Virgin Voyages invited 1,300 UK travel agents onboard its newest ship, Brilliant Lady, in Portsmouth before she sails to New York for her maiden season. Travel Gossip reporter Hope Brotherton joined them for one night only to find out if the cruise line’s fourth ship will attract the ‘casual luxury’ clients it is chasing.
First impressions
Brilliant Lady is a bright, stylish and elegant vessel thanks to its crisp neutral tones, which are infused with pops of colour. Brightly-coloured seating areas, armchairs and cubby holes stand out against the muted floors, and fun elements, such as the seesaw and circular swings on Deck 15 – plus the now-standard Virgin tattoo parlour – give the impression that this is a ship that is sophisticated but fun.
What’s new
As passengers embark on Deck 6, they arrive at the Roundabout, which is the ship’s central atrium. As Brilliant Lady will be the first of the Virgin ships to sail to Alaska, the area has been designed with cold weather in mind, so the Roundabout will act as a social space. There are seating areas and spaces for live acts to perform, and a nearby bar called the Draught Haus.
Outside at the aft of Deck 15, there is the Athletic Club. It has more outdoor seating areas than other ships in the fleet. A glass barrier around the exterior of the deck has also been installed, allowing guests to soak in passing landscapes. Deck 15 also has two pools, a handful of whirlpools and sunloungers. This is where you’ll find those circular swings and a seesaw, plus gym equipment and a small basketball court.
The dining
The ‘casual luxury’ vibe is noticeable in the 20-plus onboard restaurants, none of which has assigned seating. All are included in the cruise fare, and no pre-booking is necessary, although guests can make reservations on the app if they wish.
There are also no buffets on the ship, adding to a sense of refinement that’s balanced out by the friendly crew. Restaurants include firm Virgin favourites like Gunbae Korean Barbeque and Extra Virgin.
A new addition is Rojo by Razzle Dazzle on Deck 5, a Spanish-inspired restaurant, which follows in the footsteps of Lucky Lotus by Razzle Dazzle – a Chinese-inspired restaurant that launched in November aboard Scarlet Lady.
At Rojo, an American-Spanish brunch of acai bowls, pastries and frittatas is served throughout the day. The dining atmosphere is both relaxed and elevated in the evening, thanks to the low-lit lights and black, white and burnt orange decor. Starters can be enjoyed ‘family style’, with passengers encouraged to order individual mains.
For more variety, there’s the Galley on Deck 15. It’s like an American food court where passengers can order at themed stations like a noodle bar, taco bar, burger bar and salad bar or at their seats.
Director of Culinary Program Development Levi Mezick said menus on board had been updated to offer passengers a taste of something new. For example, the fritto mist dish at Extra Virgin has been replaced by a calamari plate.
For breakfast, there’s the Wake (located across Decks 6 and 7; pictured above), arguably the most luxurious breakfast option. It’s light and spacious, with white pleather booths and seats and neutral tones. We nabbed a sought-after window spot.
The Wake serves a three-course brunch menu. Starters include clam chowder, poached shrimp, and a choice of salads. Mains include steak and eggs, a range of Benedicts and brioche French toast, as well as a choice of desserts, like panna cotta and apple tatin. I opted for an Avocado Benedicts, which was both rich and creamy, with an added tang from the lime in the Hollandaise sauce.
For something more relaxed, or for those in a rush, there’s also The Grounds Club (Deck 7), where guests can take coffee and a pastry to go.
Passengers can also order Ship Eats (room service) to their cabins via the in-room iPad. Food is delivered in a reusable grey roll sack. Room service, with the exception of alcohol, is included in the price, although a $10 delivery fee is charged on orders under $10.
There are plenty of bars on board, too, with Sip being the ship’s most decadent lounge. Here you go to get a chilled glass of bubbly, with prices ranging from $9 for a glass to $1,000 for a vintage bottle. An afternoon high tea and caviar are also served at Sip. Alcoholic drinks are not included in the cruise fare.
Other facilities include a gym and a spa; access to both is included in the price, but spa treatments cost extra. There’s also a tattoo parlour and casino on board.
The entertainment
Brilliant Lady is debuting five new shows, one of which is Murder in the Manor, a murder-mystery themed show located in the Manor on Deck 6. It’s a medley of 80s music, bright neon outfits that wouldn’t go amiss in an episode of Scooby Doo and fun dance numbers. I enjoyed the over-the-top acting with blatant foreshadowing, laugh-out-loud gags and how the actors moved across the stage and through the audience. A highlight was one of the dancers performed aerial pole acrobatics.
I headed back to the Manor in the evening for The Electric, a UV nightclub with fluorescent outfits, neon face paint and dancers who move through the crowd. While a DJ played a medley of R&B tracks, professional dancers helped club-goers bop to choreographed routines.
Also in the Manor is Up With a Twist, a 1920s immersive supper club event. The ship’s main theatre, the Red Room (also on Deck 6) will also be debuting new shows, one called Red Hot, a musical tracing Virgin’s 50-year legacy with hits from its record label, and Out of Time, a time-travelling comedy.
The cabins
Brilliant Lady has capacity for 2,770 passengers in 1,330 cabins and 78 suites. More than 86% of the cabins have a balcony, with 93% offering an ocean view, which is on par with other ships in the Virgin Voyages fleet.
As the ship is slightly narrower than its sister ships, in order to be able to pass through the Panama Canal as it sails from Miami to Los Angeles and onwards to Seattle for its season in Alaska, some of the Sea Terrace cabins and their balconies are narrower than on the rest (and come at a reduced price) but my XL Sea Terrace on Deck 14 was a great size.
It had plenty of storage space, a desk, a fridge, an armchair, a comfortable double bed, mirrors, and a compact ensuite. The balcony had two metal chairs and a small metal table and a red hammock.
The plug sockets are American/European outlets, so any Brits sailing will need to bring an adapter on board.
Who would you sell it to?
Brilliant Lady would be a good choice for clients who love Virgin Voyages but want to experience something new, plus those who want a longer cruises since it is offering 12-night itineraries in the Caribbean. Also, it will be the first Virgin ship to sail through the Panama Canal and onto Alaska, which will be available from 2026.
Does it cater for clients looking for ‘casual luxury’?
In my opinion, Brilliant Lady is a premium ship that would suit clients who like to relax in an informal environment with no stuffy dress codes but also want to get glammed up for club nights and theatrical shows.
What the experts say:
Toni Sharp of Designer Travel:
“I would say overall it achieves casual luxury, although there are some areas of comfort which may be missing, such as those balcony chairs which I wouldn’t describe as luxury and couldn’t see myself relaxing on. Some of the cabins are a little tighter on space, especially the bathrooms, and to me, luxury does mean space. The games area on deck has skate park vibes which I would say has a younger appeal rather than a luxury one. I think it’s a bit of ‘casual luxury meets fun, relaxed cruising’.
However, the food offering (quality,number of options and the fact it’s all included) is casual luxury. I particularly loved The Dock House which symbolises casual luxury in my mind. Definitely not stuffy!
For me, the luxury lies more in the experience as a whole as it’s so relaxed and unpretentious. I’m early 40s and I couldn’t think of anything worse than a party cruise but the ship appealed to me as it’s fun and offers great food and very different entertainment.
“The Rockstar suites are where the luxury is to be found, with vinyl record players, great outdoor spaces and exclusive access to Richard’s Rooftop. I would definitely recommend the XL Sea Terrace for the extra space I think the luxury tag requires, which is slightly compromised with the new cabins offering the smaller sea terraces (but you get the luxury of sailing the Panama Canal with Virgin!).
“I did love the cosy feel of the inside cabins, perhaps some of my favourite at sea. Some of the more industrial features could be softened a little to add luxury, a few cushions on the balcony chairs for instance, but overall, it’s a vibrant, sense-tempting and brilliant new addition to the fleet!”
Margaret Fenner of Travel Lightly
“I was really interested to hear about the slimmer design to manage the Panama Canal and the increased window space to give better views, for example, when gliding through Alaska.
“The staff clearly take genuine pride in the ship, and the food was wonderful. Special mention to Rojo by Razzle Dazzle. I enjoyed brunch there and the tapas was beautifully presented and super delicious. And those Rockstar suites – Wow!
Carly Cockburn, Personal Travel Consultant in partnership with Blue Bay Travel
“I’ve been on all four lady ships and they’re all as incredible as each other. I particularly loved the new show ‘Out Of Time’, and the new Rojo by Razzle Dazzle restaurant, which will no doubt be a huge hit.
“What I love about the ships being so alike is that we can be confident that our clients will get the amazing food and drink offerings, ample entertainment venues and happy, personable service on each and every Virgin Voyages ship, making it easier to focus more on the itineraries offered.”
Lucy McRae of Travology Travel With Lucy (left)
“I will be recommending Brilliant Lady mostly for the all-inclusive value – fun things like sweet jars and retro arcade games, all-important wi-fi and a la carte dining are all included.”
Theresa Kelly at Not Just Travel Wanderlust
“It’s a nice touch to add an extra hammock to those (slightly smaller) Sea Terrace balcony cabins [to replace the chairs]. I’d rather have a second hammock to chairs any day.”
Daniel Griese of Daniel’s Travel Inspiration, Independent Travel Experts
“My favourite new feature is the top of the Roundabout area on Deck 7, where layouts have been changed to include more relaxed seating. It’s a much better design now. It will be an amazing area to relax in on an Alaskan cruise! On Deck 16’s Athletics Club you can now look outwards and there is padding on the loungers, which you don’t get on the other ships. You can now look out of Richard’s Rooftop – previously it was all frosted glass and now it is half-frosted.”
