First Look at Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady - Part Two

Everything Else

I was lucky enough to be offered a press trip opportunity to be one of the first to board Virgin Voyages new ship, Scarlet Lady in Dover. Here is the second instalment of my first impressions. (Although this was a gifted visit, I received no payment and the views are my own.)

Virgin Voyages have without doubt accomplished what they set out to do when they dipped their toe in the ocean! They have, with Scarlet Lady, definitely created an ‘Epic Sea Change for All’. They have taken the cruising rule book and ripped it to flotsam, using designers specifically with no cruise ship influence - and the results are, well devisive!

in Part 1 of First Impressions I looked at our Sea Terrace Cabin onboard Scarlet Lady. In this post I give a roundup of the rest of the ship.

Scarlet Lady - Public Spaces

I loved the whole feel of the public areas of the ship, which were exactly what I had hoped for - a fresh approach to your hotel at sea. Any vestiges of a traditional cruise had disappeared in favour of chic, edgy style. Each area has its own contemporary styling - whether it’s the upscale, elegance of The Wake restaurant, the laid-back coastal vibe of The Dock Side (my favourite area for a chilled drink with some fabulous live music), or the distinctive mirrored and copper/rose gold bar in Sip, Scarlet’s Champagne Bar. Wherever you wandered there was a fabulously cool corner to enjoy. There are some really fun casual areas such as the Social Club with its pier-inspired games, including table football and tabletop shuffleboard.

Unsurprisingly, loud music featured everywhere, and appeared to be mostly of one genre (well to my unsophisticated ears), a sort of techno-club mix. Great in moderation or for say The Manor (the ship’s nightclub), but it would have been great to have some variety. But then maybe I’m not the best judge.

Scarlet Lady - Redemption Spa

I’d seen renders of this area, but this far excelled the pictures in real life. This was where I really found the modern, luxury I craved. With heated marble solarium slabs surrounding a fabulous therapy pool and three stainless steel plunge pools, white leather seating, a couples bath ritual room, a salt room that smells of the sea and an equally fragrant steam room plus a sauna with porthole views; Redemption Spa is one of the best I’ve seen at sea. The cost for using the spa area will be from $75 per day (treatments are of course extra).

Scarlet Lady - Dining

There are 20 restaurants onboard Scarlet Lady, all of which are included. After some exploring, we headed up to The Galley where some sections were open.

The Galley IS NOT A BUFFET (honestly, it’s not - Virgin Voyages don’t do buffets). It is a food court - a collection of food stations with open seating where food is cooked to order. There is a Tacos station (delicious fish, pork and Avocado mini tacos served on a cool silver tray). There is a salad bar, hot selection, all-day breakfast, a burger stand and bakery counter. Unlike in a buffet, all dishes are prepared/served fresh for each person - this might be a bit time-consuming when the ship is full. There are also help-yourself hot and cold drinks stations (including actual coca-cola not the cola derivatives often available).

On our first night we dined in The Wake, the upscale surf and turf restaurant. I had an excellent razor-clam chowder to start and then we both chose Filet Mignon which, whilst it took ages to arrive due to issues particular to this special event, was delicious, and not just because I was starving at that point.

Reviews from others dining elsewhere around the ship were equally positive - food seems to get a big thumbs up from everyone. Razzle Dazzle was a big hit with my vegetarian/vegan friends, whilst others raved about Pink Agave (Mexican) and Genboa, the Korean BBQ. The only restaurant that received mixed reviews was The Test Kitchen which was felt to be a bit gimmicky, with limited choice of ingredients resulting in tiny portions. Again, this is very subjective and actually sounded quite fun and innovative.

For full details of Scarlet Lady’s restaurants read my related post, ‘Eats, Treats and Beats’.

Scarlet Lady - Entertainment

This is another area where Virgin Voyages ripped up the rule book and shunned traditional cruise entertainment. Gone is a cruise director, in favour of a hostess - the fabulous Abi the Hostess in this case. Think touring saxophonists, drag queens (plus entourage of course), and alternative entertainment.

The Red Room is the nearest you will get to a theatre on Scarlet Lady. In fact it would be better described as a versatile performance space. It is very quite small compared to traditional on-board theatres or show lounges. We attended a performance called Dual Reality - a contemporary interpretation of Romeo & Juliet/West Side Story which involved physical theatre, acrobatics and aerial stunts. The performance was enacted in the centre with the audience tiered on either side.

Whilst it would not necessarily appeal to everyone, we enjoyed it but I can’t help wonder how they will accommodate everyone once the ship is full.

There is a DJ Box up on Deck 7 where throughout the day various DJs play sets, plus there are groups of musicians playing in other bars. Then there is The Manor, Scarlet Lady’s so described “kick-ass’ Night Club/Party Venue. On the night we stayed it hosted an untitled street dance show followed by a gig by a female singer, who could definitely not be called a ‘cruise ship singer’. The place was heaving - and it felt like you were at a gig in an authentic New York nightclub. There is limited seating in The Manor, so if it’s going to be a long night ditch the high heels. There is a bar, unlike in The Red Room, where our drinks were confiscated or poured into plastic glasses at the door. The Manor is on two floors, the upper level perfect for people-watching. The best thing about it is the sparkling mirrored corridor leading to/from it, which is very instagramable.

Scarlet Lady - Outside Space

The weather was appalling during our overnight stay and so it was difficult to get out on deck for very long as winds were gale force. I had been really excited to see the Athletic Club with outdoor fitness equipment and the luxurious cabana seating. Sadly everything had been battened down and so you really couldn’t get the full effect under the grey skies of Dover.

However the one thing that did surprise me was how small the one and only swimming pool was. I can only imagine how crowded this will be on hot and sunny itineraries (although I know that guests will have access to Bimini Beach Club, which will ease congestion). Scarlet does, however, boast the largest multi-person whirlpool tub at sea.

Scarlet Lady - Is She for Me?

Oh yes! I loved the ship, although traditionalists might not! I fell in love with the concept of Scarlet Lady, and after experiencing her I possibly love her more. This is because my preferences are for contemporary style, music, design and culture, in common with many of my contemporaries; I have one caveat - and it is a personal insecurity issue rather than to do with the ship - but I worry I might feel ill at ease amongst the shiny, happy (young) fashionistas that I believe are truly the intended target market for Virgin Voyages, at least when she is sailing out of Miami. That’s not a problem, just a reality! But I love her so much that I’m willing to go into therapy! My blog’s whole raison d’etre was to encourage young people to cruise, and this is a cruise for young people, or those who are young at heart. .

I think Virgin Voyages have achieved everything they set out to do - to think outside the box to create a voyage for those who don’t cruise. They used designers specifically who had not been involved with cruise ships to come up with a fresh take on sea travel, which generally they have succeeded in doing. I think experienced cruisers will either love or hate her. Did I love everything about her? Pretty much, but no ship is perfect. Is Scarlet for you? Only one way to find out, and that is to book a voyage to see for yourself.