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Scarlet Lady Review

Written By:
Ian Warren
August 25, 2021

UPDATE – further down the page, you will see where I wrote a full review of Scarlet Lady in February 2020. This was when I spent a night on board in Liverpool, before she headed off to New York. However, in August 2021 I was invited on board to spend 3 nights on a ‘cruise to nowhere’ from Portsmouth, and I wanted to write about the experience.

Virgin Voyages always said that their aim was to change the way some people look at cruising, and they certainly have. When you arrive at the docks, and see Scarlet Lady, some will love the design, while others won’t. I like the way she looks, and luckily there is no rule that says all ships should look the same. All the Virgin Voyages ships are adult only, and are very different to other, more traditional, cruise lines in several ways.

Before boarding we had handled check-in and uploaded our photos on their app. We had also booked some dining and arranged some more and show bookings after we boarded. The app then sends you a reminder 30 minutes before your show starts or before your table is booked for. It also shows all the menus and opening times for all restaurants, and much more.

Dining Options

There is no main dining room, or set dining times, so it would suit people who like to opt for freedom or anytime dining on other cruise lines. There are over 20 eateries (listed below in my earlier review), including some fine dining restaurants which need a reservation. We ate in Test Kitchen, The Wake, Extra Virgin and Razzle Dazzle, and have to say the quality of the food they served was amazing. I took photos of many dishes and they are included in the first video below. Unlike many other cruise lines, there was no extra charge to dine in the speciality restaurants. There was also a selection of other places you could eat, ranging from freshly cooked pizza in The Pizza Place to an All-Day Breakfast in The Galley.

Entertainment

The entertainment on board is different to what you will have experienced on other cruise ships. The Red Room is a ‘transformational multi-form theatre’ and is home to arguably the best show at sea – Dual Reality. As well as hosting some other events there, a lot of entertainment just pops up at different times around the ship, including some late at night.

Activities

During the day there are lots of things going on, including many wellness activities, including yoga, bungee, exercise workshops, breathing classes, a large gym, and much more. There is also a walking / jogging track high up on the top of the ship. It literally is a track with no obstacles such as deckchairs or sunbeds to dodge.

What is included

As mentioned above, all dining venues are included, basic bevvies (still and sparking water, non-pressed juices, sodas, teas, and drip coffee), crew gratuities, Wi-Fi, and all group fitness classes.

Summary

Virgin Voyages won’t be for everyone, but then no cruise line suits everyone. If you like to try different restaurants serving excellent food each day, enjoy late night entertainment, and want to exercise or keep fit during the day, then this could well be the cruise line for you.

If, however, you want set dining with the same people every evening, and a traditional theatre company presenting different shows every night, then this may well not be the cruise line for you. Having said that, you could always give it a try on one of the short cruises next spring from Portsmouth, on sister ship Valiant Lady. Click on the following link for the Ex-UK cruises on Valiant Lady in spring 2022.

For more information call GoCruise & Travel with Ian on 08002922850 or 01455821770.

Scarlet Lady spent a very wet and windy night in a port of Liverpool in February 2020 so that selected travel agents and press could find out what life was like on board, before she headed off to her new home in Miami. It felt good for me to see her now that she is finished, as Virgin Voyages had invited me on board just over 12 months ago, at the Fincantieri shipyard in Genoa. At that time, she was of course only partially constructed, as you can see if you watch my second video, at the bottom of this page.

Richard Branson and Virgin Voyages have always said that things on board Scarlet Lady would be very different to other cruise ships, and they weren’t joking. She is very bright and daring in many aspects, but I liked the overall feel of the ship. While I have to say that she wouldn’t be the right ship for many of my customers, I can also say that she will 100% be the right ship for some of my customers. This adult only ship, and everything about her, will appeal to a younger generation, as well as those that are ‘young at heart’, and I am sure that she will bring many people to cruising for the very first time. If you aren’t sure if Virgin Voyages is for you, give me a call. We can chat about the things you like and dislike on cruise ships, or general holidays, and I can help you to decide if it is right for you or not.

In the following sections I give you some facts and figures, as well as my thoughts on the ship, in addition to a video I have produced. You can also click on these links to look at the Scarlet Lady itineraries, and sister ship Valiant Lady itineraries, as she will enter service in 2021. When you have had a look, call GoCruise & Travel with Ian on 08002922850 or 01455821770 to book your Virgin Voyages cruise. You can also see my photos of Scarlet Lady on Facebook.

Scarlet Lady is 110,000 gross tons, and she will carry c2,770 passengers (adults only) and c1,160 crew members. It isn’t just the shape of the hull that is different to most other cruise ships, but nearly everything on board is different too. Virgin Voyages themselves describe Scarlet Lady as ‘a yacht-inspired boutique hotel at sea’.

The Virgin Voyages philosophy is for fairer, more transparent pricing, with no hidden extras. The price you pay for your cruise includes all of your food in all dining venues, gratuities for the crew, Wi-Fi for accessing emails and social media, basic bevvies (filtered still and sparkling waters, non-pressed juices, sodas, teas and drip coffee), group fitness classes (vinyasa, meditation, cycling, HIIT and more), and a great selection of entertainment.

There has also been a lot of thought put into caring for the environment, and here are just a few of the things they are doing – using technology to turn heat from the ship’s engines into clean energy, cabin sensors to close curtains, turn off lights and change AC settings when unoccupied, and unnecessary single-use plastics are banned from the ship.

Dining Options

There are more than 20 eateries to choose from, and they are all included in the cost of your cruise. No set dining, and no traditional serve-yourself buffet restaurant, mean that you eat what you want, when you want. Each eatery has its own kitchen and executive chef, and all food is made-to-order.

The Wake – Steak And Seafood , Razzle Dazzle  – Vegetarian-Forward, The Test Kitchen – Cooking Lab And Restaurant, Gunbae – Lively Korean Bbq, Pink Agave – Upscale Mexican, The Dock – Mezze Lounge, The Dock House – Casual Mediterranean, Extra Virgin – Elevated Italian, The Pizza Place – Fresh-Made-To-Order, Bento Baby – Japanese Cuisine, Well Bread – Pastries And Flatbreads, The Daily Mix – Healthy Dishes, Sun Club Cafe – Hawaiian Poké Bowls, Pop Star – Popsicle Shop, The Taco Shop – Taco Stand, The Sweet Side – Pastries And Desserts, Noodle Around – Miso And Tonkatsu Ramen, Hot Off The Press – Sandwiches And Toasties, Diner & Dash – 24-Hour Classic American, Burger Bar – Every Kind Of Burger, Grounds Club – Thoughtfully Sourced Coffee

Accommodation Choices

There is a great range of accommodation to choose from to suit all budgets. I give brief details below, as well as one chart showing the sizes and layouts of them all, and another showing the inclusions you can expect, dependent on which grade you book.

Virgin-Voyages-Accommodation-Plans
Virgin-Voyages-Accommodation-Details

Vitamin Sea for Health, Fitness and Rejuvenation

If you like to keep active while on board, or want to pamper yourself, there is bound to be something here to suit you.

Entertainment

There will be a great selection of entertainment to, and I give brief details below of just some of the things you can expect to find.

The following video was made by me in February 2019, when I visited the ship in Genoa mid-construction.

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