We spend 5 nights aboard Scarlet Lady

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 10/24/23 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 10/24/23

Scarlet Lady Videos

Follow along with us on our five nights aboard Scarlet Lady

Below are some of the videos we have posted to our YouTube channel.

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 10/12/23 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 10/12/23

Day 5 - Bimini, Bahamas

We enjoy a day at the beach in Bimini and dinner at The Wake

Whoever said, “Life is a day at the beach,” must have been referring to a visit to Bimini Beach with Virgin Voyages. Today, Scarlet Lady is docked in Bimini, a tiny island only 47 miles from Miami. Curiously, this is the first time we have ever been to Bimini.

LED screens throughout the ship inform guests of Arrival and All Aboard times as well as where the gangway is located.

In addition, signs are placed in elevator lobbies to further direct sailors to the gangway location.

Disembarking in Bimini is very easy. Simply scan your sailor wristband at Security and walk down the gangway and you are there. On our visit, the sea level allowed the gangway to remain virtually level with the dock, so there were no stairs to go up or down.

Once off the ship, sailors must walk to the end of the dock where shuttles are provided for transfer to the Beach Club. We disembarked midship, so this was probably a few hundred yards of walking.

It is quite windy on our visit today and waves are pounding the dock. Sailors should be careful when taking photos or selfies not to get too close to the edge of the pier as there are no guardrails to prevent you from falling into the ocean.

Once at the end of the pier, we can look back at the aft section of Scarlet Lady, certainly one of the most unique ship designs we have seen anywhere.

Near the end of the pier, a security guard recognized that we had on black wristbands (which identify us as Rock Star/VIP guests) and pulled us to the side where we received a private transfer shuttle to the Beach Club. Note, non-RockStar/VIP guests have red wristbands.

This is another little perk of being a Rock Star on Virgin, but one of which we were completely unaware.

The drive to the Beach Club took less than 10 minutes. If you are in good shape, you could walk there, but it would probably take 30 minutes.

Once you enter the Beach Club reception area, there is, of course, a bar where you can get an early start on your beach experience.

After you walk through the Beach Club reception area, you arrive at two massive swimming pools which become the hub of the party atmosphere here. There are lots of loungers around the pool area, umbrellas for shade and even a few private cabanas.

If you are looking for a less frenetic day at the beach, you can follow the boardwalk paths which will lead you to the beach area. You can’t get lost. In fact, you can see the beach from the pool.

Throughout this massive beach club complex you will find plenty of little bars offering drink service. You can use your Sailor Wristband to charge drinks to your shipboard account.

All Beach Club employees are crew members from the ship.

*Plenty of refreshment stations at The Beach Club*

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of beach loungers everywhere you look, many with umbrellas for shade. There are also private cabanas (see below) available for rent. We never saw anything mentioned about the cabanas, so if you are interested, perhaps you should visit Sailor Services onboard to reserve one. In fact, I only learned about the cabanas after doing some research on The Points Guy website.

And, by the way, the ship’s WiFi works very well all along the beach!

According to The Points Guy, cabana rentals start at $500 (priced per cabana, not per person) which includes a $100 bar credit. Crew members are on hand to take and deliver drink and food orders to the cabanas so you don’t have to stand in line at one of the bars. We did see quite a few cabanas occupied.

There are stacks of beach towels which are complimentary. Just walk up and take as many as you need.

We found a couple of loungers right on the beach with an umbrella and within easy walking distance to Richard’s Retreat.

Richard’s Retreat is a covered bar and dining area reserved for Rock Star/VIP guests.

We enjoyed our Piña Colada and Rum Punch ($10 and $13 respectively) as we relaxed and enjoyed amazing views of the beach from our loungers.

When it came time for lunch, we visited Richard’s Retreat where a waitress took our lunch order and delivered our meal. Lunch service is available to all sailors, but table service is reserved for those at Richard’s Retreat.

Unlike most cruise lines that would simply offer hot dogs, burgers, and maybe a chicken sandwich, Virgin does things differently. The menu features Caribbean cuisine and everything I tried was delicious.

The Caribbean Chicken and Coconut Curry, while not spicy enough for my taste buds, was creamy and delicious. And, the Grilled Corn On The Cob with jerk mayo and toasted coconut was very good.

Rickee even took time to check out the full size hammocks located next to Richard’s Retreat.

We stayed at the beach, enjoying the sun and the sea, until about 4pm then took the shuttle back to the ship. In spite of my delicious Caribbean lunch on the beach, I was feeling a bit peckish and certainly did not want to disembark Scarlet Lady in Miami without having at least tried the pizza that everyone on YouTube seems so excited about.

There were a few other sailors enjoying pizza when I arrived at Pizza Place on Deck 7. Unlike some other cruise lines, on Scarlet Lady, you don’t simply walk up and ask for a slice of pizza that has been sitting out on the counter for who knows how long.

Each pie is made to order and you can watch your pizza being made and cooked in the ovens behind the counter. This takes a little longer, but your patience will be rewarded with a fresh, hot, delicious pizza. I ordered a Pepperoni, but several other varieties are available. And, like all food onboard, pizza is complimentary.

I have tried pizza on at least two dozen different cruise lines, so I feel somewhat qualified to judge good pizza. Plus, my very first job at 15 years old was working at a pizza joint. I have seen YouTubers claim that Virgin has the best pizza at sea, which is a pretty high bar.

Prior to this sailing, I would have rated the pizza at Silversea’s Spaccanopoli as the BEST with Carnival’s Pizzeria del Capitano coming in at second place, perhaps in a tie for second with Princess Cruises’ SLICE.

The pizza on Scarlet Lady is definitely a step up from Carnival and Princess and pretty damn close to Spaccanopoli on Silversea. So, for now, I will say it is at least in a tie for best pizza at sea. It was VERY good pizza.

Even though I try never to waste good pizza, I had to leave a couple of slices behind because we have dinner reservations tonight at The Wake.

We arrived at The Wake on time at 7pm for our reservation, but ended up having to wait about 20 minutes for our table. They did bring us complimentary glasses of sparkling wine to enjoy as we waited, which was a nice touch.

As it was the last night of the cruise, perhaps The Wake was busier than normal. The place was packed. We did get a nice table for two with a view of the ship’s wake, which is illuminated with a blue light at night.

Rickee ordered the Hamachi Crudo as her starter and I chose the Razor Clam Chowder. For my main course, I had the NY Strip, a steak I like to use for comparison to NY Strip steaks on other cruise lines. Rickee ordered the 6oz Hanger Steak. We will give you all of our ratings in our upcoming Food and Dining review video, coming soon to our YouTube channel!

After dinner, we head back to our stateroom to finish packing for disembarkation tomorrow. We are sad to leave Scarlet Lady after only five days. It is not easy for us to cover such a large ship, with so many activities, in only five days. But, we are glad we had the opportunity to enjoy this unique cruise experience.

Watch for a full review coming soon to our YouTube channel. In the meantime, you can enjoy our walkthrough and review of our Sea Terrace Stateroom (below).

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 10/11/23 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 10/11/23

Day 4 - At Sea (Scarlet Night)

Tonight is Scarlet Night on Scarlet Lady and we enjoy dinner at Pink Agave.

Day four of our five-night sailing aboard Scarlet Lady is another day at sea as the ship sails to Bimini in the Bahamas. After my morning blogging and coffee, I make a stop at Grounds Club Too, another barista coffee shop located in The Galley on Deck 15. I am not here for coffee, however.

Grounds Too is one of the locations on the ship where you can find a printed copy of the daily program, “A Glance At The Day”. Without one of these, we are pretty much lost. We find it difficult to know what is going on, and where, by using the Virgin Voyages app.

Their printed program is very helpful and you can also pick one up at Sailor Services on Deck 5. We wish they would automatically place one of these in the stateroom each evening so we could more easily plan the next day.

This morning, we decide to visit The Loose Canon for one of the onboard activities, “Mind Benders”, hosted by David The Gamer. The Loose Canon is a small bar located on Deck 7, near The Social Club. Quite a few people showed up to play Mind Benders. The games began with a Soduku puzzle that left Rickee and me befuddled. I have never played Soduku and it did not take long for us to tap out of this game.

The second game was a Rebus puzzle that we did pretty well with. The third game was solving a series of riddles. We are much better at games dealing with words rather than numbers. We racked up a couple of points on the last two games, but were far from victorious. Nevertheless, we had a lot of fun.

When we returned to our stateroom later this morning, we found that Alona had created a red “V” using the throw in our stateroom. Perhaps an homage to Scarlet Night, which is tonight.

*Alona Made A Red V from our Throw for Scarlet Night*

For lunch today, we returned to The Galley, Virgin Voyages’ answer to the cruise ship buffet. Unlike a traditional buffet, however, guests do not serve themselves. Each table has a flag that you can flip up to let waiters know you want to place an order. There are QR codes you can scan for menus and sometimes you can find a printed menu floating around.

*Flip up the Ahoy flag for table service*

This afternoon, while Rickee was getting ready for Scarlet Night, I visited The Dock House (Deck 7 aft) to enjoy some great Latin music performed by The Kaney Trio. Once again, all of the musical lounge entertainment has been excellent. A couple of young, bikini-clad ladies were motivated to get up and dance to the music. Before long, they grabbed me by the hands and dragged me up to dance with them. They would not take no for an answer!

*Kaney Trio Performs At The Dock House - Deck 7 Aft*

This evening, Rickee and I visited On The Rocks bar (Deck 6 midship) to enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail. I ordered my Crown Royal and Rickee had her favorite, a Lemon Drop martini. This is the first time we have seen a Lemon Drop served in what appeared to be a water glass rather than a martini glass.

*Crown Royal and Lemon Drop Martini at On The Rocks - Deck 6 midship*

As we sipped our cocktails, we once again enjoyed the music of Adam Kadabra (@adamkadabra), who plays his electric acoustic guitar using the “lap tapping” technique. Many of his songs are original and he is an excellent musician. This is the first time we have ever seen a guitarist use “lap tapping” and it is really cool.

*Adam Kadabra (@AdamKadabra) performs at On The Rocks*

Tonight is Scarlet Night on Scarlet Lady and all sailors are encouraged to wear red this evening. I did something on this cruise I have never done before. I actually purchased a red shirt just for this cruise!

Tonight, we had dinner at Pink Agave, Scarlet Lady’s Mexican restaurant. The meal was excellent and I can’t wait to tell you all about our experience in my Food and Dining Review video, coming soon to our YouTube channel. Make sure you are subscribed with notifications turned on.

Pink Agave is definitely an elevated Mexican dining experience boasting the largest collection of tequila and mezcal at sea!

After our amazing meal, we made a lap around the ship to see everyone in their red outfits, then headed off to bed.

Tomorrow, Scarlet Lady will be docked in Bimini, Bahamas, where we will enjoy a day at the beach.

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 10/10/23 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 10/10/23

Day 3 - Cozumel, Mexico

We stay onboard in Cozumel, have lunch at Razzle Dazzle, and a wild dinner at Gunbae Korean.

Today, Scarlet Lady is docked in Cozumel, Mexico. Having been to Cozumel more times than we can count, we chose to use this opportunity to explore Scarlet Lady in hopes that most guests would be off on excursion.

We decided to start at the top of the ship and work our way down, taking photos and videos along the way. There is no mistaking a Virgin Cruises’ ship for any other. The bright red exterior along with a very unique design makes quite a statement. The outside of the ship lets the world know that this is not just another cruise line. The more we explore this ship, this becomes even more apparent.

The Runway is a serious jogging/walking track located on Deck 17 aft. This roughly 255 meter track circumnavigates the ship’s distinctive red stack. So, roughly six laps around The Runway should make a mile.

The track has markings to show starting points and meters traveled. Serious joggers and sprinters should love this track as they take in expansive ocean views.

One deck down from The Runway, fitness enthusiasts will find the Athletic Club aft on Deck 16 with all sorts of workout equipment.

Scarlet Lady is a ship filled with “Easter eggs”; we just stumbled upon the Sun Club Cafe on Deck 16 forward while walking around the ship today. There seems to be more bars and eateries on this ship than any other of comparable size.

The ship’s fitness center is located on Deck 15 and is very well equipped.

Of course, there are too many spaces on Scarlet Lady for us to cover in this blog, but we will go into more detail in our Ship Review video. Watch for that on our YouTube channel (@CruiseReport) coming soon.

We found the video game arcade on Deck 7 which features some of the games from our youth. There is no charge to play any of the games.

Deck 7 port side reveals another of those Instagrammable spots right outside of Grounds Club, the ship’s coffee shop.

Guests on Virgin Voyages are referred to as “sailors”, and therefore, instead of “guest services”, you can find assistance for any issues at Sailor Services on Deck 5.

*Virgin’s Answer To Reception/Guest Services*

For lunch today, we made reservations at Razzle Dazzle, which is a vegetarian/vegan restaurant, but has a few “naughty” items on the menu for meat lovers like me.

The meal begins with a presentation of delicious pastries. The Apple Cruffin was our favorite.

The lunch was quite good and afterward I was ready for a visit to the ship’s thermal suite at Redemption Spa on Deck 5.

The thermal suite is equipped with a dry sauna, steam room, salt room and mud room (not sure what that is) as well as hot tubs, showers and a locker/changing room.

For dinner this evening, we had reservations at Gunbae, the ship’s Korean BBQ restaurant.

Our meal at Gunbae was unlike any cruise ship dining experience we have ever had. This is NOT the place for a quiet, romantic meal! You come to Gunbae to enjoy great food and great fun. More details to come in our Food and Dining review video.

After dinner this evening we head back to The Red Room for the evening show, Duel Reality.

Once again, Virgin Voyages breaks all the rules by transforming The Red Room into a stadium environment where guests are divided into two sides based on the color wristband they are given as they enter the theater. It is red vs. blue!

The show features a combination of juggling, tumbling and acrobatics set to a familiar love story theme. It was unlike any show we have ever seen on a cruise ship, and it was amazing. This high-energy performance lasts for nearly an hour and reveals once again just how different a Virgin Voyages cruise is.

After Duel Reality, we are exhausted and ready for a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow is another day at sea as Scarlet Lady sails to Bimini, Bahamas.

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 10/9/23 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 10/9/23

Day 2 - At Sea

A relaxing day at sea with great entertainment and an amazing Italian dinner at Extra Virgin.

Today is a beautiful day at sea aboard Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady. Our stateroom passed the quiet test last night with flying colors. We both enjoyed a peaceful and restful night of sleep.

If you follow our YouTube channel or our blogs, you already know that Rickee and I rarely eat breakfast. I am an early riser, usually up and at it by 6:00am. When on a cruise, I start by looking for the best place to have coffee and get to work. Preparing the daily cruise blog and going through hundreds of photos and video clips from the previous day usually takes about three hours. By the time I am finished, Rickee is up and getting ready. This has been our cruising routine for twenty years.

This morning, I am on an unfamiliar ship and looking for that premium coffee/work spot. I started by heading up to Deck 15 and The Galley, which has coffee machines with complimentary coffee. There are some tables here where I could get some work done, but this a popular place for breakfast and it tends to get a little noisy.

I head down to Deck 7 midship to Grounds Club, the ship’s answer to Starbucks. This is the perfect spot!

At Grounds Club they have baristas on hand to make any coffee creation you may desire. My tastes are simple: Americano, black. It took me two cups to learn that a large Americano is the same price as a small, so a large it is!

There is a beautiful display of what appear to be delicious breakfast pastries. Oh, if only I had the metabolism to allow me an Almond Croissant. While the sweet treats are complimentary, the coffee drinks here are not. However, the prices are very reasonable. My large Americano is $4.

There is comfortable seating here for relaxing and enjoying your favorite bean-derived drink, but what I like is the long table that is perfect for working on a laptop.

*The perfect workstation on Scarlet Lady*

The tables are even equipped with AC and USB power to keep devices charged, something you tend to find all over this ship.

After my work is done, Rickee is ready and we head out to explore the ship. As we walk through Deck 7, Rickee is struggling to keep her wristband in place. We find Kayla (The Artist) who offers some assistance and soon Rickee’s wristband is secure. Thank you, Kayla.

*Kayla, The Artist, Helps Rickee With Her Wristband*

For lunch today, we decide to check out The Galley, which is Virgin Voyages’ answer to a ship’s buffet. There are multiple food stations with various themes, one of which is The Burger Bar. It is time for me to conduct my cheeseburger test. Many cruise lines have had to endure this grueling test, and many have failed. A seemingly simple cheeseburger is often difficult for cruise lines to master.

At the top of the list currently is Guy’s Burger Joint on Carnival, which is consistently good. Soon, a waiter appears at our table in The Galley and offers to take our order. Rickee orders some fruit, and I order the cheeseburger and fries. Unfortunately, The Burger Bar does not offer onion rings.

*Cheeseburger and Fries From The Burger Bar*

The first thing I check is the bun, which is fresh and soft. We are off to a good start. Toppings consist of a leaf of lettuce and a thin slice of tomato and there is a pickle spear. The lack of an onion slice is a little disappointing. As for condiments, the table offers bottles of mayo, mustard and ketchup. I apply a layer of mayo and remove the lettuce; that’s just how I roll.

I cut the burger in half which reveals a perfectly cooked burger patty. The meat is where most cruise lines fail the test. The meat is almost always overcooked, but this burger is cooked Medium, so it is still juicy and flavorful.

Now the taste test. The first bite quickly leads to a second, and a third, and soon I have devoured half of the burger. Finally, we have another cruise ship burger that competes with Guy’s Burger Joint.

As for the French fries, they were hot, crispy and delicious. In fact, the fries are better than just about any we have had anywhere, land or sea. Good job!

This afternoon we attend a show in The Red Room, one of the theater venues onboard Scarlet Lady. Elevated theater style seating gives everyone excellent sight lines to the stage.

Today we enjoy the magic and comedy of Derek Ostovani (@derekostovani). The show was excellent and, by the end of the show, everyone was mumbling, “How did he do that?”

After the show, we walk through the small, but generous Casino. Generous because, after playing one of the penny slots, I walked away with $30 more than I walked in with!

At 5pm, we make our way up to Richard’s Rooftop where we heard a rumor that they were pouring glasses of complimentary Möet Chandon champagne for the Rock Star/VIP crowd. Rickee is never one to turn down a glass of the “bubbly”, nor am I.

Richard’s Rooftop is an area on Deck 16 forward that is reserved for Rock Stars and VIPs. And, in case you are not familiar with Virgin Voyages lingo, a “Rock Star” is anyone staying in one of the Rock Star suites onboard.

Comfortable sun loungers and seating areas are available here along with a fully stocked bar. A special bar menu with light bites is also available.

Before dinner this evening, we found ourselves walking through Deck 6 where we were intrigued by the guitar sounds coming from The Roundabout. We sat and listened to the remainder of Adam Kadabra’s set and really enjoyed his performance.

*Adam Kadabra Entertains At The Roundabout on Deck 6*

For dinner this evening, we made reservations at Extra Virgin, the ship’s Italian restaurant. Of course, we will do a thorough review of Extra Virgin in our Food and Dining review video, so make sure you are subscribed to our YouTube channel.

What I can tell you is that the meal was excellent and Rickee loved the Beef Carpaccio (below).

After dinner, we head back to Deck 6 where The Hostess is performing her W Cabaret show at On The Rocks bar. She has an excellent voice and we are discovering that the lounge entertainment on this ship is at another level from what we are used to.

*W Cabaret With The Hostess at On The Rocks*

After her show, we are off to bed. Tomorrow, Scarlet Lady will be docked in Cozumel, Mexico.

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 10/8/23 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 10/8/23

Day 1 - Embarkation in Miami

We embark Scarlet Lady for our first even Virgin Voyages cruises.

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.

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.

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.

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.