A ship we’ve all been waiting to see! Virgin Voyages’ first ever cruise ship, Scarlet Lady, has made her highly-anticipated debut in the UK, arriving in Dover yesterday (Feb. 20).
Richard Branson’s new cruise line has offered sneak peeks before with concept art, but for the first time it revealed images from on board the ship and it looks like passengers (or sailors, as VV calls us) are in for quite a unique experience. (Scroll down too see all the pictures!)
Scarlet Lady is the first ‘Lady ship’ of four in Virgin Voyages’ new adult by design, luxury fleet, which aims to redefine the cruise industry by bringing the luxury of a boutique hotel to the seas. Scarlet Lady boasts dazzling contemporary design and experiences to reinvigorate the cruise industry! Scarlet Lady won’t be offering a traditional cruise holiday experience, as the brand looks to target a younger adults-only audience, mainly the millennial market but they’re also counting on experienced cruisers and young-at-heart sailors offering them something different from other cruise lines!
Scarlet Lady
Virgin Voyages created a ship that allows Sailors (we are no longer called cruisers!) to travel in style with special experiences and design-led spaces. With interiors created by designers such as Tom Dixon and Roman and Williams, the adult-by-design ship gives its Sailors a lot to fall in love with, including an industry-first focus on Well-Being with a host of ‘Vitamin Sea’ offerings such as B-Complex gym programs to balance, build, burn and bike, as well as The Perch, designed for outdoor yoga.
Foodies will be spoiled for choice as the ship boasts over 20 restaurants and bars, including vegetarian-forward cuisine (Razzle Dazzle), experiential creations (Test Kitchen) and concepts by world-class chefs like the Michelin Starred Brad Farmerie and Sohui Kim.
Sailors on every Scarlet Lady voyage will learn what it means to Set Sail The Virgin Way, with all dining experiences, group workout classes, basic beverages (soft drinks, coffee and water), gratuities and Wi-Fi included in the base cruise fare, regardless of room category. I love this! So much is included in your cruise fare, so consider than when you’re looking at some of their cruises! Entertainment and shows on board feature gigs, DJ sets, drag artists and more – all of which are unlike anything you will find at sea.
It will also host special On Deck voyages with globally renowned DJ talent such as Mark Ronson, Diplo, MK and Sofi Tukker, providing up-close and personal appearances at its own private spot on the island, The Bimini Beach Club. The retreat offers Sailors a beautiful Bahamian oasis, relaxation and wellness offerings like beachside yoga, or DJ-fueled poolside fun in the sun.
“I have dreamed of starting my own cruise line since I was in my 20s and I’m thrilled that moment has arrived. The Scarlet Lady is truly special and we’ve worked with some of the world’s most sought-after designers, artists and architects to craft an extraordinary experience. The benefit of our five decades in business in so many industries is that we can offer a voyage like no other.”Richard Branson
Cabins
Cabins are also quite elegant cabins with loads of space and ocean views – but a real highlight comes in the form of the Rockstar Suites.
Guests staying in these will not only get luxury offerings in the form of huge beds, ensuite bathrooms and spacious balconies, but the Mega Rockstar Suites and Rockstar suites offer heaps of extra perks such as bespoke experiences at each port of call, complimentary laundry service(mega), drinks, and a free personalised in-room bottomless bar (mega).
In fact, there are 15 ‘Mega Rockstar’ suites on board, but 78 RockStar Suites in total, all designed by Tom Dixon’s Design Research Studio.
I know that I wouldn’t be staying in a RockStar suite, luckily there are choices for us on-budget cruisers as well… or should I say on-budget Sailors! On board Scarlet Lady you will also find inside cabins and Sea Terrace cabins, even equipped with a hammock on the balcony, how fun!
Environmentally friendly
Virgin Voyages is one of first cruise lines to use Climeon, a technology that utilizes heat generated from the ship’s engines to generate electricity, thereby decreasing the demand for fuel. Scarlet Lady we also be single-use plastic free!
Not only has the brand designed its fleet of ships to the latest energy-efficiency standards with state-of-the art equipment, Virgin Voyages is offsetting its direct climate change emissions through the purchase of carbon offsets.
This commitment makes the brand the first cruise line to become carbon-neutral for its direct emissions footprint from its first day of commercial operation. The projects that will be supported by Scarlet Lady will meet high-quality, internationally-recognized verification standards, including The Gold Standard and the Verified Carbon Standard.
Scarlet Lady’s voyage to Miami
Scarlet Lady set sail from Genoa, Italy on Valentine’s Day where she was built at the Fincantieri shipyard. Her voyages from Miami will offer stops in Costa Maya in Mexico, Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic, Key West and The Bahamas. The ship will later be joined by sister liner Valiant Lady which features seven-night Mediterranean itineraries out of Barcelona, Spain when she debuts in May 2021. Valiant Lady will be perfect for us European Sailors!
Scarlet Lady will travel from Dover to Liverpool before sailing to the US for her Maiden Voyage around the Caribbean in April.
I am excited to see more photos, videos and reviews of this ship and the onboard experience. I am also really excited to see what the future holds for this cruise line. Based on the target audience I feel like the market isn’t big enough at present but I could be wrong – we shall see! My question is, will regular cruisers want to cruise on her more than other ships? Will the target market want or be able to keep coming back to cruise on her in numbers to fill spaces…
If you’d like to read more about another brand new ship, check out my review of the brand new Costa ship, Costa Smeralda or if you are a first time cruiser check out my top 30 tips for first time cruisers!
As always, thank you for reading!
