10/01/2026
After spending the past week onboard Virgin Voyages' Resilient Lady for TravelOnly's National conference, I came away with a much clearer picture of Virgin Voyages, and it’s not quite what many people assume.
The question I hear most often is: “Isn’t Virgin a party cruise?"
It can be if you want it to be, but it certainly doesn’t have to be.
Yes, Scarlet Night is energetic and a little unconventional. But you can just as easily have a great dinner, find a quiet lounge, listen to live music, head to the gym, book a fitness class or simply relax. There’s no expectation that you have to participate in everything. And there is no judgment
That was probably my biggest takeaway from experiencing Virgin firsthand: you can make the cruise what you want it to be.
Virgin Voyages does away with a lot of traditional cruising conventions. There are no formal nights, no main dining room and no traditional buffet. Instead, there are multiple restaurants, essentially specialty dining, and they’re included in your cruise fare.
Also included are group fitness classes, entertainment and essential non-alcoholic drinks such as water, soda and juices.
And something I particularly appreciated: no upselling
No photographers constantly asking you to pose. No art auctions. No feeling that every time you turn around, someone is trying to sell you something else.
So, who do I think Virgin is right for?
Someone who wants an adults-only vacation, appreciates great food, enjoys a more contemporary and casual atmosphere and doesn’t need all the traditions that normally come with cruising.
And age really isn’t the deciding factor.
I met people across a wide range of ages onboard. What matters much more is how you like to travel.
On the other hand, if formal nights, traditional cruise entertainment, a main dining room and a more structured onboard experience are things you love, Virgin may not be your best fit.
And that’s important. As a travel advisor, my job isn’t to tell everyone they should sail Virgin. It’s to understand the experience well enough to know who should.
There were things I loved, things I probably wouldn’t choose for myself, and a few things I would want my clients to know before booking. But that’s exactly why experiencing the product firsthand matters.
After sailing on Resilient Lady, I can now answer those questions from experience rather than from a brochure or website.
Virgin Voyages may not be for everyone. But it also isn’t simply the “party ship” people sometimes assume it is.
It’s modern, casual, adults-only, and deliberately different, with plenty of room to vacation how you want.
And sometimes knowing whether a cruise line isn’t right for you is just as valuable as knowing when it is.
If you’ve been curious about Virgin Voyages and have questions about what it’s really like onboard, send them my way.
