Virgin Voyages Celebrates a Unique and Ever-Evolving Cruise Travel Experience

Founded by a larger-than-life entrepreneur in Richard Branson, the Virgin brand has always prided itself on being disruptive and its burgeoning cruise line, Virgin Voyages, is doing just that in perhaps the best way possible.

TravelPulse was fortunate enough to board the line's most recent five-night Celebration Voyage aboard Valiant Lady—the line's second ship, which debuted in March 2022.

The lively round-trip cruise from Miami featured stops in Cozumel, Mexico and Virgin's private beach club in Bimini, Bahamas.

Founded as recently as 2014 and debuting at the turn of the decade, the adults-only or kid-free cruise line (Virgin prefers the latter) has already racked up numerous awards and accolades, specifically those related to entertainment and dining.

While its lack of history or price tag may scare some travelers away, it's important to remember that Virgin offers an all-inclusive experience so guests don't pay extra for meals at more than 20 eateries, soft drinks, water, Wi-Fi, group fitness classes, entertainment or have to worry about tips or gratuities.

I know what you're thinking, but Virgin Voyages isn't a party cruise line or a ship for swingers. This is a cruise line that plays by its own rules in the best way possible, partnering with Michelin-starred chefs, focusing on original entertainment content rather than licensing past hits, and remaining open-minded and perhaps even fearless when it comes to evolving.

That can happen faster than some of its loyal sailors may like from time to time. For example, a beloved menu item may have to be sacrificed for a brand-new restaurant concept.

A One-of-a-Kind Caribbean Celebration

The special sailing featured a star-studded guest list that included not only Branson but Virgin Voyages executives, including CEO Nirmal Saverimuttu, COO Michelle Bentubo, Chief Brand & Marketing Officer Nathan Rosenberg and Frank Weber, SVP of Fleet Operations, culminating with the highly anticipated arrival of reggaeton pioneer Nicky Jam (newly-signed to the Virgin Music Group), who performed an energetic set on the pool deck to cap off a whirlwind sailing.

Good vibes were constant on this special sailing, but there was also plenty of time for reflecting on just how far this line has come—remember, it's first ship (Scarlet Lady) launched at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as a look at where it's headed.

Onboard panels and Q&As were open to all sailors and provided fascinating insights into how Virgin Voyages became what it is today and what it has planned for the future.

"We believe that we are building this with you. That feedback comes back to us, not just from our first-time cruisers but also from our Sailing Club (Virgin Voyages' loyalty program). You do share your feedback. We read it all and the fact that you take the time to write those letters or send us text messages is really helpful as we think about what's next and the evolution of the brand," said Bentubo.

The cruise also featured extensive ship tours, immersive calligraphy workshops and hammock weaving lessons in addition to sunrise yoga sessions and talks focused on the brand's strategic thinking as well as a thorough breakdown of wet and dry docks.

The Beach Club at Bimini

The sailing included an initial call in Cozumel, Mexico, where many passengers departed to experience Chichen Itza and the iconic Mayan Ruins, swim in cenotes, and partake in culinary and dancing classes, among other excursions, which Virgin dubs "Shore Things."

However, the Caribbean is vast and one constant for Virgin Voyages guests is disembarking at the brand's private island destination in Bimini, Bahamas.

The Beach Club at Bimini is just a short tram ride from the pier and remains consistent with the onboard experience.

If you do decide to pass on a shore excursion in the Bahamas, help yourself to poolside or oceanfront loungers (cabanas and daybeds are also available to reserve) and indulge in some complimentary Caribbean favorites like jerk chicken, pumpkin curry, rice, beans and even rum cake.

Rum punches, ice-cold Coronas and other libations are just as easy to acquire by tapping your wearable at one of the island's many bars. In addition to pool and ocean access, guests can play games like cornhole, volleyball, MegaChess and more.

The music is louder the closer you are to the DJ booth by the pool, of course, but you can still sing and dance along from anywhere in the club, even waist deep in the ocean.

Big Swings, Some Misses and Many Successes

From the Virgin Voyages leadership team to travel advisors (which Virgin Voyages affectionately calls First Mates) and loyal sailors, this Celebration Voyage featured plenty of key players and thus there was plenty to be discussed.

Virgin Voyages CEO Nirmal Saverimuttu was omnipresent around the ship, chatting with guests and addressing criticisms and concerns while also touting Virgin's next steps en route to elevating its guest experience.

Saverimuttu admitted leadership got it wrong when it came to Valiant Lady's pool size—the tiny shape can make for crowds on days spent at sea—and noted communication misses whether its trying to sell a cruise line as adults-only versus kid-free or pricing where Virgin's all-inclusive perks can be overlooked by those travelers simply focused on cost rather than value.

Ultimately, Virgin Voyages is getting it right far more often and hasn't been afraid to keep things fresh.

The food is beyond worthy of its impressive trophy case, but the brand isn't resting on its laurels.

"When we think about restaurants, we think about them as experiences. Other hospitality brands and cruise lines think about them as just changing the venues. If you think about other experiences you've had, particularly big hospitality experiences, they go from one restaurant to the next, but the service experience is the same; it's a three-course meal, the wait staff are all wearing the same thing, it's the same music, the same table setting. It's not any different other than the cuisine is different," said Saverimuttu.

"We think about it as the whole experience has to change. The design should be different. The menu should be different. The look and feel of it. There should be shared plates or three-course meals, because if we're dining in a major city around the world, we don't get the same serving experience in every restaurant we go to," he added.

Learning quick lessons and welcoming change have been paramount to the cruise line's success and another example is its plans for its newest ship, Brilliant Lady, which will debut this September.

"We're going to open things up and create much more indoor seating so that when we are in Alaska, in particular, you'll be able to see all of the landscape around you. We're changing all of the Roundabout area on both the port and starboard side to make something that feels more like a communal hangout area," said Saverimuttu.

A Brand Built on Sustainability

Virgin Voyages has committed to achieving Net Zero Carbon emissions by 2050, and one of the ways it's doing so is by eliminating single-use plastics, embracing smart and energy-efficient technologies from LED lighting to room sensors as well as bypassing the traditional buffet system, which can be incredibly wasteful.

The line is also experimenting with multiple fuel tanks on its ships so that biofuels can be utilized whenever possible.

"This gives us the flexibility to switch to different fuels based on what the demand is going to be. I think fuel and power generation is going to be a big piece for us," said Frank Weber, SVP of Fleet Operations.

The Virgin Voyages App

Overall, the Virgin Voyages app is easy to use, but user reviews have been less than stellar and executives admitted that they may have rolled out too many features too fast, leading to some headaches for sailors.

For instance, a shake for champagne feature that allows guests to connect to Bluetooth and wiggle their phone to have bubbly delivered to them wherever they are on the ship was a bit ambitious.

However, a new and improved app focused on stability to limit crashes is coming this summer and that unique feature is poised to return shortly after when the technology is up to task.

"The first thing that we are going to clean up is stability because we believe that's the most frustrating part about it. Once we get that done, we'll then start to work on usability," said Saverimuttu.

The Ship Eats room service feature has also been a point of contention for some app users, but the Virgin team plans to address these headaches with the coming update.

Personally, the app experience was relatively seamless and certainly aided by the fact that Virgin Voyages offers complimentary Wi-Fi, which gets stronger when the ship is docked in port.

Brilliant Lady's Debut and What's Ahead

Virgin plans to welcome its fourth ship with the debut of Brilliant Lady this fall. Its arrival will bring the cruise line to New York City and open up unique opportunities for passengers with their sights set on the West Coast, as it'll be equipped to navigate the Panama Canal and sail to Alaska.

Like its three sister ships, Brilliant Lady will have its very own mermaid. "Every ship has its own sense of identity. So traveling with one of our lady ships does have a sense of adventure and exploration based on the venues, entertainment and the places it goes," said Nathan Rosenberg, Chief Brand & Marketing Officer at Virgin Voyages.

"A lot of people talk about bigger is better and all of that, no, it's about the combination of people, the places that you go, and the things you do."

Red Hot Sailing Club Voyages Coming in 2026

Virgin also announced that its Celebration Voyages will become Red Hot Sailing Club Voyages beginning in 2026, rewarding its most loyal passengers with similarly music-centric cruises featuring behind-the-scenes insights and unique activities and experiences.

In the meantime, there are still two Celebration Voyages remaining for 2025. Kathy Sledge of hitmaking vocal group Sister Sledge will headline an 11-night Mediterranean sailing aboard Resilient Lady from Athens, Greece, departing May 18, while Melanie C (Sporty Spice) of Spice Girls fame will DJ aboard a five-night sailing from Lisbon, Portugal, departing July 22.

Both are members of the Virgin Music Group family.

Next year, the newly named Red Hot Sailing Club Voyage will debut on March 12, 2026, sailing from Miami for the Caribbean with revamped entertainment and programming.

Virgin Voyages Isn't for Everyone But It Is for Anyone

"We've always talked about a brand that feels premium quality but great value for money and a lot of people don't think those two things go hand in hand. They associate value for money with being cheap," said Saverimuttu, noting the impact of inflation of late and arguing that Virgin Voyages' pricing is competitive with any hotel or all-inclusive resort.

"If you think about what we offer, I do think we offer tremendous value. The fact that we don't nickel and dime you for things like Wi-Fi or soft drinks."

Virgin Voyages isn't perfect and the kid-free appeal isn't for everyone, especially families afraid to leave their little ones behind or solo travelers hesitant to make new friends. Virgin offers cruise ship classics like themed nights, a casino, fitness centers, arcade games and communal activities like trivia, bingo, live music and more so you'll never feel left out and easy and fun solo sailor events even make it easy to meet fellow singles minus the awkwardness.

But as Rosenberg pointed out, harkening back to his own personal journey in forming a run club on the ship, traveling without the kids and embarking on a new challenge is a wellness decision that should be met without judgment or regret.

Virgin is a brand built on "no regrets" and travelers embracing that mantra will feel right at home.

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