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Steven and Tom Visit
Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady
Steven and Tom Visit Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady
Virgin Voyages is a refreshing new cruise vacation experience. The vibe is relaxed yet somehow still completely upscale. We loved the ship, the fun and the spectacular food!
Virgin Voyages is a refreshing new cruise vacation experience. The vibe is relaxed yet somehow still completely upscale. We loved the ship, the fun and the spectacular food!
Day 1
We chose to park in the Port of Miami parking garage right at the port. Exiting the garage, we were literally thirty feet from the entrance line for the ship.
We were standing in line at 1:45 p.m. By 2:45 p.m., we were on the Scarlet Lady. In that one hour, we were divided into smaller groups, our Covid Vaccination cards were examined, we were rapid-tested for Covid and were escorted aboard. It was an extremely organized process performed by a top-notch, friendly staff.
We boarded the ship and, unlike on most other cruise lines, our cabin was ready for us. The cabin's modern design is both stylish and roomy. The L-shaped bed is a nice change that was perfect for us. Plus, the red hammock on the balcony is a lot of fun. The television, lighting and curtains are all controlled by a computer tablet which also allowed us to contact our cabin steward for anything else we might need during the cruise.
We spent the rest of our first day exploring the ship and sampling the twenty available dining and snack options. What a day!
Day 2
We switched time zones overnight so the first thing we did was set our watches back an hour to be on the correct ship's time. We went to The Galley for coffee and breakfast cooked-to-order. Since this was a day at-sea, we had all day to sample and enjoy the ship's charms. The Lick It Til Ice Cream ice cream parlor soon became our favorite place to over-indulge. There never seemed to be anywhere on the ship that was crowded. We went to one of the swimming pools and had our choice of lounges, chairs or daybeds big enough for three adults! We chose a daybed.
We were all a bit surprised when the Scarlet Lady suddenly slowed and then stopped completely. The Captain come over the intercom to announce that the ship was stopping to save a group of people floating in a rowboat. After a skillful sea rescue, Scarlet Lady met with a Coast Guard ship where the rescued boaters were taken for care. Then, it was back to our cruise adventure.
At lunch, we went to the pizza parlor and ordered two pies. Tom chose a White Pizza named Pretty Fly For A White Pie. I chose a Pizza with mozzarella and tomato sauce. We sat at a table with an outside view as our pizzas were cooked to order as we watched. As usual, we devoured every bite and enjoyed each one.
We used our handy Virgin Voyages app to book seats at the Duel Reality show at 6:00 p.m. We are so glad we did! The show is like no other cruise ship show we have ever seen and we have seen a lot. It is a skillfully blended mix of Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story, Cirque du Soleil, Olympic gymnastics, trapeze artistry and circus sideshow. You have to experience it to believe it. The audience responded with a well-deserved standing ovation.
We chose to park in the Port of Miami parking garage right at the port. Exiting the garage, we were literally thirty feet from the entrance line for the ship.
We were standing in line at 1:45 p.m. By 2:45 p.m., we were on the Scarlet Lady. In that one hour, we were divided into smaller groups, our Covid Vaccination cards were examined, we were rapid-tested for Covid and were escorted aboard. It was an extremely organized process performed by a top-notch, friendly staff.
We boarded the ship and, unlike on most other cruise lines, our cabin was ready for us. The cabin's modern design is both stylish and roomy. The L-shaped bed is a nice change that was perfect for us. Plus, the red hammock on the balcony is a lot of fun. The television, lighting and curtains are all controlled by a computer tablet which also allowed us to contact our cabin steward for anything else we might need during the cruise.
We spent the rest of our first day exploring the ship and sampling the twenty available dining and snack options. What a day!
Day 2
We switched time zones overnight so the first thing we did was set our watches back an hour to be on the correct ship's time. We went to The Galley for coffee and breakfast cooked-to-order. Since this was a day at-sea, we had all day to sample and enjoy the ship's charms. The Lick It Til Ice Cream ice cream parlor soon became our favorite place to over-indulge. There never seemed to be anywhere on the ship that was crowded. We went to one of the swimming pools and had our choice of lounges, chairs or daybeds big enough for three adults! We chose a daybed.
We were all a bit surprised when the Scarlet Lady suddenly slowed and then stopped completely. The Captain come over the intercom to announce that the ship was stopping to save a group of people floating in a rowboat. After a skillful sea rescue, Scarlet Lady met with a Coast Guard ship where the rescued boaters were taken for care. Then, it was back to our cruise adventure.
At lunch, we went to the pizza parlor and ordered two pies. Tom chose a White Pizza named Pretty Fly For A White Pie. I chose a Pizza with mozzarella and tomato sauce. We sat at a table with an outside view as our pizzas were cooked to order as we watched. As usual, we devoured every bite and enjoyed each one.
We used our handy Virgin Voyages app to book seats at the Duel Reality show at 6:00 p.m. We are so glad we did! The show is like no other cruise ship show we have ever seen and we have seen a lot. It is a skillfully blended mix of Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story, Cirque du Soleil, Olympic gymnastics, trapeze artistry and circus sideshow. You have to experience it to believe it. The audience responded with a well-deserved standing ovation.
THE FOOD!
Day 3
The Scarlet Lady arrived in Cozumel, Mexico. Cozumel is an island off the coast. Since we have been to Cozumel multiple times before, we chose to stay onboard the ship and have a relaxing day.
We made reservations at The Wake restaurant for lunch. The service here, like everywhere else on this ship, was excellent. We ordered a shrimp appetizer and a bowl of clam chowder. For our entrée, we each ordered a Hammer Steak served with a small salad and French Fries. For dessert, we each had a serving of Strawberry Cheesecake. This is not regular cruise ship food. Each dish is a culinary delight. We left happy and satisfied.
In the afternoon, we enjoyed some time in the swimming pool on a poolside lounge big enough for three adults. Then, we explored the video arcade filled with classic video machines, the air hockey tables and the nearby candy shop where a crew member gladly fills a paper bag with a delicious assortment of candies or popcorn free of charge. Feeling gluttonous, we also stopped by the ice cream shop again for another double dip cone of our favorite flavors.
Since our dinner reservation was not unil 7:30 p.m., we relaxed in our air conditioned cabin and chose a movie from our cabin computer tablet to watch on our large screen, wall-mounted television. We also spent a bit of time on our balcony overlooking Cozumel.
At dinner, we enjoyed the Pink Agave restaurant – a high end take on Mexican cuisine. This is not your tacos, chips and salsa joint. The menu offers courses of small plates, medium plates and large plates. We skipped over the small plates and ordered two medium plates and two large plates to share. We snaked on spicy nuts and chips until our medium plates arrived. The medium plates we chose were five grilled shrimp in sauce and two chicken enchilladas. They were fabulous in both appearance and taste.
Our large plates arrived at just the right time. We had chosen a Ribeye steak with queso cooked medium and Conchinita Pibil - smoked pork. Both were 5 Star restaurant delicious.
Even though we didn’t think we could take another bite, we gave in and ordered desserts. We chose the Tamal De Chocolate and the Bread Pudding. We did not share these! My Tamal De Chocolate was a chocolate lover’s dessert dream. With chocolate masa and mexican chocolate. Tom, who is a bread pudding lover, devoured every bite of his ice cream covered dessert.
The Scarlet Lady arrived in Cozumel, Mexico. Cozumel is an island off the coast. Since we have been to Cozumel multiple times before, we chose to stay onboard the ship and have a relaxing day.
We made reservations at The Wake restaurant for lunch. The service here, like everywhere else on this ship, was excellent. We ordered a shrimp appetizer and a bowl of clam chowder. For our entrée, we each ordered a Hammer Steak served with a small salad and French Fries. For dessert, we each had a serving of Strawberry Cheesecake. This is not regular cruise ship food. Each dish is a culinary delight. We left happy and satisfied.
In the afternoon, we enjoyed some time in the swimming pool on a poolside lounge big enough for three adults. Then, we explored the video arcade filled with classic video machines, the air hockey tables and the nearby candy shop where a crew member gladly fills a paper bag with a delicious assortment of candies or popcorn free of charge. Feeling gluttonous, we also stopped by the ice cream shop again for another double dip cone of our favorite flavors.
Since our dinner reservation was not unil 7:30 p.m., we relaxed in our air conditioned cabin and chose a movie from our cabin computer tablet to watch on our large screen, wall-mounted television. We also spent a bit of time on our balcony overlooking Cozumel.
At dinner, we enjoyed the Pink Agave restaurant – a high end take on Mexican cuisine. This is not your tacos, chips and salsa joint. The menu offers courses of small plates, medium plates and large plates. We skipped over the small plates and ordered two medium plates and two large plates to share. We snaked on spicy nuts and chips until our medium plates arrived. The medium plates we chose were five grilled shrimp in sauce and two chicken enchilladas. They were fabulous in both appearance and taste.
Our large plates arrived at just the right time. We had chosen a Ribeye steak with queso cooked medium and Conchinita Pibil - smoked pork. Both were 5 Star restaurant delicious.
Even though we didn’t think we could take another bite, we gave in and ordered desserts. We chose the Tamal De Chocolate and the Bread Pudding. We did not share these! My Tamal De Chocolate was a chocolate lover’s dessert dream. With chocolate masa and mexican chocolate. Tom, who is a bread pudding lover, devoured every bite of his ice cream covered dessert.
THE FUN!
Day 4
At sea day! This was another beautiful day to rest, relax and enjoy all that Scarlet Lady has to offer. It was a very full day of lounging, swimming, chatting, sunning, napping, hammock-ing, eating, playing, and more eating!
Day 5
We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast in the Galley and then enjoyed our morning on our balcony and on the upper decks watching our arrival to Bimini, Bahamas and the Virgin Voyages exclusive Beach Club. The crew skillfully brought the Scarlet Lady alongside the pier where trolleys waited to take passengers to the Beach Club.
We took an elevator to deck four and were off the ship and standing on the pier in under three minutes. There was no wait to board the trolley and we were on the way to the beach in minutes, The beach and all the Virgin amenities are just a short drive away and on the far side of the Resort Club Bimini by Hilton where we’ve vacationed in the past. Mariah Carey vacations here.
The Beach Club At Bimini features a lagoon style pool, six different bars, two food stations and three types of cabanas that guests can book for an additional fee. There are more than enough lounges, chairs, tables, umbrellas for everyone. We are happy to report that the changing rooms, restrooms, showers and lockers are all first-rate, clean and easy to find.
On the other side of the swimming pool is the fabulous white sand beach with the turquoise water that the Bahamas are famous for. The afternoons offer a DJ and at night there's a giant bonfire finale.
With the help of Guest Services, we made reservations for dinner at Extra Virgin Elevated Italian. What an experience! This trattoria serves classic Italian dishes and handmade pastas in a casual setting. We ordered Braised Mini Meatballs in Marinara Sauce, Porcini Rubbed New York Strip Steak, Spatchcocked Grilled Chicken in Piccata, and Bucatini Carbonara. For dessert, we shared a Vanilla Gelati and a Limoncello Sorbetti. The service was excellent. The atmosphere was perfect. The food was the best we have tasted on any cruise.
After dinner, we roamed the ship enjoying Scarlet Night. Passengers dressed in whatever red-themed clothing suited their individuality. Tom chose a red shirt. I chose to wear a black kilt with red shoes. The ship was decorated with giant inflatable fish suspended from the ceilings and a two-story tall, orange octopus! Live music and fun and games were offered throughout the evening.
We chose a disembarkation time via our Virgin app. Luggage was collected after 10:00 p.m. outside our cabin door.
At sea day! This was another beautiful day to rest, relax and enjoy all that Scarlet Lady has to offer. It was a very full day of lounging, swimming, chatting, sunning, napping, hammock-ing, eating, playing, and more eating!
Day 5
We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast in the Galley and then enjoyed our morning on our balcony and on the upper decks watching our arrival to Bimini, Bahamas and the Virgin Voyages exclusive Beach Club. The crew skillfully brought the Scarlet Lady alongside the pier where trolleys waited to take passengers to the Beach Club.
We took an elevator to deck four and were off the ship and standing on the pier in under three minutes. There was no wait to board the trolley and we were on the way to the beach in minutes, The beach and all the Virgin amenities are just a short drive away and on the far side of the Resort Club Bimini by Hilton where we’ve vacationed in the past. Mariah Carey vacations here.
The Beach Club At Bimini features a lagoon style pool, six different bars, two food stations and three types of cabanas that guests can book for an additional fee. There are more than enough lounges, chairs, tables, umbrellas for everyone. We are happy to report that the changing rooms, restrooms, showers and lockers are all first-rate, clean and easy to find.
On the other side of the swimming pool is the fabulous white sand beach with the turquoise water that the Bahamas are famous for. The afternoons offer a DJ and at night there's a giant bonfire finale.
With the help of Guest Services, we made reservations for dinner at Extra Virgin Elevated Italian. What an experience! This trattoria serves classic Italian dishes and handmade pastas in a casual setting. We ordered Braised Mini Meatballs in Marinara Sauce, Porcini Rubbed New York Strip Steak, Spatchcocked Grilled Chicken in Piccata, and Bucatini Carbonara. For dessert, we shared a Vanilla Gelati and a Limoncello Sorbetti. The service was excellent. The atmosphere was perfect. The food was the best we have tasted on any cruise.
After dinner, we roamed the ship enjoying Scarlet Night. Passengers dressed in whatever red-themed clothing suited their individuality. Tom chose a red shirt. I chose to wear a black kilt with red shoes. The ship was decorated with giant inflatable fish suspended from the ceilings and a two-story tall, orange octopus! Live music and fun and games were offered throughout the evening.
We chose a disembarkation time via our Virgin app. Luggage was collected after 10:00 p.m. outside our cabin door.
THE SHIP!
Day 6
We arrived back in Miami around 7:00 a.m. Breakfast venues were open for one final meal onboard. Disembarkation was well-organized. We were off the ship, out of the parking garage and on the road home at 8:30 a.m.
We arrived back in Miami around 7:00 a.m. Breakfast venues were open for one final meal onboard. Disembarkation was well-organized. We were off the ship, out of the parking garage and on the road home at 8:30 a.m.
Article and photos by Steven Skelley and Thomas Routzong. Copyright 2021 Sunny Harbor Publishing
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Sunny Harbor Publishing
Sunny Harbor Publishing, Rockledge, FL 32956 Phone: 321-252-9874 Email: SunnyHarborPublishing@yahoo.com Website: www.SunnyHarborPublishing.org |
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