My (Very Honest) Virgin Voyages Review - A Hit and A Miss
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- Опубліковано 19 чер 2024
- Today we're embarking on an 8 night voyage aboard Virgin Voyages' brand new Valiant Lady cruise ship. Given the mixed reviews and polarizing design of the cruise line thus far, I was eagerly anticipating what I would like and what I wouldn't. So, join me onboard Virgin's new cruise ship, to take an indepth look at all aspects of the experience, from the staterooms, food and overall ship design. Let's find out if they're any good and if it's worth your money!
Jake’s is it Any Good Score - docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
Twitter - / brightsunfilms
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Additional Photography From - @TravelWithKabirCD & @emmi_lancaster
Other Great Virgin Voyages Videos:
Ben & David's Food Review - • The BEST Cruise Food W...
Capacity Issues - • Virgin Voyages Valiant...
Chapters:
Opening - 0:00
Brief History - 00:40
Cabins - 3:00
Food - 4:31
Entertainment - 10:26
Bad Ship Design - 13:14
The App - 21:25
Pricing - 23:56
What Really Matters - 25:45
Final Score - 28:47
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Bright Sun Films 2023
Presented in 4k
I have a bunch of friends that are entertainers on the Virgin Cruises and they LOVE working on this ship! For context, most of them suffered extensively while performing on Disney Cruise Lines. So you are correct, Virgin is a more moral and human well-being-centered cruise.
I am a performer myself. I've never worked on a cruise, but I have heard lots of ish that my friends have had to go through on their cruise jobs (including someone who's entire cast was fired on the LAST DAY of their contract???). I'm very glad to hear that Virgin seems to be a better employer
@@leahwilton785 Virgin are a good company to work both for and with. Unlike many companies, they resolve problems, rather than just hire and fire.
When it comes to technical items, such as engines and kitchen equipment uniformity is good, making maintenance and repair a whole lot easier, particularly when it comes to knowledge and spares.
However, the common architectural and decor design of their ships is a huge mistake, removing the desire to take another cruise and enjoy the differences. It makes it more like the layout common in supermarkets, which can soon become boring.
If they had trialled one ship first the poor sea views and tinted glass shortcomings would have been resolved before the next ship was completed. They are now in a position where resolving the issues will cost millions. The uninspiring interior decor and poorly thought out restaurants come into the same category.
The term "Uniform standard of mediocrity springs to mind".
I think people that work for Disney just suffer in general.
Yeah I have a niche skill set in theatre tech and keep getting told I should consider working for Disney Cruise because they’re one of the few employers where I could get on the job experience in it and everything I’ve heard about them as employers is not great
Thanks for that share 🙏🏽
I would personally cruise with Virgin Voyages since they've got all-inclusive dining and no kids
No kids!?
I’m there!!!!!
I went on a virgin cruise a few weeks ago. I really liked it. They do not have buffets but the gallery is better then any cruise ships quick meals. The gallery had something for everyone
This is literally the only reason I'm thinking about doing my first cruise. I didn't know it was that common to bring kids on cruises, seems like an awful time.
So does Princess, Norwegian and Celebrity. Looks to me like Virgin IS marketing to "kids." Like 27 year old kids. No thank you, i'll pass
I always assumed most cruises don't allow kids, because of all the drug abuse, usually alcohol. But I guess exposing their children to drugs is not a big deal for some parents hahaha 🌈
Ive never wanted to go on a cruise in my life, but if i did, this would be it. PURELY because of the no kids. Having only adults looking for a good time would automatically make this a better experience.
After sunburn, the most common issue a cruise ship’s doctor is consulted about is sexually transmitted diseases. Just saying!
Bah, humbug!
@@user-ek8rh3nj3zthank you anonymous parent lmao
So true
@@user-ek8rh3nj3z Spot the embittered parent who silently regrets having children because all their childless friends are happier, richer and freer.
You're spot on about the people being what makes Virgin Voyages unique - both sailors and crew. I just got off my fourth voyage last week. I've made lifelong, close friendships from my times onboard. It is fantastic for solo travelers, especially the solo insider. And I love how people are generally so open and accepting onboard. You can just be yourself there. It is so refreshing.
@davidlyejones can u tell me what the average age range is?
@@erinaustin2157 Wide age range. I’d say a lot of 30s-50s, but a handful of 20-somethings and depending on the particular sailing quite a few people 60s/70s. In Virgin speak, anyone “young at heart”
I've never thought about going on a cruise alone, I always have felt that I needed to convince some friends to come with me. That's really awesome that it seems like it's a fun solo experience and I might have to give it a shot sometime soon.
I'm sailing solo in July for my birthday. I can't wait to try them.
@@davidlylejones Tu! I’m going to look into there cruises more :)
I'm not a cruise person, but I really enjoy your reviews and process. Keep up the great work, Jake!
Same
I honestly think there’s a chance more non-cruise people watch this videos 😂 I’m not one either but I love these
Stupid review he literally was paired with a gay night club and is happy ? He even at the end says “fun people to mingle with” like no I don’t want some gay dude dancing with me or a drag queen it’s 2023 but gay isn’t pushed on u
All I can think is how this is a weird unintentional crossover between BSF videos. You have them being majority owned by Bain Capital who killed Toys R Us, many similarities to Disney and Disney Cruises, and then you have Resorts World as owned by Genting.
I dont know where the hell this guy cruises, but its not your standard cruise line. This food was superior
when the camera pans from the lounge chair to the view, which is a row of grey and red lifeboats, I laughed out loud.
The passengers and crew being chill and being themselves sounds amazing
I'm so painfully socially awkward and love the idea of being able to just go and party it up
Things like layout and noise are things I haven't heard other reviews mention, I appreciate that. I still think this ship holds a lot of the right vibes for me.
I agree .. it’s definitely something different .. however I don’t think they will make a big hit if they keep their future ships as adult only
Yeah that would bug me big time, I'm not a huge party person and the constant thumping of the bass would aggrivate me especially if I'm trying to sleep. Virgin isn't for me.
@@ShawnLamont1997 Adults only is one of their best selling points, there's plenty of other cruise lines for families. Adults need somewhere fun to go too.
@@ShawnLamont1997 You are entirely underestimating how glad people are to find a venue that isn't made for children :) More and more companies are understanding that people don't want to have to cater to screaming children everywhere they go, and most of the adult only travelling options are immensely popular. Also likely will lower the rate of disease that tends to spread like wildfire on cruise ships, which is likely a pull for people too.
@@alice45-fgd-456drtMost viruses spread on cruise ships have been traced back to adult passengers or crew. Just an FYI.
honestly i have found myself endeared by this review! as someone who has never cruised before the adults only vibe and emphasis on trying everything seems like itd be a fun introduction to the experience if i ever wanted to try
Disagree
I just returned from a 6 night voyage a week ago and had a pretty different experience. I really enjoyed all the food we had, and found the small portions helpful as we were able to try the majority of the menu. We are late breakfasts in the Wake or Razzle Dazzle most of the days, and then snacked primarily on the eateries outside of the Galley in the afternoons. The food in Bimini was also really good. Untitled Dance Show Party Thing was by far my least favorite show, but Duel Reality and the Miss Behave show were both great.
We booked a guaranteed rate limited view Sea Terrace but received a free upgrade to a standard Sea Terrace. We paid $2220, and received a $300 bar tab as part of a promotion. For that price, it would be very hard to beat on any other cruise line when considering tips and wifi were included.
We also are booked on the 8 night itinerary that you experinced for November. This is in a standard Sea Terrace and we paid $2400 and will be receiving $400 of Sailor Loot through promotions.
My spouse and I went last August (2023) and we are very frugal people but we are absolutely excited to go on another cruise with them.
We got a pretty good discount because they needed to sell rooms. For my husband and I it was 2,800 for a five day cruise.
A MASSIVE plus is that no one under 21 allowed. I'm a school teacher and being on a vacation where I don't have even see children was such a wonderful thing for me. Allllll the food we had was amazing and the staff was super nice.
I went on a Virgin Voyages cruise. I’m a person from NYC who thought I wouldn’t be caught stepping foot on a cruise. But we went on Virgin a couple weeks ago. One of the best experience of my life. I want to go back on that boat. It was so much fun. I wish they had trips from NYC bc I didn’t enjoy Florida much.
You're from NYC and you DIDN'T enjoy Florida? You have some kind of aversion to warm weather and nice people?
@@rdlangston13 you mean a slow boil with bath salts? lol
@@heliveruscalion9124 one naked dude eats some homeless mans face and everyone starts losing their minds!
@@rdlangston13 😂
I mean, I know South Florida is definitely wild but if you’ve been to the rest of Florida, you’d realize it’s definitely not the same, esp Miami.
14:50 “We’re on a ship- I- I- I don’t understand- I wanna see the *oCeAn* “ 😂
Please stay this honest. So many of the UA-camrs I watch start to become overly positive to get free stuff - and I just don't trust them anymore.
Well, I hope that despite us getting this trip for free, I've still stayed honest and fair. Now, I may never get invited back, but that's the price of doing these videos haha!
@@BrightSunFilms Yes - you have been honest and fair. I really hope that you continue to produce videos like this.
If anybody from Disney or Virgin reads this comment: I rather have this kind of review than an "ad" which I won't believe/watch! (best example: Disney's Starcruiser, where most viewers don't believe super-positive influencers anymore)
Hi Jacob, it’s Karley’s Mom. We ran into your dad yesterday and he told me about your travel reviews. I’m now a travel agent, so I really appreciate your reviews. I can’t be everywhere, although I’d like to be. 😂 Thanks for your honest review of Virgin. I have had mixed reviews, and you explained very well the pros and cons, and also shared a good visual of what the vibe of the ship would be like. Is Celebrity your favourite? I have only experience the Enchanted Princess. I need to experience them all if I want to sell them. You don’t know it but we are so proud of what you have accomplished!!!! Incredible!! It sure would be nice to visit with you and your parents some time and my girls to catch up. It’s been way too long! Wishing you all the best! Mary
Hey Mary! What a pleasure it is to hear from you, let alone here haha! Celebrity definitely has a pretty strong value proposition though I still think DCL has a better overall product. I’ll be interested to try out the new Explora Journeys to see what they’re like. Super appreciate the kind words though & hope to catch up one day!
My partner lost his wallet with $2000 cash, our IDs, credit cards, foreign bank cards in it in the main dining room and despite there were lots of cameras the crew absolutely refused to check the footages instead they halfheartedly searched under the tables. At the end they couldn’t find it and the rest of our voyage got ruined. One thing is for sure that we are not gonna be on any of Virgin cruise ships ever again.
Big lesson learnt there.
@@theseb1979 $2000 in cash and all your cards stuffed in a wallet while on vacation is ludicrous behavior
$2k cash..?(!) yeah😝
@@Obeu ?
@@alensufli Keeping $2,000 in a wallet is not the best idea, and is definitely a liability of your own--I'd be watching that like a hawk if it were mine, at least.😅
I love these videos! I especially appreciate your disclosure about the details of your contract in the beginning. It offers great insight into the reviews you see online as a whole, particularly with the “not letting them see the video first” part. Great work!
They're a British cruise line catering to a younger crowd who want an adults only space to party and get absolutely plastered. Knowing my countrymen (emphasis on the men part) I feel like that perfectly explains the double high glass walls between you and the ocean 😅
Is it meant for a British audience when it’s leaving from Miami? Virgin doesn’t really cater to just Britain anymore at all
Thank you for this comprehensive review! If you’re thinking of dropping this much money on a cruise it’s really helpful to have honest and fair reviews like this.
100% agree.
I was on Scarlett Lady two weeks ago and I am 💯 in agreement with you on the food. Our sailing was full and there were 3 times where I ordered food in the Galley and after waiting over 45 minutes I opted for sushi because I could just grab it and go. Like you said, the sushi was good but I hadn’t really planned on it being my only option for lunch every day. They had great concepts but poor execution on many of them.
the only negative i can say about virgin cruise is that BlackRock is involved.
this style of video has a chokehold on me- no matter what the topic is! the depth and passion on your end is what makes them so watchable! i always skip through videos, but these i can watch all the way through. great job 👏🏼
20:43 Jake sitting down and then immediately dying on that bench lol
just by looking at their website, it's also really cool to see that they're embracing solo passengers with some of the nicest looking solo cabins i've ever seen on a cruise ship [REAL portholes!?!?].
Having sailed Virgin several times now, I don’t ever desire to travel on any other cruise-line. As you pointed out, the experience/vibe/entertainment is something so unique… and the group of sailors truly forms a community aboard every time. I have had some amazing days and nights on Virgin because of the crew and my fellow passengers. It’s unlike any other vacation I’ve had in that regard.
Most of the areas you criticize I praise, I’ve had great dining experiences …easily exceeding the experience I’ve had on five other cruise lines. Similarly, I enjoy the design, materials, and lighting used throughout the ship.
The only criticism I agree with you on is that the Athletic Club, at the rear of the ship, is an under-realized space… and could definitely benefit from an infinity pool. But a handful of minor design missteps doesn’t take away from the epic memories and friends I’ve made aboard Valiant & Scarlet.
I just got off my first cruise with Carnival. It was fantastic. People call it the spirit airlines of cruises but the whole experience was truly electric to me. Even with kids running around, it's just great to see so many people having so much fun, especially the kids who will remember it forever.
The high price to pay a seemingly grey experience with Virgin, as you put it, seems depressing in itself. Definately not a price I would pay if a boat already feels so crowded not even at half capacity and without kids. I hope Virgin steps it up, but I'm more than happy to continue cruising with Carnival.
Yeah I don't think Carnival is spirit-tier bad. They're like Southwest tier, budget but you can still get good quality. The only problem is you run the risk of a pipe flood, which seems to only happen on Carnival (at least in reported media coverage)!
I’d go with Royal Caribbean over Carnival or NCL
@@a_goblue2023i haven’t been on a cruise but from the videos on youtube Royal Carribean has everybody beat. Then it’s virgin. Then ncl then it’s carnival. Comparing value. Things to do. And many different food options. Royal also has the biggest ship. I like that. More area and spaces to explore.
I just sailed a 5 day Scarlet Lady and it was the best of my 10 cruises. I booked another 5 day next month, same ship. The Food court was disappointing but the vast majority of the food was outstanding especially Pink Agave, Test Kitchen, Room Service. I upgraded to an XL Terrace and it had a roomy bathroom.
I agree some of the spaces are not very interesting and look cheap, especially Extra Virgin restaurant looks like a church basement, no good signage at elevators and stairs. I was on deck 8 forward and had to get another room due the loud music from Red Room below.
The good out weighed the bad: Great service, fun crowd, interesting food options, pools stay open during evening, really great shows, very nice room with hammock on balcony/mood lighting, no kids allowed, free wi-fi, no pressure to tip when buying drinks, just scan wristband, fresh squeezed tangerine juice! I do miss some aspects of Celebrity cruises, but am sticking to Virgin Voyages for now.
I really like this review series. I'd love to see a tier list of the different cruises or a grouping of pricing like value cruises or premium
This is an incredible review! My uncles wife is a travel agent and went on one of these virgin cruises recently and raved about it like crazy- mostly because it makes it easier for her to sell packages for these trips. So thanks for the brutally honest review
I have no idea how I manage to watch so many of these videos as if I’m planning on going on any of these cruises
Excellent video. Very professional. No face shots. No music. Good camera work. You get an "A".
We have been on a number of cruises with the other major operators. We went on our first Virgin Voyages cruise in June, we loved everything about it, the food, staff, services, entertainment. The vibe of the ship was really good, we loved it so much that we booked another cruise before we got off the ship. I can’t imagine us going to any other cruise line at this point.
The pure joy of all of us in the pool at scarlet night def shows how the atmosphere and the people it attracts is what makes it special ❤. You’re totally right about the weird things that haven’t been fixed (notice the version number of the app in your screenshot)… I’m optimistic. I sailed at 2250 capacity and I was scared going into it, but surprisingly it worked (besides the pool). You didn’t mention it in the vid, but going to Wake or Razzle for breakfast/lunch instead of Galley is my recommendation. Galley for me gets old quick, and while you may want quick service, those restaurants deliver a fairly efficient meal besides the typical dinner. Great review!
Food is subjective. I’ve been on 3 VV cruises and going on my 4th in June. I enjoyed the food immensely. The best part about VV is the vibes, passengers and crew. Oh yeah. And no kids!!! I have friends who swear by Disney and they enjoyed every meal they had on Scarlet Lady. You seemed to have every problem known to man. I had no issues with the app whatsoever. I agree about the layout of the ship and views of the water being obscured by the glass. In any case; I had a blast on Virgin and will continue to cruise them.
Same
Great review! I'm a big fan of Royal Caribbean but have been interested in Virgin since their announcement. The liminal space, bad ocean views, and CRAZY price have me re-thinking. The lack of pools and push for fitness is interesting. It feels like the whole ship was designed for Instagram posts. I wonder if the market share they are going for is enough to sustain them long term? I hope they stay around long enough to try them and the more competition the better! Keep up the reviews! 👍
I realize your comment is old and you may have forgotten writing it at all, but I have to say, Virgin (who is pretty much divested beyond the name/theming) is rich, Bain Capital is insanely wealth and Blackrock has essentially infinite money. They may want to cut their losses and sell these ships or move them to different routes or redesign parts of the interior, but I can't imagine they ever go bankrupt. Hell, Blackrock investing 550 million is basically a rounding error to them.
My wife and I took our honeymoon on Virgin. The food was fantastic, and the comments about the pool sizes are relatable. We had a fantastic time and will definitely go again in the future
Always love a cruise review from you Jake! It always makes me feel like I am on the trip at the exact moment of watching the video. Thanks for uploading!
I went on my first cruise December 2022. I choose Virgin because I wanted no kids running down the hallways or teenager being disrespectful. You mentioned the people being great and staff being themselves and I totally agree with you. It is something that makes the cruise outstanding. I did find the food to be a little disappointing unless you dined at one of the main restaurants. The app is crap and if you don't make reservation as soon as the app allows you, you can be screwed. We didn't realize how import that was and had reservation at 9:00 and 10:00 PM. I liked the cabins and ship more that you did. I liked the many little hang-out places and the simple decor but you have to learn were the bathrooms are because there are little to no signage to help you. After a couple of days, it is really easy to find your way around. I mean the ship isn't very big. Thanks for all you detailed video. I want to book another VV cruise and want to maximize the fun so I am always wanted to learn more about things that I may have skipped.
Regarding facing inwards rather than towards the ocean, this seems to be a major problem with multiple lines’ new ships. The standout with still emphasizing the ocean to me is Holland America. Their ships, along with Royal Caribbean’s somewhat older Radiance-class ships, are some of my favorites.
You just made my day with this upload man, I love your travel review videos! Love your work :)
So glad to hear it!
I gotta say I really like the look of this ship. It's purposeful. it doesn't look like they tried to fit as much stuff onto it as possible
It's ugly AF to me lol.
@RedRoseSeptember22 to each their own, but have you actually seen it in person? Sometimes the perspective of seeing something in person can change your mind
I really like the looks too
But as a passenger on board it did seem poorly designed in many ways.
Admittedly, my first cruise was on the Scarlett Lady a couple months ago. We paid $2.4k on a 6 night cruise but, to be honest, I really loved it. The 18+ sold it for me. I don’t have another experience to compare it to, but the food, shows and accommodations were great for me. I didn’t have to many issues with the app, but it was annoying in regards to looking at your itinerary and not having a ship map, although, I found my way around relatively quickly. But, what you said about the people was completely true. Passengers and actors and staff were amazing. We found so many friends we’d see night after night and the crew was exceptional. From service staff to the entertainers I have zero complaints. I just think of it as in a week, could I spend that amount of money for an amazing show every night and really good food? No. Not to mention being in the middle of the ocean having such an amazing experience. I never wanted to go on a cruise before this, and now i’m planning out my next. So, I guess Virgin to me is the gold standard.
LOVE these videos, man. I've been following since your very first Abandoned videos and for whatever reason your stuff just makes me feel nostalgic and warm, so thanks for what you do!
thank you!
@@BrightSunTravels of course! I’m sure neither of us can pinpoint exactly what it is about abandoned buildings that is so fascinating, but they really are so interesting to me. I actually play guitar in a band and pass by an old abandoned gas station pretty often on the way to gigs and I make it a point to always say “AaaaaaaaaBANDONED” in your voice every time I pass by it lol. Literally every time. Your vids have gotten me through some tough times before and mean a lot to me so thanks again, brother!
The previous Virgin food reviews were of scarlet lady… and another travel agent friend of mine has been to both your ship and the scarlet. She says she believes valiant lady has not reached her predecessor’s food quality yet. I’m going on scarlet lady at the end of March.. I’ve ate on over 40 cruises…I’ll let you know.
I understand Virgin Voyages. I've grown up cruising and the whole cruising industry is widely misunderstood. I think they had to be extreme in the manner that they presented themselves to really dig into a new clientele that couldn't be reached before. Sure there are the downsides but for a brand new cruise line, they are doing a great job. They'll hopefully improve the things they need to in future retrofits or future ships.
I have been waiting for another cruise video!!! I've never been on one and don't really want to but I love cruise reviews in the background. The passion cruise people talk about cruises is so refreshing compared to other yt content!! Feels like Christmas
Thanks for this. Your reviews are always just what I needed.
So glad you are doing all these! I love these videos about cruises
I absolutely love these reviews man, amazing job!
jake going off on the app, absolutely KILLED ME. love your content sir!!!
Seeing and connecting with the sea is one reason I like cruising. Sad to see this ship blocked that!
Same here, we noticed it on our VV sailing and was one of the dissapointments with the ship. Highly suggest you never go on an Oasis class ship. They are even worse. Everything is pointed inside and away from the sea. It's like you are in a giant mall.
Who wants to see glass and lifeboats ??
The design of modern cruise ships are the most bizarre frustrating parts of the experience. It is as if they purposely, with intention, want you to feel like you're in a mall. I fear that one day in the future, as more of these plexiglass surrounded ships are made, cruising will be a thing of the past for me.
After watching your review it makes me wonder if this ship was designed to cruise in a market other than north America. It seems the public vs private space ratio is off as well as the square footage of the cabins. Even at that the cabins seem designed mainly as a place to nurse a hangover till it's time to party at night.
Im almost certain its to stop jumpers since its focused on late night drinking.
Love this new channel and love your methods of analysis!!! keep it up!
I love love love virgin Virgin Voyages, we have been on both the Scarlet Lady and Valiant Lady. We thought the food was fabulous, but our favorites changed from Scarlet to Valiant. On Scarlet, we loved Extra Virgin and Pink Agave. On Valiant we loved Gunbae & Razzle Dazzle. Test Kitchen was excellent on both, (I preferred menu B). The only things that brought us to the Galley were the Ramen & Sushi. You are correct that the people are what really makes this brand shine! Also, when considering the cost, you have to remember tipping is included, and you are not constantly hounded by photographers or pushy upselling. The hammocks were also terrific. We are looking forward to the transatlantic sailing from Barcelona in October.
I have been on over 100 cruises, RCL, CCL, etc Virgin, by far, is the best cruise experience I’ve ever experienced, food, drinks, entertainment, crowd, quality of guests, service, etc etc, although I 100% disagree with your review, I would never cruise with another cruise line again…..
This was a very fair and balanced review. I agreed with so much of it. I sailed solo in Feb 2023. Last minute so I took a forward cabin for one. For me excellent value. $600 bar tab was added at some point. I had already purchased $300. On an 8 day I could not begin to spend this. Wish it had been sailors loot I would have had a spree 😊
Watching this review reminded me a lot of Virgins attempt at a US airline and I'm just....seeing a lot of parallels between the two on how they're running the cruise, how they promote vs the reality, and the audience it attracts.
Nice to see them pay the crew a lot more though
Loving your cruise reviews! I've never been on a cruise before, so it's quite interesting!
Glad you enjoyed it!
The outside areas on this ship are so confusing for me. Like did they want to make people not feel like they were on a boat?
Great review, we just did a cruise on virgin voyages (Dominican Daze) and it was a lot of fun. We booked another one while onboard that's how much we really enjoyed it.
By far the best cruise review video I have seen. Keep it up
I love Ben and David videos and this was just as good! Well done!
Another Bright Sun cruise review!? Amazing! Keep them coming. The Disney Wish video is probably my favorite video on UA-cam. Keep up the great work Jake!
Thank you!
We were on in October and loved the service, food and our sea terrace room. We love that we could get room service any time of day for $5. We actually did not like the entertainment, except for the bands that were quite good. We did enjoy karaoke. We think too much room is taken up by workout areas, but like the rest of the ship layout. We will be cruising Virgin again!
We just got off the Valiant Lady and agree with you about 98.2%. Awesome vibes with a few WTHs. Like Carnival for hip adults. We'll be trying Celebrity in a month and can't wait to compare
I went on a VV cruise last December, and had a really good time. I also had problems with noise but for me it was being underneath The Galley, which they clean at night -scraping all the tables & chairs back and forth. They did move us when I i reached out to them via the app. I enjoyed the food. The venison at Test Kitchen was delicious! The pool is pretty tiny. All in all, though, we had a great time, and I've cruised with Celebrity, Princess, Oceania, and Regent in the past.
We have been on two cruises with them and I can't go back to any other line. I love the vibe and the staff even remembered us between the two. The app does suck but I never had an issue getting help by talking to staff. The food was amazing. Can confirm that the pizza is a standout and pink agave is one of the best restaurants. The cocktails are priced fairly too. We drank quite a bit and still spent more on excursions than booze.
I was looking forward to this all week!
Hope I didn't disappoint!
@@BrightSunFilms you succeeded expectations!
I loved the video Jake. I’m a big fan of the VV product after a Europe sailing last summer. In fact I just did a RC and Celebrity cruise and they had me missing VV.
Love to see these! Keep them coming
Thanks!
A full top deck for exercise because exercise is the reason people go on a cruise? Do people really exercise that much on a cruise?
Wow! We went to tutu about 6 years ago, bought a BEAUTIFUL bead work necklaces. I only wear it for extreme special occasions, otherwise we bought a stand display for it. We very happily paid full price with a heavy tip. These necklaces are breath taking works of art. Thankyou so much for doing this video!!!!!!
i can listen to jake talk about toothpaste for 3 hours and not get bored.
We have been on the Scarlett Lady twice. Both in a "Rockstar Suite". The suite itself was fantastic and we really enjoyed the food. However, that's where it ends. Having been in a Celebrity Suite we felt that it fell short in comparison. I'll highlight to keep it short.
-Although we had liquor in our cabin we had to pay for drinks at a bar and specialty coffees. On Celebrity it's included.
- We just had basic wifi. On Celebrity we had premium included.
- Richard's Rooftop is a waste of space. Never saw many people there. Again, we had to pay for drinks, there was no food service, the pool was a long walk down a flight of stairs, and there was no view.
- It was literally standing room only in the pool.
Our overall experience was good. The staff and food were great. We gave it two tries and decided that we would prefer to cruise with Celebrity. It's less expensive to purchase and less expensive to actuall be on board.
Finally someone here to see you and complementary cruise, and actually has an HONEST opinion of it.
bright sun travels doesn't realise their new friends are swimgers arc
Amazing storytelling and perspective as always Jake!
Glad you enjoyed it!
To each their own but to me VV is the best cruise we have out there right now. The food is amazing, the service is impeccable and there are no kids. Maybe VV is just not for you. Great video though.
Great review, really genuine take on your experience
I’m really glad you started this channel. It helps a lot with knowing what I’d want on a get away like this. I’m interested in you trying one of the Nickelodeon hotels lmao
This is the best video I’ve seen about virgin. Thank you so much!!!
Just found your channel. I can’t imagine ever going on a cruise but I am really enjoying your excellent videos 😀
We sailed to Puerto Plata in July and are sailing to Cozumel in a week on them. Other than a small-ish pool,I loved the ship ,food and the cruise.
I've cruised twice with Virgin Voyages and other than the app, was blown away by it. I'm someone that would never have cruised. Great experiences out of both Barcelona and Miami
For me, the best part of any cruise is being able to meet the crew of the ship, as opposed to the "hotel/ entertainment staff", whether it be a quick hello and handshake or a full conversation about the ship and their duties therein.
Often they have a really deep understanding of little details about the ship that are not covered in the specs, or are completely contrary them, like the ship needing to be "reigned in" during calm seas but being almost impervious to rough seas.
Cruised on scarlet lady last year and loved it! Taking my soon to be wife on our honeymoon this September around the Mediterranean with Virgin Voyages again, can’t wait!!
Wow, I just saw an itinerary that I wanted to book on this boat, after watching this, I have changed my mind sadly. Thanks for the useful, money saving, info!
Great review! Can definitely say between this and your room video, my interest in Virgin has either dropped to zero or been heightened, depending on who I was to go with. I feel like due to the food and lousy esthetics, my girlfriend and I would hate it. However, I have a friend that works at WDW that wants to try it (we met on a DCL cruise), and based on the entertainment and overall vibe and atmosphere, him and I would enjoy it. As always thanks again for the great review!
Thats why I love DCL personally. It looks like a classic ocean liner and I love it!
Cruised with Virgin for the first time, for free, during Thanksgiving of last year. Personally, i didn't face all the issues that you did; however, i do agree with some of the things you said, especially the app. I do absolutely agree with your conclusion about the experience and the people. i met so many amazing people on my sailing. I still talk to them
it's the second video I've seen from you, but it's quite fun how you can reach the 'The Office shoot' of some things or people when recording. video is quite entertaining and teaches you what it needs to teach you when talking about a cruise!
Wow dude. Thanks for this review. This is exactly what I wanted to learn about Virgin. We are not "fancy food" people, so we would likely spend most of our time at the Pizza place, the burger joint and the bar.
Wow thank you so much for this review Jake. We have not sailed on Virgin yet. Not sure when we will.
The stairs instantly reminded me of the britanny ferries I used to go on as a kid and then jake specifically said they look like ferry stairs. Hes not wrong 😂
What a great review. I believe the ships design is based on a Fincantieri design which MSC Seaside and NCL Prima have also bought into. However, I appreciate that each design is a little different.
I was on Valiant Lady last year and had an incredible time. That being said, I thought the food situation was weirdly split. The dinners venues were spectacular. Even as a picky eater, I got talked into going to the Test Kitchen and they were able to offer me different options for some things I wouldn't touch. But on the opposite end of the spectrum, the Galley was pretty awful. The options were severely limited and any time I'd go there, it felt like 75% of the stalls were closed. Breakfast options were also really limited, with only a couple of the restaurants available in the morning and the Galley still being really limited. I was in a suite (no delivery fee) so I ended up ordering in most mornings, but even then the options were pretty limited.
I'd be interested to see your opinion on the food if you separated it by the restaurants, the galley and quick bits options. For me the restaurants are nearly perfect. It's really the galley menu that hurts the overall score as it's simultaneously weird and very basic. I strongly dislike the 24hr breakfast offering and up until recently you couldn't get a burger past 3pm either. That said, Valiant Lady has made some changes recently that have improved the speed and completeness of galley orders so if they make some changes with the food, I think it will be a much improved experience.
I have sailed with VV twice and I have 2 more sailings booked. I really like the whole concept and I did find the food really good. I guess your expectations were really really high.
I’m sailing the valiant lady in April Miami to Barcelona 15 days. Excited to try them out!
Bro, I hate cruises and have zero interest, but your videos are truly entertaining. You're doing a great job