Virgin Voyages

Our take

Virgin Voyages launched its first ship in 2021 with a single defining decision: 18+ only, fleet-wide. The four ships — Scarlet Lady (2021), Valiant Lady (2022), Resilient Lady (2023), Brilliant Lady (2025) — lean into a design-forward, hospitality-led product that looks more like a contemporary boutique hotel chain than a traditional cruise line. Tipping is included, WiFi is included, soft drinks are included, group fitness classes are included, and the loungewear-friendly culture is a deliberate departure from formal-night cruising. The dining model is the most visible structural difference. There is no main dining room and no buffet line at dinner. Instead, six included specialty restaurants — Pink Agave (Mexican), Razzle Dazzle (vegetarian-leaning brunch and dinner), The Wake (steak and seafood), Extra Virgin (Italian), Test Kitchen (chef's-counter tasting menu), Gunbae (Korean BBQ) — replace the traditional cruise dining structure entirely. The Galley (the closest thing to a buffet) operates as a food-court-style venue with seven counter stations during the day. The model is unusual but it works for a 7-night sailing without repeats. The four ships share a deck plan. Scarlet Lady runs Caribbean year-round from Miami. Valiant Lady runs Mediterranean in summer and Caribbean in winter. Resilient Lady runs the Mediterranean and the Australia/New Zealand season. Brilliant Lady is positioned for the West Coast / Mexican Riviera market. Itineraries skew shorter than the legacy lines — most sailings are 4–7 nights — and the late-night onboard programming (DJ sets, cabaret-style late shows in the Manor) is genuinely meaningful, not the after-thought it tends to be on Princess or Holland America. Best for: adult couples and friend groups who specifically want no kids on board, design-led travelers who care about cabin and venue interiors, all-inclusive-leaning bookers who'd rather pay one price than have a $400 specialty-dining bill at the end. Less good for: families (kids are not allowed at all), travelers wanting a long destination-led itinerary, anyone who specifically values the main-dining-room culture (assigned servers, set time, growing into your table) of legacy cruising.