No buffets, no formal nights, no kids' clubs, adults-only and all-in. Here's who Virgin Voyages is really for, and who it isn't.
Most people who tell us they "don't like cruises" have never been on one. What they mean is they don't like the idea, the buffet crush, the forced formal night, the floating shopping mall. Virgin Voyages was built, almost spitefully, against every one of those clichés.
What's actually different
It is adults-only (18+). There is no buffet and no formal night. Tips, group fitness classes, Wi-Fi, and a fleet of restaurants are included in the fare, there is no nickel-and-diming, because there are no nickels to dime. The ships are designed by serious studios; they feel like a boutique hotel that happens to float.
The test isn't "do you like cruises." It's "do you like a beautifully run hotel where the view changes every morning."
Who it's for
- Couples and friends who want grown-up calm, not a water park.
- First-timers whose objection was really about the old cruise model.
- People who like good food and a real bar program more than a midnight chocolate fountain.
Who it isn't for
Families travelling with children, and anyone who genuinely wants the traditional big-ship, everything-everywhere experience. That's not a flaw, it's a point of view. Our job is to tell you honestly which side of it you're on.
When we plan a Virgin voyage we're really matching a temperament to a ship. Tell us how you like to travel and we'll tell you whether this is your boat.