Adults-only, no formal nights, no buffet. Virgin Voyages set out to be a different kind of cruise, and for the right group, it is.
I’ve sailed Virgin Voyages twice. The first time was on Scarlet Lady in February 2024: four nights from Miami to Key West and The Beach Club at Bimini. The second was on Valiant Lady in October 2024, when the ship hosted the ASTA Premium Business Summit for travel advisors.
What stays with me, in order: the vibe, then the food. I also know what people ask about before they book, Wi-Fi and tipping, so you’ll get a straight answer on those too.
Who Virgin Voyages is for (and who it isn’t)
Every Virgin sailing is adults-only: you have to be 18 or older to book and sail. It’s premium cruising on a big ship, about 2,760 guests, and that one age rule shapes the pool deck, the evenings and the energy.
It suits:
- Couples who want a getaway that doesn’t feel like a family resort
- Friends traveling together: milestone birthdays, girls’ trips, guys’ trips
- Celebration groups who want plenty of places to gather, and plenty to do in between
It’s a poor fit for:
- Anyone traveling with someone under 18. They can’t sail.
- Fans of formal nights. Virgin doesn’t do formal nights or strict dress codes.
- Anyone who wants a quiet, early-to-bed ship. Nightlife is part of the design.
- Kosher or Halal diners, and anyone with a serious food allergy. Virgin doesn’t offer Kosher or Halal dining and is not an allergen-free kitchen.
For milestone birthdays: the drinking age follows local law, so guests under 21 can’t buy alcohol in US waters.
The vibe
What I enjoyed most was the lively vibe and atmosphere. I played basketball on the top deck, took a few classes at the gym, spent time in the game room, caught the entertainment every night, and even went to the casino. There really is something on board for everyone.
Virgin is social and high-energy by design. Guests are “Sailors.” The Manor is a nightclub named for Richard Branson’s first Virgin music studio, The Red Room is a theater that transforms from show to show, and there’s even a tattoo studio on board. Nobody is checking your jacket at the door.
The food
Virgin has no buffet, no main dining room and no set dining times. Instead there are 20+ eateries across the fleet, and the specialty restaurants are part of the fare.
Think The Wake for steak and seafood, Gunbae for Korean barbecue, Pink Agave for Mexican. Some are unique to one ship, like Ariya on Valiant Lady, Indian cuisine curated by Chef Maneet Chauhan. Menus change, so treat this as a taste, not a promise.
“No buffet” doesn’t mean no casual food. The Galley is a food hall with counters from tacos to noodles, plus a 24-hour diner.
And the food was amazing. I don’t care for buffets, so I loved having so many à la carte options, for breakfast in the morning and dinner at night.
My favorite restaurant was Gunbae, for the lively, fun atmosphere. It’s Korean barbecue cooked at the table, the food and drinks were great, and everyone at our table ended up playing games together. Other restaurants had even better food, but none were more fun. I also really enjoyed the pizza, and there are plenty of snack options all day.
For groups: dinner reservations open 15, 45 or 60 days before sailing, depending on your fare. If you want to sit down together, the fare is a dinner decision.
What’s included, and what isn’t
The plain version, as Virgin publishes it in September 2026.
Included on every fare: dining at Virgin’s 20+ eateries, essential drinks (drip coffee, tea, still and sparkling water, juice and soda), Wi-Fi, group fitness classes and the gym, and the entertainment.
Not included: the daily gratuity, alcohol and specialty coffee (unless your fare includes a bar tab), shore excursions, which Virgin calls Shore Things, spa treatments, and cabanas.
Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi is included on every sailing. The fare you book decides the speed and how many devices.
Gratuities. One daily gratuity covers the whole crew. Nobody tips on top of it for drinks, dining or spa, and you can prepay it before you sail. Virgin lists it at $20 per person, per night if you prepay, or $22 if it’s added on board. This changed on 7 October 2025. If you sailed before then, like I did, you remember it as part of the fare. For anyone booking now it’s a separate daily charge, so budget for it from the start.
Three fares, in plain words.
- Base: lowest price. Basic Wi-Fi, one device. No changes, non-refundable.
- Essential: Wi-Fi for social media and calls, one device. Date changes allowed as credit toward a future voyage.
- Premium: streaming-speed Wi-Fi on two devices, an included bar tab, priority support.
RockStar suites sit above all three. Whatever you book, confirm what’s included for your specific sailing and fare.
The bar tab. One of my favorite features. When I sailed, each person in a cabin could preload their own bar tab at the level they wanted, and if your cabin mate didn’t need one, they didn’t have to buy one. I found the drink prices very reasonable, and the mixologists were very good.
What it costs. In September 2026, Virgin’s published starting fares ran from roughly $160 to $220 per person, per night, based on two sharing, before gratuities, depending on ship and season. Those are Virgin’s numbers, not a Majestic Dream Vacations quote, and fares move daily.
Three signature moments
Scarlet Night. Virgin’s words: “a full ship activation, complete with pop-ups, flash mobs, secret bars, karaoke, shadow performances, pool parties.” Everyone wears red, casual or glam.
The Sea Terrace hammock. Almost every Sea Terrace, Virgin’s balcony cabin, comes with a hammock, handwoven by Yellow Leaf, a social enterprise supporting women in rural Thailand.
The Beach Club at Bimini. Virgin calls it “an extension of our ship in many ways,” with a free tram between the two. Beach Club food and soft drinks are included; cocktails and cabanas are not. My Scarlet Lady sailing stopped here.
Where Virgin sails in 2027
Virgin’s plan as of September 2026, which can change.
- Scarlet Lady: short Caribbean sailings from Miami early in the year, then Athens from May to October, with 7 to 11 night Mediterranean sailings. I sailed her in the Caribbean. In 2027 she spends the summer in the Mediterranean.
- Valiant Lady: the Southern Caribbean from San Juan early in the year, then four and five night sailings from Miami with a day in Bimini. She isn’t in Europe in 2027.
- Resilient Lady: Miami, and a summer in Barcelona.
- Brilliant Lady: the Panama Canal, Mexican Riviera, and a summer in Alaska.
Where I’m headed next: Athens to Rome
I’m putting together a group for Scarlet Lady’s Athens to Rome sailing in late summer 2027. It’s the ship I sailed, on a very different route.
- Ship: Scarlet Lady
- Sailing: Mediterranean: Athens to Rome, 9 nights
- Dates: 29 August to 7 September 2027
- Ports: Athens (Piraeus), Bodrum (Turkey), Santorini, Mykonos, Valletta (Malta), Catania (Sicily), Amalfi Coast (Salerno), Rome (Civitavecchia)
I believe nine nights from Athens to Rome is an amazing way to see a variety of incredible destinations in one trip, and to get a taste of the places you’ll want to come back to for a longer land visit.
There’s no group price yet. When the group is set, the interest list hears first: cabin prices, the deposit, and the date to book by.
Want to hear when it’s set, or talk it through?
Book a free 30-minute planning call and tell me you’re interested in Athens to Rome. You’ll be first to hear when the group is ready, with prices, the deposit and the book-by date. And if you’re still deciding whether Virgin fits your group, we’ll ask who’s traveling, what you’re celebrating and what you want to spend, and I’ll tell you plainly.
Majestic Dream Vacations is a registered Virgin Voyages First Mate agency (Virgin’s name for its travel advisors) and a Travel Leaders Network member.