In February 2022, Magical Moments Vacations Agent Kathleen traveled with her good friend Tabetha on Virgin's new cruise line. They did a Mayan Sol cruise that stopped in Costa Maya, Mexico, and also Bimini where they spent the day at Virgin's private Beach Club. Here is Kathleen's first-hand telling of the fun they had on that trip!
Virgin Voyages, a fabulous way to cruise!
Think you know cruises? It’s time to think again! Virgin Voyages, created by Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson, takes cruising to the next level. Virgin Voyages is not your typical cruise, it’s better! So, you’re probably asking yourself how different can a cruise be from others? I had that same question! I recently had the opportunity to sail on Virgin's ship, The Scarlet Lady, this past February. Since my husband Kevin had work obligations (boo) he couldn't come. Instead, my good friend Tabetha joined me and we had an incredible time experiencing this new cruise line!
Read on to find out everything you ever wanted to know about Virgin, I’m already booked for my second Virgin Cruise!
Adults Only!
Tabetha and I loved sitting in the warm sun on our days at sea, we also relaxed in one of the many hot tubs on the Scarlet Lady. Here, there's no worrying about littles running around underfoot, you can enjoy quieter dining venues, and adult atmospheres, and the pool won’t be drained, cleaned, and refilled. Tabetha and I loved sitting in the warm sun on our days at sea, we also relaxed in one of the many hot tubs on the Scarlet Lady. Check out some of the beautiful pool areas, including the pools at Virgin's private Beach Club in Bimini
Photos courtesy of Magical Moments Vacations Agents
What's Included?
Virgin isn’t about charging extra. Your cruise fare includes all soda, filtered water, Wi-Fi, fitness classes, and gratuities. Yes, you read that right! So when you’re ordering your favorite cocktail by the pool there’s no added gratuity to cash out.
With the included fitness classes and attention to wellbeing, you can be as active as you want! Sunrise and sunset yoga, spin classes, a boxing ring, and beautiful open spaces for working out with top-rated equipment help you avoid the post-vacation need for detox! I did not use the exercise facilities on my cruise so I was definitely in detox mode when I returned home. However, for my next cruise, I’m already planning on trying the 80’s themed VHS Workout. I’ll be sure to pack my leg warmers.
If fitness isn’t your thing no worries, you can relax by the beautiful pool, meet some new friends in the hot tub, zone out in the spa (I personally loved the spa), get your hair done, and even get a tattoo! I didn’t get a tattoo on my Virgin cruise but who knows what will happen the next time I’m on The Scarlet Lady?
Tabetha and I experienced the hydrotherapy circuit in the spa. We started with a full-body mud wrap and then moved onto the eucalyptus sauna and finished up in the hot and cold pools.
Time to Eat!
Another thing that is unique about Virgin is dining is done differently. There are no buffets, no assigned dining times, no assigned seating, no required formal wear, and no main dining room!
Every night you can eat at a different specialty restaurant - they are all included - and trust me, each one is fabulous! There is a huge variety to choose from with everything from Korean barbecue, Mexican Street food, A Michelin-starred experience, a steakhouse, Italian (pasta is handmade daily), and even vegan! Don’t worry if you aren’t vegan, the menu has a “naughty” side from which I ordered delicious bacon. Concerned that there won’t be enough to eat without a buffet?
Virgin offers The Galley. The Galley is a food court with many different stations preparing fresh, made-to-order, delicious food. It even serves breakfast 24 hours a day because who doesn’t love breakfast? It also has sushi, a noodle bar, Mexican, burgers and fries, fresh fruit, and some pretty fabulous desserts. Are you hungry yet?
Photos courtesy of Magical Moments Vacations Agents
Port of Call Costa Maya
There are many different cruise itineraries to choose from, our cruise was a Mayan Sol itinerary, 2 days at sea, a stop in Costa Maya, and a day at the Beach Club at Bimini, Virgin's private beach club.
For Costa Maya Tabetha and I experienced a Shaman-guided healing ceremony followed by a hammock massage. We enjoyed the hammock massage so much that we followed it up with an outdoor 60-minute massage. Vacation perfection! Afterward, we got margaritas and explored the port town. We made sure to pick up some Mexican vanilla to bring home before we headed back to the ship!
Photos courtesy of MMV Agent Kathleen O'Neill
The Beach Club at Bimini
We had a gorgeous day at Bimini! Virgin's private beach club is incredible. Two pools, a beautiful beach, delicious food and drinks, and a nightly bonfire await. There are excursions to do as well, you can even explore an old shipwreck!
There's a pool party every afternoon with pool floats to relax under the sun and also a DJ dance party. Or you can swim in the gorgeous, warm aqua ocean water and collect shells on the beach. The food is Caribbean-inspired and delicious, with everything from pulled pork, rice, and beans, corn on the cob, and rum cake. We stayed to watch the bonfire and we were rewarded with a gorgeous sunset on the way back to the ship.
Photos courtesy of Magical Moments Vacations Agent
Ship Activities and Entertainment
The Scarlet Lady offers a fantastic entertainment lineup, there's something different going on every night! There's a dance party, a retelling of Romeo and Juliet with an acrobatic twist (one of the best shows I've ever seen on a cruise), an interpretive dance show with a singing narrator, and for the not faint of heart a show titled Never Sleep Alone.
There are also multiple pop-up shows on Virgin throughout the day. You never know when something exciting is going to happen! Trivia is also offered, along with karaoke, and if you're shy you can do private karaoke! Appealing to Generation Xers like myself, there's even a video arcade room! Tabetha and I spent some time playing Ms. PacMan!
Photo courtesy of MMV Agent Kathleen O'Neill
"It's easy. Make every second count." - Richard Branson
Thank you to Richard Branson for creating an incredible new adults-only cruise line, Virgin Voyages, and for making it fabulous!
I wasn't sure what to expect when I boarded The Scarlet Lady. After my 5 night cruise though I'm so impressed that when I came home I started planning my next Virgin Voyage. I loved everything about Virgin and I cannot wait to get back onboard and sail the Virgin way!
Kathleen O'Neill has been an agent with Magical Moments Vacations since 2017. She loves assisting her clients with their travel plans and traveling as much as she can!
Interested in experiencing this brand new amazing cruise line? Let your Magical Moments Vacations Agent know and they'll help get you booked today!
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