Virgin Voyages Reviews 1.307

Our favorite way to vacation. Relaxed itinerary, great staff, food choices, shows and all and all a wonderful experience.

I love sailing on Virgin voyages. I went for the week before Christmas and came back on Christmas Eve last week 12/19/25-12/24/2025. It was my mom's first time on Virgin and she loved the cruise. This would have been my third cruise with Virgin Voyages. I'm looking to schedule another. The only thing that I can say about this cruise, that could be better is that when I used my debit card, I was told that the transactions would not be released on my card until the final day on 12/24/25, which was not true. I charged a couple of $100 to the casino, and my transactions were immediately taken out of my bank. Then, about 3 days after the cruise. I had some more transactions come out. The last day of my cruise, my full amount came out. Now, I have a pending $300 since 12/26/2025 in my checking account right now after the initial amount was taken out on 12/24/2025. It's 12/29/25 and the $300 is still pending.

We booked a Virgin Voyages cruise to celebrate our anniversary and, unfortunately, the experience has been terrible — and we haven’t even been on the cruise yet.

From the outset, the Virgin Voyages app has been extremely difficult to use. It is hard to navigate, regularly gets stuck on screens, and offers no clear or accessible way to ask for help. On top of this, it appears to suffer from frequent technical glitches. One such “glitch” resulted in our on-shore excursions being cancelled without notice. My wife cannot even log in using her own account, as the app claims it doesn’t exist. She can only access the booking using the reference number and date of birth. Overall, the app is not user-friendly and feels unreliable.

The main reason for this poor review relates to a beach club bed we booked — an excursion with extremely limited availability. We booked this over a month ago, as soon as shore excursions went live. At the time of booking, we received an on-screen confirmation, and the second sailor also received confirmation in their app showing the shore things had been successfully booked.

Due to both of us undergoing surgery, we were unable to regularly check the app or bank statements. When we checked again recently, we discovered that all four shore excursions had been cancelled. We received no emails, notifications, or warnings about these cancellations. We were able to rebook three of them, but the beach club bed — the most important one — is now sold out.

When I contacted customer support via live chat, I was repeatedly told this was due to a “technical glitch” and that nothing could be done because the excursion is now sold out. I was also made to feel as though this was my fault because I did not have email confirmations — despite having cancellation confirmations. I tried to explain that something cannot be cancelled if it was never booked in the first place, but this point was dismissed. I was told that because no refund is pending, it must never have been booked, which directly contradicts the cancellation records shown in the app.

This is extremely poor customer service. We have spent thousands of pounds on this cruise for a special anniversary and chose Virgin Voyages for our very first cruise because of their strong online reputation. Instead, we feel pushed aside and unsupported when something clearly went wrong on their end.

If a payment fails, a system glitch occurs, or an excursion is oversold, customers should receive immediate and clear communication — especially when bookings are cancelled. That did not happen here.

My advice to anyone booking with Virgin Voyages: screenshot and save confirmations for absolutely everything, because if something goes wrong, you may be left without support or accountability.

This has been a hugely disappointing experience and has already overshadowed what should have been a memorable anniversary trip.

I chose Virgin Voyages expecting an adults-only experience where onboard rules—especially those affecting other guests—are consistently enforced. Unfortunately, that has not been our experience.

Throughout this trip, our neighboring cabin has repeatedly smoked weed on their terrace. The smell consistently drifts into our cabin and surrounding outdoor areas, making it impossible for us to enjoy our own terrace or even keep the balcony door open to get fresh air and a breeze. This has significantly impacted our comfort and our ability to use the cabin we paid for.

We have reported this issue to Sailor Services five separate times. While the guests in question deny smoking when approached, the smell remains persistent and unmistakable, and we have personally witnessed the behavior. Regardless of denial, the impact on neighboring cabins continues.

As I am writing this review, we are still onboard, and the same behavior is still happening. Despite multiple reports, no effective enforcement or resolution has been provided. As guests, we have been left feeling powerless while a clear policy violation continues to affect our stay in real time.

An adults-only cruise should not mean that rules are optional or unenforceable—especially when one guest’s behavior directly interferes with another guest’s ability to enjoy their private space. Being unable to use your terrace or ventilate your cabin due to ongoing policy violations is not acceptable on a premium cruise.

I wanted to love this experience, but the lack of accountability and guest support has overshadowed it. I sincerely hope Virgin Voyages reevaluates how it enforces its own rules, because without enforcement, those rules lose their meaning.

First time on a cruise as a passenger I have worked on many cruises and I have to say Virgin for myself was incredible!
The staff were so friendly and helpful through the cruise! The way Virgin have done it is so quick and easy to embark and disembark from
The ship! The wrist bands are an amazing idea also. The rooms were great I stayed in a balcony room which has the hammock! It was great to sit in and watch the boat sail away! All the passengers were super friendly and up for a laugh and a party! The food was amazing!!!!!! The shows were fantastic! If I could give it more stars I would. Looking at booking another one now.

Sailor Services Review Only
One of the poorest customer service experiences I had had the displeasure of dealing with.
Response time to emails is typically 10 days plus, lack of resolution, not answering questions, unable to clarify payment discrepancies, unwilling to issue refunds for cancelled services cancelled months ago. Now having to instruct my credit card company to reclaim the money.
Good job the cruises are better than Sailor Services.

Virgin Voyages vs. Royal Caribbean Review.

My family and I are Royal Caribbean cruisers. This was my first trip from Puerto Rico with my family on Virgin Voyages. For clarity, I will list the positive aspects and areas for improvement, according to my criteria.

Positive aspects according to my criteria:

1- Including Wi-Fi is a great success. Nowadays, you need to be connected for various reasons.

2- The fact that all the restaurants are included and that most of them are high-quality is excellent. I'll explain more about the restaurants later. The Razzle Dazzle tasting menu was high-quality. I think the tasting appetizers would earn a Michelin star.

3- The employee service is A+. The service is better than in the Dominican Republic. They are efficient, but the most notable thing is their desire to make the customer feel like family. They chatted and smiled without neglecting their work. Well done!

4- The entire ship was very clean. Including hand sanitizer is a good idea. It's a shame that more than 95% of the customers didn't use it.

5- I thought that because it was adults-only, there would be some liberal behavior, but I only saw a lot of harmony. Each group was in different areas enjoying themselves in their own way.

Areas for improvement:

1- In the cabin (XL balcony, 11th floor), the supposed pull-out bed I wouldn't even dare call a bed. Royal Caribbean does have proper beds for second and third passengers. I had to complain, and they tried their best. They changed the mattress and offered to put another one on top. But it's a box that they try to turn into a bed. A complete failure.

2- In the main pool area, which is a meeting and recreation point, it would be good to have a clock. 3. It would be good to have the documents and announcements in more than one language for the benefit of all customers. Even the loudspeaker announcements were only in English.

4. The food on most of the cruise was spicy. By the second day, I was already asking about it. The Italian restaurant's food is very good, high quality, but I couldn't eat it. In fact, I canceled reservations at other restaurants because other people told me the food was spicy. The food in The Galley was also spicy.

5. The boarding process in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, was the latest I've ever seen. In Miami, 6,000 people boarded in two hours. If it's a matter of port facilities, then they should pressure the ports to modernize their facilities.

6. Something I missed was a sports bar. "The Social Club," with more televisions for sports, could serve that purpose.

This cruise was an absolutely wonderful experience from start to finish! The ship itself was beautifully appointed, and every amenity we could wish for was readily available. The crew was exceptionally attentive, kind and patient and always went the extra mile to ensure our comfort and enjoyment. We had so much fun participating in the diverse onboard programs and activities offered. It was also inspiring to see their genuine commitment to a zero-waste policy, and the culinary offerings were simply outstanding, a true delight for the senses! Best vacation ever!

We had an awesome experience! Our first cruise with Virgin Voyages.

The cruise and entertainment were much better this trip.
The food is great. On the most part, the staff is attentive + seem happy.
Now the crazy part. One night I left a somewhat negative comment about one of the onboard venues. The loose Cannon to be exact.
A couple nights later the food and beverage manager tracked us down via the reservation system while we were eating. Rather than sending me an email or text, I guess he thought it would be a good idea to just come and interrupt our meal. He wanted to know more about his disgruntled employee. We opted to provide him with no additional information. Concerned that the employee in question might also track us down and retaliate.

We had our first-ever cruise with Virgin and were told it would be different from other cruise lines we had sailed with before—and that was certainly true. We sailed from Portsmouth, with palm trees lining the walkway and a DJ blasting music, so the party atmosphere started straight away.

Our balcony cabin was modern and spacious, and although I initially thought the hammock was a bit odd, I have to admit I used it at every opportunity. When we were at sea, the gentle sway of the hammock combined with the sound of the ocean was unbeatable.

I really enjoyed the laid-back vibe, the wide choice of “where shall we eat tonight,” and the delicious food and drinks. The pool area was also great, as you could choose between a quiet, relaxed spot or a more lively party atmosphere—there always seemed to be something going on somewhere.

The entertainment was different from that on other ships: quirky at times, but always enjoyable. The staff were consistently friendly and eager to help, and we noticed they came from many different countries. Sometimes their English wasn’t perfect, but as I don’t speak any other languages either, it was all part of the fun trying to make ourselves understood.

Virgin are a bit more expensive than other cruises I’ve been on, but as they say, “you get what you pay for.” I can’t wait to go again in the future.

The ship interior us BEAUTIFUL and the service was top tier. However, my disappointment lies in the food which was subpar at best, mostly cold or tasting /smelling like old rancid seafood in some venues. The steaks in Extra Virgin and The Wake were dry and tasteless. The Galley was a gathering place with no "order here" nor "pick up here" signs so the lines for ordering were a mess! Signage for directions around the ship could be better as we found ourselves going in the opposite direction since they were just portable signs. The number of times I went to the wrong place was countless. In addition, booking events is a waste of time because they arent on your agenda. We missed the famous ph party and scarlet noght as we had NO clue it was happening until we saw people leaving and I purposely added to our event plans prior to sailing. So i feel we did not get the best experience out of this one. Now Bimini, another disappointment, its an island really no longer in use, the RW hotel was deserted and the hot tubs were not filled, really nothing to do there in spite of rainy weather. You wont get your moneys worth. The staff on the ship is to be commended, they remember your names and treat you like you are super special. If the food is improved, scheduling is honored and Bimini is renovated or updated this is the cruise line to use. If no, I cannot recommend just yet.

Brilliant Lady has such a fun personality and the MerMaiden extras really leaned into that. The little daily surprises in the cabin, the specialty drinks, and things like the scavenger hunt made the whole sailing feel playful and special from start to finish.
The new shows were a big highlight. Out of Time, Murder in the Manor, and Up with a Twist were all fantastic. If I had to pick a favorite, Up with a Twist just barely wins, but honestly I would gladly watch all three again. The Happenings Cast was on fire and the new interactive events like Booze Clues, Gold Rush Rumble, Bingo After Dark, and others were all a lot of fun. Scarlet Night being split across indoor venues was interesting to see and works well as a cold weather option, even though the pool deck version will always be my favorite.
The redesigned Roundabout on Brilliant Lady is a huge win. It feels open and lively all day and night and never really felt overcrowded, even on a busy sailing. It has clearly become the main hangout spot on the ship. The bar teams at Draught Haus and Sip were excellent as always, friendly, skilled, and a big reason we kept coming back.

Overall this MerMaiden sailing really captured what makes Virgin Voyages special. It was fun, creative, and full of great energy from both the crew and fellow sailors. I would happily sail Brilliant Lady again in a heartbeat.

Richard Branson should be ashamed of giving his name to this disgusting cruise line my wife and I was on the Scarlet Lady 13 Days around the med all I can Say it was designed for sex sex and more sex lots of cabins had pictures of upside pineapples advertising joinin in sex the shows are either drag of fighting food in galley like ground hog day tobook the restaurants very difficult this cruise line should be advertised for swingers onlhy as there is no decorum no dress code people going in for dinner in shorts and tee shirts so many peiople in our age group over 60s said will nery cruise on here again complete waste of money

I am not comfortable , having to use technology as my means to enjoy life

Although the ship, Brilliant Lady just entered service it has some hiccups. I've been on Scarlet Lady and Valliant Lady and they are both better in my opinion.

Brilliant Lady seem to struggle with A/C in certain areas of the ship, some very hot and others very cool. My terrace had a door jam bracket that simply fell off every time you opened the door. Molding was also already coming loose around the walls as well.

Booking dining was chaos as there was no line, no podium, nothing just a free for all waiting to get a sailor services person to help you upon boarding. In the past it was held at a podium on deck 5 but since has been moved to the roundabout sitting area.

The dining choices are solid if you're able to secure a reservation, which I did ultimately .

The entertainment on board is also plentiful and offered throughout your voyage. Abi Gold the Hostess is a great addition as she's a bit cheeky and playful. The singers are very talented in the shows and offer good entertainment.

The casino is small and they don't offer a high limit room as with Resilient Lady or Valliant Lady. The odds on roulette are better than most any casino with a single zero and double zero table offering reasonable bet sizes. The slots are as tight as I've ever seen in any casino on land or sea but that's to be expected.

Above all Virgin Voyages are still my first choice for cruising but this ship needs a bit more polish.

We went on the Friends and Family pre-cruise from Portsmouth to New York. The ship is amazing the crew are fantastic and nothing was too much trouble. On these points I cannot rate them highly enough. Unfortunately, for me, they have one massive failing (and it is the same situation on Scarlet Lady and Resilient Lady) FOOD. If you are a 'gastronaut' and like what I call 'Arty-Farty' food, then you will absolutely love it. However if, like me, you prefer simple, old-fashioned, home cooking like your Mum/Grandma used to serve up, you will find the themed restaurants a total nightmare. Virgin Voyages say their menus are 'Michelin inspired' which means the dishes are full of stuff you have never heard, don't want, and have to 'Google' to find out what they are trying to feed you. To be fair, The Wake will serve you a pretty decent steak if you ask for it cooked plain with chips and without all their usual rubbish accompaniments. The Galley also does some more basic dishes each evening (so you will not go hungry) but even those can sometimes catch you offguard. After we got off the ship and went onto our final destination in Tennessee, we went to a Crackerbarrel where I ordered Pot Roast with mashed potatoes and green bean. I am convinced I heard my stomach sigh with pleasure upon receiving some proper food again after two weeks of so-called Michelin inspiration !! My advice to VV (not that they will listen) - normal people do not eat like this guys and you need to tone it down.

This was now my 2nd time on Brilliant Lady and my 6th time on Virgin Voyages overall. I've sailed in the Sea Terrace Balcony and as a Rock Star (in a suite) and both are amazing. I highly recommend.

There's nothing like being on a new ship with new shows, a new restaurant (Rojo) and an all new cast and Happenings Cast. Everyone that works there is just as excited to be on board as you are. It is a wonderful time. Just do it! You will not be disappointed.

PS definitely pack PJs for the PJ Party and a red hot outfit for Scarlet Night. Beyond that, the dress code is anything goes so just be yourself and be ready to make so many new friends! (The Grog Walk... a bar crawl event... was fun too. First time doing that and it was awesome. So was the Up with a Twist dinner show experience! We actually did that twice.)

Wow!!
Totally amazing fun time on Brilliant Lady!
The crew were fabulous, food was mind blowing and the ships are just beautiful.
A choice of many a La carte restaurants, all complimentary.
The fitness classes which started with sunrise yoga at 6am were just incredible. Everything from Zumba, HIIT classes, spin classes, the gyms, the running track, everything is set up to just easily join in, the whole ship fitness instructors were brilliant and all again complimentary.

Cabin was lush, modern clean and technology buttons to open the curtains and dim the lights etc

Fave restaurant was Pink Agave Mexican but followed by Razzle dazzle and the wake.
Yummy all of it!
Try the Test Kitchen! So different and an experience not to be missed!

All in all an amazing Brilliant cruise 🚢
We cannot wait to travel with Virgin voyages again!.. just which destination!!