Virgin Voyages Reviews 1,307

Alright, let's get this out of the way. We were Virgin Voyages virgins. After sailing with lines like Costa, MSC, and Holland America, we thought we knew the cruise world inside and out. We were wrong. Our trip from Barcelona to Civitavecchia on the Scarlet Lady completely reset our expectations of what a vacation at sea can be.

​A Whole New Way to Cruise
​I'll be honest, it takes a day or two to get into the groove. If you're used to the traditional cruise routine—set dining times, a massive main dining hall, formal nights—you have to unlearn all of that. Virgin throws that old rulebook overboard. The freedom is incredible. The ship has a vibe that's more like a cool, adults-only boutique hotel than a classic cruise ship. It’s relaxed, it’s modern, and you do things on your own schedule. Once we got used to it, we absolutely loved it.
​The Food is a Game-Changer
​Let’s talk about the food, because wow. Forget everything you think you know about cruise dining. There are no buffets with lukewarm food sitting under heat lamps. Instead, you get over 20 different eateries, and they are all included.
​And then there's The Test Kitchen. This place isn't just a restaurant; it's an experience. It’s part cooking school, part science lab, where you get a tasting menu that is creative, surprising, and absolutely delicious. The chefs are pushing boundaries here, and honestly, the quality and innovation are Michelin-star worthy. It was a culinary highlight, not just of the cruise, but of our year.
​Beyond that, from the incredible steak and seafood at The Wake to the amazing Korean BBQ at Gunbae, the quality was consistently high. This alone makes it worth it.
​Entertainment and a Crew That Cares
​The entertainment is fresh, modern, and genuinely engaging. But the real secret weapon of Virgin Voyages is its crew. On many other cruises, the staff are friendly but often seem rushed off their feet. On the Scarlet Lady, the crew has time for you. They stop for a chat, they remember your name, and they seem genuinely happy and relaxed themselves. This creates a level of service that feels personal and authentic, not just scripted. It makes a huge difference.
​The Verdict
​For us, this trip was a 10 out of 10, hands down. It was a completely different experience that ruined us for other cruise lines in the best way possible.
​One pro tip: the best restaurants are popular, so book your spots through the app as soon as you can. It guarantees you won't miss out on amazing meals like the ones at The Test Kitchen.
​If you’re looking for fantastic food, a relaxed atmosphere, and service with a genuine smile, you have to give Virgin a try. We boarded as first-timers, but we definitely left as converts.

The cruise was wonderful and well organized. The staff was friendly and helpful. The food choices were good however, there is room for improvement in the restaurant food selections and adding more shows/entertainment. Test Kitchen, Lucky Lotus & Pink Agave have much room for food choices and brunch. I also felt the excursions were overpriced for what you actually get. I'd suggest planning excursions outside of the Cruise line. But overall we had a great time and made memories with our adult children. Would recommend.

Noticed a significant decline from Scarlet Lady to now my 3rd cruise (Resilient Lady). Food is still great - waiters are rushed and seem overwhelmed at times (eg affogato at EV where they used to make it a display and now they hastily scoop half melted ice cream and if they forget, get the pot of cool coffee and dump it in the cup).

The shower backed up (Scarlet 2nd cruise) and after being in gym nowhere to shower for a few hours and the room smelled disgusting.

We received email about now being a Blue level sailor but no record of this when onboard. This took a day to sort out and I had to prove to services that I received the email as if they can’t track how many Virgin Cruises I’ve sailed.

I ‘won’ some casino credit, received confirmation at my room only again to find no record at the casino. I was so embarrassed, didn’t even pursue it.

On a port day I went to a dance class later in the day. I was the only sailor. The instructor looked at me and said ‘sorry no one showed up’ , shrugged their shoulders (but I showed up!). Turns and starts talking to another sailor how the average age on this particular cruise is so much higher than the average like it’s a tragedy.

In honesty, if my third cruise was my first exposure to Virgin voyages, I’m not sure I would’ve sailed with them again. Wasn’t tempted with a future cruise credit this time.

Shout out to Katrina the Balancer. She was always bright, energetic and sunshine to be around.

My wife and my first ever cruise had been with virgin .now we are on our 3rd our mistake I'm being told is started at the top. Because our 2nd cruise was carnival food was horrible all is in my review of carnival here on trust pilot. 3rd was Norwegian cruise mechanical issues and ect also in my reviews. Virgin is smaller and more personalized . It was also all adult. The food was amazing on virgin and everyday was a new different restaurant! And all day food our ship was called the scarlet lady and that was December of 2023 September of 2025 virgin had a party for the new ship brilliant lady .300 for two open bar and pick of a restaurant. It stayed docked in ny harbor but gave the feeling of being on the high seas . It was a little more pricey than the other two but the experience priceless.

I have sailed exclusively with Virgin Voyages since their launch and have always been one of their most enthusiastic supporters. Their original model was distinctive and refreshingly different: one clear price, no hidden costs, strong entertainment, good food, and a modern adult-only environment. Unfortunately, this most recent cruise was deeply disappointing and has made it clear that Virgin Voyages is moving away from the core principles that once made it exceptional.

This was not simply a poor individual sailing; it was a clear warning sign of a brand that has shifted direction. Virgin Voyages has moved from being the disruptor to becoming almost indistinguishable from the very cruise model it once sought to improve upon.

The Positives:

Wearable Wristbands – Convenient for unlocking cabins and making onboard purchases.
Embarkation – Priority boarding was smooth; being able to access the room immediately was appreciated.
Cabin – The balcony hammock was unique and relaxing.
Dining – The Test Kitchen stood out as the best dining experience for us as foodies, creative and memorable. Grab-and-go options were handy, and brunch alternatives beyond the galley were a plus.
Romance at Sea Package – Priority boarding and the included spa hours were enjoyable.

The Negatives:

Dining & Drinks:
Overall dining quality was good, but not as premium or elevated as expected, especially compared to previous cruises. Aside from the Test Kitchen which we loved, meals didn’t deliver the “special” or “premium” feel.
Drinks were just ok, and pricing was excessive. the $925 onboard credit I purchased disappeared quickly, it cost me $300 extra at the end. With limited entertainment, drinking became one of the only options for us, making it feel like guests were being steered into overspending.

Pools, Hot Tubs, and Spa:
Hot tub on the pool deck that was dirty, i told an employee who told me this is just a hot tub, i tried to explain that there is still filtration, he didn’t understand. lukewarm temperature, and shallow.

Thermal spa facilities looked promising but fell short:
A one-person “hot tub”!? that wasn’t hot.
Ice baths too shallow to be useful.
Salt room not working during one visit, and staff unhelpful.
Lack of instruction left guests confused about how to use the facilities.
Dip pool had the wrong temperature; it could have been a highlight if a little warmer.

Entertainment & Activities:
Entertainment was the weakest part of the cruise:
Limited and uninspiring music (violin, blues,) with little variety or energy.
Shows were fully booked before sailing, leaving nothing available onboard. Standing-room options required long waits and weren’t practical.
Bingo was pricey
On two cold sea days, everyone was forced indoors. Instead of adapting with new activities, the ship offered nothing beyond passive spaces. Passengers sat around scrolling on phones.
The art activity (“Champagne & Portraits”) was poorly executed. Marketed as beginner-friendly but offered no real instruction. Guests were asked to paint their partners; with no art experience it was a little embarrassing. more instruction would have been better like starting with a feature and providing some guidance.
The casino was initially entertaining but quickly felt unbalanced after the first day, no cocktail servers and low payouts. I wasn’t expecting to make money but when $200 lasts 30 min 5 nights in a row become not fun very quickly and we stopped going.
The Social Club space was promising but stocked with children’s games (Candy Land, Trouble, Monopoly) and missing basics like cards, dice, or dominoes. We ended up buying a deck of cards onboard — but even those were too slick to use.

Ports & Excursions:
Marketed as a scenic, leaf-changing cruise, but sea days were too far from shore to see anything.
Ports (St. John, Eastport) were small, unremarkable towns with little to do unless excursions were booked. Excursion options themselves weren’t especially appealing.

Ship Layout & Facilities:
Ship design was confusing, even after 10 days.
Bathrooms were difficult to locate. When found, they were nicely designed.

Customer Service & Staff:
Many crew members seemed untrained or uninformed.
Staff often couldn’t answer questions or gave conflicting information.
Overall service felt inconsistent, reactive, and not up to expectations for a premium cruise line.

Romance at Sea Package (Misses):
Promised “special gifts” in the cabin amounted to little more than a box of chocolates.
Included juice took five days to locate, and we never actually got to enjoy it. The offering felt hidden and poorly delivered.

The food was great - but the entertainment was extremely boring and not worth my time to attend... we had a scarlet night that was supposed to be the main event but it was a Sh*t show and super lame and unorganized

After many experiences cruising with a range of different companies across a range of countries Virgin Cruises was such a breath of fresh air! Loved how relaxed and chilled it all was - no lift music, no hard selling of overpriced stuff, food excellent across all restaurants and liked the fact that even in the gallery buffet you got served- didn’t need to worry about the hygiene of other ‘sailors’! Balcony cabin excellent, shower cubicle good size, with glass door! All staff gave 100%. Shows, activities brilliant. Ship facilities brilliant! Shore excursions well organized and most a good deal. Gripes, few- but was disappointed that skimmed milk in my lattes was long life! Couldn’t get daily weather forecast- particularly useful in North USA/Canada in September/October. Basic wifi was definitely basic, but at least included! Will definitely do a Virgin cruise again- would love to see them operate transatlantic!! (Please)!

We booked this cruise for the itinerary (Turkey and Greek islands), but we were quite worried to be the oldest passengers among lots of young guys with "strange" behaviours.

Actually this was not the case: most of the people were above 50yo, looking older than us and the cruise was quite "normal".

The seaview cabin was spacious, with enough storage space and our steward made a very good job.

Restaurants were excellent (except for a rude and incompetent server at Extra Virgin). But lot of planning is needed to have a reservation: booking on board was almost impossible unless you want to eat after 9.30PM or at Gunbae; we haven’t seen anyone able to walk-in, instead several people were rejected.

Itinerary was as gorgeous as expected, but Shore excursions team was a disaster: rude and not informative on board and not existent ashore: eg: on Mykonos island we had a "GUIDED" excursion booked through Virgin Voyages. It involved tender from ship to NEW Mykonos port, then Sea Bus (small ferry) to OLD Mykonos port. Afterwards we boarded a large ferry to Delos isle. On the way back to Resilient Lady, debarking from the large Delos ferry, the "local tour guide" disappeared; we had to walk without any indication about 1 mile in busy Mykonos town to find "the shuttle bus" to transfer us to VV tender terminal. Eventually we found the shuttle and reached the 'terminal' - no signs, no indications on any kind... just, when we got there, we found a rude guy rushing us ... "as the next tender is almost at full capacity !!"

*SEVEN* transfers without seeing one single Shore Excursion member !!

No explanation on board, nobody ashore to give indications.

As you can book excursions through the App, the added values of the Shore Things team is zero.

All the rest of the staff did an excellent job, in particular the Sailors service team.

The logistic of the entertainment was a nightmare: only a few tens of people were able to watch Lola’s Library show seated in a comfortable way while lot of people were standing on the shoulders of others to have a glimpse of what was happening; this was ridiculous.

We missed the other ships traditional and “seated” stage shows.

Overall a good experience, but we will not sail on Virgin again

First issue! Arranged bar tab for cruise, attempted to pay because I booked in uk can only pay in pounds Stirling but not dollars,(I have cards that offer bank rate and no transaction fees) virgin exchange rate awful so my bar tab cost me an extra 50 pounds!
Second issue received notification that dining bookings were open no menus but logged on anyway to book within an hour of receiving email no tables available in any restaurant between 17.30 and 21.15 contacted virgin you can arrange on board they said but my boarding time was later than when the desk was open to arrange bookings, stressful.
Renders have to be booked rather than issue tickets, more stress, Virgin's app is terrible. Most stressful cruise I've ever been on, nicer, ever again. That said the stag were excellent, especially Kennedy in test kitchen, fits generally good but in 10 days I had to send 2 streaks back and a filet mignon in the wake was rough, how do they manage that one steam served so cold it didn't even melt the butter pat. Again, never ever again any other cruise company will do.

Cabins are too small and hit tv whilst trying to get past end of bed. Pool too small for numbers of users and too high to allow easy access for the elderly or infirm leading to embarrassing personal attempts to enter same.

The fact that everything is included is definitely a sweet bonus. The dining experiences alone are amazing! 5 stars across the board. The variety of shows and things to do is perfect, there's something for everyone. And the no kids is awesome, just grown folks having grown folks fun!

Thoroughly impressed by how easy it is to go everywhere on the ship and get instructions, room service, on/off the ship. The wrist bands made everything super simple, the room was beautiful and felt so spacious especially with how small a cruise cabin has to be, it never felt like we were lacking space. The FOOOOOOOD. I didn't know anything about Virgin Voyages prior to this cruise. We went for 5 days and had an absolute blast, we ate so well and there were so many activities and shows to attend. We never lacked for things to do! I wish we had more time to experience it all. Will be going on more cruises with Virgin for after this!

We recently cruised on Resilient Lady.
The ship is beautiful and modern. Cabins are lovely albeit the shower cubicle is on the small side, ok for us but if you are tall or of larger physique you would struggle.

Entertainment was diabolical, overly sexualised performances. Cheap amateur shows.

Inability to book restaurants due to no available slots prior to and during sailing.

Bar tab, be aware that if you don't spend it all you don't get any refunds.
Typical prices:
Gin/ Jack Daniels $11 - $13 single shot
Beer/ Lager 330 ml cans/ bottles $8
All mixers and soft drinks included

Food, quality good on the whole but more often than not luke warm at best.

Entertainment was the biggest let down.

New 'Transparency' Pricing Model Is An Insult To Loyal Customers. Its completely false saying this is what customers asked for. Its a strategy to reduce choice unless you pay more. All your USPs have been trashed in an instant. Shame on you. I've been on 3 Virgin cruises and will probably switch back to Celebrity now given your awful new pricing policies and changes to your core offering

My first cruise in about 25 years and was pleasantly surprised about everything, I would use
Virgin again for sure!

Cruise has some good food but a lot of issues with cruise company leaves customer bitter aftertaste. Return policy which is explained at the time of booking doesn't allow you to cancel for a full refund, some amount company keeps bit by bit disappearing due to different glitches.: double charging for excursion, disappearing of pre-paid packages tec. Emails and receipts do not solve anything. Food allergy on the ship present a very huge problem for a crew to follow and comply, making dining experience below satisfactory. One of most desirable port (In Africa) was skipped with fictional sorry (sailors checked for accuracy), no compensation was offered. Some passengers including myself booked a cruise because of this stop.
Overall due to so many mishaps, constant misinformation from this company and sliding, below average service. I suggest to go somewhere else, especially if passengers prefer VIP service. WE had a good rockstar agent (not right away), but overall deceiving facts/information including port information, tours, packages which are not granted

Should be 5 out of 5 but Refund payments are too slow

Booking process and Disembarkation process very easy and seamless. Wristband access works well

The unstructured offerings of things to do onboard...no being compelled to participate. The crew! The crew! The crew! Everyone was on point! Engaging, personable, helpful. From the maintenance team to the dining and entertainment folks, everyone was exemplary and l no doubt again with VIRGIN!