Written by Sylvia Longmire, for Spin The Globe, July 28, 2022
If you know anything about Richard Branson, you know he’s all about the unusual and extraordinary! When he decided to start a new cruise line a few years ago under the Virgin banner, he definitely applied these principles. The original launch of the first Virgin Voyages ship, the Scarlet Lady, was supposed to happen in April 2020, but we all know what was going on at that time. Fortunately, after a year and a half of considerable patience and anticipation, I was able to finally take a 4-night cruise on this unbelievable ship. Out of the two dozen cruises I’ve been on, this has far and away been my favorite!
Please read below for all the details.
About Virgin Voyages and the Scarlet Lady
Scarlet Lady is the debut cruise ship for Richard Branson’s Virgin Voyages cruise line. Construction was completed in February 2020, and due to the Covid pandemic, her inaugural cruise was delayed from March until October 2020. She is considered a medium-sized cruise ship with a capacity of 2,770 passengers and 1,160 crew. She is based out of Port Miami for 5-night and 4-night round-trip itineraries that stop in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; Costa Maya, Mexico; Key West, Florida; and Virgin’s private Beach Club at Bimini in the Bahamas.
But those are just the technical details. What you really need to know is that Virgin Voyages cruises are like nothing you’ve ever experienced before when it comes to cruising. First and foremost, you must be 18 or older to sail. It’s not a party ship per se; people were definitely drinking and having a great time, but it was just a really happy, laid-back atmosphere of everyone having adult fun. Passengers were pretty diverse, and ages ranged from early 20s to late 50s.
The crew were so incredibly friendly, relaxed, engaging, and seemed to be having just as much fun as the guests. Virgin doesn’t place the same appearance and behavior restrictions on their crew that other cruise lines do. Crew members appeared to be encouraged to let their fabulous personalities shine through, which meant colored hair, piercings, tattoos, and smiles galore! It might be because my sailing was only at 30% capacity, but everyone seemed to genuinely take an interest in how I was doing, and ensured I was having a good and relaxed time.
The food is fantastic, some of the best I’ve ever had at sea. The entertainment was incredible, offbeat, and definitely adults only later at night! Honestly, I thought this was one of the best parts. Scarlet Lady also has the only tattoo parlor at sea, and I have the ink on my left wrist to prove it! As for the wheelchair accessibility, it’s some of the best I’ve seen on any cruise line. Bottom line, it’s going to be one of those cruise experiences that you either absolutely love and will tell everyone you know about, or really hate. Read more below!
Boarding and Disembarking
Checking in and boarding for me were a different experience than you would have now simply because Covid measures were more stringent when I sailed in November 2021. You are still required to be vaccinated in order to sail on Scarlet Lady. However, as of July 24, 2022, there is no longer a requirement to take a COVID-19 test before sailing. Virgin Voyages is still requiring 90% of sailors to be vaccinated (you can upload your vaccination information to the VV phone app), and all crew are still fully vaccinated.
The terminal at Port Miami is very wheelchair accessible, and I had no trouble checking in, although the wait in line was rather long. Instead of getting issued a key, you’re issued a wristband with a thin wraparound cord and a plastic piece that serves as your room key and charge card. I have limited capability with my hands, so I needed help from one of my fellow passengers to get it on my wrist. I’m sure there were many passengers who lost that wristband at least once. You should note that embarkation doesn’t even begin until 2 PM, and the departure is usually around 7 PM.
When it came time to prepare for disembarkation on the last night of the cruise, I was a little concerned. There was no information on the VV phone app about the procedure, and since they don’t leave any paper flyers or daily schedules in your cabin, I had no idea what to do the next morning. They also didn’t leave any tags for your luggage if you’re the type of person to have somebody come collect it the night before and have it waiting for you in the terminal. I was able to call down to guest services and find out that you can just leave the ship whenever you want as long as it’s before 11 AM. Score!