Curator’s statement
As an avid traveler who typically steers away from the idea of all-inclusives or cruises in my free time, I figured I’d finally figure out what all the hype was about. This past May I went on my first ever five-night cruise with Virgin Voyages and let’s just say it won’t be my last. From the ship design, amenities, activities, food, and shore excursions, there was never a dull moment at sea.
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I’ve never cruised before. Shocking, I know, but true. This past May I figured I’d take my birthday to the high seas and try out what everyone has been raving about: Virgin Voyages. I was drawn to the cruise line for it’s modern design, adults-only setup, and reasonable prices. We spent five-nights onboard the Valiant Lady for their Dominican Daze route, which stopped in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic and Bimini, Bahamas. From when we first stepped on board to when we left I was thoroughly impressed with my time on the ship. I’m going to break this report down into a few categories: Food & drink, on-boat entertainment, shore excursions, and the ship & crew.
Top deck view during sea day
The ship & crew
The Valiant Lady was a lovely first-time ship. It was big without feeling overwhelming, and I rarely got lost. With 20+ dining experiences (more on that later) and multiple pools, hot tubs, fitness areas, and entertainment spaces, it was hard to be bored. While I love the daybeds, I did hate the usual ship culture of claiming your chair for the day. A couple times I was doing laps looking for a place to set down my towel and claim a spot for tanning.
Onboard casino
We stayed in an XL Sea Terrace cabin while my fellow sailors had an Oceanview cabin. Both were fairly spacious for being a cruise ship. Small bathrooms, but to be expected. I appreciated the ability to split the bed into two twins or into a couch. On sea days, it was amazing to come back to a huge sectional to nap on and watch movies as a group. The entire room and services were controlled by a touch-screen pad on the wall, which made the experience high-tech. The best part of the Sea Terrace: The hammock on the balcony. Whether for reading a book, taking a nap, or listening to the ocean—I found much of my time in the room was spent cocooned in it.
XL Sea Terrace hammock view
One of the stand-outs of this cruise was the “cast” (entertainment staff). While everyone we encountered was so kind, from our servers, to concierge and cleaning team, the cast made the experiences. This is a high energy team who breathes so much life into the events the ship puts on. Whether leading work-out classes, choreographed numbers, or just jamming out—this team knew how to bring the vibes up.
Food & drink
I cannot express how shocked I was by the food. It was so good. Having heard the cruise line horror stories of mediocre food, I was anxious, but this ship blew me away. From the ample selections at the dining hall, to the reservations options, I was so happy.
Gunbae dinner
One stand out was Gun Bae, the social Korean BBQ restaurant where the staff plays a drinking game with you and the tables are shared with other passengers. The delightful food with the exciting atmosphere was quite a treat
P.S. Don’t miss the chia seed pudding at breakfast. I kept coming back for those every morning.
View from upper floor of onboard night club
On-boat entertainment
You would have to try and be bored on this ship. With activities every hour, work-out classes (included), upgraded classes (ex: Mezcal tastings, Bingo), and spaces to just enjoy some R&R. I personally loved the comedy show they had on night one—it was engaging and funny. Overall, they kept us booked and busy while on ship.
Relaxation room
Shore excursions
No cruise is complete without a shore excursion. We stopped in Puerto Plata, DR and Bimini, Bahamas.
In Puerto Plata, we did a day trip out to a sandbar. My only dislike was the 1.5 hr ride from port to the excursion on some bumpy roads. The staff was very friendly and the food they served was quite good. Once we were out on the sandbar, it was a beautiful experience, but the boat ride back to the dock made me wish I’d brought Dramamine.
Puerto Plata shore excursion
In the Bahamas, we had booked snorkeling with sharks at a shipwreck experience. Unfortunately, due to weather, we could no longer do that, so we ended up going to the private Virgin beach club. Honestly, I was so happy with this. The food was great, the vibes were there, and we really got to enjoy just relaxing on the beach.
Ocean at Bimini Beach Club, Bahamas
Need to know
All gratuities & wifi included: In a world built on tipping culture—be a Virgin Voyages. Every fare, regardless of status or booking level, includes gratuities & wiFi for your trip. No surprises at the end of your trip, no tipping as you go. It’s all included, all of the time.
For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our cruises page.
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