Scarlet Lady Review 11/11-11/16/2022

[keels81]

Why does this review have no pictures of things like tiny food or the 200-person theater?

 

Or any pictures?

[cantgetin]

Well, someone posted that The Red Room holds 500+ persons depending on the configuration, which makes a lot more sense.  And there are plenty of great food pictures on YouTube.

[kwokpot]

On 11/17/2022 at 2:16 AM, cantgetin said:

Before our first Princess cruise, I suggested to my travel companion that if we compared everything to our favorite ship, we were bound to be disappointed, while if we looked at this as a new experience to see what this line had to offer, it was far more likely to be positive.  That is especially true on VV.  OP was unhappy when something wasn't as he expected; but I see most of the dis-satisfaction being that he didn't know how or where to get things to happen.  We found great food and great crew, as well as great prices.  Some of the entertainment was not to my taste, but that's on me, not the ship.  There were plenty of other things to do if we didn't choose to do one of the shows.

BINGO. That's the #1 piece of advice for seasoned Cruisers  trying out VV for the first time. I kept having to tell my husband NOT TO DO THAT as we boarded the ship and went to The Galley and witnessed the semi-service aspect of the food hall.

My biggest criticism of the SL is the cabins below Suites. They are designed like a college dorm furnished from Target. Why in the world aren't there closet doors?  

[_tacocat_]

1 hour ago, kwokpot said:

Why in the world aren't there closet doors?  

heh i actually like the lack of closet doors!  less things to clank in the dead of night as the ship rocks, and you don't need to keep a radius clear of the door to open them.  i sailed in an XL sea terrace in october and thought it was a really good value/compromise between a suite and a regular sea terrace.   we used the baskets in the closets pretty heavily as kind of supplemental drawers and moved the life jackets off the shelf/to the closet floor to make more logical storage space for us. 2 big suitcases fit under the permanently perpendicular side of the bed, and we shoved a carryon suitcase in the back/side nook of the closet 

[mnocket]

On 11/16/2022 at 6:33 AM, Host Joe said:

This ship is only half full.

Really?  Wow.  Most other cruise lines are sailing at or near capacity.  Is it common that VV is still sailing at such low capacity?  If so, I'd say there's trouble ahead for VV.

[cantgetin]

VV is just slightly beyond a year from their first cruise with paying passengers.  Covid really messed up the launch of the line, so it isn't like "old friends" who can't wait to get back on their favorite ship.  It's a lot more people trying them out for the first time.  Our October cruise was a little more than half full; the best they've had is about 2200 passengers (ship holds 2700).  They are showing an amazing number of repeat sailors.  My TA says that 90% of his clients who sailed once did either a repeat sailing or a repeat booking within the first year.  The stats that VV released based on their first 6 months were somewhat lower than that, but still good.  I haven't seen any VV released numbers covering their first 12 months.

As to no closet door--a blessing in disguise.  No door to make noise when the ship moves.  It was one on the quietest cabins I've ever been in for exactly that reason.  And we had plenty of storage for 2 people, 14 nights.

[singbluesilver1]

I’m going on the scarlet lady in Feb, wasn’t my first choice, I love carnival and rcc but my friend wanted to try virgin. 
 

do they have trivia and stuff like that during the day?? I hope they do, I love trivia!! 

[chefchick]

When it comes down to it..this is one person’s opinion, determine what is important to YOU and decide from there.  If we were only allowed to state what we liked about any cruise, then there would be no CRITIC in cruise critic.  I have been cruising  for over 30 years,  there is always something to love and something to hate….the sweet spot lies somewhere in the middle.  We will be taking our first VV cruise next week and from ALL the info I have gathered from here and elsewhere, I will make up my own mind…but I suspect I will enjoy my cruise as I have enjoyed all my cruises, but I appreciate those who take the time, like the OP, to give their opinion. 🥂

[jon81uk]

4 hours ago, singbluesilver1 said:

I’m going on the scarlet lady in Feb, wasn’t my first choice, I love carnival and rcc but my friend wanted to try virgin. 
 

do they have trivia and stuff like that during the day?? I hope they do, I love trivia!! 

Yep there is trivia in the pub type venue, not so much during the day but definitely early evening. There is also Risky Quizness which is a sillier game show format. 

[cantgetin]

On 12/6/2022 at 11:59 PM, singbluesilver1 said:

I’m going on the scarlet lady in Feb, wasn’t my first choice, I love carnival and rcc but my friend wanted to try virgin. 
 

do they have trivia and stuff like that during the day?? I hope they do, I love trivia!! 

On my sailing, they had trivia, an arcade tournament, and lots of other activities during the day.  It might depend on the length of the cruise and how port intensive it is though.  Mine was a long sailing with many sea days.

[WIBadgerFan]

On 12/5/2022 at 1:00 PM, kwokpot said:

BINGO. That's the #1 piece of advice for seasoned Cruisers  trying out VV for the first time. I kept having to tell my husband NOT TO DO THAT as we boarded the ship and went to The Galley and witnessed the semi-service aspect of the food hall.

My biggest criticism of the SL is the cabins below Suites. They are designed like a college dorm furnished from Target. Why in the world aren't there closet doors?  

Completely agree, though the smallest bathroom on a ship ever to make room for empty space in the room was most frustrating.  This and the tiny pool with no shade are serious issues but one does have to balance the amazing food experience.  

Wow, you Rock Stars must have received better service.  I literally never saw my room attendant the entire cruise.  That was a crazy difference from other lines.  He or she did a decent job, however.

[CharlotteFeng]

Hi Joe,

 

Thanks so much for your detailed review! I am travelling on Scarlet Lady this December, just wondering how you reserve restaurants 30 days prior? Is it on the mobile app? I've heard others saying that we can only book after boarding. So just want to make sure and book ahead if possible!😊

 

Charlotte

[cantgetin]

4 hours ago, CharlotteFeng said:

Hi Joe,

 

Thanks so much for your detailed review! I am travelling on Scarlet Lady this December, just wondering how you reserve restaurants 30 days prior? Is it on the mobile app? I've heard others saying that we can only book after boarding. So just want to make sure and book ahead if possible!😊

 

Charlotte

Using the app, people in suites can reserve dining 60 days out; those in regular cabins can do it 45 days out.  If the app crashes (not unusual), you can also do it by calling VV or your travel agent can do it for you thru their portal.  You can also purchase excursions in advance.

You can only book shows and activities like fitness classes after boarding.  However, there is a standby line for almost everything and many times people do not show up.  You want to do bungee class and there are no openings?  show up 5 minutes early and ask if there are any spots available.

To those who say "why no closet doors?"  I've never heard a closet door squeak or groan on VV, which I have experienced on DCL and Princess.  I'd rather be sleeping thru the night than experiencing noise every time the ship moves.  I agree that there is a great deal of room for improvement on VV, but how much does a curtain vs. a door really impact the quality of your cruise?  True, the decor is not particularly classy in the cabins.  The beds are not the best cruise beds I've every experienced. Hoping for bed improvement when Scarlet goes to dry dock next summer--that IS something that impacts the quality of my cruise.

 

Edited November 18, 2023 by cantgetin

[Freelancer3]

On Valiant Lady transatlantic 2 weeks ago:

 

Tomahawk Treat Yourself was $75 each. We shared one. 

 

The only venue that seats as few as 200 is The Manor - based on table configuration.

 

The Red Room can be configured multiple ways. Its occupancy is about 800. 

 

Keep in mind that entertainment on board is different from other lines and occurs all over the ship. 

 

The app - when it works - has the daily schedule plus its shown on LED screens on the central corridor elevators (on each floor )as well as printed at 3 locations. 

 

VV is not for everyone, and cannot be compared to other lines. It does have its flaws, but is our favorite. 

 

 

Edited November 19, 2023 by Freelancer3

[cantgetin]

Exactly as above.  What we like--the "almost all inclusive" concept.  Tipping is all done, including spa, bars, etc.  No one ON BOARD has their hand out, ever.  That doesn't mean you can't give something extra in cash, but it is neither required or expected.  One VV crew member told us she makes three times as much on VV with no tipping as she did on her previous line with tipping!

With very rare exceptions, all food included, exercise classes, and most activities (the exceptions involve either gambling or alcohol). NO KIDS....No kids running the halls, pressing every elevator button, etc.

We liked to pick up a paper copy of the daily schedule (at deck 7 desk, Grounds club and GS Too, Guest Services.  THe app lists everything when it works, but it can be a pain.

There are multiple, simultaneous activities around the ship--some are walk ins, others take pre-registration and have stand by lines.  If you want Broadway style theatre productions, this isn't it.

VV is different by design.  I think they wanted to get rid of.a lot of the frustrations of other lines, but sometimes they are different just to be different.  Most of the time it works, occasionally it doesn't.  It is still, and might always be, a work in progress.

What I didn't like--similar activities at the same time.....like "book club" and "mind benders" (both activities that involve more intellectual people) held repeatedly at the same time, and then nothing later in the day.  Alcohol is a personal choice, but there are a lot of alcohol related things on board (you can always participate but request a non-alcholic alternative.  I put more than a few suggestions in my eval, but they were not "make it or break it" things.

Some of the activities were not run by the best person or a person who knew what she was doing.....guess that was a personal thing with one less than ideal crew member, so I shouldn't point her out publically.

[cantgetin]

NEW thing I learned on this trip--there is a private shuttle company that operates from the VV terminal to MIA for $10 per person.  No reservations needed.  No wait for Uber or Lyft. VIP Shuttle Services 786-487-5234 was on the side of the vehicle (I took a photo so I'd remember).  The porter told us about it.  Worked great for us.  We had probably 8 people in the vehicle that held about 12; we were the second of 3 airline drop offs in our load.

 

[chefchick]

On 11/18/2022 at 9:11 PM, Host Joe said:

Me too. Atriums are not our thing. Lounges are. There are two. And in each we had to seek out service every time we went. 

Although not technically “lounges” if one wants a drink there is a casino bar, the draft house, the social club, and bars inside Razzle Dazzle and Pink Agave all that are air conditioned comfort.  I enjoy a pre dinner cocktail myself, so I’m not sure why you would need more than two? I never had a hard time getting a lovely seat at either venue.  Yes, at peak times servers were stretched, but not anymore than they are on any other cruise line…you obviously have a lot of experience, don’t tell me you haven’t had to wait for a cocktail on Royal, Celebrity, Princess, etc.?

[cantgetin]

46 minutes ago, chefchick said:

Although not technically “lounges” if one wants a drink there is a casino bar, the draft house, the social club, and bars inside Razzle Dazzle and Pink Agave all that are air conditioned comfort.  I enjoy a pre dinner cocktail myself, so I’m not sure why you would need more than two? I never had a hard time getting a lovely seat at either venue.  Yes, at peak times servers were stretched, but not anymore than they are on any other cruise line…you obviously have a lot of experience, don’t tell me you haven’t had to wait for a cocktail on Royal, Celebrity, Princess, etc.?

We have been unable to get a seat at The Dock at times, but so what?  We could choose to go inside to The Dock House or go to a different outside venue.  Not a big deal.  As to waiting for service--yup, happens sometimes....on every line I've ever cruise.

[conandrob240]

On 11/16/2022 at 8:33 AM, Host Joe said:

An honest review of Virgin Cruises from an avid cruiser. 

 

We did a 5-day on Scarlet Lady out of Miami going to Puerto Plata and Bimini. I have been posting amazing and fun pics and videos highlighting things we have found exciting the last few days thanks to those posting here on Cruise Critic. The ship is very visual and photographs well. We have had a wonderful trip, we always enjoy our travels. That being said, Virgin is trying so hard to be different that they are making vacation hard work in a lot of ways and losing out on some expectations that many have grown to love about cruises. I have always loved cruises because I don’t have to think. We love a lot of what Virgin offers, and will possibly consider it in the future keeping in mind all of the pitfalls, however they are pretty hard stops.  

 

The ship is super cool, modern and hip. It is a gorgeous design and thoughtfully designed to make you feel special. Similar to walking around a high end department store. It is extremely hard to navigate and signage is minimal and hard to figure out. There are no ship diagrams posted in elevator areas like all of the other lines. People wandered around lost all week. The staircase areas are brightly lit and sterile, constantly making me feel like we wandered into an employee area. AGREE. I DONT UNDERSTAND WHY NO MAP ON EACH FLOOR AND/OR WHY THE DIRECTORY ON EQXH FLOOR DOESNT EVEN INDICATE FORWARD OR AFT NEXT TO THE VENUE NAME

 

Everything is on the app. When it works. It crashes constantly. THE APP MOSTLY WORKED OKAY FOR US ALTHOUGH WIFI ITSELF WAS AWFUL PREMIUM

 

Dining must be reserved. There is no buffet or main dining. I am on top of it and reserved dinner each night at a different restaurant. I did this 30 days prior at 3am when it opened after reading about it in a Facebook group. Thank god I did. We witnessed two women all dressed for dinner while we were in line for our dinner reservation unable to find a spot for dinner. The hostess told them all the restaurants were booked. They could get burgers upstairs or pizza after 9. We saw this repeatedly throughout the week, people turned away for not having a reservation. You do not spend thousands on a cruise to be turned away from having dinner.. Not okay. This ship is only half full. Design flaw. There is no buffet or main restaurant. So if you don’t know to plan you are stuck. THIS WAS AN ISSUE ON OUR CRUISE ALSO. THEY DONT SEEM TO BE HOLDING BACK ENOUGH SPOTS FOR WALK UPS. I WAS ESPECIALLY ANNOYED THAT WE COULDNT GET INTO RAZZLE DAZZLE FOR BREAKFAST WITHOUT A RESERVATION 

 

Shows must be reserved. The showroom is tiny (200-ish, and there are 2800 people or so max capacity). Shows are bookable only after you board. We were in group 1, but suites, “rockstars”, board first. We got into one show (that’s all we could find) and it was quite good. That’s all we could get, very disappointed. WE GOT ALL THE SHOWS WE WANTED BUT WE BOARDED RIGHT AFTER ROCKSTARS AND WERE SOMEHOW ABLE TO ACCESS THE SHIPS WIFI FROM THE TERMINAL ABOUT 1:30pm. IM STILL NOT OVERRLY IMPRESSED WITH ENTERTAINMENT. ONE OR TWO SHOWS ARE GOOD TO VERY GOOD. NOTHINGS GREAT. AND TWO SAILINGS WHERE THE RESIDENT/REPEAT MUSICIANS ARENT VERY GOOD. ONE WAS GOOD. THE OTHER TWO SUCKED.  SO LEFT NOT MUCH TO DO

 

Let’s talk air conditioning. This ship is supposed to be eco-friendly. The rooms get cool after some time (if you open your balcony door, give it two hours to cool back down), however most public areas are stuffy. I mean sticky warm. Hallways, staircases and some of the lounge areas are just not comfortable. In the Caribbean this is not welcome after hanging out in the sun all day. CAN I AGREE 100 TIMES!?!?! 

 

Breakfast in your room is booked through the app. Cool, but we learned the hard way it books up and sells out! Our first morning our choice was 5:30am or 10:30am. Now I watch all morning for booking to open for the next day. You should not have to work so hard for vacation. ROOM SERVICE FOOD IS EXCELLENT. YES I REALIZED AFTER FIRST DAY YOU HAD TO ORDER EARLY TO GET BREAKFAST NEXT DAY.

 

Room attendant… we learned the hard way that they service your room once daily. One of my favorite luxuries is coming back after dinner and our bed is all turned down and there are fresh towels and the room is tidy. Not on Virgin. I was quickly scolded by Sailor Services that’s not how they do it. Once daily service. WE RESOLVED THIS ISSUE BY REQUESTING SERVICE IN THE APP. AND REQUESTING RHE BED/SOFA BE MADE UP. IN SUCH TIGHT QUARTERS, THE ROOM NEEDS TO BE SERVED A FEW TIMES A DAY. IF EVEN ONLY TO REPLACE TOWELS. ON TOP OF THE LACK OF SERVICE UNLESS REQUESTED, OUR ATTENDANT WAS NOT PLEASANT. JUST ENOUGH TO NOT BE RUDE BUT NOT FRIENDLY OR HELPFUL EITHER 

 

Dinner in Test Kitchen was a series of 5 tablespoon sized bites. We went for burgers after. 

JUST ASK FOR MORE! ORDER TWO ENTREES!

 

The Wake was super fancy, beautiful dining room and food very good but the server was inefficient and rude. She was only focused on a table of four that upgraded to $125 tomahawk steaks. WE HAD EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE IN ALL DINNER VENUES. THE WAKE WAS SUPERB IN EVERY WAY. THE DINING ROOM MANAGER THERE WAS PROBABLY THE MOST ATTENTIVE IVE EVER HAD ON ANY CRUISE SHIP

 

Dinner at Extra Virgin (Italian) was off the charts good. Service and all was excellent, and the steak was much better than the Wake. YES!

 

Dinners in Pink Agave and Razzle Dazzle were both quite good. PINK AGAVE WAS PROBABLY OUR FAVORITE. FOOD WAS INCREDIBLE

 

There is only one small pool up on top. Also, the area is to lay out and enjoy is small and congested… and no shade to move to. POOL SITUATION IS THE WORST OF ANY CRUISE SHIP IVE EVER BEEN ON. THE WHOLE POOL DECK AREA SUCKS

 

For evening cocktails before dinner despite all the areas on the ship that at first seem amazing, there are only two lounges and they are relatively small. There is no centrum like most ships. It is overall very strange. YES!!!!!LACKING TRUE BARS/LOUNGES!!!!!

 

The staff are hit and miss nice or don’t give a darn. Super weird! Since there is no tipping, there is no motivation for the staff to service you. I cannot count how many times we had to seek out our own drinks while staff mill around and are chatting with each other. That is not okay. MOSTLY AGREE. EXCEPT FOR DINNER WAIT STAFF. ALL THE DINING ROOM WAITSTAFF IN EVERY RESTAURANT WAS FANTASTIC

 

The food everywhere is mostly good. And during the day it is everywhere, although it gets stale with no changes or variety. There are lots of fun and quirky places to hang out. FOOD IS GREAT. I THINK MORE PLACES SHOULD BE OPEN IN THE GALLEY FOR DINNER AND THEY SHOULD

HAVE MORE DAILY SPECIALS THERE

 

Drinks are good but expensive. $13-$17 each. There are no drink packages. We found that vodka sodas are $7 so that’s better. We loved the shake for champagne where you shake your phone and a few minutes later they show up with a bottle of Moët on ice! For $100. We had a credit for a bottle and enjoyed it thoroughly. I DONT THINK THE PRICES WERE TOO AWFUL BUT I ALSO DONT THINK THE DRINKS WERE WORTH IT. GREAT WINE LISTS BUT THE COCKTAIL MENUS SORT OF UNINSPIRED AND INCONSISTENCY OF DRINKS BETWEEN BARTENDERS

 

The wifi is very unreliable. We upgraded to the Premium and I was unable to make consistent wifi calls at any point on the cruise. They were all broken up when I could get through. On all other lines this is never an issue. This is a deal breaker for me as I have to work while traveling. YUP!!!

 

Information, including signage and availability of what is going on is limited. There is no cruise director, no cruise director staff and no daily paper. Info on the app is very limited and it feels like a secret club where people bump around and find their way. There is no daily paper either digital or printed either. 

 

Breakfast… on the last day you cannot order room service, which is fine. So we went to the galley for breakfast (only option). Picture a buffet area where you sit down and wait for a server to get you your food from one of the surrounding buffet areas (you cannot walk up and get your own). We ordered omelettes and they were rubbery and had clearly been sitting on a steam table for a long time. Not a yummy breakfast. This is also your lunch area. It’s not a buffet, it is worse. You have a few options, which don’t change, and while you can see the food sitting out you have to wait for a server to bring it to you. 

 

Ports… 

 

in Puerto Plata they have a nice built area with swimming pools, bars and a restaurant that were all very overpriced. We headed back to the ship after walking around the small town and taking some pics and buying local art. The taxi drivers are very aggressive about taking you to the beach. We finally relented and went for an hour with another couple, it was $20 per couple and a ten minute drive. Very few services at the beach, except for very expensive beach food ($20-$40 sandwiches etc). We took a dip in the ocean and went back to the port and onto the ship to enjoy lunch etc there. WELL ITS THE DR. IT IS WHAT IT IS. WE STAY ON SHIP IN PORTS LIKE THIS

 

In Bimini they have a private club. Very little to no information… as always with Virgin. They were pushing expensive shore excursions. We took the tram to their beach club and had a lovely day. We swam, ate, and did a Long Beach walk collecting shells. They then took our shells and threw them in the trash upon boarding, saying they “could” have live animals in them. SHELLS ARE NEVER ALLOWED THROUGH CUSTOMS. WE THOUGHT THE BIMINI BEACH CLUB WAS FANTASTIC. GORGEOUS BEACH, FUN POOL AND THE FOOD WAS IMPROVED FROM OUT VISIT LAST YEAR. 

 

In summary, the ship is very “trendy”, and we believe it is aimed at people who have not cruised before. They do not know what you should typically expect, so it’s an easy target. Most of those we met onboard who have cruised on other lines seemed to feel like us, not too impressed overall (other than the ship is beautiful) and full of question marks. Those who had not cruised before were mixed, some were impressed and thought this is just how it is, others decided cruising is not for them them, which makes me sad. 

 

This cruise was a lot of “work” and low on the enjoyment and relaxation factor. 

 

We will be sailing on with our favorites… Celebrity and Royal. 

See my thoughts following each of yours in bold for others to get a second opinion. We sailed Nov 5. (And last NYE on Valiant)