Today we embarked on our very first Virgin Voyages cruise aboard Scarlet Lady in Miami. Scarlet Lady is the first of three identical ships, with a fourth on its way in 2024. Next to Oceania’s newest ship, Vista, Virgin Voyages is the cruise line that our followers most want to know more about.
We were informed that embarkation starts at 2:00pm, later than most cruise ships, because Virgin wants to make sure all staterooms are cleaned and ready when you board. That’s not a bad strategy.
Rock Star/VIP Entrance
We were fortunate to obtain VIP status and be able to arrive at the terminal a little earlier and board through the Rock Star/VIP lounge. “Rock Star” status is generally for guests staying in one of the Rock Star suites.
We arrived at Terminal V at Port Miami at about 12:30pm and other guests were already arriving. We were checked in and given our wrist bands. Virgin uses wrist bands rather than key cards. Wrist bands can be used to make charges to your onboard account and to access your stateroom. By the way, Rock Star/VIP guests receive black wrist bands while other guests receive red bands.
The Virgin Voyages cruise terminal is one of, if not THE, nicest we have seen anywhere. The Rock Star/VIP lounge even has refreshments available for guests while they wait. Many of the seating areas are equipped with AC outlets so you can charge your laptop or other gear if you need to get a little work done before boarding.
Snacks are available in the Rock Star Lounge
Even if you are not a Rock Star or VIP, you will feel like one in the Virgin Voyages waiting area for other guests. Comfortable modern seating is plentiful and they even have some day beds and hammocks to get you ready for what you will experience onboard Scarlet Lady. There are plenty of power outlets provided here as well.
Probably the most notable feature of the terminal is how spotlessly clean everything is. We have boarded many ships around the world from terminals that were less than ideal. Not so on Scarlet Lady out of Miami. Your vacation will begin as soon as you arrive at the terminal.
Virgin Voyages Waiting Area
While waiting in the terminal, we were informed that we could use the app to connect to the ship’s WiFi and make dinner reservations. This is something we had been unable to do in the weeks leading up to the cruise, so we were very excited to get all of our dining reservations sorted out.
We were also informed that even without a reservation, guests can arrive at a restaurant of their choice and get on a waiting list. In most cases, there is only a short wait before they will be able to dine in the restaurant of their choosing.
Embarkation for Rock Star/VIP guests started at about 1:30pm, just a little earlier than for the other guests. Embarkation was a simple process of tapping the wristband at the security counter and walking through the red gangway to board the ship. Many crew members are on hand to welcome you aboard Scarlet Lady.
As we stepped on board Scarlet Lady on Deck 7 midship, we are directed by crew members to the Sip Lounge where we are greeted with glasses of rosé sparkling wine. We can only assume that this may be only for Rock Star/VIP guests.
Welcome aboard sparkling wine
We sat down and toasted to our 143rd cruise in 21 years, and our very first cruise aboard Virgin Voyages.
Official CruiseReport Toast to our 143rd cruise
As promised, our stateroom was ready for us. We are in a Sea View Terrace stateroom on Deck 9 aft. The “Z” refers to the starboard side of the ship. More on this in our upcoming ship review. And, we will do a complete review of the stateroom.
After getting unpacked and settled into our stateroom, we make our way up to Deck 16 where the sail away party was about to get underway. Complimentary glasses of rosé sparkling wine started to be handed out to guests just as the sky opened up and a pounding rain storm arrived. Guests were huddled under covered spaces to stay out of the rain, but the complimentary sparkling wine made the rain more tolerable.
The heavy rain kept up for about 15 minutes, then as suddenly as it began, the rain ended, and the party began. Photos cannot capture the sense of joy around the pool deck as the music got everyone in the mood to dance. Yes, even Rickee and I made a feeble attempt at dancing (photo at top of page). This was the best sail away we have ever attended.
For dinner this evening, we visited The Test Kitchen which is one of the most unique dining experiences on Scarlet Lady. We will cover this in great detail in our Food and Dining review video.
Our dinner at The Test Kitchen took just over two hours and, by the time we were done, we were pretty tired. Unfortunately, we missed the Pajama Pool Party and went to bed early.
Tomorrow is our first day at sea aboard Scarlet Lady and we are excited to see more of this amazing ship.
