Thursday, April 11, 2024

Best New Cruise Ships for Adults

virgin cruise scarlet lady

Walk-ins are welcome at less busy times (such as right when the venue opens for breakfast), but I was lightly scolded for not booking in advance. The 45-square-foot terrace is furnished with two uninviting metal upright chairs and a round drinks table. I wouldn't even bother to sit out there – except for the striking red hammock hung from hooks bolted into the bottom of the balcony above.

ALL CRUISE LINES (1543 SHIPS)

But six restaurants for a ship the size of Scarlet Lady still is impressive (at 110,000 tons, Scarlet Lady isn't nearly as big as the biggest ships from some other lines). Impact on your credit may vary, as credit scores are independently determined by credit bureaus based on a number of factors including the financial decisions you make with other financial services organizations. As you wander the ship, keep an eye out for “Happenings,” the unscheduled improv acts and performances that the staff do to spice up things when you least expect it. For entertainment, passengers can head to The Manor, a multi-bar nightclub with a '70s punk vibe, which features a rotating line-up of comedy acts. In addition to a menu of spa services, there are also saunas, steam rooms, a salt room, a mud room, a beauty salon and plunge pools.

“Next Time” Recommendations on Virgin Voyages

She has 28+ years of maritime service (as of 2019), including on commercial fishing vessels, ferryboats and large cruise liners (15+ years). Virgin cruise bookings on Scarlet Lady opened on February 5, 2019 (for customers with pre-sale deposits) and on February 14 (for the general public). Following the June 5, 2019-issued US Government restrictions on the USA to Cuba travel, Virgin Voyages revised all scheduled itineraries to exclude Havana. The new/revised itineraries offer late-night call port departures (some at midnight). MS Scarlet Lady staterooms (a total of 1408 passenger cabins for 2770 guests/ max capacity is 2860) include 78x Suites, 1030x Balconies, 95x Oceanviews and 105x Interiors. The staff and crew (total 1160 people) are accommodated in 813 crew cabins.

virgin cruise scarlet lady

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

Inside, you'll find daybeds for lounging and a drinks cooler prepped with fresh-pressed welcome juices. You will certainly have many opportunities to spend your Bar Tab on board, whether that's wine with dinner, a morning latte or a cocktail at On the Rocks while you listen to live music. Drinking is a key component of Scarlet Lady's nightlife, but as far as I saw, most people embraced the fun but drank responsibly. The menu of JoJo loose leaf teas offers a nice selection of caffeinated and herbal teas.

This is a 750-acres (3 km2 / 1,2 mi2) beachfront resort-casino-marina-hotel complex operated by Genting Group (Malaysia-based multinational corporation). On June 26, 2019, Virgin announced that Scarlet Lady will be chartered for a themed LGBTQ+ cruise ("lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender") by Atlantis Events. The charter deal was confirmed by Rich Campbell (Atlantis Events' President and CEO). The liner will be also seasonally deployed in Europe (via Transatlantic crossings), with planned visits to several major Mediterranean and UK ports (including Dover and Liverpool).

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It did have its pros and cons, but the cons are superficial at best and do not stray us from booking it again. Embarkation was a breeze, and it was when we truly started to experience the Virgin Way. Even though we upgraded to Premium Wi-Fi on the ship, it gets bogged down easily, which is frustrating when you’re trying to make reservations. In 2022-Q1 (January and February), all Scarlet Lady staterooms were updated while the boat was operational (deployed in the Caribbean) and carrying passengers. Noise-generating works were conducted during the stays in PortMiami (between the voyages). The vessel's launch (float-out from drydock) was on February 8, 2019.

Booking a premium cabin and suite gives guests access to Richard’s Rooftop, an alfresco lounge and patio with sitting areas, an open bar, whirlpools and live entertainment. Other perks include airport transfers, priority disembarkation and boarding in ports, access to the spa’s thermal suite, free laundry and clothes pressing, and comped minibars. Shortly before opening the bookings on Scarlet Lady (Feb 14, 2019), Virgin announced all-inclusive deal policy by which cruises are sold "by cabin price". Fares are also inclusive of dining (shipwide / 20 options, some 24-hours), unlimited WiFi, all fitness classes. For 5-day itineraries, fares start from ~USD 250 pp per day (excluding taxes-fees).

Scarlet Lady cabins and suites

virgin cruise scarlet lady

Not only was the food made fresh, but I think it also helped reduce food waste and kept people from touching everything. We had a fantastic five-night stay on the Scarlet Lady cruise ship. While we booked the Dominican Daze itinerary, visiting Puerto Plata, DR, and Bimini, Bahamas, in the Caribbean, the cruise was the standout destination on this trip. It wasn’t by any means perfect, but it was enjoyable throughout and the best value for a cruise of this class. The liner Scarlet Lady is the first cruise ship to stop at "Bimini Beach Club" (Virgin Group's private island resort in Bimini Bahamas). The exclusive destination allows Virgin's Sailors to enjoy world-class entertainment from a rotating cast of DJs led by Mark Ronson.

Scarlet Lady restaurants and bars

But don't worry, you can find yourself again the next morning as you meditate alongside the waves on your sprawling, private terrace. This is a contribution from our guest Ariel Kaneshiro who has spent countless days on cruise ships over the past 10 years, sharing her first experience on the Scarlet Lady. I'm not blown away by everything that I am encountering on Scarlet Lady. While much of the ship is well-designed, with stylish, contemporary spaces, there are a few areas that are so minimalist as to appear almost unfinished. The elevator hallways, in particular, are so plain, unadorned and brightly lit that they give off the air of a hospital ward. There also is a noticeable lack of signage around the ship, to the point that it took me two days to discover one tucked-away bar called The Loose Cannon.

The two most popular bars on board each night are Sip, the Champagne bar (which also serves wine and cocktails), and On The Rocks, which is central to everything and usually has live music. If you want to get a buzz at a venue that's buzzing, choose one of these for your nightcap. Unfortunately for me, I could not get the room service option to function properly on my phone, so I could neither see the menu nor order in-cabin dining. I didn't find my cabin on Scarlet Lady to be overly inviting or cozy, and I was glad I didn't have to fight for storage space with a travel partner.

I'm 6 feet tall and can fully recline in one of Scarlet Lady's bright red, ethically sourced hammocks. The rocking of the hammock combined with the rocking of the ship at sea, especially early in the morning when the sun was low and the temperature perfect, was incredibly soothing. I found myself plotting how to get more hammock time – rather than simply forgetting I had a balcony as I busied myself around the ship. Often cruise lines offer special rates that cannot be displayed to the general public. By registering with Cruise.com you will be able to view these special rates and offers.

And that may be what makes it the perfect ship for somewhat older people like me who miss the wilder and crazier days of their youth. But four days into my first sailing on Scarlet Lady, the hot new cruise ship for adults from start-up line Virgin Voyages, I am finding that I am not hating it all. Instead, look for solo performers in various bars and by the pool. The space is carefully curated so that no matter where you are, there is something to enliven the atmosphere (whether through art, design, music, or simply the view). Private deck cabanas at Mediterranean eatery The Dock feature day beds that look out toward the ocean, and ample lounge chairs ring the party-centric pool, where staffers circle with drinks.

However, we did get to see the Diva playing Karaoke and singing at one of the bars, some other fun pop-up performances by the cast, and the band playing at The Dockhouse, which was good. The best part is that ALL dining from the 20 eateries is included, except for a few upcharges for extravagant selections like oysters and caviar. Fountain drinks (sodas), teas, and regular coffee are also included.

If you really want to live it up, you can book RockStar Quarters or Mega RockStar Quarters, Virgin's two categories of suites. These extra-large rooms come with attractions like music rooms, turntables, peekaboo showers with windows to the sea, fully-stocked bars and large balconies. The days of cruise ships having one big main dining room where everybody on board eats in fixed seatings is long gone. These days, you'll find a wide choice of restaurants on most big cruise vessels, and even smaller vessels offer at least a few choices. Virgin's Scarlet Lady inaugural season (2021) is based on 4-5-day Caribbean roundtrips leaving from homeport Miami (Florida USA).

Dining and drinking are highlights of your time on board, so you'll want to visit as many bars and restaurants as you can. I prefer specialty restaurants with their individual menus, decor and vibe. But I also hate paying extra for meals when food is already included. In this way, Virgin's restaurant concept speaks perfectly to me. Scarlet Lady defies categorization when it comes to pricing, as well.

You won't find kids on board, yet you will find board games, an arcade, swings and unlimited pizza and ice cream.

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