Aussie Preview Sailing Virgin Voyages Dec 23
Virgin Voyages Aussie Preview Sailing
I was lucky enough to travel on Virgin Voyages Resilient Lady for her Australian preview sailing travelling from Sydney to Melbourne in December 2023. The two nights went incredibly fast as I packed in as much as possible to have the fullest experience on this brand-new, adults-only cruise.
Getting on board
Using the Virgin Voyages app I was able to get a head start on the check in process making it very quick and easy at boarding time as I had completed everything before my arrival at the port. During embarkation I was given The Band which is a waterproof bracelet used to access your cabin, as well as complete touchless payments onboard.
Accommodation
My cabin was a Sea Terrace with a balcony which featured a red terrace hammock. At approximately 18/19 square metres in size, the cabin was modern and similar size to other cruises ships I have sailed on. Sea Terrace cabins can sleep 2-4 people and there are multiple configurations available for this. For twin share, the bed does split in two, but they are arranged in an L-shape layout rather than side by side to maximise cabin space.
Complimentary water was available in the cabin along with an IPAD that controls the TV, lights, and curtains. In the cupboard I found a safe and plenty of hanging space. The bathroom is small, as they often are on a cruise ship, but was easily big enough for one person at a time with a rain shower, complimentary shampoo, conditioner and body wash, storage for your toiletries and fluff towels and face washers.
Virgin Voyages offer several different accommodation options including larger sea terrace cabins, as well as solo cabins. I also had the opportunity to see some of the luxury suite categories offered and I highly recommend this option if you are looking for a larger-sized room. Featuring marble clad bathrooms and premium amenities, you’ll also enjoy early check in, your own private lounge area, complimentary in-room bar and more.
Restaurants, Bars and Drinks
On board you’ll find over 20 eateries, all of which are included in your fare – no specialty dining costs! The available options include Mexican, steak and seafood, Korean BBQ, Italian, pizza, burgers, desserts and more. Along with your food, soft drink and bottled water is also all included. The restaurants and eateries featured made to order menus – no buffets – so the food was always hot (or cold) and fresh.
On the first evening, we had dinner at The Manor to watch “Another Rose” (additional charge of $50 USD) as drinks are included. The show was interesting - a cabaret love story with acrobatics - and probably not something I would have paid for had I not seen it on the ship. On the second night we had dinner at Gunbae(Korean BBQ) which was great and a lot of fun.
For breakfasts, I ate at both The Wake (brunch menu) and Razzle Dazzle which I especially enjoyed the style and atmosphere of. They also offer an all-day boozy brunch at this venue! Next time I’m on board, I can’t wait to come back to try the Mexican and Italian restaurants which I heard from my fellow passengers were brilliant. There is plenty of bars onboard also but try as I might, I didn’t have the chance to see them all – there’s always next time!
Entertainment
I was lucky enough to experience “Scarlet Night”, the ship’s sail away party earlier in the week prior to sailing, as the rain set in on our first night and the party was moved from the pool to an indoors venue. On this night, guests don their finest red outfits and join in the party dancing in and around the pool. Whilst I was onboard, I also caught the end of Peresphone which looked good and the Miss Behave (game) Show. The other onboard entertainment options were wide and varied and best enjoyed with an open mind.
Spa and Fitness Centre
The Spa was my favourite location on the ship, where for $71 USD I was able to spend three hours enjoying the mud room, salt room, sauna, steam room, hot and cold plunge pools and heated hammam benches. This is a beautiful place to relax, and the spa offers various treatments including hot stone massage and seaweed wraps making it easy to lose track of time and spend hours here.
The gym looked amazing, fitted out with various equipment and weights as well as offering classes like HIIT, Barre and Spin that don’t cost anything extra. I personally got the chance to hit the outdoor running track – The Runway – which is red (of course) and stretched around 225 metres long.
Final thoughts
Overall, it was a quick 2-night sailing but so much fun! I believe the ship has something for those who are there for the fun times as well as those who just want to relax and enjoy the food and bars. The public areas on the ship are wonderful, from private cabanas to places where you can play board games with the new friends you meet on board. The staff are wonderful, service tended to be a little slower than I expected in the restaurants, but the food was worth the wait. The onboard entertainment on the other hand, was unique and perhaps not for everyone.
Would I sail with Virgin again – YES!! I am looking forward to getting back onboard in February so I can get a better feel for all of the entertainment and dining options - as well as hitting the spa again!
Join us on my Girl’s Getaway sailing on board Resilient Lady on a return trip from Sydney to Burnie, TAS and back. Departing on 15th February 2024, cabins are limited to get in touch now if you’re interested.