Viking vs. Virgin Voyages: An 11-Day Caribbean Adults-Only Cruise Review

The vibe & the pace

One of the many elegant Viking spaces

Viking: The “see it all” cruise

This was a whirlwind in the best way possible. We hit nine islands in 11 days—San Juan, St. Kitts, St. Martin, Antigua, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Thomas, St. Croix, and Dominica. Waking up to a brand-new island view every morning was just beautiful. While Viking includes a shore excursion in every port, I found that the paid excursions were often worth the upgrade for more unique, “exciting” experiences. Sailing on catamarans, swimming with sea turtles. These kinds of excursions were more to my liking than bus tours of the island. Whatever your travel style is, you’ll leave this sailing feeling enriched and relaxed by the beauty of the constant scenery.

St. Lucia: Sailing, snorkeling, and mud baths excursion

Virgin: The “vacation” cruise

Virgin hit four ports—Aruba, Jamaica, Cartagena, and the Caymans. And while Virgin doesn’t offer one free excursion at each port like Viking does, they did offer a variety of fun excursions to choose from. The real treasure for me on this sailing was the four sea days. For travelers who find the constant “on-off” of port days exhausting, the four days at sea on this itinerary make it easy to sleep in, enjoy the beautiful ship, and truly disconnect.

Dunn’s River Falls, Jamaica

The pool situation: Peace vs. party

This was probably my biggest “pro/con” moment between the two lines.

• Viking’s oasis: If you want peace, Viking is your winner. They have two pools, including a stunning infinity pool. It was always quiet, never crowded, and just... serene. It was my happy place.

• Virgin’s party: To be honest, the pool was my biggest disappointment on Virgin. It was always packed, and there was always loud, modern music playing. I’m all for a good time, but it was hard to find a quiet place to sit in the sun and relax poolside. I usually had to retreat to the very top decks just to find some breathing room and escape the thumping bass.

The food: Excellent vs. “I need to try everything”

You won’t go hungry on either ship. The service and the food quality on both were top-tier, and the crews were absolutely fabulous (seriously, everyone was so friendly and attentive).

• Viking food is excellent, but while the variety in The World Café was excellent, the choices for specialty dining are a bit more limited. The sushi was made fresh every day and was my favorite stop each night. The gelato bar closed for several hours in the afternoon, which we found very disappointing. Overall, their food was elegant and consistent.

• Virgin food is also excellent. The Galley has a great selection of food offered throughout the day and is open until 10 p.m. each night. The variety of specialty dining on Virgin is amazing. There are so many different restaurants to choose from. My favs were the rib-eye and chocolate tacos at Pink Agave and the filet at The Wake…Yum! I’d definitely give Virgin the edge here just for the sheer variety and the “cool factor” of the dining spots.

The ship & the entertainment

Viking (Viking Sea) is all about “subtle elegance.” It’s gorgeous in a quiet, simple way. My favorite spot was the Explorers’ Lounge at the front of the ship. I loved grabbing a quiet breakfast there or a drink in the evening. It’s just a stunning place to sit and relax, have a drink, or listen to some music. Trivia Nights and Name that Tune competitions were held there and were always fun. The entertainment was perfectly geared toward the 50–70-year-old crowd—think classic musical numbers that fit the demographic perfectly. The Viking Band had great energy and The Star Theater did not disappoint. There were several fabulous shows, including a spotlight on Abba and a Beatles show that was a fabulous tribute to the famous Fab Four.

Virgin (The Brilliant Lady) is a gorgeous and elegant ship and has a much “bouncier” vibe. It’s fun, modern, and very diverse. The shows included comedians, phenomenal acrobatics, and edgy musicals. I felt like the entertainment was designed for a much younger, high-energy crowd, despite many of the guests being in the 55+ category.

One of many relaxing spaces on Virgin's Brilliant Lady

Viking only: Daily afternoon tea

Only Viking offers daily afternoon tea, and as a result, turned me into a tea lover! One of my favorite parts of each day was sipping my afternoon tea in the Wintergarden. A menu of teas came with a spread of scones and tea cakes, and live music from their pianist, acoustic guitar player, or a cello/violin duo. This was also a great way to meet and chat with fellow cruisers.

Good morning, St. Thomas.

The final verdict

Both were wonderful experiences, but they definitely cater to different versions of “vacation mode!”

Go with Viking’s West Indies Explorer if you want a quiet, sophisticated atmosphere, an incredible island-hopping experience, and a peaceful pool to lounge by. It’s the ultimate “relaxing explorer” experience.

Go with Virgin’s Aruban Sunsets & Calm Cayman Days if you’re a foodie who loves a lively, high-energy vibe, diverse entertainment, and actually wants those sea days to sleep in and do nothing.

Side note: Currently there are no voyages entitled Aruban Sunsets and Calm Cayman Days, but Virgin offers several other similar itineraries to choose from.

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