On Sunday, I disembarked from the MerMaiden Voyage of the Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady. Virgin Voyages is a new cruise line from Richard Branson of Virgin Records fame. He wanted to disrupt the cruise line industry by creating a totally new cruise experience. I think he succeeded. This was my 59th cruise and definitely unlike any other cruise I've ever taken. 


First, the cruise is adults only.  The ship can accommodate up to 2,770 passengers. This is similar to some of the older Royal Caribbean, Princess and Norwegian ships. Eliminating all the spaces dedicated to kids creates a lot more space for restaurants and lounges. Take a look at my ship tour: 




What I loved: 
The Dining is for Foodies - All the restaurants on the Scarlet Lady are included. These restaurants would be considered specialty restaurants on other cruise lines. The Gunbae Korean BBQ restaurant was my favorite with Pink Agave Mexican restaurant a close second. These are menus for more adventurous eaters. We did hear complaints that a chicken tender or quesadilla could not be found. I made a 5 minute video with more information about each eatery. 




The Dual Realities Show - This show was incredible. It was like West Side Story and Cirque du Soleil had a baby. The acrobats were incredible. 


The crew - The crew are always my favorite part of cruising. On Virgin Voyages, they allow the crew to express themselves. They can show their tattoos or piercings. The uniforms are more like flight attendant uniforms with choices for the crew to wear. The dance troop was one of the most diverse casts I've seen on a cruise ship. 

Scarlet Night - This is a special night where whimsy takes over Decks 6, 7, 15, and 16 culminating in an amazing deck party. 


The Beach Club At Bimini - Each Caribbean sailing includes a stop at The Beach Club at Bimini. It's included and it's terrific. The beach is gorgeous. The pools are lovely. The food is great. It's a really fun day. Take a peek: 



Undecided 

The Happenings - Virgin Voyages wants to encourage exploration so they don't publish everything happening on board. The idea is that you'll stumble upon a "happening". It could be a skit or an impromptu concert.  It's delightful when it happens. It also creates a lot of Fear of Missing Out. We'd hear about really cool things that we missed from other cruisers. 

What I missed from traditional cruising: 

Live Music - I found it very difficult to find live music on this ship. I know there were musicians onboard because I saw them during some of the Happenings. I missed having a comfy chair, a fresh cocktail, and watching a complete set or even hopping up on the dance floor. I hope as the ship begins to sail, more live music is included and added to the schedule in the App. 

A Deck Plan - There is not a deck plan to be found on this ship. I missed getting off the elevator and having a little guidance on where to go next. 

What do you think?  Is this the cruise you've been looking for?