5 things I liked and 3 I hated about my adult-only cruise on Virgin Voyages

I recently returned from my first Virgin Voyages cruise, and there were a few aspects of my vacation that I preferred over family-friendly lines like Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and MSC Cruises. 

I've been cruising since I was five years old. Since then, I've been on over 30 cruises, ranging from the largest ships in the world (i.e., Icon of the Seas) to more modest vessels. 

Being in my mid-20s and child-free, I'm often annoyed by the rambunctious children on cruise ships, particularly during peak travel periods. 

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As such, I finally decided to sail with Virgin Voyages, an adult-only line that offers a different take on the traditional cruise experience — with no kids in sight. 

Virgin Voyages is a relatively new line, with its first ship, Scarlet Lady, embarking on her inaugural cruise in 2021. 

In just four years, the cruise line has developed a loyal following and a reputation for doing things differently, and in many ways, better.

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I spent 5 days onboard the brand-new Brilliant Lady, sailing from New York City to Bermuda. Although not everything was perfect, I quickly began to understand the appeal of an adults-only cruise. 

Here's what I loved about sailing with Virgin Voyages, along with three cons that are worth considering. 

Read more: I took my first Virgin Voyages cruise on its newest ship. Here are my brutally honest thoughts

First, I loved my modern and functional interior stateroom

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Although Virgin Voyages is known for its innovative balcony cabins with private hammocks, my partner and I decided to cut corners and book the cheapest cabin on our cruise. 

That said, I was impressed with our inside stateroom. It was stylish, comfortable, and functional, complete with a touch-screen tablet that could adjust the lights, control the television, and more. 

It was filled with other thoughtful touches, too. I loved the complimentary water (refilled daily), mat for hot hairstyling tools, and small towelettes for removing makeup. 

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My biggest complaint was the lack of storage, particularly in the tiny bathroom. Thankfully, I brought my hanging toiletries organizer, or the small vanity would have felt cluttered. 

Read more: I chose an inside cabin on my recent Virgin Voyages cruise because it was the cheapest option

The inclusive fare made it seem like we weren't being nickel-and-dimed

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Sailing on Brilliant Lady's "MerMaiden" voyage wasn't cheap, but it wasn't the most expensive cruise I've ever taken, either. Costing $2,010 for two people, the cruise fare included our accommodation, basic Wi-Fi, gratuities, port fees, all dining, and essential drinks — think drip coffee, soda, water, tea, etc. 

There were definitely plenty of opportunities to spend extra, but nothing felt overly pushy or necessary. For example, although the included Wi-Fi wasn’t the fastest, it was fine for basic web-browsing, texting, and casual social media scrolling. 

Not having to budget extra for gratuities was nice, too. Cruise lines like Royal Caribbean and Norwegian charge over $18 per person, per day in gratuities (or tips), on top of the base fare. 

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Because Virgin includes them in the base fare, cruisers don't have to worry about tip envelopes left by cabin stewards or end-of-cruise surprises. 

However, things like alcoholic beverages, bingo cards, cabanas, shore excursions, spa treatments, and premium Wi-Fi were still an extra charge. 

The edgy entertainment was different and fun

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I loved Virgin Voyages' distinctive approach to entertainment. There weren't any traditional production shows like you might see in other ships' main theaters. Instead, Virgin's entertainment line-up consisted of everything from drag bingo to murder mystery performances. 

The drag performances were my favorite. My partner and I often attend drag brunches at home, so we loved enjoying the same upbeat, sassy vibe at sea. The drag queen, Dixie Krystals, hosted multiple events throughout our sailing, too. 

Although we didn't make it to drag bingo, we attended the late-night Bingo Blitz, country-inspired Diva Goes West drag performance, and impromptu storytime in The Roundabout. 

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Another pro was that each performance felt more intimate than those on larger vessels. Dixie Krystals even incorporated the audience into her Diva Goes West performance, with cruisers joining her on stage for fun challenges. 

While aboard Brilliant Lady, we also caught the brand-new Murder in the Manor show. The one-hour comedy focuses on uncovering who was behind the untimely death of pop star Sheena and is a must-see. 

There's no noisy main dining room or buffet

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There are no main dining rooms aboard Virgin's cruise ships. Instead, there are six different restaurants, all dishing up different cuisines like Korean BBQ, Italian, Mexican, and more. 

The concept was great. Reservations go quickly, but we never waited long when we arrived at 5:45 p.m. and asked to sit at the bar. 

That said, the food left a lot to be desired. For example, my partner was served crunchy pasta at Extra Virgin, and the texture and flavor of the Tamal de Chocolate dessert at Pink Agave didn't hit the mark. 

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Not everything was a disappointment, though. I loved the guacamole and chicken enchiladas at Pink Agave, as well as the filet mignon at The Wake and Dakgangjeong crispy chicken at Gunbae. 

All four of Virgin's ships have a tattoo parlor onboard

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When Scarlet Lady launched with the first-ever tattoo parlor at sea, I knew that if I ever sailed with Virgin Voyages, I had to prioritize getting a tattoo at sea. 

Less than two hours after Squid Ink began accepting appointments on embarkation day, they were nearly booked for the entire 5-day cruise. Thankfully, we had confirmed reservations for the first sea day. 

I was taken aback when we were quoted $350 for a small fine line piece, but I couldn't say no. The tattoo took less than fifteen minutes. Comparatively, I paid $450 for a 4-inch fine-line floral piece back home that took hours to complete. 

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It was worth it as a one-time thing, though. The price was high, but it wasn't just about the artwork — we were also paying for the experience of getting a tattoo at sea. 

There were a few annoying drawbacks to my adult-only cruise: the tiny pool deck, long lines, and the absence of a traditional drink package

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No cruise ship is perfect. Going into my Virgin experience, I knew there would be things that I wasn't a big fan of. For example, the small pool deck was a drawback. With just one main pool and a smaller wellness pool, space was limited. The pool deck often felt crowded, too. 

Moving on, the lines around the ship were annoying. If we weren't waiting in line for a show, we were waiting to order food at The Galley — and then had to wait again for our buzzer to tell us that the food was ready. 

The availability of fast-casual dining was almost non-existent, minus a few grab-and-go salads, wraps, and pastries. 

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Finally, I wish Virgin would offer a drink package. Although they have their bar tab, which lets guests earn "free" money to spend on drinks by pre-purchasing a certain amount, it's not the same as paying a fixed daily price for beverages.