I went aboard Virgin Voyages' first cruise ship, and it made me want to book a cruise for the first time ever

Brittany ChangSep 19, 2021, 18:54 IST

The Scarlet Lady.Virgin Voyages

I took a tour of Virgin Voyages' first vessel, the Scarlet Lady, and it changed my perspective on cruising.
The ship has amenities like a Korean barbecue restaurant, a tattoo parlor, and on demand champagne.
Take a look inside the Scarlet Lady ahead of its first US sailing in October.

Richard Branson's Virgin Group's cruise line, Virgin Voyages, will begin a series of US sailings this October aboard its first vessel, the Scarlet Lady.

The Scarlet Lady. Virgin Voyages

I took a tour around the adults-only Scarlet Lady when it was docked in New York City, and exploring the ship changed my perspective of what a cruise experience should be like.

The Scarlet Lady. Brittany Chang/Insider

I took a tour around the adults-only Scarlet Lady when it was docked in New York City, and exploring the ship changed my perspective of what a cruise experience should be like.

The ship was supposed to debut in New York in early March 2020.

The Scarlet Lady. Brittany Chang/Insider

"As we got to Liverpool [to unveil the ship], the headlines were 'people stuck at sea on cruise ships,' and it was just the worst week in history to launch a new [cruise ship]," Branson said. "Virgin Group definitely chose its sectors well for COVID."

Thomas McAlpin and Richard Branson. Virgin Voyages

"As we got to Liverpool [to unveil the ship], the headlines were 'people stuck at sea on cruise ships,' and it was just the worst week in history to launch a new [cruise ship]," Branson said. "Virgin Group definitely chose its sectors well for COVID."

But now, 18 months later, the Scarlet Lady is ready to begin cruising from the US after completing a series of "staycation-at-sea" sailings around the UK.

The Social Club Diner. Brittany Chang/Insider

Source: Virgin

According to Tom McAlpin, president and CEO of Virgin Voyages, these UK sailings "solidified the fact that [Virgin Voyages] got the right balance" of onboard amenities like restaurant and entertainment options.

Squid Ink. Brittany Chang/Insider

According to Tom McAlpin, president and CEO of Virgin Voyages, these UK sailings "solidified the fact that [Virgin Voyages] got the right balance" of onboard amenities like restaurant and entertainment options.

"The team has created a magical experience, the kind of cruise ship that myself and my family would have dreamt of going on," Branson told Insider.

The Grounds Club coffee shop. Brittany Chang/Insider

"We've never been interested in going on cruise ships, so that's why we set out to try to create something really special, unique, and very Virgin," he continued.

The Scarlet Lady. Brittany Chang/Insider

The Scarlet Lady even won over Branson's cruise-skeptic daughter, who sailed with her friends and "didn't want to get off," according to her father.

The Scarlet Lady. Brittany Chang/Insider

She's not alone. During the first sailing in the UK, 125 passengers booked additional cruises with Virgin Voyages, a testament to how much the customers enjoyed sailing on the Scarlet Lady, according to McAlpin.

The Scarlet Lady. Brittany Chang/Insider

She's not alone. During the first sailing in the UK, 125 passengers booked additional cruises with Virgin Voyages, a testament to how much the customers enjoyed sailing on the Scarlet Lady, according to McAlpin.

Let's take a look around the cruise ship to see what's attracting these repeat customers.

The Scarlet Lady. Brittany Chang/Insider

To start, Virgin Voyages' ships are all adults-only.

The roundabout. Virgin Voyages

And the cost of a sailing includes access to amenities like group fitness classes, WiFi, and all of the onboard dining options.

The Extra Virgin restaurant. Brittany Chang/Insider

Let's start with the accommodations. The Scarlet Lady has 1,330 cabins and 78 "Rockstar Quarters" suites.

The Sea Terrace cabin. Virgin Voyages

Virgin Voyages says its cabins are "superyacht inspired," and it's easy to see why.

The Scarlet Lady. Virgin Voyages

Source: Virgin Voyages

While I was touring the ship, I got to see one of the two largest suites - aptly named "Massive Suite" - which has the typical living room, bedroom, and bathroom with a hot tub, along with …

The bathroom in the Massive Suite. Virgin Voyages

While I was touring the ship, I got to see one of the two largest suites - aptly named "Massive Suite" - which has the typical living room, bedroom, and bathroom with a hot tub, along with …

… a second bedroom that also serves as a music room with guitars and an amplifier…

The Massive Suite living room and music room. Virgin Voyages

… and a sprawling terrace with two hammocks, a hot tub, an outdoor shower, a conversation pit, and an outdoor dining table.

The hot tub on the terrace of the Massive Suite. Brittany Chang/Insider

In total, the 2,147-square-foot suite can sleep up to four people.

The Dock House. Virgin Voyages

Now, moving on to the amenities that everyone sailing with the Scarlet Lady can access.

The Scarlet Lady. Virgin Voyages

The Scarlet Lady has a variety of restaurants I personally haven’t seen on a cruise ship.

The Scarlet Lady. Virgin Voyages

This includes Gunbae, a Korean barbecue restaurant designed to have a laid-back, party-like atmosphere ...

The Scarlet Lady. Virgin Voyages

… and Test Kitchen, which also doubles as a cooking school.

Test Kitchen. Virgin Voyages

Unlike most traditional restaurants, Test Kitchen's menu only states ingredients.

Test Kitchen. Virgin Voyages

There's also Razzle Dazzle, a vegetarian-friendly restaurant with a drag brunch ...

The Razzle Dazzle restaurant. Brittany Chang/Insider

… and the more classic cruise dining options, such as a steak and seafood, an Italian, and a Mexican restaurant.

The Pink Agave restaurant. Brittany Chang/Insider

Instead of a buffet, there's a food hall with eight stalls, including sushi and taco stands.

The Loose Cannon. Virgin Voyages

And of course, as an adults-only cruise, the Scarlet Lady has plenty of bars and lounges, including a casino.

The casino. Brittany Chang/Insider

Let's start with the Manor, a two-floor nightclub and entertainment venue with an Instagram-friendly entrance.

The entrance into The Manor. Virgin Voyages

There's also Draught Haus, a taproom with eight beers on tap and a lineup of bottled beers, cocktails, and shots.

The Scarlet Lady. Virgin Voyages

Not interested in beer? How about champagne. Sip is a champagne-focused lounge with bubbles that range from $9 a glass to $1,000 a bottle.

The Sip lounge. Brittany Chang/Insider

Craving a drink but you're nowhere near Sip? If you have the Virgin Voyages app, you can request on-demand champagne from anywhere aboard the Scarlet Lady.

The Sip lounge. Brittany Chang/Insider

Source: Virgin Voyages

The ship also has several features I've also never seen on a cruise ship, such as a record shop ...

Voyage Vinyl. Brittany Chang/Insider

… and a tattoo and piercing shop.

Squid Ink. Brittany Chang/Insider

But the one feature that stood out to me the most was the spa, which has amenities like a mudroom, quartz bed, and salt room.

The spa. Brittany Chang/Insider

Unlike most spas that are pristine and white, Scarlet Lady's Redemption Spa has darker colored decor, which made the space feel calm, serene, clean, and luxurious.

The spa. Brittany Chang/Insider

However, the nail salon, barber shop, and hairstyling stores aren't located in the spa. Instead, they're next to the aforementioned tattoo and piercing shop.

The shopping area. Brittany Chang/Insider

The Scarlet Lady also has several workout options, including a gym, spin room, boxing ring, track, and yoga and barre room.

The yoga room. Virgin Voyages

And we can't forget about the outdoor pools.

A pool. Brittany Chang/Insider

To reduce waste, the Scarlet Lady won't have any single-use plastic items. This means no non-reusable water bottles or utensils.

The spiral staircase. Virgin Voyages

Overall, the Scarlet Lady looked more contemporary and sleek than the other cruise ships I remember being on as a child with my family.

The sun deck. Virgin Voyages

And I definitely never remembered seeing a Korean barbecue restaurant or tattoo parlor aboard any cruise ship I was ever on.

The Scarlet Lady. Brittany Chang/Insider

And because the space is for adults only, none of the amenities or decor felt childish or tacky.

The wellbeing pool. Virgin Voyages

I've always felt lukewarm about vacationing aboard a cruise ship, but the Scarlet Lady's modern appearance and plush, hotel-like amenities made me rethink my hesitations.

The Lick Me Till... ice cream shop. Brittany Chang/Insider

I've always felt lukewarm about vacationing aboard a cruise ship, but the Scarlet Lady's modern appearance and plush, hotel-like amenities made me rethink my hesitations.

And imagine playing in the arcade or at the casino with no children running around. Luxury!

The arcade. Brittany Chang/Insider

If you're also interested in sailing aboard the Scarlet Lady, you'll have to wait until October when the ship will begin bringing over 2,770 passengers and 1,160 crew members on four to five-night cruises from Miami to the Caribbean.

The Scarlet Lady. Brittany Chang/Insider

If you're also interested in sailing aboard the Scarlet Lady, you'll have to wait until October when the ship will begin bringing over 2,770 passengers and 1,160 crew members on four to five-night cruises from Miami to the Caribbean.

Passengers will also get a chance to spend time at Virgin's Beach Club in Bimini, Bahamas.

The Scene. Virgin Voyages

In terms of health protocols, the Scarlet Lady will be sailing fully vaccinated to create a "bubble" and the safest travel experience possible, McAlpin said.

Thomas McAlpin and Richard Branson. Virgin Voyages

"It's time to get back out there and convince people that it is safe and have fun," he said. "Take the masks off and be able to socialize again and have a good time."

The Scarlet Lady. Brittany Chang/Insider

"It's time to get back out there and convince people that it is safe and have fun," he said. "Take the masks off and be able to socialize again and have a good time."

Like other cruise lines, McAlpin noted that there's "pent-up demand" for cruises.

The Scarlet Lady. Brittany Chang/Insider

As a result, Virgin is seeing a good mix of customers, including first-time cruisers.

The Scarlet Lady. Brittany Chang/Insider

Looking ahead, Virgin Voyages already has plans to debut more ships, including the Resilient Lady and the Valiant Lady. The latter will debut in 2022.

The Scarlet Lady. Virgin Voyages

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I went aboard Virgin Voyages' first cruise ship, and it made me want to book a cruise for the first time ever

Richard Branson's Virgin Group's cruise line, Virgin Voyages, will begin a series of US sailings this October aboard its first vessel, the Scarlet Lady.

I took a tour around the adults-only Scarlet Lady when it was docked in New York City, and exploring the ship changed my perspective of what a cruise experience should be like.

The ship was supposed to debut in New York in early March 2020.

"As we got to Liverpool [to unveil the ship], the headlines were 'people stuck at sea on cruise ships,' and it was just the worst week in history to launch a new [cruise ship]," Branson said. "Virgin Group definitely chose its sectors well for COVID."

But now, 18 months later, the Scarlet Lady is ready to begin cruising from the US after completing a series of "staycation-at-sea" sailings around the UK.

According to Tom McAlpin, president and CEO of Virgin Voyages, these UK sailings "solidified the fact that [Virgin Voyages] got the right balance" of onboard amenities like restaurant and entertainment options.

"The team has created a magical experience, the kind of cruise ship that myself and my family would have dreamt of going on," Branson told Insider.

"We've never been interested in going on cruise ships, so that's why we set out to try to create something really special, unique, and very Virgin," he continued.

The Scarlet Lady even won over Branson's cruise-skeptic daughter, who sailed with her friends and "didn't want to get off," according to her father.

She's not alone. During the first sailing in the UK, 125 passengers booked additional cruises with Virgin Voyages, a testament to how much the customers enjoyed sailing on the Scarlet Lady, according to McAlpin.

Let's take a look around the cruise ship to see what's attracting these repeat customers.

To start, Virgin Voyages' ships are all adults-only.

And the cost of a sailing includes access to amenities like group fitness classes, WiFi, and all of the onboard dining options.

Let's start with the accommodations. The Scarlet Lady has 1,330 cabins and 78 "Rockstar Quarters" suites.

Virgin Voyages says its cabins are "superyacht inspired," and it's easy to see why.

While I was touring the ship, I got to see one of the two largest suites - aptly named "Massive Suite" - which has the typical living room, bedroom, and bathroom with a hot tub, along with …

… a second bedroom that also serves as a music room with guitars and an amplifier…

… and a sprawling terrace with two hammocks, a hot tub, an outdoor shower, a conversation pit, and an outdoor dining table.

In total, the 2,147-square-foot suite can sleep up to four people.

Now, moving on to the amenities that everyone sailing with the Scarlet Lady can access.

The Scarlet Lady has a variety of restaurants I personally haven’t seen on a cruise ship.

This includes Gunbae, a Korean barbecue restaurant designed to have a laid-back, party-like atmosphere ...

… and Test Kitchen, which also doubles as a cooking school.

Unlike most traditional restaurants, Test Kitchen's menu only states ingredients.

There's also Razzle Dazzle, a vegetarian-friendly restaurant with a drag brunch ...

… and the more classic cruise dining options, such as a steak and seafood, an Italian, and a Mexican restaurant.

Instead of a buffet, there's a food hall with eight stalls, including sushi and taco stands.

And of course, as an adults-only cruise, the Scarlet Lady has plenty of bars and lounges, including a casino.

Let's start with the Manor, a two-floor nightclub and entertainment venue with an Instagram-friendly entrance.

There's also Draught Haus, a taproom with eight beers on tap and a lineup of bottled beers, cocktails, and shots.

Not interested in beer? How about champagne. Sip is a champagne-focused lounge with bubbles that range from $9 a glass to $1,000 a bottle.

Craving a drink but you're nowhere near Sip? If you have the Virgin Voyages app, you can request on-demand champagne from anywhere aboard the Scarlet Lady.

The ship also has several features I've also never seen on a cruise ship, such as a record shop ...

… and a tattoo and piercing shop.

But the one feature that stood out to me the most was the spa, which has amenities like a mudroom, quartz bed, and salt room.

Unlike most spas that are pristine and white, Scarlet Lady's Redemption Spa has darker colored decor, which made the space feel calm, serene, clean, and luxurious.

However, the nail salon, barber shop, and hairstyling stores aren't located in the spa. Instead, they're next to the aforementioned tattoo and piercing shop.

The Scarlet Lady also has several workout options, including a gym, spin room, boxing ring, track, and yoga and barre room.

And we can't forget about the outdoor pools.

To reduce waste, the Scarlet Lady won't have any single-use plastic items. This means no non-reusable water bottles or utensils.

Overall, the Scarlet Lady looked more contemporary and sleek than the other cruise ships I remember being on as a child with my family.

And I definitely never remembered seeing a Korean barbecue restaurant or tattoo parlor aboard any cruise ship I was ever on.

And because the space is for adults only, none of the amenities or decor felt childish or tacky.

I've always felt lukewarm about vacationing aboard a cruise ship, but the Scarlet Lady's modern appearance and plush, hotel-like amenities made me rethink my hesitations.

And imagine playing in the arcade or at the casino with no children running around. Luxury!

If you're also interested in sailing aboard the Scarlet Lady, you'll have to wait until October when the ship will begin bringing over 2,770 passengers and 1,160 crew members on four to five-night cruises from Miami to the Caribbean.

Passengers will also get a chance to spend time at Virgin's Beach Club in Bimini, Bahamas.

In terms of health protocols, the Scarlet Lady will be sailing fully vaccinated to create a "bubble" and the safest travel experience possible, McAlpin said.

"It's time to get back out there and convince people that it is safe and have fun," he said. "Take the masks off and be able to socialize again and have a good time."

Like other cruise lines, McAlpin noted that there's "pent-up demand" for cruises.

As a result, Virgin is seeing a good mix of customers, including first-time cruisers.

Looking ahead, Virgin Voyages already has plans to debut more ships, including the Resilient Lady and the Valiant Lady. The latter will debut in 2022.