Ahoy sailor! The Babes That Wander and I just got back from an epic trip on Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady. We spent 6 nights aboard the Valiant Lady ship enjoying the sunshine and western Caribbean charm. While the babes always have an amazing time together, this time was extra special because we got to bring our partners with us!
Virgin Voyages is a cruise ship created by Richard Branson. Branson was the mind behind Virgin Records, Virgin Atlantic Airlines, and Virgin Hotels. It’s a brand known for its use of the color red and fun, party atmosphere. I’m going to fill you in on all the details of what to pack and do on your trip in today’s post!
Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady: The Ultimate Couple’s Trip
So let’s start with getting there. To board the Valiant Lady or its sister ships Scarlet Lady and Resilient Lady, you fly into Miami or Fort Lauderdale and take a car to Port V in Port of Miami.
We flew into Fort Lauderdale the night before and tickets from Nashville round trip were only $100 for my husband and me. We got a hotel and were rested and ready to get on our cruise on Sunday. While in Miami, we also took advantage of a ride-share service called Alto. You can use this code to try it in one of the participating cities and learn more about what makes their service better than the others.
When you arrive at the Virgin Port, you’ll either enter through the general admission boarding or if you’re Rockstar status, hang in the Rockstar Lounge. We splurged for Rockstar Status and it was SO worth it. Around 1:30 p.m. ET, after meeting up with most of the group in the lounge, we were able to board the Valiant Lady. While checking in, you put on the wristband provided and you keep that on you at all times. The wristband gets you into your room, pays for drinks, and gets you on and off the ship if you disembark during excursions. While all food and tips are covered on the Valiant Lady, drinks are not. You use your wristband to pay for the cocktails and the card on file will charge you once the ship disembarks.
When you board, you can go straight to your room but we decided to start off in the Manor talking to the Virgin staff about dinner reservations and excursions. Plus there was free champagne for Rockstars!
Before the trip, we were able to book all of our brunches and dinners in the Virgin Voyages app. However since we were a group of 10, we had to break our reservation into two groups of five. Thankfully the Virgin staff was able to rework our reservations so we could all sit together which was nice.
Once our excursions and meals were booked we got to see our rooms. We booked a Sea Terrace room. Whether you’re getting ready inside at the glam area, rinsing off in your Roomy Rainshower, or relaxing outside on your hand-woven terrace hammock (that almost all of the Sea Terraces offer), the Sea Terrace spaces are designed to give you sweeping views of the horizon and a comfy Queen sized bed to rest in.
What to Do on the Ship
As always, check your app and reserve any activities you think sound fun. On the Western Caribbean Charm cruise, we did there were two full days at sea to enjoy the ship. These are just a few things our group did!
Poker Night – While the ladies took in the One Woman Drag Show, the guys bonded over a game of poker.
Whiskey Tasting – Another activity for the guys was an hour-long whiskey tasting. It was $45 a person and you get to taste several different kinds of whiskeys and then get a credit to get one you like on the last day of the cruise.
Pub Crawl – Another activity that was $45 per person was a pub crawl. We started near the roundabout in the center of the ship and enjoyed specialty drinks at The Loose Cannon, Sips Lounge, and The Manor. It was a fun way to see some of the fun drinking spots on the ship.
Circus Trivia – One night at the On the Rocks Lounge we did Circus Trivia with the cast of Duel Reality. Each team had a member help them with the circus-themed trivia questions and it was surprisingly hard!
Pajama Party – On the first night on the ship, everyone heads to The Manor in their PJs for a fun pajama party! The guys and girls of the group had to match PJs and we danced the night away. Love being comfy while having a dance party!
Scarlet Night – One night of the cruise is dubbed Scarlet Night! Everyone wears red and it’s a giant pool party! You can dance in the shallow end or jump in fully dressed. There’s dancing with all the crew members, drinks at the pool bar and you’ll make so many, new friends. We had the absolute best time! Once the night is over, head to The Manor for the after-party!
Play Basketball – On the top deck, you’ll find a basketball court! It’s netted in and you can play basketball or set up a net for pickleball. This was a hit with the guys and they played pickup games throughout the cruise.
Walk the Track – On the top track, you can walk or run. Four laps is a full mile and it’s a great place to get some air, enjoy the sunshine and take in the sea views. You can also go up and take a photo with the Virgin Voyages sign, just be careful of the people walking!
The Manor – You go to the Manor when you’re arriving on the boat and the hallway leading into the Manor is EPIC. It’s a glass hallway lined with twinkle lights that give off the most fabulous glow. We snuck in one afternoon in our finest outfits to take some cool photos in the hallway without anyone else there. The pictures turned out better than I could imagine!
Circus Disco – On the last night of the ship we went to Circus Disco. This is another performance where the case shows off their skills doing circus themed stuns with a disco twist. It really is a thing to behold and recommend everyone stay up and wait for it.
Duel Reality in the Red Room – Dual Reality to Virgin Voyages is like Romeo and Juliet with acrobatics. When you walk in you decide if you want to be team red or team blue. You sit on opposite sides of the room and cheer on your team! Through the conflict, you catch a glimpse of the star-crossed lovers, aka the red Romeo and the blue Juliet. The tricks and stunts are so well done and it amazes me the physical strength the performers have!
Tea Time Tarot – Make an appointment for a tarot card reading and high tea at the Sips Lounge. This books up quickly so on the first day so have it on your radar to do! I’ve never had a tarot card reading before but enjoyed the process and hearing what the cards said about me and the year ahead.
Take Health or Fitness Classes – There’s a really good gym on board that my husband took advantage of almost every day. Check the schedule for all of the other health and wellness classes they offer. We took a breathing class one rainy afternoon that was so zen and relaxing!
Drag Show – Tammy Spanx hosted her one-woman show one night in The Manor and the babes LOVED it! There was dancing and singing and I even got brought up front for a catwalk competition! Highly recommend doing this one night on board and enjoying it with cocktails and friends.
Where to Hang Out
Richard’s Rooftop – Rockstars have access to the private Richard’s Rooftop with an exclusive key card. They have extra seating, 2 hot tubs, and a bar just for Rockstars. Our group often met up here since it was quieter than the rest of the ship and they had a 5 p.m. Champagne happy hour every evening.
The Arcade – One of the things I was most excited about on the Valiant Lady? The Arcade! The group would meet up here and compete in games like NBA Jam, air hockey, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and more. All the games are free and a fun way to spend an afternoon if it’s cold and rainy one day at sea.
Aquatic Club – The Aquatic Club is basically a fancy name for pools. Here you can lay in the daybeds that line the edges of the pool or soak up the sun in the pool chairs. You can also grab a drink, hit the hot tubs, or wade in the shallow pool. It’s your vacation, do what you want!
On the Rocks – A dimly lit, intimate space, On the Rocks is the Valiant Lady’s martini and cocktail bar. It was the perfect spot to try a new cocktail, listen to music, or play Circus Trivia with the cast members of Dual Reality and Circus Disco.
Sip Lounge – This champagne bar featured a gorgeous bar and lots of seating so we ended most nights here enjoying an espresso martini or old-fashioned. They also have afternoon tea which was where the Tea Time Tarot Card reading was located.
Excursions
Costa Maya – Here, Tim and I went off and did an excursion of our own with biking and kayaking. Unfortunately, the water was too choppy to kayak so we shopped in town, did a tequila tasting, ate some authentic tacos and guacamole, sat in a hammock, and relaxed.
Roatan – We did a group excursion this day. Riding ATVs and then spending the afternoon at a beach club. Riding the ATVs was so much fun but I’ll warn you that you get muddy on the ride so wear clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty. After you’re done with the ATVs a van will take you to a beach club for some sun and sand. Bring cash to tip your driver, ATV instructor, and the people at the beach bar.
Where to Eat
Razzle Dazzle – We enjoyed brunch and dinner at Razzle Dazzle. The food here can be light and healthy or you can order the Naughty or Secret Menus if you want to splurge. I stayed on the naughty side of things with spicy chicken sandwiches, milk and cookies, and Unicorn toast!
Pink Agave – The first night of the trip was spent at the elevated Mexican restaurant, Pink Agave. Before you go for dinner, make sure you stop and take a photo of the lighted arch leading into the restaurant. We had duck, ribeye, chocolate tacos, and even crickets! Oh, and of course, tequila.
The Wake – The Wake is one of the fancier restaurants on board with steak and seafood. Make your way down the grand staircase and glamorous chandelier and enjoy this delicious spot that is open for dinner and brunch.
Gunbae – Korean BBQ anyone? Head to Gunbae for a drinking game and meat cooking. Sit at round tables with friends or get to know the people you’re sitting with. A drinking game bonds people for sure! Order lots of appetizers and then enjoy the vegetables and meat that are cooked in front of you. I recommend everyone eat here at least once!
Extra Virgin – My favorite restaurant on board was the Italian restaurant, Extra Virgin. This elevated Italian meal is deeply rooted in culinary traditions and features fresh, handmade pasta. It’s the perfect spot after a day of excursions and you need a carb fest with a glass of red wine.
Test Kitchen – One spot I didn’t eat at was Test Kitchen. I’m a picky eater, and this spot felt a little too adventurous for my taste. However, the rest of the babes ate dinner here one night and raved about it! The Test Kitchen is an experimental onboard eatery and is a part cooking school, part kitchen. The menu is constantly evolving and is even better with the wine pairing!
The Galley – If you want something quick or more casual, head to The Galley. This eating hall has over eight options and food truck-style carts. It also has a dedicated bakery and pastry shop with the yummiest goodies. At the moment you’ll find a panini shop, burger grill, taco shack, sushi bar, and soup and salad stand. We ate lunch here every day and always had lots of options to choose from.
Grounds Club – Located near the disembarkment entrance, the Ground Club was my go-to latte coffee spot most mornings. While specialty coffee was an extra cost, the pastries were not so I would fill up on those to start the day.
The Pizza Place – After a night of drinking and dancing, sometimes you just needed a pizza at 1 a.m. The pizza place is open late and their pizzas were divine. It was the perfect late-night snack before hitting the hay.
Lick Me Till Ice Cream – Sometimes when you’re on The Valiant Lady you just need a little something sweet so why not ice cream? This was located right off the roundabout and you could get a cup or cone of your favorite flavors. It was so yummy!
Room Service – When all else fails, you can order room service. When there were early mornings or lazy starts to the day we would schedule room service in the Virgin App for a specific time. Then we could enjoy our coffee or breakfast in bed or sit on the patio. There is a $7 to deliver the food and specialty coffee and cocktails are an additional cost.
Extra Things to Do
Get a Tattoo at Squid Ink – Want to get a tattoo at sea? Get one a Squid Ink! The slots fill up quickly so you need to book, pay and consult with the artist on the first day. Then the artist will tell you how long it’ll take and how much it’ll cost. My husband got a tattoo on the last day of the cruise so try to book it then so you can get in the water during the trip!
Head to the Spa – What’s better than a spa day when you’re at sea? Again these spots fill up fast so book the first day on board. You can book services like a massage or facial, or head to the spa rooms. The Valiant Lady has a mud room, salt room, sauna, steam room, and hot and cold plunge pools.
Get a Blow Out at Dry Dock – Sometimes it just feels really good to have someone wash and style your hair for you. You can get a blowout or conditioning treatment, or even have your hair cut and colored. It’s all up to you and what you want your look to be at sea!
Get Your Nails Done at The Tune-Up – A luxurious pedicure? Just what the doctor ordered! You’ll be wearing sandals all the time at sea so you need to get your toes done. If your toes are already done, get your nails done and add some fun nail art. Get crazy y’all!
Stubble & Groom Barber Shop – There’s something for everyone on the Valiant Lady, even the guys! Men can go and get a haircut, beard trim, pedicure, manicure, or whatever they need to feel polished and refined.
Adult Play Ground – One of the coolest spaces on the ship was the Adult Play Ground area. The nets! I loved laying here and feeling the sun on my face while hearing the sounds of the sea. Here you can also find an active Training Camp room, basketball court, sea saws, day beds, and other outdoor workout equipment. Then head to the bar area for a yummy juice or smoothie.
What to Pack
Water bottle – Virgin Voyages are plastic-free ships. You won’t find a plastic water bottle in sight! They bring bottles of water into your room when they clean every day and there are also water filling stations located throughout the ship.
Dramamine – Dramamine was something I had every six hours on this trip. I got sick immediately as the boat left port and would only get better when we docked. Keep this and patches available to help with sea sickness.
Sea Sickness Wrist Bands – Another thing I always have on hand is the Sea Sickness Wrist Bands. They help with motion sickness and sea sickness. I had tan lines from wearing them the entire trip!
Sunscreen – As someone who is very pale and fair-skinned, pack LOTS of sunscreens. I packed SPF 100 and applied it nonstop. Try to get reef-safe sunscreen too since there are a lot of snorkeling and underwater activities when you dock.
Go Pro Camera – A few of the girls had go pro cameras that they wore when we went ATV-ing and when they were snorkeling or swimming underwater. I don’t own one personally but their footage looked amazing from their excursions!
Two Bottles of Wine – When you embark on the ship, you’re allowed to bring two bottles of wine on board to enjoy in your room or take to dinner. After you leave the port, if you bring alcohol on board they’ll wrap it and give it to you when you disembark. And don’t try sneaking them on! When you board the ship after getting off at the ports you put your bag through an x-ray machine so they’ll see whatever you’re trying to sneak on board.
Now that I’ve shared all there is to see and do on the Valiant Lady, I have an exclusive offer for you!
Voyages throughout the end of April 2023 in the Caribbean will receive 60% off their second sailor and $200 of sailor loot (onboard credit to use on spa services or shore excursions) – ship, ship, hooray!
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