Why You Should Choose Virgin Voyages' Brilliant Lady for Your Next Cruise

Why Brilliant Lady is different (and better)

Brilliant Lady showcases Virgin Voyages’ evolution in sophisticated cruising for adults who want luxury without the stuffiness. After a nearly two-year delay, she’s finally ready to set sail with thoughtful improvements throughout. Notable updates include the record store being removed from the Roundabout, and replaced with a live music setup, and more seating around the Draught Haus, plus stunning new daybed seating at the Athletic Club on Deck 16. There’s also a new “Slightly Smaller Balcony” cabin category—partially obstructed-view cabins with two (admittedly cramped) hammocks.

Among Brilliant Lady’s must-experience highlights is Up With A Twist, a brand-new roaring 20s-inspired supper club that transforms The Manor into an opulent speakeasy. This isn’t your typical dinner show—the ending changes every night based on audience participation, making each performance unique. Murder in the Manor offers another interactive experience where guests help solve a staged crime, complete with 80s music, big hair, and neon colors.

The dining scene: An exclusive experience you can’t get anywhere else

Dining on Brilliant Lady takes Virgin’s already impressive culinary program in an exciting new direction, with one standout exclusive concept you won’t find on her sister ships.

Rojo by Razzle Dazzle is Brilliant Lady’s exclusive Spanish-inspired restaurant that transforms throughout the day. During daytime hours, you’ll find Razzle’s signature brunch with a Spanish-American twist—think jamón croquettes paired with morning classics like acai bowls and pastries. Come evening, the space transforms into an elevated dining experience featuring pintxos, tapas, and sleeper hits like the butternut squash (seriously, trust me on this one).

Familiar favorites

While Brilliant Lady introduces these exclusive concepts, she retains all the beloved dining venues that make Virgin special:

• The Wake remains the upscale steakhouse with excellent steak and seafood options, plus those legendary Bloody Marys for bottomless brunch.

• Pink Agave continues celebrating Mexico’s vibrant food scene with shareable plates that transport you straight to Mexico City’s streets.

• Extra Virgin maintains its Mediterranean focus with fresh, but note the gnocchi and agnolotti have departed the menu.

• The Test Kitchen continues its role as Virgin’s culinary laboratory with its fixed seasonal tasting menu, though the concept remains largely unchanged from other ships.

• The Galley operates as Virgin’s reimagined food court with eight rotating vendors offering everything from tacos and sushi to burgers and noodles—perfect for casual dining throughout the day.

• Entertainment That Will Blow Your Mind

Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady Bingo Blitz

Brilliant Lady features an updated entertainment lineup with several shows developed exclusively for this ship based on sailor feedback.

• Up With A Twist is absolutely unmissable—the crown jewel of Brilliant Lady’s entertainment. This immersive supper club experience transforms The Manor into a glittering 1920s speakeasy complete with live music, high-energy production numbers, and stunning couture fashion. What makes this truly special is the interactive element where audience participation influences how the show ends each night. The $50 surcharge covers two hours of entertainment and a three-course meal where every dish is paired with a cocktail. Trust me, this is worth every penny (and good luck keeping up with the cocktails)!

• Murder in the Manor brings interactive theater to new heights, transforming The Manor into a riot of 80s nostalgia with big hair, energetic dancing, and neon colors. Guests help solve a staged crime while enjoying an hour of camp acting and absurd twists.

• The Diva Goes West debuts exclusively on Brilliant Lady, offering a country-inspired drag performance filled with classic hits, humor, and audience participation that puts a fresh spin on Virgin’s drag programming.

• Out of Time is a time-travel comedy that rounds out the Red Room programming, though it’s more of a standard cruise performance compared to the interactive theater experiences.

• Duets offers a live music show blending classic duets with jazz arrangements, providing a more traditional entertainment option.

Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady Out of Time

Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady Scarlet Night

Classic Virgin entertainment

Brilliant Lady also features the beloved shows that have made Virgin’s entertainment program so popular: Duel Reality (the stunning acrobatic Romeo and Juliet retelling), Scarlet Night (Virgin’s signature red-themed ship-wide celebration), and various drag performances that change throughout each sailing.

Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady Booze Clues

Activities: More fun than you can handle

Beyond dining and shows, Brilliant Lady introduces several exciting new activities alongside Virgin’s beloved classics. The updated VHS Workout gets everyone moving to retro beats, while new additions include:

• Wine tastings with the Foodie (a more sophisticated take on Virgin’s beverage programming).

• Cereal Killers (a murder mystery, breakfast-themed event).

• Booze Clues (imagine Grog Walk meets escape room).

• Suitcase of Secrets (an escape room in a box with a fun twist).

• Shhh... Speakeasy (you guessed it).

• Retail Rumble (à la Supermarket Sweep).

• Wine Not Take Me Home (spend remaining Bar Tab or Sailor Loot on bottles to take home on disembarkation day).

• Bingo Blitz After Dark (late-night, unhinged bingo).

• The Gold Rush Gamble (if you like the Seahorse races, this one’s for you).

Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady Wine Tasting with the Foodie

Of course, many Virgin classics remain: Lotería Gigante bingo, Mix It Up, Rice Rice Baby, Shot for Shot, Painting and Boozy Bevvies, and Seahorse races, plus the usual fitness classes, college frat party games, and trivia contests.

Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady Cereal Killers

Why Brilliant Lady should be your next cruise

• I’ve sailed on all the Virgin ships (repeatedly), and Brilliant Lady really is something special. She’s got the best of everything Virgin has learned over the past few years, plus exclusive stuff you literally can’t get anywhere else. Up With A Twist alone is worth the trip—it’s genuinely FANTASTIC!

• The Spanish food at Rojo is top-notch; the new activities add something meaningful to the experience, and those space improvements make the ship flow much better than her sisters. Plus, you’re getting all of this on Virgin’s adults-only platform, which means no screaming kids while you’re trying to enjoy that $50 supper club experience.

• If you’re thinking about Virgin Voyages, now’s the time to do it, and Brilliant Lady is the ship to choose.

For everything else you need to know about sailing with Virgin in general, check out my complete Virgin Voyages guide. Trust me, you don’t want to miss out on this ship—reach out and let’s get you sailing on the best Virgin has to offer!

For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our cruises page.