Virgin Voyages is a relatively new cruise line (the first voyage was in 2021). Their adults only cruising style and their Always Included amenities sets them apart from other cruise lines. I recently had the opportunity to sail with them and, I have to say, they did not disappoint.
My husband and I sailed out of Miami over Thanksgiving on the Riviera Maya itinerary. To be honest, we weren’t necessarily excited about the destinations, but we were so ready for an adults only vacation to someplace warm!
WHAT WE LOVED
No Kids!!
Not our kids. Not anyone else’s. I don’t think I realized how much I would enjoy that until we were there. My husband and I have traveled without our kids before, so this wasn’t a first for us. However, being on a ship without any kids really created an atmosphere where you were free to be whatever you wanted to be. And we saw it all, but that was just part of the fun! Plus, there wasn’t any mom guilt from seeing other families having fun since everyone was adults.
The Food!
Not everything was amazing, but we certainly ate more things we liked than we didn’t. I have decided, I just really love being served food and not having to pay for it. Okay, I know I paid for it, but since they aren’t asking me for money when I get my food means it’s all free. 😜 Plus, on Virgin Voyages, there are only a few food items at some of the restaurants that are an added cost. All the restaurants onboard are included in your cruise fare. There is no specialty dining package or up-charge to visit certain restaurants. This truly makes a difference and sets Virgin apart from other cruise lines.
Tip: Grab a quickeze (a small to go box of different food options) and put it in your room to enjoy as a snack later. I personally like the charcuterie box and the Tres Leches cake.
The weather!
We are not Caribbean vacation, lay on the beach type people. Okay. Fine. It really is more just me. My husband would swim and lay on the beach all day, but my fair skin just isn’t made for all that sun. Plus, I don’t like being sticky from the salt water and having sand in places it shouldn’t be. I love the beauty and the sounds of it, but only for a short period unless I have a shaded lounger to relax in. However, when the temperature back home is cold and the days are a little dreary, you can’t beat the sunshine and warmth of a Caribbean vacation! Bring on the (reef-friendly) sunscreen and let’s go!
The vibe!
There is such a relaxed vibe onboard. You can party and be right in the middle of the crowd, or chill, finding open spaces on the ship. We also LOVED our at sea days. We could sleep in, take naps, do a group workout class, see a show, whatever we wanted and didn’t feel like we were missing anything because that was all we had to do! It was amazing! As parents of teenagers, we don’t typically get ‘do nothing’ days.
WHAT WE DIDN’T LOVE
The technology.
The included WiFi was great and worked well enough most of the time. You do have the option to upgrade to a premium service which was really reasonable ($40 for the whole cruise on the first day). However, the app really could use some work! While we were able to get it to do what we needed most of the time, it was frustrating with all the glitches and how jumpy it was at times. Also, we heard of several people who couldn’t get the tablets in their rooms to work.
The Reservation System.
It was not fun needing to make dining reservations and show reservations. While I know why it’s necessary, it does add a bit of stress before or during your vacation and can lead to missing out on something. They only release a fraction of the reservations prior to your sailing for advance dining reservations, opening the remaining reservations once you board. I was ready to book as soon as reservations opened, so I was able to get the times and restaurants I wanted before our cruise (A great reason to book with a Travel Advisor so you can be prepared as well! 😉).
Coming home!
Don’t get me wrong, we were ready to see our girls, but it is sad when you have to come back to reality and start making your own food again!
My husband and I can’t wait to sail again with Virgin Voyages. While our next cruise with them isn’t until 2025, we are very excited to be sailing with friends! Make sure to check out my personalized link to see where Virgin Voyages can take you! You can book your cruise directly through my link or we can set up a consultation call so I can assist you in finding your best voyage match.
Extended through February 2024, booking through me will get you $100 exclusive sailor loot (dependent on stateroom category) along with all booking windows for dining and shore things opening at the same time as Rock Star sailors. Get ready to sail into something spectacular.
