Virgin Voyages Has a PROBLEM. What They’re Doing About It
Brilliant Lady Cruise ShipNorwegian Cruise Line Cruise LineRoyal Caribbean Cruise LineVirgin Voyages Cruise LineResilient Lady Cruise ShipScarlet Lady Cruise ShipValiant Lady Cruise Ship
Is Virgin Voyages losing its magic? After 10 Virgin Voyages sailings, including my 50th birthday cruise on Resilient Lady, I’m digging into why some of Virgin’s most loyal early sailors are starting to ask, “What’s next?” When Scarlet Lady debuted in 2021, Virgin Voyages changed the cruise industry with an adults-only, no-buffet, boutique-hotel approach to cruising. Five years later, the fleet is still four sister ships: Scarlet Lady, Valiant Lady, Resilient Lady, and Brilliant Lady. The line has also changed a lot. In this video I break down: ✅ Why the “vibe” onboard Virgin feels different now: a broader audience, status matching, and new homeports ✅ The Virgin Voyages pool problem, and the ship design reason behind it ✅ Food quality complaints: is it declining, or just familiarity? (Plus my Galley ordering hack) ✅ Test Kitchen, Pink Agave, Extra Virgin, and why Rojo on Brilliant Lady is my favorite ✅ Gratuities no longer included and the new VoyageFair Choices fare tiers (Base, Essential, Premium) ✅ How Bain Capital may be shaping Virgin’s direction ✅ Why Virgin hasn’t ordered a new class of ship, and when one could realistically arrive ✅ What’s missing from the Sailing Club loyalty program ✅ What Virgin still does better than anyone else Whether you’re a Virgin Voyages loyalist, thinking about your first sailing, or comparing Virgin to Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, NCL, or MSC, this is an honest look at where the brand stands and where it needs to go. 💬 I’d love to hear from you: Is the atmosphere enough to keep you coming back to Virgin, or are you looking for something different? And what would you change about Test Kitchen? Tell me in the comments! ⏱️ CHAPTERS 0:00 Virgin Voyages Has a Problem 1:10 The Early Days: Deals and Discovery 2:22 When the Honeymoon Wears Off 2:43 The Pool Problem & Ship Design 5:31 My 10th Virgin Voyage 6:08 The Change in Vibe 9:12 Status Matching & New Homeports 10:48 My Brilliant Lady Experience 12:09 The Food: Familiarity Sets In 15:58 Test Kitchen & Restaurant Fatigue 18:10 The End of Inclusive Pricing 20:54 Why Doesn’t Virgin Build a New Ship? 23:17 The Sailing Club Loyalty Problem 24:36 What Virgin Still Does Well 25:22 Give Us a Reason to Keep Coming Back 🚢 Book Virgin Voyages directly with me: https://www.virginvoyages.com/book/voyage-planner/find-a-voyage?cabins=1¤cyCode=USD&agentId=170988&agencyId=7394&bookingChannel=FMLINK 📶Browse GigSky Internet packages for your next cruise: https://plans.gigsky.com/XHCH99/2CTPL/ Use code RICK for 15$ off plans 🧳 Level 8 Luggage: https://www.level8cases.com Code:RICK10 ?? Email me to book your next cruise: Ricky.Oneill@CruisePlanners.com 👨Follow me on socials: 🔹Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roadwarriorrickig/ 🔹FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/RickyCruisePlanners 🔹TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@roadwarriorrick?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc