Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady Review: A Full Western Caribbean Trip Report
My firsthand Virgin Voyages experience
Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady Review: My Western Caribbean Cruise
Six nights aboard Scarlet Lady from Miami to Costa Maya and Roatán, including the food I loved, what I did in port, Scarlet Night, and what I would want a first-time Virgin sailor to know.
I sailed Virgin Voyages' six-night Western Caribbean Charm itinerary aboard Scarlet Lady, with stops in Costa Maya, Mexico and Roatán, Honduras. This is the trip as I experienced it, from the night before the cruise through embarkation, dining, ports, onboard events and one very memorable Scarlet Night.
Before the cruise
A night in Miami
I arrived a day before embarkation, something I recommend for cruises whenever possible. It gives you breathing room if flights, weather or traffic do not cooperate.
I stayed at the AC Hotel Miami Brickell near City Centre, explored the indoor/outdoor shopping nearby, and had a Cuban dinner at Marabú. It was an easy way to shift into vacation mode without trying to travel and board the ship on the same day.
Getting aboard Scarlet Lady
Virgin's embarkation happens later in the day than many traditional cruise lines. I slept in, had breakfast, stopped at Publix, and then called an Uber to Terminal V.
At the terminal, I was let in about 45 minutes before my scheduled embarkation time. Check-in was easy, and I received my Virgin Voyages Band, the wearable used as a room key and onboard ID.
Once I was connected to the ship's Wi-Fi, I opened the Virgin Voyages app and booked the onboard experiences I wanted. Some activities can fill quickly, so this was one of my first priorities after boarding.
First night aboard
After a stateroom tour on Deck 10, we went to The Dock for ocean views, tapas and my first cocktail of the sailing. My favorite bites there were the goat cheese polenta and Spanish octopus.
Next came the sailaway party, dinner at Gunbae, Virgin's energetic Korean BBQ restaurant, and the Grog Walk, a hosted bar crawl that turned out to be a fun way to learn the ship and meet other sailors. We ended the night at the shipwide pajama party.
A day at sea
I started the morning with coffee in the hammock and breakfast at The Galley. Rather than a traditional buffet, The Galley feels more like a food hall, with a variety of made-to-order options.
During the day we played Bingo with the Diva and Lotería Gigante, a lively spin on Mexican bingo involving music, dancing, margaritas and, in my case, a new pair of sunglasses.
Dinner was at Pink Agave, Virgin's upscale Mexican restaurant. I tried steak at multiple restaurants during this cruise, and the Bistec Marinero en Escabeche here was my favorite.
Costa Maya, Mexico
We started with room-service coffee and a light breakfast, followed later by brunch at Razzle Dazzle. The rainbow churros with ube ice cream were an unexpected favorite.
In Costa Maya, we kept the day intentionally simple. We walked around the cruise-port area, which has shopping, pools and bars, tried a fish pedicure, saw flamingos and did a little shopping. We skipped a formal excursion so we could return to Scarlet Lady and enjoy the ship while it was quieter.
Dinner that evening was at Extra Virgin, Virgin's Italian restaurant, with antipasto, handmade pasta, steak and a tableside affogato. After dinner we spent a little time in the casino before calling it an early night ahead of Roatán.
Roatán, Honduras
We arrived early in Roatán, where opening the curtains revealed lush green jungle instead of the open ocean I had expected. We had pre-booked an excursion combining a sloth sanctuary with drift snorkeling.
At the sanctuary we met white-faced capuchin monkeys and macaws, but the sloths were the highlight. From there we continued to the water for snorkeling. The warm, clear Caribbean water and reef made this one of the most memorable days of the sailing.
Our guide pointed out rainbow parrotfish, blue tang, black triggerfish and colorful coral. Honduras was beautiful, and this was one of those port days that made me want to come back and spend more time there.
Back on board
Redemption Spa and Scarlet Night
After Roatán, we headed to Redemption Spa for thermal-suite passes and massages. The hydrotherapy pool, sauna, steam room and mud room were a very welcome reset after a full day in the sun.
Dinner was at The Wake, Virgin's steakhouse and one of my favorite restaurants on the ship. The thing I still remember most is the Parker House rolls. We liked them enough that we changed our final-night dinner plans just to have them again.
While we ate, Scarlet Lady transformed for Scarlet Night. Guests dressed in red become part of the experience, with performances and unexpected moments happening around the ship before everything builds toward the pool party.
The food
What stood out to me
Dining was one of the strongest parts of this cruise for me. These are the meals and moments I still remember most.
The Dock
Goat cheese polenta, Spanish octopus and a Golden Horizon cocktail to start the cruise.
Pink Agave
The Bistec Marinero en Escabeche was my favorite steak of the sailing.
Razzle Dazzle
Rainbow churros with ube ice cream were the surprise hit.
Extra Virgin
Antipasto, handmade pasta, steak and a tableside affogato.
The Wake
The Parker House rolls were good enough to make us change our final-night plans.
Gunbae
Korean BBQ, table games and a social atmosphere that made it especially fun on night one.
Is Virgin right for you?
Who I think will enjoy this cruise style
Virgin Voyages is not simply a traditional cruise without children. The dining, entertainment and onboard atmosphere feel intentionally different, and that is exactly why fit matters.
Virgin may be a great fit if you...
- want an adults-only cruise
- care a lot about food and enjoy trying different restaurants
- like social events, nightlife and a playful onboard atmosphere
- prefer something that feels less traditional than many mainstream cruise experiences
It may not be your best fit if you...
- want a family cruise with children
- prefer a very traditional cruise schedule and entertainment style
- want the ship itself to revolve around big waterslides, amusement-style attractions or family programming
- are looking primarily for a quiet, conventional cruise experience
My verdict
Would I sail Virgin Voyages again?
Absolutely. Between the adults-only atmosphere, genuinely great food, memorable events like the Grog Walk and Scarlet Night, and a Western Caribbean itinerary that gave me both relaxed and adventurous port days, Scarlet Lady delivered one of my favorite sailings.
The bigger question is whether Virgin is right for you. That is where I can help. I would rather match you to the right cruise than simply put you on whichever ship happens to be available.