Your cruise was ruined...

[mnocket]

18 minutes ago, LandlockedCruiser01 said:

 I do wonder if it'll have assigned seating at dinner.  It was what drew me to Carnival in 2012: the guarantee that I won't be eating dinner alone.

My understanding is that there is no main dinning room.  Instead there are something like 20 eating venues and you choose where to dine each meal.  I don't think there is any assigned seating, so this may be an issue for you.

[audaciousred]

On 2/25/2019 at 3:18 PM, murfturf said:

I'm excited for a more updated cruise line - and even though Hubs and I will be in our late 40's on the ship (I turn 47 on board next summer!) we hope we won't be the oldest! 

You won't be the oldest, I'm 52 LOL, but we're sailing in the Spring. I do believe that age is just a number!!  Fun is ageless!

[audaciousred]

I know a lot of people are saying it's not for them and I've heard comments about the Drag Brunch.  All I'm going to say is, to each his own, as my grandma would say. 

 

Just because you sail Virgin doesn't mean you HAVE to attend the drag brunch.  Take for instance the casinos on board all of the ships.  I don't gamble, so I don't go to the Casino.  It doesn't make or break my decision to sail on the ship.  What does is the itinerary, the cost and inclusions.  And I applaud Virgin for not nickel and diming - that's getting old on a lot of lines.  I like free Wi-fi, free basic drinks including my beloved sparking water and diet sodas (please let it be coke products, lol - I'm sure that statement alone will set off fireworks 😃) and including my tips.  Let me just pay for it ahead of time and rip off the band aid.  

 

But again, To Each His Own! 🙂

[Jadesmomva]

I agree with all those who have said "to each their own".  My husband and I (61 and 55) are booked for the New Year's Eve voyage and my mother (79) will be coming along too -- and she's more excited about it than we are!  [So - those of you who are afraid of being the oldest on the ship - no worries we've got you covered 🙂 ]  We've been on most of the major cruise lines (modestly priced to the luxury lines).  Mom's a seasoned Crystal cruiser who is looking for something different and fun to do as a family for the holidays.  VV appears to absolutely fit the bill.  We're more than happy to take a chance on something new and different - with the attitude that we're going to have a great time together, and look forward to meeting other folks on board who also booked with an eye toward an enjoyable holiday and a great drag brunch!  

 

Do we enjoy the luxury of the high-end cruises where they unpack for you and have a concierge and butler - absolutely, but variety is the spice of life.  It's like dining choices...you don't always need a huge rare steak...a fabulous fish and chips order be wonderful too!  

 

Can't wait to ring in 2021 on the Scarlet Lady....note taken- we'll be packing those pearls! 

 

Cheers - can't wait to meet Scarlets fellow sailors. 

 

Best to all as we head into the holiday season, 

Michele

[doll80]

On 9/24/2019 at 4:48 PM, LandlockedCruiser01 said:

I do wonder if it'll have assigned seating at dinner.  It was what drew me to Carnival in 2012: the guarantee that I won't be eating dinner alone.

I honestly hope there is no assigned dinner. I hate being told what to do, and missing a meal because I change my mind would make me irate.

 

As a solo sailor, I do hope they have some organized things for us to meet other people on the ship early on. I suggested a pub crawl which is a surefire way to find buddies when I stay at hostels, as well as hit many of the venues on the ship. There's still so much to find out by the time the sail date comes around! 

[doll80]

On 10/21/2019 at 10:51 PM, Jadesmomva said:

My husband and I (61 and 55) are booked for the New Year's Eve voyage and my mother (79) will be coming along too -- and she's more excited about it than we are! 

 

I love that your mum is excited for the ship! VV is looking for people with vivre, curiosity and an open mind, which are the people I want to hang out with, not an age group. (Oh and money, they're looking for people who are willing to pay it)

 

And ditto for going high and going low with the steak/fish&chips analogy, it's a balance in life. I have Scion because it's a glorified Corolla with a great sound system and moonroof. I travel in hostels so that I can buy and eat whatever I want. Scarlet Lady's rooms are not posh, but they're comfortable and I will eat and do everything on that boat with no extra charge or worry. Not hamburgers. Korean barbecue and whatever nonsense is in the test kitchen. Im praying for a drink package after all, but I'll handover my pesos anyways.

 

And drag brunch is a drag show while you're served brunch. It's fab, and there better be enough seats for me to get in on that. 

[doll80]

On 9/24/2019 at 4:48 PM, LandlockedCruiser01 said:

 

Staunch I do wonder if it'll have assigned seating at dinner.  It was what drew me to Carnival in 2012: the guarantee that I won't be eating dinner alone.

 Response from VV when inquired:

"In the coming months we will be announcing our on board experiences and Shore Things for our Sailors. There will definitely be a lot of opportunities to mix and meet Sailors on your voyage. Gunbae, our Korean BBQ offering, will be one of our most social restaurants on board. It will be a perfect opportunity as a solo traveler to branch out and meet people since we are making sure to that Sailors are seated together communally in mid-sized groups. "

[floridaboundsoon]

I love this thread.  I am 55 and booked for June.  Reading all of these comments makes me realize how young at heart I am (and tolerant).  The no kids policy is the icing on the cake for me, but so much else seems so exciting and fresh compared to the multitude of other cruises I have taken in the last 30 years.  

[floridaboundsoon]

On 2/17/2019 at 7:28 PM, AdoraBelle said:

 

Instead of Mardi Gras beads we can all wear (for me it’ll be fake) pearls to recognize each other. 😉

 

All together now ... clutch!

I'll even wear my Grandma's real ones she willed to me!

[Saltdog]

"My cruise was ruined by insufferable people on the ship telling me how their cruise was ruined." 😊

 

That being said, I can't say after 30 years that I've ever had a cruise ruined. Call it lucky or just rolling with whatever comes my way!

[rbt001]

On 1/23/2020 at 1:50 PM, ronbe65 said:

What??

Cruise lines promotions and ads? What can be more misleading ?

... (dreck truncated) ...

For sure I will take a cruise... when the itineraries become adequate (at least to Carnival), and the prices are right for this extravagant mass market floating toy for retirement cruising.

Happy cruising!

 

 

 

Sounds like continuing to sail with Carnival will help you advance to the next tier in their frequent guest program which MIGHT make you happy. 

 

Over on board VV, we'd be happy too... to be enjoying all the things that set VV apart in a negativity-free environment!

 

 

[crazycatlady11]

What is it about VV that evokes such rabid negativity from people who don't want to cruise on the line? There are cruise lines that don't interest me, and I have no desire to go to those boards and rag on the lines and the people who sail on them. It's so strange to me. 

[perditax]

For what it’s worth, this thread was originally satire, speculating on what kind of complaints we would hear from the “traditional” cruisers. 

 

If it’s turned into a legit complaint thread, I’m not surprised. For a while there was one guy who would bump every single thread here with an explanation of why he would never sail VV.

 

The idea that a cruise line would be launched without their specific needs being catered to really galls some people. 

[resstation]

1 hour ago, perditax said:

For what it’s worth, this thread was originally satire, speculating on what kind of complaints we would hear from the “traditional” cruisers. 

 

If it’s turned into a legit complaint thread, I’m not surprised. For a while there was one guy who would bump every single thread here with an explanation of why he would never sail VV.

 

The idea that a cruise line would be launched without their specific needs being catered to really galls some people. 

THANK YOU! Yes, I'm the OP. Satire, exactly. Boy oh boy, did that light a fire!

[Nymich]

17 hours ago, crazycatlady11 said:

What is it about VV that evokes such rabid negativity from people who don't want to cruise on the line? There are cruise lines that don't interest me, and I have no desire to go to those boards and rag on the lines and the people who sail on them. It's so strange to me. 

I agree I don't do that either but FWIW some people on CC go on the boards of the lines they do like and rag on others who post there.  After a few reads you can kind of get the idea of who the miserable people are.

[LandlockedCruiser01]

On 1/24/2020 at 9:28 PM, crazycatlady11 said:

What is it about VV that evokes such rabid negativity from people who don't want to cruise on the line? There are cruise lines that don't interest me, and I have no desire to go to those boards and rag on the lines and the people who sail on them. It's so strange to me. 

 

It might be Virgin Voyages's ads that rub people the wrong way.  While the target audiences of, say, Carnival and Holland America couldn't be more different, both lines are still "come as you are" when it comes to attracting passengers.  Everyone is welcome, but not everyone will enjoy it, and their ads make it clear.  Virgin's ads don't have that.  Despite their ritzy vibe, their ads and artist's renderings resemble sets of a lowbrow reality show, like "The Bachelor".  As opposed to the quaint, charming "Love Boat" show, like the ads of most incumbent cruise lines.

 

Another speculation is that people associate the name Virgin with an airline of the same name.  At least in the US, airlines in general have a very negative perception in the general public's eye.

 

For a point of analogy, consider Costa or MSC.  Until very recently, they were very anti-solo, to the point of barring solos from their ships.  Not overtly, but by telling all solos that there are no cabins available.  So no wonder they caught heat for it, here on Cruise Critic in particular.  To the point of people swearing off Costa and MSC for life, even today, when they started allowing solos to book.

Edited January 26, 2020 by LandlockedCruiser01

[perditax]

Well, the nice thing about late-stage capitalism is everyone gets to vote with their wallet. 

[hotsauce126]

6 hours ago, LandlockedCruiser01 said:

Despite their ritzy vibe, their ads and artist's renderings resemble sets of a lowbrow reality show, like "The Bachelor".  As opposed to the quaint, charming "Love Boat" show, like the ads of most incumbent cruise lines.

 

Another speculation is that people associate the name Virgin with an airline of the same name.  At least in the US, airlines in general have a very negative perception in the general public's eye.

 

 

 

I think you're confusing "lowbrow" with not catering to the elderly. Most of Virgin's target audience had not never even heard of the love boat. 

 

Also airline thing is a weird stretch