Cruise Review: My First Virgin Voyage – Aboard the Valiant Lady

Ten days after disembarking from Virgin Voyages’ Valiant Lady in Miami, I’ve had time to reflect — and I can honestly say, this cruise was unlike any other I’ve ever taken with zero screaming, whining, or crying kids in sight! I saw a lady wearing a red, Virgin logo, t-shirt that said, ” FVCK THEM KIDZ!” I chuckled 😄

Here’s my review and why it was one of a kind.

Onboarding: A Slow Start with a Few Laughs

I’ve cruised with Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Holland America in the past year, but Virgin’s onboarding was probably the longest I’ve experienced thus far.

We arrived an hour early for our 2:30 p.m. boarding time — feeling early until we found  our 2:30pm line snaking around three rows already. We stood and paced for an hour and a half.

Why so slow? Heightened drug screenings, we were told. Dogs were sniffing carryon luggage in every line before finally reaching ours.

Then came a second dog screening inside the terminal. My cousin got flagged (thanks to an overzealous dog or handler) because of our snack bag — chips and a slice of my birthday cake! Every single bag of chips got inspected. At the time, it was exasperating… but later, hilarious. 

We boarded the ship around 3:15 pm. Once on board, though, the energy shifted instantly: upbeat music, smiling staff, and that signature Virgin red everywhere made it feel like we had stepped into another world.

The Vibe: Sexy, Inclusive, and Free

Since Virgin Voyages are adults-only, no curfews, no judgment – guests of every age, background, and orientation vibed together — all without pressure. Sailors are diverse, from straight, gay, singles, couples, and married couples, mingling or minding their business.

There was quite a bit of “sizing folks up.” I coined it a “looky watchy cruise,” — everyone checking everyone out!  👀 I found that so entertaining, watching from a corner at the pool.

The Cabins: Smart, Sleek, and Peaceful

Our cabins were a perfect blend of modern and cozy. Automatic curtains revealed the ocean each morning, and if you’re lucky, a beautiful moon at night.

Ambient lighting was soft and adjustable, and though the smart tablet didn’t work for all the bells and whistles, this “baby boomer sailor” didn’t care!

The real star? The balcony hammock. I could’ve spent hours swaying over the sea, cocktail in hand, with music playing – in my own world.

We enjoyed cocktails on the balcony each evening. We danced and made a TikTok challenge reel/video. So much fun!

Nice touch: Daily carafe of still or sparkling water with glasses and ice — small but appreciated touches. Ask for fresh ice each evening.

Pro tip: Don’t forget to switch your service light to blue when leaving your room if you want your attendant(s) to clean and provide fresh towel. Red means “do not disturb.” Blue for service. It’s a switch. We left it on red for a day and a half 😃 – had to call for towels but we quickly learned.

Food, Dining, and Snacking

Virgin promotes “No buffet lines.” Their version is “The Galley” or what I like to call a Food Hall or Food Court 🫢 — AND my observations concluded, it’s still a buffet with servers and mini lines (especially at-sea days) at each of their “mini-restaurants” in the Galley.

The Galley on Valiant Lady included stations for pho/ramen, tacos & quesadillas, panini-pressed sandwiches, burgers & fries, and salads & fruit. The walk up and grab Bento boxes appeared really popular. I’ll try one next time.

Recommendation: Try their pho/ramen station: I had the Thai coconut bowl with roasted pork for lunch. It was fresh and delicious.

Nice tip! Some of the mini restaurants will give you a buzzer to return to your seat until your food is ready.

Pro Tip: Find a table with a menu place card. Lift the red flag 🚩 A server will come to you and place your order for food and drinks and bring it to your table. Excellent idea for older, disabled sailors, or when you don’t want to wait in a line. 

Almost forgot! Virgin Voyages’ kiosk of fresh and healthy options of refreshing alternative to typical cruise fare—perfect for sailors who want something light, clean, and energizing between indulgent meals. Just help yourself 👌🏽

Their “No Upcharge” Restaurants

The Wake — Elegant steak and seafood, moody vibes, no need to dress up. We ate here our first night, and it set the tone and bar perfectly. Pro tip: I heard they have a raw bar.

Extra Virgin — Cozy Italian comfort with house-made gnocchi and a nice wine list.

Razzle Dazzle — Vegetarian-forward dishes with several twists — the biggest lamb shank ever!

Pink Agave — Bold Mexican flavors with smoky cocktails. Their street corn is top-tier! Staff and managers were superb.

Gunbae — Missed it on my birthday after one too many daytime shots, but I’m told it’s fun, interactive, and a must for my next cruise.

With just 5 nights for dinner together, the Test Kitchen and Gunbae are top of list for next cruise.

I finally folded and had a cup of “Lick Me Until Ice Cream,” the last day onboard. It was refreshing sitting outside in a curated space watching the ocean and enjoying a tasty sherbet. 

Recommendation: Make reservations for the restaurants on the app soonest- especially for groups. We had a group of 6.

Pro Tip: There’s a small place on the Valiant Lady called the “Dock House.” Go daily!

It’s has limited hours in the afternoons and always closes on time. It serves Mediterranean tapas/food that became our favorite spot – grilled shrimp, grilled octopus, and a tender steak kebab. 

* I didn’t get to try the poke bowls and a boa (boa are mini tacos) on Deck 16 — where you’ll find the reserved “Rock Stars’ spaces. Another food locale for the next cruise. 

Entertainment: Relaxed but Hit-or-Miss

Virgin’s entertainment is a bit performative to me. There’s no cruise director but there’s a bold drag queen host that many sailors loved — not exactly my taste, but definitely entertaining! She shows up at parties. She’s quite corny!

I must say, instead of non-stop 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. activities, there’s plenty of gaps. Some might see that as boring; I found it refreshing. We lounged, napped, explored, snacked, or grabbed a few cocktails — and chilled.

My daughters checked out one of their karaoke shows that they reported was very entertaining with talented singers. 

I managed to stay up late to accompany my daughters to “the onboard club” playing hip hop and R& B. The music leaned more recent hits. The club opens late; say 11 pm. However, by 11:15pm, the dance floor is packed.

Pro Tip! Arrive early. On the Valient lady, there’s a cute balcony with a bar and seating that allows us to look down and scope out sailors 😃

Themed events included:

1st night’s Pajama Party — fun in theory, but the 70s/80s playlist didn’t match the crowd.

Scarlet Night — their wear-red signature celebration. Dancers on decks 6 and 7, pool parties aglow — more “stand and watch” than full-on dance party. Again the music was dated.

Added Halloween Costume party complete with an 80s rock band! Talk about Twilight Zone. I didn’t mind. I knew few of the rock songs and their lyrics but my fellow sailors got bored…quickly. 😴

Ports of Call: The Hurricane Melissa Detour 

Originally scheduled for the Dominican Republic ( DR), Hurricane Melissa rerouted us to Cozumel, Mexico — a disappointing announcement since I’ve never been to the DR; Cozumel…blah!

Our second stop Bimini, is a beautiful little Bahamian island of conch shells. This is where Virgin has its very dated, private beach club.

Pools, outdoor lounges, live DJs — beautiful ocean but didn’t quite deliver the ‘turned-up’ energy you might expect with their legendary pool-party hype.

At the beach we lounged and watched sailor fall trying to navigate a deep, painfully rocky, drop-off, at edge of the ocean.

Then we watched as sailors tried to crawl out the ocean. It was minute after minute, comedy reels of brave folks falling, crawling, wide-eyed, battling constant waves.

Lunch at the resort was good. Best outdoor cruise BBQ I’ve had – jerk chicken was the star protein.

Final Reflections

Would I do it again? Absolutely — maybe solo next time, with more time in the hammock for writing, reading, or simply being.

The best cruise food I’ve ever had. The ship – modern, smart and sexy decorations for picture perfect photo shoots. There’s no camera crews begging you to take a photo when you board, at ports of call, or while dining- thank goodness – that’s so dated.

The Crew- Upbeat and helpful but not overly helpful – tips are included, so no need suck up.

If you want great food, great energy, and the freedom to be exactly who you are (cocktail in hand), then Virgin Voyages delivers. It’s not an overly sexual, wild, party cruise, but a vibe cruise — food, freedom, and fun.