What is a Virgin Voyages Adults-Only Cruise Is Really Like?

An adults-only cruise with Virgin Voyages has a reputation for wild parties, adult entertainment, and onboard tattoo parlors.

Travel vlogger Emma of Emma Cruises spent 10 days aboard Valiant Lady in a review of an adults-only Virgin cruise, on a route from Portsmouth to Amsterdam, Scotland, and Iceland.

The line markets itself around parties and shock value. So the question going in was simple: who is this cruise actually for, and what's it like once you're aboard?

What's Included, and Why It Adds Up

So much is already in the fare. There are no restaurants that cost extra, Wi-Fi is included, and soft drinks come free everywhere on the ship.

You can order a soda in any bar or restaurant and it just arrives, with no room number to give and nothing to sign. For a non-drinker, that's close to ideal.

Snacks follow the same pattern. The pub, The Social Club, keeps an unlimited supply of cake pops and Swedish fish, and there's popcorn, pretzels, and hot dogs too. On most cruise lines, you'd pay for extras like these.

Booking Dinners Before You Sail

None of the restaurants carry a surcharge, but choice depends on timing. Book your dinners on the day reservations open, before the cruise, rather than waiting until you're aboard.

People who wait report much less availability once they board. The food is a huge part of this trip, so locking in your tables early protects the thing you've paid for.

The food held up across the ship. Pink Agave (Mexican), Extra Virgin (Italian), The Wake (steakhouse), and the newer Indian restaurant Ariya all delivered, with plenty of vegetarian and vegan options on every menu, even the steakhouse.

The Buffet Virgin Won't Call a Buffet

Virgin calls it the galley, not a buffet, but it sits where the buffet usually is, has buffet tables and self-serve drinks, and you take your food and sit down. Food is made fresh at each station, and the desserts, donuts, and cakes stand out.

The one trade-off is wait time. On a busy sea day, a single station can run 10 to 15 minutes. If four people order from four different stations, you won't all eat at once.

How the Crew Are Treated

One of the most striking things isn't about guests at all. Virgin gives all crew free Wi-Fi, which almost no other mainstream line does.

Crew also wear more relaxed uniforms, can have different hairstyles and facial hair, and can eat in the regular restaurants. The staff seemed genuinely happy.

Who's Actually Onboard

The advertising suggests a cruise only for young, tattooed, muscular travelers. The reality is broader. Passengers ranged from 18 up into their 80s and beyond, and the atmosphere was friendly and inclusive.

There's no dress code beyond wearing shoes and clothing. You can go to dinner in shorts and a t-shirt, with no trip back to the cabin to change.

A few events, like pajama night and Scarlet Night, suggest an outfit, but nothing's required.

The Entertainment You Can Skip

The interactive adult entertainment is easy to avoid if it isn't for you. The Missbehave Show and the social Gunbae dinner, where tablemates play drinking games and pass food around, won't suit everyone.

Plenty else works for a quieter traveler: an acappella group with a beatboxer, bingo and trivia hosted by the resident drag queen, puzzles, crafts, and games in the pub.

The old spontaneous, random shows are gone, which is a relief if you like knowing what's on the schedule.