Comparisson: Royal Caribbean or Virgin Voyages - Which is better?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 มิ.ย. 2024
- A direct comparison between Royal Caribbean and Virgin Voyages!
Choosing a cruise line that best fits you is important! There are a LOT of factors to consider from food, entertainment, ship design, etc.
Many people will probably look initially at a larger cruise line like Royal Caribbean. However, if you want to travel on a ship without kids, I recommend you also look at Virgin Voyages.
In this video, I will share my experience of Royal Caribbean vs. Virgin Voyages and which cruise line I think is the best for me! The two cruise lines are VERY different but it is important to know HOW they are different to help you decide if you should book a cruise on Royal Caribbean OR Virgin Voyages.
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Thank You So much!! Love your videos! They are so informative. This was perfect.
what a wonderful comparison. thank you for sharing
Thanks Brandon, enjoying this series
I am glad to hear it! Been fun to make!
I think virgin’s environmental initiatives are groundbreaking, and really tip the scale for me.
I'll have to research this! I have not heard much on this topic but definitely want to ensure we are taking care of our beautiful environment we love enjoying.
I agree with you on that. This is a great video. I would also like to add that Virgin also includes free basic wifi, free water, still and carbonated. Free soda and juice. Also, just $3 fee for room service. I just finished a b2b on the inaugural sailing of the Resilient Lady in Greece. There are things I hope Virgin improves on.The biggest is changing the menue up in the restaurant more often. This was my 4th and 5 sailing for me since they launched the brand. They could also add a few more option in the thier restaurant's for the sailings over 5 days. Overall, im a huge fan of Royal and Virgin.
New subscriber - great channel! Headed to Barcelona this weekend for a VV Mediterranean cruise. Thanks for the great info.
Hey Jacob and welcome! Hope it is as great of an experience as I had in the Caribbean! I am off to Barcelona in a few weeks to sail off on Royal Caribbean's Vision of the Seas!
Excellent video. Looking to book a honeymoon cruise in Europe and this was very helpful. Very thorough and you didn't let your biases stand in the way of the honest review. Thanks!
Thank you and greatly appreciate the comment! Which one did you book in Europe?!? Hope you two have a blast and congratulations on the engagement/wedding!
Great review!
I love the included gratuities so no pressure to tip extra unless you really feel someone is doing an extra fantastic job. I would still tip between 10 and 20 extra per day specifically to the room Stuart if I get all those supper appreciated room details. Like the towel animal and bottle of water etc. or having ice waiting for me at the room. Love it. Special thanks to Philippine crew members, their service attitude and level is amazing every time. They are almost always friendly and really humble awesome happy people. Makes my day every vacation.
There are a good number of crew members that watch the channel and I am sure they appreciate the shout out! They are amazing.
what a great and honest comparison. Are we going to see future lines included (for research purposes of course!) thanks for the video.
Potentially! Celebrity is next on the list at the end of this year but nothing planned prior unless I get creative (which is possible).
Great comments! Thanks for sharing! We are doing Disney Cruise in November and I’m sure I’ll be comparing a lot to Royal as well ;)
Oh, I promise you that you will be! That is also not really a fair fight but it's what us humans do. Hope you and the family have a blast!
I'm going on Virgin next summer, thank you for the comparison. I can't wait!
You're going to love it! Just keep an open mind to a different way of cruising and prioritize the food! yum!
Thank you! This was helpful
My pleasure! Hope you have a great cruise whichever you choose!
Great Info~ Thanks
Thank you!
Great review! I'm thinking of doing a Virgin trip next summer.
Excellent! Def check them out as it is a much different experience.
When I do my search for cruises, I filter my to-from date starting with Sept 7; the golden date for back to school. Nice job as always Brandon!
hahaha, I totally get that! You also get some great deals by booking right after Labor Day when the kids are back in school and most people are not traveling.
Yeah, but that's also the peak of Hurricane Season so I'd be afraid to cruise at that time (of course, you would need the cruise travel insurance).
@sbsnyder often travel credit cards offer vacation protection and other travel insurances that can offset that.
Great video, very informative. Question, did this cruise require a passport?
This one did not require a passport but they are highly recommended. Will def need a birth certificate to sail. If your first cruise I always recommend a travel agent to help.
Some of the bonuses you mentioned like not having to pay for the beach club or gratuities sounded like you paid for them anyway in the higher cost of the cruise. Yah? It seems to me that the kickers were the better dining experiences and the more contemporary entertainment options. That certainly would boil down to a personal preference. Thanks for the comparison! It was great to hear your perspective. Thanks for taking the time to share with us!
I would agree that the higher price point provided a higher standard of a cruise. There is also something to be said about not being "nickeled and dimed" once you are on the ship. It changes the environment when you can walk a hallway and not have someone trying to sell you the drink package, spa services, bingo, art auctions, specialty dinning, the list goes on.... Everything is a trade off.
@@TheWeekendCruiser Yes, but I don't mind that!!
This is a great video and some really interesting comments. Being I have only been on a few cruises 1 RC 2 NCL and am set to try a 4 night on Carnival this October, I do not have much to compare it to. But since RC was my first I still compare everything to that one. We were on a vision class ship back in the early 2000's. I must be an out layer here as the VV intrigues me and I am hoping the wife and I can try one either in 23 or 24 and I just turned 50. But then again the music, the shows the concept are all things I am into.
Happy late birthday! Definity try a few lines as they all offer different items you might like. If you have done RCL, NCL, and Carnival, that will give you a good base!
I liked sailing on RC in October. Almost no kids. Even with a dated look, I’d take a Freedom class ship over Virgin any day. Thanks for sharing your experiences on Virgin.
Yes, October of last year was a different ballgame and believe the ships were still at 50% capacity. I do love a good Freedom class ship still :-)
As another loyal to Royal/Celebrity sailor, you've summed up my thoughts on VV perfectly. Virgin feels more like the restaurants and places I'd go at home for interesting entertainment, food, and craft cocktails, but sometimes I just want umbrella drinks and water slides on vacation. My biggest disappointment on Virgin was their desserts (too try hard and their cookies are terrible). But the hammocks and drag queens are cruise game changers.
Thank you! I am excited to get on Celebrity at the end of the year! People say that I will love it! Glad I wasn't the only one disappointed with deserts!
I've been waiting on this video, thank you! We are considering branching out to a more "higher end/less kids" line, but I think (especially after watching this) we'll definitely try Celebrity first where we can cruise at their equivalent C&A level and enjoy finer food/entertainment/more adult atmosphere instead. However, that being said, 59 days until a "Freedom weekend", wish you were on it!
Everyone I have talked to says I will love Celebrity and I am sure you will to! I can't wait to try them later this year for one of my longest sailings yet! A 12 night from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Santiago, Chile! Enjoy the Freedom weekend!!! Wish I could be there with you all!
@@TheWeekendCruiser So cool. we gonna wait you with asado in Buenos Aires!
@@TerceroJorge Asado?
@@TheWeekendCruiser next level bbq 😎
Thanks for sharing
I think the price point is even to deter regulars maybe? It is meant to be an annual/semi-annual treat for the target audience and i think that is the intention.
When you go on Virign voyages there is no worry of having to plan out extensive experiences. The activities are limited but are very targeted towards a specific group of people and that is very attrative to people who do not want to plan even more once they get on the ship.
I would agree with that. As a regular cruiser and as much as I enjoyed Virgin, I am not sure I would want to go on it for several weeks at the time.
Good one! I just wish Virgin had more ships and ports. Did you go in the casino? How big was it? Any table games?
Yes! They are growing but just paused their third ship because they probably do not have enough interest. And most of their sailings are shorter which I find interesting. The casino was very small for the size of the ship. Prob 10 table and maybe 6 or 8 rows of slow machines. Fairly limited. The highlight to some folks, is that it is smoke free except in the very small smoking room.
Speaking of desserts, did you try the chocolate tacos in Pink Agave? Those are killer, and I’m not even a chocolate person. The cookies in Razzle Dazzle are pretty great too.
I did! I may have ordered every desert at Pink Agave.... I liked the one that tasted like a brad pudding the best with ice cream on top of it. Can't remember what it is now.
Good review... How is comparing the Beach Club to the Beach Resort a fair comparison? The vibe may be similar but the cost makes them difference.
I actually debated with myself the fair or more correct way to do this. I decided to get as close to apples and apples, the cost of the VV beach club was already built in and this made the most sense at the time. Royal Caribbean and Virgin Voyages are really two separate and distinct cruise line products and it makes comparing them difficult but that's what we do as humans :-) Though, some other mentioned (rightfully so) I left out all the other items you can do in CocoCay which could have shifted the experience for some.
Great video! We're doing our first Virgin sailing this week, on the Scarlet Lady. Very much looking forward to seeing how it compares to other lines that we've sailed on.
Hope you have a blast!
I’ll be there... looking for burgers
It was our favorite, so much so that we booked our next cruise on valiant lady while on board scarlet lady 👌🏻
@@kaylabomban they still doing COVID TEST?
@@evgenykhamlov8423 I believe they’ve stopped testing this month for fully vaccinated but I read that they are allowing 10% unvaccinated and that 10% will need testing prior to sail date.
Nice comparison, and overall I agree with you. We've had the same "you can't get there from here" issues on Princess. What I do like about the Virgin layout is that there are lots of smaller, more intimate gathering places as opposed to a huge "all ship" gathering area. On the other hand, I can't say I love being in the atrium of other lines with 1000 of my newest friends.
I liked that no one on VV has their hand out hoping for extra gratuity. Crew has said that their salaries are about 3 times as much as they earn on other lines and their benefits are great--they get free wifi, can eat in guest areas during time off (proper attire, etc), free toiletries and laundry soap. This means they have far fewer on board expenses. They also have a lot more freedom in the way they look--tats, piercings, dyed hair, etc. are fine and they seem to like the individuality. You also won't see white suits--the work clothing is much more casual, and unless you know the people, you can't identify the captain from a server in terms of what they are wearing. I found everyone to be super happy and friendly on VV.
My next VV booking came out to just under $100 per person per night (2 people in a Sea Terrace cabin including all taxes). On top of that, we have $400 in OBC. I agree that "deals" this good on VV are rare, but they do exist. While you are right that on VV $150 pp. per night is more common and on Royal I could often get something in the range of $100 pp per night, but by the time I add gratuities, an internet package and a soda package (necessary for my travel companion), I'm getting quite close to what VV costs. If I throw in upscale dining on Royal, the costs are just about equal. I could spend less on both lines if I chose a cabin without a balcony. I totally agree with you that it is a matter of what you are looking for. For us, it is like we "grew up" to VV. It is sort of like realizing that some of the "sit down"restaurants at Disney World have food that is a whole lot better than that served at the character buffets when your kids are no longer needing to see characters. Both are good experiences, but one is better at different times in your life.
Completely agree on all accounts! I certainly got the impression the crew was happier and they had more flexibility. Love supporting companies that I feel like support their employees. I'm going to have to keep my eye out for some of those deals!
@@TheWeekendCruiser Right now there are good deals on cruises for the rest of 2022. Basically 2nd passenger in a room 50% off, no single supplement in any room and $100 bonus on any bar tab you choose to purchase. This thru August. BUT the 2023 deals were taken away. The cost of the 2023 cruise that I had my eye on increased by $800! As my TA says, when this deal ends, another one will be out there. So I had my 2022 booked already, will wait for the deal I want for 2023.
@@kathryncashner3294 Agreed! I normally try to book at least a year out and watch it. Though, I do get worried for the industry seeing all these discounts and "cheaper" cruises.
Thanks for the info. We love Royal.
Always! I love Royal too! That has not changed!
Great job profiling the contrasts between the two lines, Brandon. Tipping is a hot topic these days, and the fact that VV builds tipping into their pricing model is both customer AND employee-friendly. As for the "kids vs. no kids," an acquaintance who recently experienced her first cruise (Vancouver - Honolulu) warned me that on their ship it was a kids free-for-all, in effect, "kids gone wild." #pandemonium . Ah, no thanks. Appreciate the time and effort you put into your reviews.
Thank you! Actually, just getting back on Virgin now! More to come!
Thank you. Where did you get the little ship models?
The stores onboard the ship are the only place I have found to purchase.
I’m looking forward to trying Virgin Voyages. I’ve been on Royal Caribbean several times and thought they were decent, though the cruises I went on we had chartered the entire ship so it wasn’t a traditional Royal Caribbean experience, because the entertainment and certain other features were supplanted by features designed to cater to our group.
We have a group cruise going on May 26 for labor day if that works! Would love to have you. Yes, a charter, especially depending on the charter, is a VERY different experience. I would say probably better entertainment because it is focused on exactly what you like.
Glad you enjoyed Virgin. I personally would still prefer Royal. Can't wait for the Icon to come out! I'm a the bigger the ship the better kinda gal!
hahaha love it! We are the opposite on that! I have never done the big gals much!
Hello Brandon! I also am Loyal to Roya since the 1980's and I agree with you about the kids in the summer time being a lot and all over but we both know that Royal does have the areas for adults only and I use those pool and jacuzzi areas on the new and old ships when I don't want to be around the kids.I really do like this comparison though!
The only adults only section I know of is the Solarium and adult comedy? Though, I am not sure how well enforced the solarium is for adults only at least on Freedom. I am excited for September to roll around when the kids go back to school. It changes everything.
@@TheWeekendCruiser Yes the Solariums on the differant ships is what I was Illuding to.Ive never had a problem with children being in that area and found it to be a nice respite when I want to be away from the kids.There are times though that the kids don't bother me especially when they are well behaved and under parental supervision.
@@AC-lz1zv I believe this to be true: On ships with a Solarium Bistro, kids are allowed in there to eat with their parents since it's one of the free meal options on board. That kind of ruins the atmosphere for me towards that area. Heh.
@@AC-lz1zv Yes, well behaved and supervised children are great! Though, I feel like the parents go on vacation from their parenting responsibilities as well lots of times.
We sailed on freedom in mid July and there was no kids in the quiet area!
Great review! I was considering virgin but like you said I don’t think I am their target audience. I am a 40 yr old introvert that just wants to have a quiet peaceful time with a good book. I am thinking of switching to celebrity it looks like that might be my speed. Royal can be overwhelming but it is a quality product
You are very self-aware to realize you are not their target audience. They really have niched down on who all they are trying to market and target vs casting a wide net. It was a sophisticated party crowd if one can say that lol I too am looking forward to Celebrity later this year! Everyone tells me I will love it and I am sure you would to!
I'm a 40-something introvert and loved Valiant Lady! No pushy attempts at up-selling and it was great to not have to wonder in what situations you were expected to tip.
@@LennieB9 That is really good perspective!
I’m a 49 year old introvert and I have sailed on Virgin twice and have 4 more booked. One thing this review overlooks is that by giving up the large central spaces, Virgin created many nice smaller places to sit or talk, with different decor to fit your mood.
This is the perfect cruise ship for you. You can be involved with people or to yourself. Most of my time I was to myself and had a great time..on Virgin
thank you very much for this comparison :) We have so far done 2 cruises, on P&O Aus. but this year we are stepping it up a notch a nd have 2 cruises booked for nov a nd dec, nov is with RCCL on ova tion of the seas :) And Dec is with virgin on resilent lady :) We are so excited about both sailings :) I think that virgin is really going to surpise us as we have never been on anything like that line before. i love the look of the decor on the ship, it looks amazing :) the only things that im worried about on virgin is 1. the food..... we are not into high clas, fancy meals..... we prefer more of a good pub / home style meal. so im concerened that the food may be a little too fancy for me. 2. the entertainment.... i love my big broadway type shows, so im worried that the shows and performances on virgin will dissapoint me.... so i think, even going from 2 P&O cruises to royal, then to virgin, will be a big eye opener for us... but im very very excited to choose 2 new lines to sail on and get completley different experiences than what we are used too :) BRING ON THE HIGH SEAS :)
Hey Debbie and it sounds like you know what you like and don't like! Though, love that you are still pushing yourself to try new things and see! Would love to hear your feedback!
@@TheWeekendCruiser will def let you know :) im expecting RCCL to love :) Not that i will go on the ifLY and the FLOWrider as i physically couldnt do those type of things, but just the thought of the sheer size of the ship i think is going to wow me :) and ill most likely become one of those LOYAL TO ROYAL passengers that people seem to love to hate hehe and virgin has amazing reviews all around :) i know i will love the newness of the ship, how beautifully modern it is :) not sure if itll be a tad over the top for us though hehe i know that theres a lot of adult themed enuendos onboard and im pretty private about that sort of thing. some people would call me prudish lol i just think im shy and not into context being so open and free.... so itll def be an eyeopener hehe well i said on our last two cruises ?what happens on a cruise stays on a cruise" hehe i think that this will be the case on our cruise in dec.... i am actually glad though that its just me and my fiance going (he will be my husband by then), as if my mum was coming too (which she is on our RCCL cruise) i would feel very uncomfortable. oh well maybe i can become that party girl i never was hehe :) im willing to give it a try though :) who knows i may love it :)
Thank you
Nice review! I’m not sure of the date of your sailing. We did our first cruise with them on August 19th and it did not go well. I always keep a running list of standout crew members and I always do the post-cruise survey primarily to mention the people we got great service from. I don’t think that I have ever had a single negative comment on a survey out of the 15 or so that we have taken in the past 4 years or so. It took me a couple of hours to do the VV survey. In thinking about it I think that they had just increased the number of “sailors” on this cruise and I don’t think they were completely prepared. The first, and maybe biggest, complaint we had was with booking shows/events/meals on Scarlet Lady. We got on around 2:45pm after doing all the needless standing in line that is embarkation. We had heard that you could begin trying to book things by getting on the terminal Wi-Fi as we had heard that if you got on that network you could begin booking the things that they won’t let you book prior to boarding. We tried but they must have closed that loophole. Nothing that we wanted to go to was available. We had a definite list that we had compiled for months before this cruise and we knew what we wanted to do. Our arrival time had been assigned so we not have gotten on the ship any earlier. Everything that we wanted on our list was already sold out. Even things happening the final night were fully booked. We immediately went over to sailor services because we though it must be a glitch. The guy there had no way to check the status of reservations. He finally just used my phone to try the VV app. I was more familiar with the app than he was. I literally had to help him navigate the app. After 3 or 4 minutes of him learning his way around the app he shrugged his shoulders and said “Yeah I guess everything is sold out. We’ve got a lot more people on this week so maybe it’s because of that.” We experienced lots of unfortunate things like ordering a $9 Mimosa that ended up being about 90 degrees. Bartender just shrugged his shoulders. We had some good food and some inedible food. We had some good service in a couple venues and some indifferent service in others. Everything during that first night was disorganized. The sail away party was fun. After that we made it Razzle Dazzle, the only restaurant that we could get into other than the Galley. In Razzle Dazzle there seemed to be too many sailors and not enough crew.There were numerous people loudly complaining of the long wait times. People were screaming back and forth across our little table. We finally left and went to Galley. However they had a QR code to scan that explained the process which started with waiting for someone to take your order. We sat down and proceeded to wait, and wait, and wait. Eventually we got up and ordered our food directly at each different restaurant. After the first day Service in the Galley was much improved. We were able to get into a drag show that was pretty good but it was int he Manor with a single bartended holding it down. It was very crowded and we were asked to move upstairs. The upstairs bar was closed. The venue was super crowded and they could have sold thousands of drinks to the packed house had there been anyone else there to make them. So we left early to go find a drink. What I personally like about the ship is it’s style and vibe. Hopefully their designs will continue to evolve and possibly incorporate a few features from their competitions. We really liked our stateroom and many of the unique spaces on the ship. I think that the sportiness of the service and large disparities in food quality. We loved the grab and go boxes at appropriate places. The Wi-Fi was decent. I can’t wait to try Star-link on RC. The ship was oddly cold in many areas. We had done an Alaskan cruise two weeks prior on NCL and I was never as cold there as I was in some of the venues on Scarlet Lady. It was A Caribbean cruise out of Florida. I didn’t bring any warm clothing. My wife brought a light jacket which saved her. So our normal cruise behavior is that we get a drink and find a quite pace to read a book. Otherwise we eat, sleep and occasionally see a show. The 2 shows that we got in were not reserved were okay. The House Band seemed to be just bad. We were unfortunate that we managed to hear them 2 times. Also the touring band was good in their original work but weren’t as good just doing the cover band thing. They have about 5 originals interspersed amongst the sets and hearing those songs make up for the cover stuff. I could go on for hours. I think that we happened to board on a cruise which was a significant increase in passenger numbers. I believe that a large percentage of the crew was new to their job. They looked very new. I think that likely explains the spotty food and service and maybe even the odd temperature fluctuations. New crew mixed in with some of the previous crew. And more passengers than they’ve ever had. Makes sense there would be issues . Maybe we’ll let them them stabilize a little then try again.
I was there July 31, so not too far ahead of your cruise. I think Virgin Voyages has seasonality to their scheduled that is opposite of other cruise lines. Due to it being adults only, most cruisers were going with their families in June/July and by middle of August more kids had gone back to school and can do a trip by themselves. Just my theory as my ship was dead. I always like to give folks a second shot unless it is truly a horrible experience and then I am out lol
Nice review. I would not say Virgin Voyages had the nicer ship, but the food may be a little better than Royal. Virgin Voyages is midscale, so is Royal. I would put neither in the luxury class, no matter what their ships looked like. I've been on other cruise lines, but I am definitely Loyal to Royal. I love the Quantum class and Oasis class ships.
That is true, it is not a Silverseas or Oceania but to me, it felt like a luxurious experience. Would be interesting to see how I would feel on a more classic luxury sailing, I am thinking I would love the food but not the atmosphere? Oasis is my least favorite ship, I really do prefer the more mid size and smaller ships.
As far as gratuities, on my last NCL cruise, they were not taking additional tips for drinks unless cash. Even asked for receipts to add additional tips and was refused. I did have the drink package, however every cruise line I’ve had a package before still automatically gave a receipt to add more tip.
I always want to assume business and employees will make it as easy as possible for me to give them money. I have learned this is not always the case 🤷
Ok, I booked a Virgin cruise, thank you for that!!
Glad it helped Webster! I have my second one coming up in February and excited as well!
Excellent review. Thank you. I am a little more interested in possibly trying out VV one day.
Just my observation-and I know you cannot hit every single point - but with entertainment you didn’t mention the amazing unique entertainment on some of the Royal Caribbean ships - the Aqua show, the ice skating show - etc. I believe these are very fabulous type creative performances that are unique to Royal. That may lessen the margin of who wins in that category between RCI and VV.
I am an extremely picky eater - the VV food kinda all looked like something presented at Wonderland. I may be a little nervous and may just want a simple piece of grilled chicken atop a fully accessorized fresh salad from the windjammer. The look of the VV food kinda made me nervous 😃 (somewhat joking but too elaborate for me might mean I wouldn’t like it).
I am basically loyal to Royal but have sailed on many other lines (Carnival, Norwegian, Princess, Celebrity). I do have a pull to try VV so I appreciate your positive feedback. Thanks. 😁
That is a good point as I LOVE a good aqua show. In hindsight, the reason I didn't mention or quite frankly even think about it, is when I think of Royal Caribbean, I think of Freedom class and smaller. That is where I have preferred to spend majority of my time and have rarely been on the bigger ships. The food was def more Wonderland like but they seemed to use less ingredients on their main dishes and I think could customize. Though, as someone else mentioned, if you need to coordinate in advance, it will be a nightmare as you would want to change restaurants every night. Haha, I think I am learning you can be Loyal to Royal but go on "vacation" to other cruise lines.
I think you should do a comparison between Celebrity Edge class and Virgin. Royal will never feel like luxury because they will always be focused on families and like you mentioned.
That would be a good video! Royal and Virgin are VERY Different ships. It is not a fair comparisson but I compare everything to Royal as that is my home :-) When I go to Celebrity later this year, will probably do a comparisson on Celebrity to both Royal and Virgin.
I jus came off a cruise from Tampa to port Limon Panama canal grand cayman islands it was epic I was on the carnival pride boat ppl kept saying carnival is the southwest of boats now I see why it was like the love boat lol so many old ppl I need that adult virgin cruise
That sounds like a fairly long cruise too! I also find the age of the passengers is directly coordinated by the length of the sailing. Does sound like an amazing itinterary.
@@TheWeekendCruiser i came 2 realize it was a military cruise my dad a was marine so whn I see an elder with a war time hat on i solute them alot of them had on those hats plus I remember D Day was December 7th so they where probably celebrating
For the rest of 2022 (no word on whether it will continue), VV has a loyalty status program based on your loyalty with other lines. You submit electronic proof of your status with another line and receive "Deep Blue Extras" which include $10 credit per day at The Grounds Club, one bag of laundry with next day return complimentary, a bottle of champagne (limited to one bottle per cruise, no matter how many deals with champagne you might have), a cocktail party, etc. This is layered on top of any other specials or benefits you might have gotten at booking.
I saw this! Their new program really does address a lot of my concerns on the ship. I need to research it to ensure I don't miss out as I know I will be back on Virgin Voyages at some point.
How was casino? How did you do? How many roulette tables! American Wheels only?
Casino was small... prob 10 tables and a few rows of slots. Not a lot of variety or people gambling. I was eaten alive :-)
So for the private islands RC had much better food while at Virgin you wouldn't even get in the water but it was a tie?
lol, shall we call for a video review of my call? I try to get it right and provide the best detail I can. Looks like I could have gone into more here to explain my decision. Thanks for the feedback :-)
The food at VV Bimini Beach Club is inferior to the quality of the food on board VV. Agree with your assessment.
But isn’t the Beach Club at Bimini free? Wouldn’t that make a difference in the food quality? I went the Cococay Beach club one time. It was definitely a one and done for me. Because the food was good… but I feel the whole experience is overpriced. I’m going to the Bimini Beach club at the end of March. I expect the food will be at the level of Labadee by Royal… both free but private. Great video. First time I have seen you, good job. I’m subscribing 😊
Hey Foodie Vacations! Your name is in line with your comment! 😂 It is interesting, the food at CocoCay is VERY good and agree, food at Bimini will be a lower quality. Though, even not paying specifically for an enhanced experience on Virgin Voyages, I feel like it should be included as they are a "premium" cruise line. Also, all the amazing food onboard means I judge the island food even harder! See if you can take a to-go-bag from the ship!
I went on VV… will be posting my videos soon. But my feelings about the food at Bimini are still the same. Free Food fair.., about the quality of any complimentary buffet. I did quite enjoy the food on board the ship though.
I think the Royals kids sail free has to compete with MSC. I find it difficult to know when school breaks are too, as breaks outside of our area impacted at least one cruise.
The older ships did have restaurant kitchens that could block the ability to wal stern to stem.
I agree comparisons are difficult, and new and different can make it feel better too.
Very true! I go all the time, regardless of school breaks, so I am starting to learn the seasonality to it. Doesn't change anything, I still book a cruise ;-)
@@TheWeekendCruiser it changes what I book and my expectations😂
You did an awesome job here Brandon! I could see Virgin Voyages as your once or twice per year vacation and Royal Caribbean as your vacation home that you escape to most every long weekend or occasionally a week here or there at a time.
I think that will probably be accurate. I don't want to take them EVERY cruise but as a "vacation" it would be a lot of fun.
Curious about the saltiness in the buffet areas of both Royal Caribbean and Virgin Voyages?
On ANY cruise ship, expect the food to be salty. It might not taste salty but I assure you it is there. Many people who are sensitive to salt will leave very swollen and bloated. If you need to stay away from salt, I would recommend contacting the dinning room and letting them know to accommodate for you.
In the barrier reef area they use thin full body leotard barriers for jelly fish but I think they are different. Any chance they work for those you saw?
I imagine protective clothing would work? Though, I honestly didn't see anyone who was "stung" but many people brushed up against them.
@@TheWeekendCruiser I was surprised that even pantyhose worked in Australia. Apparently the stings were pretty bad when they happened.
@@redhatbear1135 I don't usually travel with pantyhose, but it sounds like an awesome technique. I hate jellyfish stings!
@@mitchellbarnow1709 Research it because the jellyfish may be different. And yes, the sting suits, nylon thin sets wet suit type clothes. They pack small and are much more attractive. The nylons were before the suites existed. A rash shirt is similar but you’d still need the bottoms😂
Did you get any incentives from either line ? Seems pro VV.
Hey Tyler, no incentive what-so-ever. I don't think the cruise lines even know I exist lol Keep in mind, all of these are my own personal opinions but did try to be as factual and un-biased as possible.
I think you had the wrong desserts. Next time you go on Virgin, be sure you try the coconut pavlova in The Galley (now my favorite dessert anywhere), the baked Alaska in The Wake, and the bread pudding in Pink Agave. Also pick up some of the freshly made chocolate covered peanut brittle in the Social Club when you are passing by. Great video.
Thank you! That could be the case but I have a very large sweet tooth and may have tried more than I needed to lol The basked Alaska and bread pudding were two of my favorites. The others I felt like they were trying to hard. I should go back and try them again 😂
Virgin serve burgers?
Where we should go in first hour on virgin?
@@evgenykhamlov8423 yes, burgers are served in the Galley.
@@evgenykhamlov8423 the most important thing is booking things in the app as soon as you have access to the ship wifi.
This was an excellent comparison and made me think -- isn't it a better comparison between Virgin and Celebrity? Both are more "luxury" brands and Celebrity also has a lot more included. Also, I would think that Celebrity would have less kids on board because they don't have the water parks, water slides, etc. like RCCL. What wasn't mentioned on your video is what you thought of the VV pool deck. I've had people complain that the pool deck is tiny and of course, the VV pool is too small for the volume of passengers on board. What? VV cruisers don't sit at a pool during the day?
Hey Steven, it would be a better comparisson but I have not been on Celebrity yet to do that. Give me a few months ;-) The pool review deserved it's own video: th-cam.com/video/ni5IP9TApho/w-d-xo.html
@@TheWeekendCruiser I'm watching this video again, now that Icon of the Seas has been selling cabins for 2024, and I am thinking that RCCL is turning into another "Disney World of the Seas" cruise line, with areas of the ship supersized for families and especially kids!!
@@Steve_in_NJ you are reading my mind. Finishing up videos from the MSC sailing this weekend but def want to share my thoughts on Icon.
Great video! ❤ I just booked a VV cruise. I’ve sailed with RC twice in the past. As far as gratuities with RC, I always go down to Customer Service the second day and request they remove the gratuities from my room. I then ask for envelopes and I tip each worker I come into contact with separately towards the end of my cruise. If you do it that way the worker pockets the money and doesn’t have to share from within “the pot”. I’m personally excited to sail with VV because it’s an adult only cruise. I am middle aged, my children are adults now so I find it refreshing to be on a ship with only adults. RC is definitely more family oriented. Now when I booked a couple days ago it was actually cheaper booking with VV than RC and after you compare gratuity, Wi-Fi, drinks (non alcoholic) prices that you’d have to pay extra on RC, I definitely got a cheaper price with VV.
Very good feedback Dollie! Yes, always make sure you are looking at apples to apples when looking at the price point. Hope you have a blast!
@@TheWeekendCruiser THANK YOU!!!!
Can RC be compared with virgin? since virgin is so much more pricey. It’s like comparing Ford to rolls Royce…
Of course it can! Doesn't mean it is a fair comparison as the two lines are VERY different as I mentioned at the end. Royal is my home and what I compare everything to. 😀
Is it true that you have to participate to show
And is there loud music everywhere?😊
Hey Julien, you do not have to participate. I believe the only one that might feel this way would be NSA No Strings Attached but have heard it might be leaving the ship soon. I did not find loud music throughout the ship. However, the pool area does feel more like a night club with a DJ and that music was fairly loud.
@@TheWeekendCruiser compare to other cruise Line the music ?
@@juliensauriol4422 personal preference here. When I was there they had a folk band that was very good, dj who played a lot of modern songs, and a couple of classical guitarist.
@@TheWeekendCruiser since you’ve been on the cruise, is it possible to just walk in at the wake to have the brunch?
How is the breakfast the galley? (We really like to brunch)
Thanks!
I would not assume you could walk into any restaurant on Virgin. As soon as.you can, make reservations in the app. I have heard from friends, now that the ship is full, this is a pain point.
As far as atmosphere and activities, I think of VV as a "resort at sea".. not a traditional cruise. (frame of reference- I've been on 3 VV, 6 RCL and 15 CEL) They don't market it as a traditional cruise, and honestly it's like comparing apples to oranges in my opinion. By resort feel- like me, if you don't like a lot of activities, no children, hardly any announcements, no buffets, but a sleek tongue-in-cheek atmosphere. He is right- the word I would give it is "calm." Noticeably inclusive. Instead of the big shows they had pop-up entertainments, and also shows of a sort that they go throughout the ship performing in the evening. I love the specialty dining feel- I don't like going to a main dining room. I have to say the food was excellent. I was never feeling crowded, like the Promenade on RCL. Honestly, I have to say VV based on my personal likes, VV beats out CEL for me. I much prefer the less-traditional way of doing it. I went into the VV experience expecting the worst and loved it.
That is a great way of looking at it! I am doing my first celebrity cruise in October and excited for it! Though, VV may have spoiled me.
@@TheWeekendCruiser I think you'll still enjoy it. CEL is quieter than RCL You feel more pampered and luxurious without paying as much as a true luxury line. Also it skews younger than those, which I prefer.
Just off the Valiant Lady wouldn’t go with Virgin again the cruise was aimed at young people. Deafening club music round the pools, no sail aways and none of the entertainment was to our tastes. Really missed the theatre.
They are definity a nice cruise plans but glad you were able to go an experience it! Sometimes, it is good to see that your grass is pretty green after all 😇
I'm on Virgin Voyages for the first time in 2 weeks.
LOVE IT! Have a blast!
You REALLY need to try other cruise lines! I am Loyal to Royal at D++ BUT I really like Princess too. Have been on Disney, Celebrity, Princess, Carnival, MSC, and Cunard, and although I prefer Royal, each has its own place for different clients. They also each have something that is superior to Royal, yet I believe that Royal is the whole package. But NEVER Virgin for me. There is nothing there which I would enjoy.
I keep hearing good things about Princess here! Next one I will probably try will be Celebrity later this year. Royal is a VERY well rounded cruise line.
Hi Brandon, we just booked the Scarlet Lady for November! 18+ definitely a selling point. Really interested in the dining options. Also they have a $300 bar tab included promo we got in on. We have sailed NCL, MSC, Royal and are sailing Princess to Alaska in June so we are excited about another new experience on Virgin. Thanks for the video, helpful for our planning. 🛳️
My pleasure Brant! Going back to Virgin Voyages in May and taking Mom with me! Will have a blast and can't wait to report back!
@@TheWeekendCruiser Hey Brandon, post some vids about Virgin. We are excited about it too. The dining venues look very interesting.
Yes, the Virgin Voyages experience is substantially better then Royal, but it also costs more. Disney is a substantially better experience than Royal, but it costs more.
I asked, they just pay the crew more to make up for the gratuity pool.
Yup! This is def a pay for what you get experience. As it should be with the gratuities. Pay the crew and charge me what you need to cover it. I am going to pay it one way or another, might as well include it and make everyone happy.
I don't even have to watch the video to tell you that you can't compare both cruise lines, I have worked for both and virgin is just totally different, it is,def aimed to a different market
Great minds think alike! That is exactly how I started the video - by talking about how they are very different cruise lines, different markets but go n to acknowledge it is human nature to compare what we know to what we are trying out. Check out the video out, you might actually like it 😉
Apples and oranges
ha, they really are! But it's human nature to compare what you are accustomed to. Hope I presented in a way that showed how different they were.
All points valid but as of today Royal to get the same thing is costing more than Virgin.
Hey Rocky, that very well could be! Royal's prices have gone insane this summer and it is very pricey! Have not done a side by side comparisson but could be a fun experiment!
@@TheWeekendCruiser also Virgin includes WiFi and tips and non alcoholic beverages.,There average price for a mixed drink including tip is about 9$ and about 5$ for a beer. Royals average price without a drink package is about 15$. I happen to like Royal but just not worth it anymore. Virgin isn’t cheap but a lot I like about it! Thanks
@@rockydaleo6998 God assesment! Yes, comparing prices is tough because of all the inclusions or different ways to calculate! Virgin does have a lo of good qualities and are taking their que from the other lines to go in the opposite direciton.
I would think Celebrity v. Virgin Voyages would be a better comparison since Celebrity is more adult oriented than Royal., a premium line , and has the always included option. You really were comparing apples to oranges when comparing Royal to Virgin.
Also, Royal Caribbean has lots more to do on Coco Cay than just the Beach Club. Royal has to win by a mile here just because they offer so much more.
Yeah, it isn't really a fair fight but Royal Caribbean is all I know to compare it to. It's tough when you know one product and switch to another, you just can't help yourself from comparing every detail to what you know.
I am getting a lot of good points in the comments about my CocoCay Beach Club vs. Bimini Beach Club experience. I am def re-thinking that one. Again, tough to compare because they are totally differnet experiences and targeting much different people.
I personally appreciate the apples to oranges comparison because I am trying to decide if a more adult experience is better for me than a kid oriented cruise ship!
@@mariahk8889 Try them both.
I'm not VV's target audience as someone else said. Just hit my 40s and more introverted than extroverted. I think also VV may have over niche'd itself. Sure, the no children is great, but I'll say the shows don't make me want to cruise. None of the entertainment is inviting to me and it's almost as if it was made to create major division. I mean if you had what they had plus some normal broadway plays/musicals I'd be more open to it. Also some of the room features, the lack of a drink package, and other things will keep me with Royal or Norwegian or Carnival. Maybe another cruise line challenges the notion of normal cruising too. Push VV to think more and adapt.
I'll also 18+ without kids is a MINORITY. Sure, solo cruising has surged, but many of those solo cruisers end up married with kids at one point. I also think parenting has something to do with it as discipline in Western families is lax in comparison to what it was 20+ years ago. I currently will be cruising with a 8-10 (depending on year) year old for the near future. My sister is now a single mother and I take them plus my mother. Always nice to have someone to share the cost of a Junior Suite with. I'd love for Royal to add a small area of cabins/pool akin to NCL with 18+. If I was self I'd say 21+. Sure, Solarium is nice, but 16-18 is still a bit younger than adult in my opinion. And an 18 and a 21 year old are quite a bit different often maturity and responsibility.
I'll say the decor in VV will look old and dated faster than RC. Contemporary and modern fades fast. I mean even the older Oasis look a little dated, but I don't care so much. Unless it's falling down or looks like it was last renovated in 1980 I don't care so much. Outside of RC's lack of outlets on older ships, but that seems to be a cruise industry issue. One none them look to remedy.
And unless VV decides to use a new ship to appeal to another demographic, age range, etc I think it will run its course after a while as a cruise line. It's a great concept, but it's also an overly narrow one set in a very narrow niche. Just my opinion working in retail and food industries. If a company does not adapt and attract new and different types of customers it will sooner or later collapse. That's the world of business.
I am not sure I would call a cruise line divisive, I think it is just another product appealing to a different group. By appealing to one group, the other group should not feel left out as there are plenty of cruise lines with different strategies and markets they are targeting. Same reason you will not see me on Disney or Holland anytime soon (can you imagine? I'm laughing just thinking about making videos from these lines) and that's okay!
Virgin Voyages may not stand the test of time and will be interesting to follow their journey. I can't remember the last time a new cruise line launched and can only imagine we are a tough group to break into. All I can say is the folks that were on my sailing had an eye opening experience and many would gladly return to Virgin Voyages for another cruise.
@@TheWeekendCruiser I would imagine that Richard Branson has people watching everything that is happening on his cruise line and that they will keep adapting and changing or they will just disappear.
@@mitchellbarnow1709 Very true! They definitly need more people to sail them.
@@TheWeekendCruiser So true, Brandon!
I feel this is an EXTREMELY biased review. Also feels like Virgin is going after the LBGT crowd HARD. Not yet been on Virgin yet (honestly the price premium isn’t worth it).
I honestly so no kid issues on my RC cruises.
I TOTALLY disagree about the decor. It’s different and contemporary. More Rooms-to-Go versus Ikea but what i’ve seen with Virgin looks more modern but thin and cheap (a la Ikea-esque).
Food was OUTSTANDING on Independence of the Seas. I’ve heard that Freedom is very much the same.
I honestly think it honestly comes down to the fact that more conservative types like Carnival and Royal Carribean and so it seems that’s how the reviews seem to fall. Families to RC and LBGTQ to Virgin. At least this means there are options. And options are always a good thing. I’m sticking with RC until Virgin offers better deals (do wanna try).
Hey Sky formz, I try very hard not to be biased in videos and have no reason to be biased. The cruise lines have no idea who I am (though, I am trying!). Most of these seem more like a difference in opinion and I hope my saying Virgin has better food, it did not come off as RCL having bad food.! It is still good, I just liked VV better. I have been hesitant to explore options but am glad I am branching out some this past year. Supposed to go on Virgin again this coming weekend, will be curious to see if my thoughts stay the same the second go round with increased capacity on their ship.
Good review until the summary, clearly from the individual points you reviewed Virgin comes out on top overall but that’s not your conclusion !!!! You say the day rate is higher at Virgin but not by how much and also don’t take into account gratuity costs, private island costs and also drinks costs…. Pity this wasn’t included so we could get a true price comparison
Hey Michael, sorry you didn't like the summary. From a pricing perspective I couldn't figure out how to say with confidence what the dollar amount would be. Cruise fare, day passes, even the internet price and speciality restaurants all change their pricing every cruise. Heading back there in February and will see what I can do. Thanks for the feedback!
@@TheWeekendCruiser thanks for the reply…appreciated 👍
I went on my first cruise with celebrity to Bermuda in July. The ship was small but okay the food was good. The entertainment was horrible, most of the passengers were in bed by 10pm. I had a wonderful time but would never cruise celebrity again. Give me royal Caribbean any day
haha, I have heard that side of the Celebrity story. I get the feeling it depends on the ship and sailing. Their newer ships such as the Edge, Apex, and Beyond are really attracting a younger more vibrant crowd. However, my 12 night on the Celebrity Infinity later this year from Buenos Aries, I do not have high hopes for the late night crowd. 😂
@@TheWeekendCruiser good LUCK 🤞. Your gonna need it. And if it doesn't work out. 10pm bedtime isn't that bad lol
@@paulettemantack5564 haha, I mean, that is my normal bed time at home. Vacation Brandon is the one who likes to stay up late!
So many comments.
Maybe it's growing up in the UK, but I think tipping culture is terrible. It's not rewarding good service it's either subsidising low employer wages, or it's just wasteful spending.
People should be able to do their job and have their employer provide a fair wage without the need for customer generosity to fill the gap.
Likewise a customer should not go into an interaction with a staff member having to evaluate the amount of tip that staff member "deserves" based on the service. It's a recipe for disappointment
I've booked 2 weeks on Brilliant Lady to try Virgin Voyages. I was swayed by the glowing food reviews but other than that I'm not sure it's vive is for me, so I hope other lines adopt the all inclusive approach with no tipping required after you've paid your all inclusive fee.
Fingers crossed! I think it is slowly changing. Celebrity might be a better fit?
Do you ever go on real vacations? Or just theme parks? Floating ones ???
I thought this was a judgement free zone?!! 😉 I do go on traditional vacations and travel internationally 3 or 4 times a year and am approaching 50 countries visited. Actually, next week I am heading to Slovenia to visit a friend. I just don't talk about those trips much here because the channel is cruise ship focused and worry it would not resonate with the audience. You have me thinking maybe I should send out a poll to verify that thought....
Virgin was thinking of old grey-haired queens when designing their entertainment program 🤭
hahaha, hmmm I can resonate with more of this comment than I would like. hahah
😅 Coward! I've been on the fence about trying them and not being so loyal... I was counting on you! I'm on a solo points run trying to hit that 360 so maybe in a year.
Good luck!!! Hint: it is a 340 point hurdle you need to hit to get that 150% single solo discount!! It's amazing! Virgin is also running a no single supplement sale right now.... that beats the cost even at 150%
We love the no kids policy. Kids can really ruin a vacation. Especially when the parents want to be on vacation from their own kids that they brought.
hahah 100%
Kids ugg
Drag Queens? Pass.
It is definitely a niche cruise line! Royal Caribbean has sponsored drag shows for the crew but not sure I have heard of any for the guest.
VV wins.
I mean.... where is the lie? ;-)
@@TheWeekendCruiser I kept a running weighted average of the items you reviewed. I think Virgin wins in a photo finish. It seems like Richard Branson did the Sam Walton strategy of walking into the competition and assessed the customer experience from the bottom up, at every step from the moment they got on the ship until they departed. When you mentioned the embarkation day food, tips included, 18+, modern decor, beach club, and entertainment, it's hard to choose RC if I only cruise twice a year and live in south Florida.
As a side note, I would like to add that I love talking to young teens on a cruise. On my last RC cruise, there were tons of teens, BUT I found it interesting to chat with them and get insight into their world. Listening to their views and solutions to the world's challenges was fascinating. I digress. Thanks for the comparison. I am looking forward to your Celebrity review. Take care.
Sounds like someone had a free cruise and a completely biased review…
haha, I wish I had a free cruise!! If you know the people in their social media department, you can let them know they owe me one! Though, in seriousness, this was just my take on the two lines. They are very distinct and unique products and it is tough to compare them as they are apples and oranges to a certain extent. They are both solid cruise lines and I value each one for different reasons. Royal knows I am not going anywhere ;-)
Don’t cruise on weekends and you will have less kids
I did miss the weekend vibe. Would be interesting to see a weekend on Virgin as they do not offer a drink package. Though, weekend cruisers are not the market they are going after.
@@TheWeekendCruiser I'm sure that would say fewer kids, not less, Brandon! 🤣
Royal is better. They have better pools
They do have a better pool deck but I don't really use that area often. Royal is a VERY good cruise line still and excellent at many things for many people.