Virgin Voyages- 5 Nights in the Caribbean on the Scarlet Lady

Embarkation: The cruise was somewhat last-minute for us, so we had an embarkation time of 4:00pm. We arrived fifteen minutes early and they moved us through the line. You will want to make sure you have all of your pre-cruise information and health screen completed in the app prior to arrival, or you will be stopped and asked to complete this. All the staff was helpful and within a half hour we had our sea bands and were on the ship. We went directly to our room, which was ready, to drop off our carryons and complete the safety briefing.

Cabin: We booked a Central Sea Terrace room on Deck 9. The cabin felt spacious and my husband and I had plenty of room. The bed was on the firmer side, but by day two I had adjusted to the firmness and slept fabulously. Outside on the balcony was an incredibly comfortable hammock that got a lot of use from us. We both found it to be extremely relaxing and may have fallen asleep several times. Like most cabins, the bathroom was on the smaller size. The XL Sea Terrace rooms do provide more space, and next time I would opt for this category to have a separation between the shower and the toilet. All rooms have rain head showers and the water temperature was consistent and warm.

Ship Space: It took a few days to get the layout of the ship down. Unlike other ships there is no main promenade with an open feel. A lot of the bars and restaurants are tucked into corners so you really had to learn your way around to know where you were going. On the few occasions where we felt lost, the crew was helpful and we quickly found our way. After a few days of exploring this was a non-issue and we figured out the lay of the land.

Image 1: Me and my husband with the Scarlet Lady in the Turks and Caicos Image | 2: Watching as we arrive to the dock in the Turks and Caicos

Image 1: Loving the hammocks on the Sea Terrace | Image 2: Our Central Sea Terrace room

Food and beverages: This was a highlight for me. I am not a huge fan of buffets and mass produced food, but when you are on a cruise ship with 2600+ others it is hard to avoid this. Virgin is onto something with their dining model. We ate at several of the restaurants, and frequented the quick service options and food hall. We did find it a little more difficult to get dinner reservations when we wanted but part of that was due to our last-minute booking. We still managed to get into Pink Agave, Razzle Dazzle, The Wake and Extra Virgin. The food and drink at all of these restaurants were delicious and fulfilling. We saved Gunbae and The Test Kitchen for our next trip. The Pizza Place had made-to-order pizza that often served as our pre-dinner appetizer. Be prepared to wait about twenty minutes for the pizza to be made.

We found the drinks to be strong and well worth the price. Each restaurant had their own cocktail menu with some creative and delicious concoctions. I always enjoy a good mojito by the pool. I also found their Skinny Pina to be one of my favorites. Pink Agave had over 120 tequilas to choose from, talk about decision overload! Espresso Martinis are my thing and On the Rocks (lounge) made a delicious one.

Image 1: Drinks from On the Rocks Lounge | Image 2: Wedge Salad from The Wake

Entertainment: "The Diva" made her presence at many of the events (Bingo with The Diva, Cabaret with the Diva, and Scarlet Night). The immersive shows were fantastic. The first one, Duel Reality, was a Cirque du Soleil type take on Romeo and Juliet. There was singing, dancing, hoola hoops and impressive acrobatics. You will want to get there early. By the time we arrived it was standing room only, which made it a little less pleasurable to watch. If you miss it the first night, it will repeat again a second night. Like other cruises, there were two show times so you can coordinate around your dinner reservations. I also enjoyed Ships in the Night for the incredible dancing and comical narration. If you want a party, Scarlet Night is not to miss. The one "theme night" where everyone dresses in red is celebrated throughout the night, ending with a huge pool party dance! Even if you are not a dancer, it is a great night to people watch!

Casino: On our last night, I enjoyed playing the slots (just for half an hour). I came out even, so we will call that a win! The biggest win though, was smoking is prohibited and the room did not linger of cigarette smoke. Virgin does provide a designated smoke room nearby.

Pool Deck: There are two small pools on Deck 15. The pools do get very crowded, especially during our days at sea, but we never found it difficult to find a lounger. There were plenty both in and out of the sun. If you are looking for more of an exclusive area you can rent a private cabana that would also provide you with your own personal attendant. For anyone that books in a suite category, you can access Richard's Rooftop. With its only private bar, loungers and hot tubs you truly will feel like a Rockstar!

Spa and Exercise: I participated in a thirty-minute bungee, low impact exercise class that was a lot of fun. I was fortunate to get in because they fill up very quickly. If this is something you are interested in, make sure to sign up early as spots are limited. The spa offers a three-hour day pass which is a great deal! The pass gives you access to the sauna, salt room, plunge pools and mud rooms. It is very reasonably priced but you have to book directly with the spa once on board.

Disembarkation: My husband had a flight to catch the morning of disembarkation, so we chose to carry off our luggage and opted for an early morning time slot. We grabbed an early breakfast and were off the ship by 8:00am. The process was quick and we breezed through customs.

I highly recommend Virgin Voyages for an adult-only vacation. We saw couples, bachelor/bachelorette parties, groups of friends, high school reunions and honeymooners. There is no one age demographic and it truly is an inclusive, fun environment. Mornings were quiet and nights were lively. I would love to help you plan your next adults-only vacation on Virgin Voyages.