CRUISING FOR THE YOUNG-AT-HEART

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CRUISING FOR THE YOUNG-AT-HEART

Cruises have been given a bad rap lately because of COVID outbreaks, but Richard Branson wanted to break the mold on what to expect from a cruise, COVID not being among the choices.

Branson’s Virgin Voyages provides complimentary COVID testing at the port before you embark on your cruise. So, knowing everyone on board was vaccinated and had a negative COVID testing immediately before getting on board made me feel more secure.

While the maximum capacity for guests is 2700, after browsing around for a few hours, I saw that the number of guests was well below that number. I asked some staff members and learned there were only about 400 on board. Of course, that made social distancing much easier. Knowing this was like finding a unicorn in the height of Omicron, and it made the cruising experience much more enjoyable.

Virgin went above and beyond to make sure everyone on board was safe. Masks were required indoors except when eating or drinking.

Once we boarded The Scarlet Lady, we realized that this cruise would be different from any others we had experienced. I would call the ship a mix of yachting meets nightclub, a playground for the young-at-heart.

The finishes are high-end, and those much sought-after day beds at a premium on other cruise lines were plentiful and available for all Virgin passengers.

Walking into our stateroom, we were pleasantly surprised. We had an entry-level balcony cabin that was well designed. The hammock on the balcony was the best part of the room!

The room had some cool modern features like using the iPad to control the TV, lighting, and opening and closing the curtains. They even had unique settings like Romance which closed the curtains, dimmed the lights, and played appropriate music!

The activities included an arcade, karaoke, Instagram classes, a tattoo parlor (who knew?), silks classes, cabaret shows, and so much more! For those not familiar with a “silks class,” that is where you wrap yourself in a long silk fabric suspended from the ceiling, and you can twist and turn. I did not try that! But, to each his own.

Instead of having a main dining room, guests could choose from many different restaurants by making a reservation for their choice on the Virgin app.

Korean, Mexican, and Vegetarian were available besides the typical Steak/Seafood and Italian Restaurants.

An added attraction that I had not seen before was a phenomenal Test Kitchen which resembled a science lab more than a restaurant. It featured a set, six-course menu, and everyone had the same dinner, which made for interesting conversations about the food. A truly different experience!

Instead of the typical buffet, they had a food hall that featured several small restaurants, much like a food court at your local mall, but more upscale.

You could sit anywhere, and someone would come to take your order. The choices were vast – burgers, bento boxes, noodles, all-day breakfast, and so much more! They even had a To-Go section where they had sandwiches, charcuterie boards, and veggies and dip to go at any hour of the day.

The bars were elevated from what you would expect, such as a champagne bar that turned into a tearoom in the afternoons - a nice plus for relaxing. Tea and crumpets, anyone?

We made stops in the Bahamas, and the Dominican Republic. We enjoyed experiencing the food and culture of these islands with conch fritters and rum tastings.

While Virgin offered many unique amenities and experiences, staples like the Casino, late-night eats, and shuffleboard were still available.

Cruising has received a lot of bad press, but many experts have said that cruising is safe. If you look at the COVID cases, I believe that it is safer to be at sea than on land.

#cruiseplannersdaniellepetty #traveladvisor #virginvoyages