I booked directly with Virgin Voyages. The online booking process was straightforward if a little clunky at times.
Cabins are automatically allocated so there is no anxious wait to find out what cabin you have. However, you can choose your own cabin too. Unlike other cruise companies, there is no paying extra for this either.
After playing around with the site a bit, I was allocated a cabin on a deck I was happy with.
Virgin Voyages sailor app
Once you have booked, you can manage your booking through their app. This covers everything from completing the pre-cruise admin to booking the onboard restaurants and shore excursions.
Well, that’s the theory. In reality, it doesn’t quite work like that. For me, the app suddenly stopped working at times and I had to reinstall it more than once to get it back. Bookings for restaurants disappeared (though only from the app, they were still valid) and it took a few goes to complete the pre cruise admin.
It was a bit frustrating at times. Once these issues are ironed out, it will be super easy to manage your booking so hopefully, they will be able to fix the app sooner rather than later.
Embarkation
Arriving at the port in Portsmouth, my app suddenly told me it needed an update before I could open it. I suspect that was just bad timing but still…a bit frustrating.
Outside the terminal, there was plenty of crew helping to direct people and it was a smooth process dropping my case off – even tho my app still wasn’t working.
I’m relatively new to cruising and one of the things I’ve noticed is cruise companies seem to think everyone has cruised before and knows what to do when arriving at the port.
On my first cruise, I had no idea where to go and what to do with my case and on my latest cruise I ended up carrying all my luggage on myself. So hats off to Virgin for having lots of crew around to help out and direct people.
Heading over to the check-in area, it was a quick stop at the Ahoy sign for the obligatory Instagram photo opportunity.
The check-in process was straightforward and took just a few minutes. After confirmation, everything was in order, I was handed my wearable band and group boarding card.
There are no cruise cards here oh no. Instead, you are given a small band made out of recycled ocean plastic to wear around your wrist. This band is your room key and how you pay for drinks and services on board.
Once you figure out how to put them on that is. They are not the easiest thing to put on yourself so one of the crew kindly helped me.
First impressions
Walking onto the ship you are immediately struck at by the contemporary design and the element of fun. It is also very red which is quite a contrast to the grey exterior. There was a warm welcome by the crew as everyone boarded.
Cabin – Solo Insider
Valiant Lady has 1408 cabins, with a passenger capacity of 2770 passengers. Most cabins come with either a balcony or sea view. If you really want to splash out there are a number of different suite options.
I had booked an inside solo cabin- the solo insider as Virgin calls it and it does what is says on the tin. Small and compact, the cabin was very well designed. It didn’t actually feel that small even though it was tiny.
There was plenty of storage space, for a three-night cruise at least, with hanging space and a couple of drawers and shelves immediately as you enter the cabin. It was enough for a short cruise but I’d probably try to pack a bit lighter if I was on a longer cruise. I think you could run out of space quite quickly.
Most of Virgin’s itineraries are in sunnier and warmer climes than Northern Europe coming out of winter. So, less call for heavy coats and lots of jumpers and hoodies so the storage space available probably works a bit better with lighter clothes.
The cabin had all the amenities you’d expect including a safe, fridge and large TV. Plenty of plugs for charging devices too.
Under the glam table (dressing table to you and I) and next to the fridge was a water bottle which was refilled each day. I’ve noticed not all cruise lines offer this and while filling up your water bottle isn’t much of hardship, it’s a nice touch from Virgin to include this.
At the end of the cabin was a large single bed. Sleep was definitely not an issue, the bed was super comfortable.
The bathroom is really the only place you feel how small the cabin is. It is tiny. It reminded me of an airport-style bathroom with little room to move around.
Read more: Considering booking a solo cabin? Read my full review of the Solo Insider cabins.
Food and drink on Valiant Lady
Whenever I’ve spoken to people about my Virgin Voyages cruise experience, the food is always the first thing I mention.
For me, the quirks and gimmicks are a bit of fun but it is the dining options that really set Virgin Voyages apart from the other cruise lines I’ve tried so far.
There are no main dining rooms, buffets or speciality restaurants with extra charges here. Instead there are more than 20 eateries covering different cuisines and it is pretty much all included in your cruise fare. The odd item may incur a small extra charge in one or two restaurants but those are easily avoided.
Food is fresh, made to order and the quality is superb. It’s probably equivalent to speciality dining on other cruise lines.
Restaurants on Valiant Lady
There are six restaurants on Valiant Lady, all of which you can book in advance via the app. You can book onboard too but some are very popular so it is recommended to book in advance where possible. Particularly, if there is one you really want to try.
Extra Virgin
Serving regionally-inspired Italian dishes with fresh pasta made daily.
Gunbae
Korean style social BBQ where you can cook your meal on a flameless grill built into the table.
Pink Agave
Upscale Mexican dining.
Razzle Dazzle
All day dining venue with a striking interior and veggie inspired menu.
The Test Kitchen
Part restaurant, part cooking school, where you never know quite what you are going to get but you know it will be amazing.
The Wake
Steak and seafood with fabulous views and an insta worthy staircase
You can only book each restaurant once per voyage although you can check onboard and if space is available you should be able to get in. I ate in one restaurant three times over the weekend (breakfast and dinner) with no problems.
You can tell by the images below, I probably should have joined Virgin’s lesson on social media photography but it gives you an idea. The food quality is definitely much better than my photography skills!
Other places to eat on Valiant Lady
If you fancy something more casual, Virgin has you covered there too with plenty of informal places to grab a bite to eat.
The Gallery
There is a great food hall with lots of stands offering various bits including burgers, salads, noodles, paninis, sandwiches and tacos. You also get a nice sea view to enjoy. It’s definitely not a buffet either. Here dining options include
- Bento Baby
- Burger Bar
- Diner & Dash
- Hot off the Press
- Let’s Taco Bout It
- Noodle Around
- The Daily Mix
- The Sweet Side
- Well Bread
Grounds Club
A artisan coffee shop offering pastries (and the best tea on the ship).
The Dock
Mediterranean inspired mezze lounge with inside and outside deck seating.
The Pizza Place
Fresh, made to order pizzas. Has indoor and deck seating.
The Social Club Diner
Classic American dishes in a diner style space. Watch out for karaoke held here in the evening.
Sun Club Cafe
Fresh healthy bites on the sun deck.
Lick me till…Ice Cream
Complimentary ice cream.
Room Service
Ship Eats (as room service is otherwise known as) is also available for a small charge.
Entertainment on Valiant lady
Entertainment is another area where Virgin does things differently. Instead of the traditional theatre, there is an arena like space called the Red Room that can be configured depending on the show or event.
While I was on board there was a dance party and a spectacular acrobatic show called Dual Reality which retold Romeo and Juliet in a new way. The final night, the space was turned into a huge nightclub.
Valiant Lady’s official nightclub, The Manor, is a two story, three bar space named after Richard Branson’s first recording studio. I suspect pretty much everyone who has ever been onboard a Virgin Voyages ship gets a social media worthy photo in the entrance to the club. Me included.
Other entertainment options include a casino, private karaoke , a board game area, gaming arcade. In a nod to the Virgin brand’s music history, there is also a record store where you can listen to some classic albums.
Scarlet Night
As there are no formal nights on Virgin Voyages, you don’t have to worry about bringing on your best black tie outfit on this cruise. Instead, wear a splash of red on Scarlet Night and you’ll be good to go. Even the ship joins in…
Health and wellbeing
Wellness is a big feature of Virgin Voyages and one of the reasons I was keen to try them out. From gyms to spas to yoga and meditation, however you work out or relax there is something for you.
Facilities include a huge indoor gym, a basketball court, exercise spaces on deck, boxing ring, hot tubs and a spa with a steam room, thermal zone and a mud room. Group fitness classes are included in your fare too.
I tried out the running track which hangs over the ship like a bright red halo. 6 laps is equal to a mile. Although with those sea views, your legs will probably forgive you.
The Last Word
Despite my initial worries, I really enjoyed my time on Valiant Lady. The ship had a great look and feel, with lots of nice spaces to hang out in.
My cabin, while small, was comfortable enough for the short trip. The crew members were fantastic, very friendly and always happy to help with any questions or have a chat.
And the food…have I mentioned the food?
I also thought it was great that soft drinks were included in the cruise fare. It makes a difference when you are not totting up how much have spent on drinks each day.
Having cruised with three different brands now, I’ve realised that there are always going to be things you like and dislike about a ship. Or areas you think could be improved. Virgin Voyages are no different there.
While there were quite a few solo cabins, there wasn’t much else for solo travellers. No solo meet ups in the daily activity schedule or an area for solo’s to meet others. It wouldn’t take much to organise on Virgin’s part and would make a huge difference to their solo travellers.
It’s a very social ship, so if you were travelling with a group of friends, you’d have a great time on Virgin Voyages. Next time I’m hoping to persuade my friends to come with me!
Have you travelled with Virgin Voyages? I’d love to hear what you thought.