Vivacious Valiant Lady sails the Med

In May 2022 Virgin Voyages exclusively invited select UK travel agents to sample their brand-new ship in the fleet 'Valiant Lady', sister ship to Scarlet Lady. This was a fantastic opportunity for me to expand my knowledge of this brand and experience exactly what my clients will experience on a Mediterranean sailing. We flew to Barcelona and once we had checked in and been handed our recycled ocean plastic wristbands (this is how you pay for any drinks and services on board), we boarded quickly and our bags were taken to our cabins. We then had chance to look around the ship and meet up with colleagues whilst shouting an obligatory ‘Ahoy’ to all the crew! During our week we looked forward to visiting Marseilles, Cannes, Olbia and overnight in Ibiza before disembarking back in Barcelona. Sail away was in a perfect area of the ship.. The Dock Bar on Deck 7, sipping on complimentary Prosecco listening to chilled tunes, watching the Spanish sunset.

Virgin set out to shake up the cruise industry. An adult only cruise line for people that don’t cruise…. No buffets, no dressing up for dinner…their ships are stylishly designed, combining the luxury of a super-yacht with the feel of boutique hotel. Cruise fares are all-inclusive covering all onboard dining, wifi, evening shows and fitness classes. They also include soft drinks otherwise known as ‘basic bevvies’. Sailors can additionally purchase a ‘sailors loot' bar tab which is an alcoholic beverage package. You can also upgrade to a ‘Rock Star’ package which gives you access to VIP areas on the ship including Richard’s Rooftop plus a beverage package in your suite, personal butler, priority boarding and early access to events and restaurant bookings.

Once you have booked, I can help you manage your booking through their app. This covers everything from completing the pre-cruise admin to booking the onboard restaurants and shore excursions. Of the 1408 cabins, most are spacious, smart and sexy – cabins on Virgin Voyages’ Valiant Lady certainly have an extravagant flair to make your cruise experience even more memorable. I was allocated a Sea Terrace (Balcony) cabin with a with a full-size bed which can convert into a day settee if you request it. Plenty of storage space and Virgin’s signature red hammock on the balcony. From the Insider cabins all the way to the aptly named Massive Suite, Virgin offers an array of sizes, amenities and extra privileges (63 in the Rockstar Category) to fit every budget. With every cabin including a rain shower, 4K TV, plenty of plugs/usb sockets, hairdryer and minibar, all the basics are covered and more. The clever room also features intuitive mood lighting and a personal tablet so you can tailor your room to your complete preference. There are also 16 accessible balcony cabins onboard, so if you need the extra floor space and bathroom adaptations then you don’t have to miss out on a balcony view.

The fabulous dining options really set Virgin Voyages apart from the other cruise lines. There are no main dining rooms, buffets or speciality restaurants with extra charges here. Instead, there are more than 20 eateries covering different cuisines (Italian, Korean, Mexican, Vegetarian, Steak/Seafood) plus an interesting food hall where you can choose from burgers to go, taco, noodles, breakfast, paninis and salads. There is a wonderful Mezze lounge, a pizza place, an ice cream parlour, sun deck with healthy bites and a social club diner. All this is included in your fare. The odd item may incur a small extra charge in one or two restaurants but those are easily avoided. Food is fresh, made to order and the quality is superb with the service outstanding. Entertainment is another area where Virgin does things differently. Instead of the traditional theatre, there is an arena like space called the Red Room that can be configured depending on the show or event. While I was on board there was a dance party and a spectacular acrobatic show called Dual Reality which retold Romeo and Juliet with a modern street dance twist. The final night, the space was turned into a huge nightclub.

Valiant Lady’s official nightclub, The Manor, is a two storey, three bar space named after Richard Branson’s first recording studio. I suspect pretty much everyone who has ever been onboard a Virgin Voyages ship gets a social media worthy photo in the mirrored optical illusion ‘infinity room’ entrance to the club. Me included! In a nod to the Virgin brand’s music history, there is also a record store where you can listen to some classic albums plus a tattoo parlour and casino! As there are no formal nights on Virgin Voyages, you don’t have to worry about bringing your best black-tie outfit on this cruise. Instead, wear a splash of red on the infamous Scarlet Night pool party evening and you’ll be good to go!

Wellness is a big feature of Virgin Voyages - from gyms to spas to yoga and meditation, however you work out or relax there is something for you. Facilities include a huge indoor gym, a basketball court, exercise spaces on deck, boxing ring, hot tubs and the Redemption Spa (extra charge) with indoor pools, a steam room, thermal zone and a mud room. Group fitness classes are included in your fare. The running track hangs over the ship like a bright red halo where 6 laps is equal to a mile.

Shore stops were lengthy – you can either pre-book an excursion of just go with the flow…. jump on the tender or walk off the ship and go and investigate! Just ensure you know what time you need to be back on board. We had an overnight in Ibiza so this gave us a full day to wander around the town, have lunch, dinner and dancing and not be back until the early hours!

The crew members were fantastic, very individual characters and friendly - always happy to help with any questions or have a chat. Wifi was included but was a bit hit and miss and the Virgin App needs a little more tweaking to be able to work perfectly. All in all, this is a fantastic option for a cruise with a difference. Caribbean sailings out of Miami are selling like hot cakes with the Americans being first in line. Virgin Voyages will be launching Resilient Lady in 2023 – she will sail the Greek Islands in summer and then Caribbean and Australia in winter.

Please get in touch if you would like to book one of these fantastic itineraries!