Any NEWS on VV? Please post it here...

[Diver2014]

Love the balcony cabins!  I like the modern sleek design.  I won't be applying makeup when I'm on vacation though!

Not too thrilled about an overnight in Havana after living in Miami ("north Havana") for 23 years.  I'd go just for the ship experience, not the shore experience.

Edited January 31, 2019 by Diver2014

[eroller]

This bit from the VV website caught my eye.  Looks like there will be inside solo options, and perhaps a shared bunk bed cabin with strangers (called “Social Insider”). I wonder how many bunks?  Maybe the bathrooms are down the hall!   What is old is new again. I remember the old P&O “friendly fours” where you would share a cabin with 3 other strangers.  Bathroom down the hall.  

Edited January 31, 2019 by eroller

[Dr. Cocktail]

So disappointed and frankly annoyed that there will only be 4 and 5 night sailings. I never would have placed a deposit had I known this fact.

 

The vibe on shorter sailings is completely different as everyone tries to cram 7 days of holiday excitement into a few days of frenzied activity.

[wwcruisers]

28 minutes ago, Dr. Cocktail said:

So disappointed and frankly annoyed that there will only be 4 and 5 night sailings. I never would have placed a deposit had I known this fact.

 

The vibe on shorter sailings is completely different as everyone tries to cram 7 days of holiday excitement into a few days of frenzied activity.

Not to mention the fact that West-Coasters are unlikely to pony-up the time and $$ to fly clear across the country, for what equates to a 'long-weekend' cruise! Now, if they have alternating itineraries, a B2B might be worth it -- but, short of that.....?

[twodjs]

I agree about the length of the cruise if there is travel across 4 or 5 time zones to get to Maimi. A back to back is the better option, but also agree the feel is different since it takes a few days to get comfortable with the ship. We really enjoyed Cuba overnight on a recent NCL cruise. Would do that again in an instant.

[clskinsfan]

Looks like Virgin will have their new terminal as close to the city center as possible. It is right up against the bridge it appears:

 

 

Edited February 1, 2019 by clskinsfan

[Biker19]

16 hours ago, clskinsfan said:

Looks like Virgin will have their new terminal as close to the city center as possible. It is right up against the bridge it appears:

I think that was mentioned earlier in this thread - VV is still working with Miami/POM to approve that redevelopment.

[timf2001]

1 hour ago, Biker19 said:

I think that was mentioned earlier in this thread - VV is still working with Miami/POM to approve that redevelopment.

 

I had assumed construction started already and they'd have it ready by the time sailings started, but looking back at the news articles I see that it won't open until 2021 at the earliest.  In the meantime they are planning to use Terminal F, which helps explain why they are only doing 4-5 sailings.  Saturday and Sunday departures are likely impossible due to scheduling conflicts until they have their own dedicated terminal.

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, timf2001 said:

  In the meantime they are planning to use Terminal F, which helps explain why they are only doing 4-5 sailings.  Saturday and Sunday departures are likely impossible due to scheduling conflicts until they have their own dedicated terminal.

Right, even the second ship might be out by the time the POM terminal is ready but I assume that she might sail from another port.

[eroller]

This quote is from Cruise Critic's Facebook page regarding gratuities included on VV.  They mention other amenities of the ship including vinyl turntables with record collections every cabin.  Can this be true?  Every cabin?  I think they are confused and it's only the suites.  

 

 

 

Scarlet Lady is scheduled to begin sailing from Miami in 2020. It will be adults-only (18 and older), and feature unique amenities such as vinyl turntables with in-room record collections in every cabin, 

[Biker19]

9 hours ago, eroller said:

This quote is from Cruise Critic's Facebook page regarding gratuities included on VV.  They mention other amenities of the ship including vinyl turntables with record collections every cabin.  Can this be true?  Every cabin?  I think they are confused and it's only the suites.  

Maybe they meant one framed record as a wall decoration in every cabin.

[eroller]

2 hours ago, Biker19 said:

Maybe they meant one framed record as a wall decoration in every cabin.

 

 

Yes cruise be, or just a mistake by the writer at Cruise Critic. 

[eroller]

We now have some pics of the “Social Insider”.  From the VV description it looks to be a cabin you book with 3 of your buddies, not one where VV will match you up with other singles.  But who knows, that may still be revealed.  

 

I do hope they hire extra cabin stewards, because all these convertible sofa beds require lots of extra work to make them up and strip them down twice a day.  As it is on most ships, the cabin stewards are at their limit and certainly would not have the time for this extra time consuming task.   

[Dr. Cocktail]

2 hours ago, eroller said:

We now have some pics of the “Social Insider”.  From the VV description it looks to be a cabin you book with 3 of your buddies, not one where VV will match you up with other singles.  But who knows, that may still be revealed.  

 

I do hope they hire extra cabin stewards, because all these convertible sofa beds require lots of extra work to make them up and strip them down twice a day.  As it is on most ships, the cabin stewards are at their limit and certainly would not have the time for this extra time consuming task.   

 

Why have you posted a picture of the set of Kinky Boots?

 

I was soooooooooooooooooooooooooo excited by all of the teasers, hype and concepts.

 

As we inch closer to reality, I really think we will need the flashing and clanging gates to protect us from this train wreck ......

[eroller]

22 minutes ago, Dr. Cocktail said:

 

Why have you posted a picture of the set of Kinky Boots?

 

I was soooooooooooooooooooooooooo excited by all of the teasers, hype and concepts.

 

As we inch closer to reality, I really think we will need the flashing and clanging gates to protect us from this train wreck ......

 

 

Well you have to admit one thing, they are awesome at coming up with creative names that will appeal to millennials.  I mean “Social Insider”?  A very fancy way of saying “small four berth inside cabin”.  LOL

[Lloyd555]

 

 

Mega Massive Suite 

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-6634897/Cruising-like-mega-rock-star-Inside-Virgin-Voyages-new-adults-Scarlet-Lady-cruise-ship.html 

 

Edited February 2, 2019 by Lloyd555

[aimee0715]

Those pictures Lloyd555 posted of cabins look a lot more like standard cruise ship cabins than these VV photos would have us believe.  

[eroller]

When I look at all the standard cabin renderings, one word comes to mind ... basic.  They a supposed to be designed in a way that you will want to spend more time in them.  That doesn't appear to be the case to me, and I'm a person that actually likes minimalism but it has to be done right.  

 

I also notice on the 4-berth inside cabins (Social Insiders) both lower beds are sitting on a platform.  So no where for 4 people to store their luggage.  Suddenly that small 4-berth cabin just got smaller, with valuable floor space being taken up by everyone's luggage.    

[twodjs]

Hopefully those platforms are hinged and open for luggage storage or every one of the cabins has a luggage storage problem.

[eroller]

3 hours ago, twodjs said:

Hopefully those platforms are hinged and open for luggage storage or every one of the cabins has a luggage storage problem.

 

 

They might, but I’m guessing that is where the bed linens will be stored when the beds are stripped and turned into sofas daily.  Lots of making and unmaking beds for for poor cabin stewards.  

[Dr. Cocktail]

54 minutes ago, eroller said:

 

 

They might, but I’m guessing that is where the bed linens will be stored when the beds are stripped and turned into sofas daily.  Lots of making and unmaking beds for for poor cabin stewards.  

 

I am deflating faster than a Hilary supporter on election night .... (as a Canadian, am I allowed to say that?! ......)

 

This is all looking a lot like when Edge launched ....  ridiculous and  impractical designs by people who have never spent a single night on board a cruise ship.

 

I have stated for YEARS that cruise cabin design would skyrocket if all of Upper Management were forced to spend 72 hours in a fully equipped mock-up that passengers are expected to stay in.

Edited February 3, 2019 by Dr. Cocktail

[Biker19]

17 hours ago, Dr. Cocktail said:

I have stated for YEARS that cruise cabin design would skyrocket if all of Upper Management were forced to spend 72 hours in a fully equipped mock-up that passengers are expected to stay in.

But then the bean counters would reign them in due to the cost.

[aimee0715]

I am still excited about booking and super excited to be going back to Havana for an overnight--and I am REALLY hoping for a second stop in Havana.  Having said that, a lot of the things that have been revealed about this ship--the tattoo parlor, the biggest daybed at sea, etc.  remind me of that episode of The Simpsons where Homer's half brother Herb (who owned a car company) hired Homer to design a car ("the type of car Americans really want and not the kind we tell them they want")and Homer's car design which was weird and very expensive bankrupted Herb's company.   I mentioned that to my husband and he said if the ship is like Homer's car, at least it should have plenty of cup holders!  Anyway, I am just hoping that the inaugural cruise is not off the charts expensive.  We just did a 10 night Cuba intensive itinerary on  Azamara Journey.  I will be hard pressed to sign up if this 5 night itinerary is comparable in price to our Azamara cruise.  I really want to be on that first cruise though.

[Nightrythm]

Virgin said they were going to be different. Everything I've seen jibes with Richard Branson's whole image. Their target audience isn't the regular cruising public. I don't know if it'll fail, but it'll be interesting to watch develop. I'm still interested. It really comes down to $$.

[jamesboat]

4/5 day cruises is a bit of a bummer, but I like the destination. It never made sense to me that DR is such a resort destination, but barely and ships go there.

 

I also like later port times. Nothing annoys me more than a 6pm all-aboard when the next port is literally a 2 hour sail away (ie, the virgin islands)