If you thought Scarlet Lady was a game-changer, just wait until you experience the charms of her little sister ship Valiant Lady. Onboard, sailors will find the same playful blueprint as the first and original Virgin Voyages ship which calls the Caribbean home, although Valiant Lady’s habitat is the easy, breezy Mediterranean – a match made in heaven, in our opinion. We break down the adult-by-design ship’s star qualities one by one…
Your cruise crash pad
You know we said there were no obvious differences between Valiant and Scarlet? We forgot to mention that the Sea Terrace cabins have been upgraded following guest feedback. The Seabed is now a bed from the get-go – although it can still be configured as a sofa on request – while the improved storage and introduction of warm wood accents gives a boutique yet homely feel. You’ll still find all the innovative tech touches including a tablet with mood lighting options, movies and room service on request, curtain controls and lots of USB ports. Sailors wanting to push the boat out can check into one of the 78 RockStar Quarters including two Massive Suites with RockStar Agents, record players and hot tubs. By the way, 86 per cent of Valiant Lady’s cabins have their own balcony.
Dine out on this
Firstly, there’s no need to be suited and booted for dinner – sailors can wear what the hell they like, whenever they like. There’s no main restaurant and all food is included in the cruise fare; choose from a number of standalone dining options oozing designer style, personality and ambience thanks to a crack design team including Tom Dixon, Roman & Williams and Concrete Amsterdam. And forget the traditional cruise ship buffet – in its place is a contemporary food hall style space selling street food and grab-and-go items including salads and bento boxes to graze on by the pool.
Wellness x workouts
Sailor wellbeing, or Vitamin Sea, as Virgin likes to call it, is a big deal. When it’s time to detox after the retox, there are extensive indoor and outdoor workout spaces with high tech and also retro equipment, a running track, classes including sunrise yoga and group workouts, and a superb spa and thermal suite including mudroom to rival any five-star hotel. Treatments include Recovery Salt Stone Massage using pink Himalayan salt stones, Remedy Vitamin-Infused facial crafted with superfoods and minerals, and Absolution Quartz Bed Massage performed on a bed of amber crystals.
Let them entertain you
The innovation continues in the eclectic, boundary-pushing entertainment schedule. Want to chill and play a board game? No problem. Fancy a high energy 80s workout with complimentary leg warmers thrown in? Absolutely! Or do you just want to be entertained by some of the most talented and diverse performers on the ocean and watch acrobatic dance duels and risqué adult-themed shows? The Red Room is the place to head; this clever space converts to a club or auditorium style set up, depending on what’s happening. For those who simply want to dance the night away to live music and DJs, The Manor has a two storey layout and sexy superclub vibe – music is part of Virgin’s DNA, after all.