Virgin Voyages Review: Solo Insider Cabin Aboard the Valiant Lady
(By Elizabeth Tuico) We endured a frosty winter on the East Coast this year, so a few days in the warm sun broke up the pattern of gray skies and frigid temperatures. I recently returned from a four-day cruise aboard the Valiant Lady operated by Virgin Voyages, owned by Richard Branson.
Virgin Voyages claims to be a different cruise line. They achieve that mark by adding value with high quality food and entertainment while including tips in the initial fare. I selected a solo insider cabin, which was a positive experience despite acoustic issues. Championing single travelers with solo lodging could be a game changer for Virgin Voyages.
I joked that we sailed no more than 300 miles with their basic Florida itinerary of Miami to Key West to Bimini in the Bahamas back to Miami. Overall, I gave my trip on the Valiant Lady an 8 out of 10. Here is my review of Fire and Sunset Soirees on the Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady in February 2025:
Pros
Fresh food and a variety of cuisines
Wonders of the band (instead of a data card)
Well-oiled machine with an enthusiastic crew
No tipping or kids – adults only
Cons
Clunky, hard-to-use app
Unreasonable free Wi-Fi access
One restaurant per voyage rule
Acoustic issues in my solo insider cabin
Let’s start with a deep dive into the pros from the Fire and Sunset Soirees cruise. As they say on the Valiant Lady, “Ahoy Sailors.”
Enjoy excellent food aboard the Valiant Lady.
I did not expect the food to be so delicious and fresh. The Galley on Deck 15 contains a wide variety of eateries open from 6 am to 10 pm. Sailors (that is what Virgin Voyage calls their guests) enjoy standard American fare along with sushi bento boxes, ramen, tacos, burgers, salads, and sandwiches. Coffee, tea, juices, soda, and water are available for free. Sailors pay extra for wine, beer, alcohol, and fancy coffee.
In the evening, six eateries (or restaurants) cater to diners (although Galley fare is available). The most popular Valiant Lady eateries are Pink Agave (Mexican), The Wake (steak house), and Extra Virgin (Italian). I could not get a reservation at Pink Agave but heard complimentary reviews. My group of 21 dined at The Wake. This restaurant is where large parties can convene for dinner. I was impressed with the wait staff who managed our group with ease. Our best meal was at Extra Virgin, where we dined on fresh pasta and homemade bread.
Test Kitchen is a risk but works for the semi-adventurous looking for a more creative meal. The five-course menu uses unusual ingredients like charcoal. A vegetarian option is also available. Razzle Dazzle was once a vegetarian-only space, but chefs throw in meat dishes now, which makes the experience uneven. (Our server explained that Razzle Dazzle was very unpopular before they added spareribs and lamb to the menu.) We did not eat at Gunbae, the Korean restaurant.
Use a bracelet for key access and ship charges.
Virgin Voyages is one of the first cruise lines to adopt a wearable band that serves as the key to your cabin, identification to get back on the ship, and the Valiant Lady wallet. The band is also waterproof. I removed my band every evening, and it took time to put it back on my wrist the next day. Overall, the band is a step up from the data card other cruise lines employ. We used the bracelet to buy drinks and items from the Valiant Lady shops. It is also your player card at the casino.
Cue the enthusiasm from the Valiant Lady crew.
Standard crew contracts for cruise ships are six months. For half the year, the crew on the Valiant Lady remains perky and helpful, day and night. Not many humans can maintain this level of service. Abby, my group leader, described Virgin Voyages as playful – and I will add cheerful.
On my cruise, we encountered sailors from their early twenties to seniors. Parties, shows, and loud music ruled the evenings, but we found quieter options. Virgin Voyages does its best to curate entertainment options for everyone. The Diva – a well-heeled drag queen with a beautiful singing voice – is the ship’s emcee. The Valiant Lady’s signature event is their Red Party, which happened on day two after our day in Key West. Sailors wore red clothing, and there was an extra vibe happening around the ship. The main pool deck hosts an entertainment extravaganza at 11 pm. (I left when it looked like the dancers wanted sailors to join them in the pool.)
Other options for fun onboard the Valiant Lady: arts & crafts, board games, fitness classes, shopping, late-night dancing, gaming lessons at the casino, whiskey tastings, and cabaret shows.
The Beach Club at Bimini, owned by Virgin Voyages, operates smoothly. Aside from the abundance of beach towels, sailors enjoy fresh dishes prepared onsite from 11 am to 4 pm. After lounging around, we swam in the ocean and enjoyed floating in two large pools.
NOTE: One difference at my solo insider cabin is that service occurred from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. There was no valet service in the evening, which is standard on other cruise lines.
No tipping and adult-only cruises.
Virgin Voyages includes tips for the crew into the booking fares, which is a plus. It can be unnerving when cruise lines ask you to tip the crew prior to a voyage; it can also be awkward to tip staff at the end of a trip. And…sometimes a kid-free journey is the best way to unwind.
Ernest Hemingway’s writing room | Hemingway House, Key West, FL
Below are the cons I encountered while traveling on the Valiant Lady:
Fumbling through the Virgin Voyages app.
Virgin Voyages expect sailors to make dinner reservations, sign up for excursions, and monitor expenses using their app. However, their technology is not user-friendly, clunky, and requires a major update.
To make dinner reservations for my three friends on the Valiant Lady, I sent them each a separate link found in the app which connected each reservation. One friend did not click on the link for a couple of weeks. I made reservations for three, thinking adding another person would be easy. However, to add my fourth friend, I had to go to another section of the app, which was not clear. (This action took me two hours to figure out.)
For an undetermined reason, Virgin Voyages locked me out of my account for six weeks. At first, the cruise line told me I owed $75 even though I had a receipt indicating full payment. Eventually, my group leader reversed the action. Everyone in my group received $50 in their onboard account, which was a generous benefit. However, I did not see these funds in my app until I boarded the Valiant Lady, where others saw the money right away. I use an iPhone SE with a four-inch screen. The app did not scale appropriately.
Hey Virgin Voyages – prioritize upgrading your app.
Connecting to free Internet is challenging.
Virgin Voyages claim there are no hidden charges aboard their vessels, but using free Internet is hard. I worked throughout our mini-cruise and did not want to pay an additional fee for Internet access. However, this tactic required a strategy.
My solo insider cabin on the Valiant Lady did not receive cell service at any time, so I could not use two-factor authentication while in my room. (My friends with windows in their staterooms and balconies got a signal. Yes, “insider” means no window.)
Virgin Voyages advertises its Wi-Fi as: “Browse, post, and stay connected with Wi-Fi — whenever you want, and wherever you are on the ship” which is accurate. Only one device at a time can connect to this free Internet. I logged off my iPhone when I needed my laptop and vice versa. I could not access Dropbox, Google Drive, Zoom or download a podcast. I managed to send documents out through my Gmail account, but it was not business as usual aboard the Valiant Lady with the free Internet.
If you need a more efficient Internet service, here are the charges aboard the Valiant Lady: $150 for the work from sea package that includes zoom and Microsoft Teams access; $90 for full voyage access; or $40 for 24 hours of high-speed Internet. While in Key West, I saw a man on Deck 15 using the hot spot on his phone as a work around.
Dining at one restaurant per voyage.
I understand why Virgin Voyages only allows sailors to dine at one restaurant per trip. Otherwise, everyone would be at Pink Agave, The Wake, and Extra Virgin. However, it was challenging to book dinner reservations with this rule.
Sleeping through noise in surrounding solo insider cabins.
My solo insider cabin had sailors on either side. Unfortunately, I could hear the television and conversations from the neighboring rooms since the walls were paper thin. Virgin Voyages needs to improve the acoustics in these solo insider cabins. Aside from the noise, I enjoyed my time there despite the lack of natural light. Since more travelers want single accommodation, sound-proofing these rooms will enhance the experience.
Hey Virgin Voyages, work with an acoustics engineer to take the solo insider cabins to the next level.
If you have never vacationed on a mega-cruise ship, the Fire and Sunset Soirees four-day excursion on Virgin Voyages is a safe bet. Things to keep in mind:
Consider arriving in Miami the day before your cruise since flight cancellations occur regularly.
If possible, carry your bags onto the ship and do not check them prior to boarding. It takes time for bags to reach your cabin. You will wait for your luggage prior to departure.
Tight cabins provide little storage space for large suitcases.
Make dinner reservations as soon as Virgin Voyages opens reservations.
After leaving Key West, turn your phone to airplane mode with Wi-Fi connected to avoid international cellular charges in the Bahamas.
Do not forget your passport.
Here is a peak at my tiny solo insider cabin. The space was well-designed, and perfect for one person. I also worked efficiently at the small desk using a padded stool as my work chair. Again, I could hear the television and phone conversations in the cabins around me. Otherwise, I enjoyed my stay.
