Long awaited, time has finally come to board a new ship and brand on the high seas with a decades-long halo of being trendsetting in every sector they touched. Namely that of Virgin Voyages’ first ship Scarlet Lady which will be our home away from home for 5 days. Our #DirectTravel gang of 11 advisors will be checking everything out while sailing on this Dominican Daze itinerary.
As I drove across the bridge connecting Miami to the causeway, I was giddy with excitement when I spotted the 110,000 Gross register ton ship for the first time. Built at Italy’s premier Fincantieri yards, she was finished just in time for the pandemic to ruin her launch. Now, it is finally time to explore all she has to offer. A short 30 minutes after we arrived at Pier V, we stepped on board. Take my word for it, it’s an immediate WOW of the senses.
We were greeted by dance music, flashing lights, a handsome young lad in disco shorts and lots of hubbub. It was definitely different from other lines in a “current club vibe” style. It is immediately obvious that Virgin is different and guests seem to respond positively. What is less stellar is the maddening array of dead end hallways, non-connecting floors and a maze of mis-aligned elevators that dump guests on decks without maps. It was a minor miracle that we found our stateroom. I would say that this is a perfect example of “different for the sake of difference” gone wrong.
Thanks to out amazing team of #VVFirstmates sales agents, we managed to secure dinner reservations for our first night aboard. The food and menu selection was a contemporary mix of eclectic food you would find at a pop up restaurant. More on the culinary piece later. For now, I leave you with a positive first impression from 4 hours aboard.
Planet Travel Blog 