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AHOY, SAILORS: Let loose on adults-only Virgin Voyages cruise line

Leave your inhibitions and your judgment at home on Richard Branson's ships

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It doesn’t happen too often, but you know when you get the feeling that something is notably different than anything you’ve experienced before — and that you kinda really like it?

Nothing like leaving your inhibitions on shore and sailing away feeling fun and free.

That was the vibe I had as I wandered the decks of the Valiant Lady, familiarizing myself after boarding Virgin Voyages’ second of three “lady ships” in its fleet, which expands to four later next year.

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It wasn’t just the design and decor, though playful names like Lick Me Till … Ice Cream for the ice cream parlour certainly set a tone.

It was more the demeanour and expressions of both my fellow passengers, or “Sailors” in Virgin Voyages lingo, and the crew. It was like everyone was letting loose and feeling free to be themselves without any constrictions due to what the children would think — because on Virgin Voyages, it’s 18-plus only, baby! And these adults were ready to let loose and have a good time — so, in other words, it was just the right jam for a long-weekend getaway for me and my big sister.

That air of freedom is exactly what Virgin Voyages executives were going for when they launched the first ship in 2021. Our cruise was a “Celebration Voyage,” and the ship guests included execs all the way up to Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson himself. It was a telling eye-opener to the company watching these corporate honchos mingle with Sailors like regular people and not the billionaire Branson is.

Virgin Voyages
Chess fan Sir Richard Branson plays with a passenger on Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady. CYNTHIA MCLEOD/TORONTO SUN

Virgin Voyages CEO Nirmal Saverimuttu says they chose to build a culture that could sustain itself at sea and that started with encouraging the crew to be themselves instead of regulating how they interact with Sailors.

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“Our crew is the most important part of this, we need them to shine, and our job is to make them shine, so how can we invest in our crew?” he told passengers during an open forum.

They decided to make the crew — who on our ship came from about 82 countries — feel at home by giving them access to free WiFi, better food, and paying for their uniforms, travel and pre-employment medicals.

“I think what you see when you come on board is there’s a unique feeling from day one which feeds into the Sailor experience, and I do believe it comes from that crew experience and making sure they feel seen and heard,” Saverimuttu said.

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As for Sailors, he said execs mapped out about 300 different touch points of the customer journey and then focused on the areas where they believed they needed to excel while also matching the “brilliant basics” of other cruise lines. Plus, sailor feedback also has a big role.

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“We read your social forums, we see what you want, and I think as a brand we are never afraid to get stuff wrong and improve,” Saverimuttu noted. “The brand has been co-created with our crew and our Sailors, and I think that’s why it is the product it is today.”

The glitter hallway leading to The Manor on Virgin Voyages' Valiant Lady is every Instagrammer's dream. CYNTHIA MCLEOD/TORONTO SUN
The glitter hallway leading to the two-floor The Manor nightclub on Virgin Voyages’ Valiant Lady is every Instagrammer’s dream. CYNTHIA MCLEOD/TORONTO SUN

The relaxed feeling also extends to the officers, as the captain and leadership don’t wear stripes — intentionally, to not be hierarchical. In that vein, instead of a cruise director they have 12 “Happenings Cast” members with titles like the Hostess, the Foodie and the Artist who run the onboard activities, of which there are plenty for the 2,762-passenger capacity ships.

The signature event each voyage is Scarlet Night, a “celebration of the fabled love between the mysterious Goddess of the Sea and the Sailor who won her heart.” There’s no formal dress code on board but packing some red threads isn’t a bad idea — but if you don’t, no worries either, there’s not a lot of judgment happening on Virgin Voyages. (TIP: Leave any uptightness you have at home as this cruise line isn’t the place for it!) Same goes for the PJs party night — wear some out in public or don’t, it’s up to you.

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The entertainment on board isn’t typical — which fits with the Virgin brand. No Broadway-style shows here — we had jaw-dropping acrobatic performances of Romeo and Juliet, plus live music and a comedian (who happened to be from Ontario, natch!)

Virgin Voyages
The Scarlet Night dance party on Deck 15 on Valiant Lady. Wear red or the lights will take care of the splash of red for you. CYNTHIA MCLEOD/TORONTO SUN

In addition to the bars and nightclub, for fun indoors there are slots and tables in a casino, board games aplenty, a vintage arcade with such gems as Donkey Kong and Stargate, Japanese-style karaoke rooms, and organized games like bingo where “finding the G spot” jokes were aplenty.

Or, if you’re looking for a souvenir that you’ll never lose, you can book an appointment with Squid Ink, the first-at-sea tattoo and piercing parlour. The staff was handpicked by Lou Rubino Jr., an industry legend behind World Famous Tattoo Ink and Freshly Inked Magazine, so the lines at sea should be smooth.

Outdoors, we spent every day in the hot tub or pool, spaces designed for either just relaxing or having fun and making new friends.

“One thing we always say is that everyone is welcome here,” chief marketing officer Nathan Rosenberg told us.

And you could truly see that on the pool deck with the diversity of the passengers partying together.

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Virgin Voyages
The Aquatic Club on Deck 15 of Valiant Lady is set up for poolside drinks and mingling. CYNTHIA MCLEOD/TORONTO SUN

As for the food, there are 20-plus eateries included with the fare and no traditional cruise buffets. Execs wanted a different experience and cuisine in each and hired people into the restaurants based on their attitude and then trained them.

With menus at some of the sit-down restaurants (which you make reservations for and are served made-to-order food) curated by Michelin star chefs, Branson told us the aim is to “treat people to a really special night out.”

“We want people to feel like they’ve gone to the best restaurant in New York or the best restaurant in London or L.A. and to have a variety of choice,” he said, adding massive lineups for buffets are “one of the worst things about big cruise companies.”

We really enjoyed the food and experience at Gunbae (which means “cheers”), the first-to-sea Korean BBQ. Our server Wanni had us laughing with soju drinking games (alcohol is extra) while she cooked up our delicious meal at our table served in a family and sharing style.

Virgin Voyages
Some shrimp on the barbie in Gumbae Korean restaurant on Valiant Lady. CYNTHIA MCLEOD/TORONTO SUN

At the unique concept The Test Kitchen, the menu only tells the main ingredient of each course and then you get the explanation as it’s being served. Michelin star chef Matt Lambert followed the technique of Auguste Escoffier for the exquisite dishes that will challenge your palette.

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The many other options include specialty restaurants Extra Virgin Italian eatery, Pink Agave with Mexican dishes, The Wake steak and seafood house, and North American cuisine at Razzle Dazzle.

To balance all the delicious food choices, wellness is another aspect Virgin Voyages offers on board in plentitude. Group fitness classes like “90s Boy Band Dance Class, a larger-than-life boy band choreography session” are included and B-Complex gym has both cardio and strength-training sections. There’s also an outdoor running track, court and random workout spaces around the decks when you feel the need to do chin-ups.

And when it’s time to sleep it off, there are 1,404 modern and hi-tech cabins and suites — 86% of which feature the cruise line’s signature Sea Terrace hammock for yet another photo for the ‘Gram.

Virgin Voyages
Once you get the hang of it, the hammock in our Sea Terrace cabin on Valiant Lady was pretty fun to sit in to watch the sunset. CYNTHIA MCLEOD/TORONTO SUN

At the end of our voyage, we walked off feeling like this was a unique experience. A morning message in the cruise app one day aptly summed up the Virgin Voyages vibe: “Come together, get sparkly and let your most inspired curiosities bubble to the top of today’s experiences.”

IF YOU GO

Virgin Voyages has an exclusive offer for Canadians if you book before the end of 2024 to travel through the end of 2025. The deal: 50% off a Sea Terrace for two (that means the second Sailor sails free) plus up to $300 in bar tab depending on the length of the voyage. Go to virginvoyages.com to book and use Access Key CAEXCLUSIVE at checkout. Note: Currency used must be in CAD. Travellers must add details for both Sailors during the booking process. Canadians must bring proof of residency to the ship.

cmcleod@postmedia.com

Virgin Voyages
Valiant Lady is the second of three Virgin Voyages ships currently at sea, with a fourth launching in 2025. CYNTHIA MCLEOD/TORONTO SUN

Virgin Voyages
The beach at the Beach Club at Bimini in the Bahamas is a sweet spot during a Virgin Voyages cruise. CYNTHIA MCLEOD/TORONTO SUN

The Beach Club at Bimini
While we planted ourselves on the beach, other Valiant Lady passengers frolicked in the pool at the Beach Club at Bimini. CYNTHIA MCLEOD/TORONTO SUN

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