Episode Transcript
[00:00:01] Speaker A: What's up, everyone?
[00:00:02] Speaker B: It's me, Stephanie, the one that's doing the intro for the first time ever and trying not to mess up. But you know what? We've got a fantastic episode for today. I'm so excited. Virgin Voyages. Adults only, kids free. Did I say adults only? That's right. We're talking about the hottest new cruise line out on the waters. You don't want to miss it. We've got fantastic rooms, delicious meals.
Did we mention a bar tab? It's all right here. So stick around because the episode starts right now.
Hi, everyone, and welcome back to another episode of the Mouse Ears podcast. I'm one of your hosts, Stephanie, and with meet this evening, this day, this afternoon, whenever you're listening or watching to us, we've got Kelton over in Texas. How are you, Kelton?
[00:01:06] Speaker C: Good. Don't mind the noises. We're having roof work done, so if you hear that, there's a $200 microphone that just went to waste because it's not cutting out anything.
[00:01:17] Speaker B: Life.
[00:01:20] Speaker C: But I'm happy to be back.
Vacation was great. Happy to be back.
[00:01:25] Speaker B: I didn't get to see you. Sad face.
Anyways, we also got Brooks from South Carolina. How are you, Brooks?
[00:01:33] Speaker D: Doing? Well, if you do hear noises, I have a feral 2 year old that has started getting out of bed every night.
[00:01:39] Speaker C: Feral. I love that.
[00:01:42] Speaker D: Just ignore that.
[00:01:43] Speaker B: Oh, my gosh, we're getting all the noises today, huh?
Jen over in North Carolina, how are you this evening?
[00:01:51] Speaker E: I'm good. And I won't bring the noises, but I will bring the earthquake shaking of the desk because the cats are in rare form tonight.
[00:02:00] Speaker B: Love it. So love it.
[00:02:02] Speaker E: It's all good.
[00:02:03] Speaker B: Well, love it. Well, today's episode you might see if you're watching us on YouTube, we actually do have someone else with us and that is because we are talking about Virgin Voyages. This is an adults only cruise line. I call it the Scarlet standard of cruise lines. See what I did there?
And for this special episode, we do have Lindsay with Virgin Voyages, who is actually a sales manager here in Florida. Lindsay, how are you? Thank you so much for coming on this evening.
[00:02:32] Speaker A: I feel like there should be some noise in my background. Hi, everyone. Lovely to join you all. Thank you.
[00:02:40] Speaker C: The crowd goes wild.
[00:02:42] Speaker A: Well, yes, thank you so much for inviting me if you do. I know we have some youtubers you won't hear noises, but if you happen to see my furry babies coming to join us, they make the fabulous co workers in the background dancers. So just stay tuned.
[00:02:57] Speaker B: Love all the fur Babies, dogs, cats, all of them, even the feral ones. Brooks. Well, Lindsay, thank you so much for being on. Why don't you talk to our audience or to us really a little bit about who you are, what you do with Virgin Voyages. Give us a little, you know, insider scoop on who you are, of course.
[00:03:16] Speaker A: Well, ahoy, everyone. My name is Lindsay Girardi. I have been with Virgin Voyages for six and a half years. So before we even had a website, before we really launched, I was on the phone lines. As we opened up our phone lines for the very first time in that process, I was able to help them with our sweet sailors are in our red glove service department. So I kind of moved my journey over to the sales team eventually after that thing that we do not talk about, where no one got to travel for a bit of time.
And then of course, when we opened up after that period of time, we started sailing. And I was actually one of the very first that were able to welcome our first sailors to shore over on our Scarlet Lady. It's been a journey since it's like I said, six and a half years in Virgin time. It feels like, you know, dog years, but in all the good ways because now I'm on our sales side. That's how Steph and I were able to connect. I work with our fabulous first mates, AKA travel advisors, and I am so happy to actually be able to join you guys. Thank you for the invite.
[00:04:30] Speaker B: So, a little bit, just briefly, about Virgin Voyages as we continue this episode.
You know, when you think of a cruise, you might picture bustling family decks and endless buffets.
But at Virgin Voyages, that, with its distinct red and white branding, is carving out a niche that's all about sophisticated fun, innovative in design, and truly a kid free escape.
P.S. you won't get buffets there. Stick around, you'll know why.
So instead of the golden standard, think the scarlet standard. If you're searching on Google for an adults only cruise, a luxury cruise, or just a fun cruise for adults, you've probably stumbled across Virgin Voyages and for good reason.
So in this episode, we're going to talk about how long Virgin Voyages has been around, what sets them apart from other cruise lines and what are some of the different what's included in the cruise fare? Because, you know, we've talked about it here on this podcast on, you know, in regards to other cruise lines, you get your stateroom, port taxes and fees.
That's pretty much it. So what that means is that you end up having to pay more as the, you know, trip Planning process continues. But that's not the case here for Virgin Voyages, which really takes out the stress from the vacation planning and from, you know, feeling like you're being nickeled and dimed. And it's one of the many, many reasons why Virgin Voyages is just so fantastic. Not just because it's adults only, not not just because it has so much included in in it, but because of the sophisticated look of these ships. Because the way that I see is a playground for adults really with all the things that it includes. And no, it's not wild, it's whatever you want it to be. Which makes it that much more incredible if you ask me. So Lindsay, do you have anything more to add about who Virgin Voyages and how long they've been around? Because it is fairly young if you ask me.
[00:06:38] Speaker A: Yes. Okay. So it be prepared. We decided to start this cruise line, of course, like I mentioned before that time where no one was able to travel. And we launched October of 2021 with our Scarlet lady, very first ship. And like you mentioned, Steph, there's so many things already included in the Voyage fair. When we were creating Virgin Voyages as an OG here at the company, we really listened to a lot of passengers, travel advisors, clients. And the big take back was, you know what these other cruise lines are big cities at sea. You've got the buffets, you get on board for a certain price, but then at the end you have a folio that's a mile and a half long. And these are. You feel like you have to go and do all of the things or you're missing out on the cruise experience.
We decided when we were building Virgin Voyages, we wanted to get away from that cookie cutter cruise, just experience.
And with that, that's how we created our medium sized ships.
Scarlet being the first. And what I love is all of our ships are built the same.
Like I mentioned, medium sized ships. We have 83% have some sort of sea view and they are very new. These are not refurbished ship. There was no shag carpeting pulled out of these things to get them renovated. I know. Brooks is so sad. No shag carpeting?
No, these are brand new.
[00:08:08] Speaker D: I love shack carpeting. I know, it feels so good on your feet.
[00:08:13] Speaker A: Well, I love when you go into even our cabins. I don't know if you've cruised pretty often, but you know when you walk into your stateroom bathroom and it's got that curtain and you're like, we have state of the art rain showers waiting for you with a nice glass door. So you're all set. There's none of that stuff sticking to you as you're showering. Shower curtain. But it really is an innovative way to set sail. We have so many things that are included. And I know this is kind of a segue talking about everything that is, but we really wanted to shake things up. Big thing to take away Steph and Jenny as well as Kelton and Brooks is we do not have buffets at sea. We also wanted to have a boutique hotel vibe when you're on board our ship. So with that, we got rid of buffets, big dining halls. There's no more early dining or late dining.
We also decided, I feel like your cabin should be ready as soon as you're on the ship. You shouldn't have to reach.
[00:09:22] Speaker C: You shouldn't have to reach it for the people in the back.
[00:09:25] Speaker A: Right. You should not have to go to some sort of stuff space with your luggage and you're waiting for a number or a message. Everything is ready. As soon as you're on the ship, you're ready to go.
Also, I love the inclusions and Steph, if you don't mind me jumping into what's included in the Voyage Fair, so we could go ahead and talk about that included in the Voyage Fair up front. We would want to make sure you're not feeling nickel and dime once you're on board, but you've got your WI fi because that's a basic necessity. You also have all of your food on board. We have six specialty dining restaurants, plus we have 20 plus eateries throughout the ship that's included. You don't have to pay extra for that.
Also, I love that we have your gratuities and tips are included. So no one has to worry about gratuity packages as well as doing math when you're on vacation, because what's the percentage when you're in the Bahamas? I mean, is it 18? Is it 22%? I don't know. I've had maybe two espresso martinis. It's whatever the number it is I put on there. But, you know, we want to make sure that that's taken care of because this is your vacation. Also, entertainment, your fitness classes are taken care of. And are you ready for this? Your sodas, your water, your drip coffee and your tea. No one has to stop at CVS after their flight to go and get a 12 pack of your favorite sodas and bring it on.
Save that space, Kelton, for your shoes. I know that's the most important thing that you need to be packing. Don't worry about it. We've got you covered.
[00:11:06] Speaker C: I do have four pairs of boots, so they must come with me.
[00:11:10] Speaker A: Absolutely.
[00:11:11] Speaker D: And don't forget your hat.
[00:11:13] Speaker C: Both my hat.
[00:11:15] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:11:15] Speaker A: Well, that's prime luggage space that you do not have to worry about bringing that extra. And what I love is we have refill stations for your soda as well as your water, your drip coffee throughout the ship. So I say bring a sustainable water bottle or cup and you could just fill up as you go to keep that sustainability while you're on board.
[00:11:39] Speaker D: And like I mentioned, I have a question about the sodas.
[00:11:42] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:11:43] Speaker D: Is it Coke products or Pepsi products?
[00:11:46] Speaker A: Such a Southern thing to ask. Yes.
[00:11:49] Speaker C: Do they have Dr. Pepper?
[00:11:51] Speaker A: It is a Coca Cola products ship. We are very Coca Cola product. We're all set with that.
And they're the same freestyle machines that you see in some of the chain restaurants as you go through where you can add vanilla or if you want to add a little extra. And the ice is like sonic ice. It's that soft, crunchy ice that I crave because we don't have many Sonics down here in South Florida. I'm a Louisiana girl, by the way, so, you know, that's one of those things that you miss when you come down to South Florida. But it's so nice to have that.
[00:12:28] Speaker B: Nice little things when you're on. They make a difference, the little things in life.
[00:12:34] Speaker A: Well, the big question that we always get is if gratuities are already included, what are the crew like? Because, you know, usually when you go on vacation, people are asking you for the tips or you're filling it out. We give them a set salary where they're taken care of. We make sure that our crew also has laundry service, wifi. They've got great food options when they're on board sailing with us. So they're taken care of. They don't have to worry about that sob story about tips that have to go back home. Home they're set. That gives you more just flexibility and relaxation when you're on vacation, knowing that they're taken care of and they're so happy to have you all.
[00:13:21] Speaker B: And that's something that we have talked about here on our podcast, is that we totally believe that the people who help create a very memorable experience, especially on vacation, are those that are actually serving you or tending to you in any capacity, really. And, you know, we love to hear that because they do make such a difference in what, you know, the takeaways of any trip really.
So we love to hear it, especially again the fact that there is so much included.
People don't realize how much these things like a soda package can really run you up, you know, and if you're there for a whole week or more.
So one thing that isn't included in the cruise fare but Virgin Voyages does it unique and possibly better is alcohol.
Do you want to talk a little about the alcohol and how it is presented? I want to use those words so that you can kind of spill the beans.
[00:14:34] Speaker A: Absolutely. So like you mentioned, Steph, we are an adults only cruise line. We are kid free and that does not mean the kids come on for free. It is 18 and over to Sale. 18 to 21 year old sailors can be in a cabin without someone 21 or over, which is fabulous if you've got those older kids. Mom, you do not have to share that cabin with a 19 year old that maybe showered, maybe didn't. You've got your own space space and they've got theirs. Now when it comes to our drink package per se, of course we're a cruise line and we want everyone to have the option to pre purchase their alcohol before they get on board. But we decided to do things a little different because of course feeling like a boutique hotel, we wanted you to have the option to have flexibility with it. So what we have created, it's called bar tab. And think of it instead of a package like a drink expense account.
So it works throughout the ship as well as at our beach club at Bimini, which we do have lots of stops at the beach club when we are in Bimini, Bahamas, going out of Miami. But what I love with this, it really is like you're going to your favorite bar, your favorite restaurant, you're just saying, hey, I've already covered this much in drinks so. So I'm just going to pay with that as I go and once I'm done, I'll just kind of a la carte pay easy. Now what I love about our bar tab, it does come in tiers and it starts at 200, goes to a thousand because you know, to each their own, whatever you need. But it's not just cocktails, it's cocktails, mocktails, specialty coffees as well as specialty smoothies. And maybe you'd like to have a fresh pressed juice. So don't think it's just for alcohol and not everyone in the cabinet and has to purchase it.
That is huge right there.
We also, like I said, we're not going to manage how many drinks you're going to have throughout the day. You've already ordered two in an hour. You can't order more. No, don't worry about that. You are adults. You use up until you're done, and then you have this fun little wearable. And I should have put mine on since we video plus podcast, but there's a wearable you're just going to tap and pay a la carte after that.
Now, it does pay to prepay.
I highly recommend to prepay for your bar tab because we gift you a little extra bar tab for your journey while you're on board with us. So, of course, if you purchase it on board, it's still available, but it really does pay to prepay, so we can give you that additional.
Now, Stephen, what would you order with your bar tab?
[00:17:22] Speaker B: First drink. I do like my beers.
I'm a craft beer drinker.
But, you know, it really just depends. Like, I. I'll start my day with, like, a nice coffee, maybe some Baileys. You know, that's. That's how my morning starts. Then my afternoon could be a cocktail or a beer, depending on what I'm feeling. Then my evening, for dinner, we've got wine.
And then post dinner into the evening, we're gonna have a little scotch.
This is. This is the. The step vacation mode. Drink drink itinerary. Honestly, so love it. I'm here for it.
[00:18:04] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:18:04] Speaker B: To each their own.
[00:18:06] Speaker A: Well, I have to hear Brooks's now. Okay, Brooks, what would be your first one? Is it a specialty coffee? Are you going hard? Are you going for that specialty smoot?
[00:18:18] Speaker D: So I am known as the DB Designated Buddy.
I do not drink alcohol, but I am all for the specialty coffees, the smoothies.
I will definitely enjoy a virgin pina colada.
So when you mentioned mocktails, I was like, oh, there we go.
[00:18:41] Speaker B: Those are very popular.
[00:18:45] Speaker A: They really are.
[00:18:46] Speaker D: And everybody now, do they serve them in a pineapple or a coconut?
[00:18:51] Speaker A: It depends on where you are.
I have seen some coconuts filled when you're at the beach club. So. Okay, if it's not on board, because, you know, we got to be sustainable. Just check when you're at the beach club. I had a virgin pina colada when I was at the beach club this past weekend. Oh, my gosh. It was so delicious. It was so refreshing.
I was like, calories don't count. It's fun. Fine. It's milky. It's delicious.
[00:19:18] Speaker D: Oh, calories do not count.
[00:19:19] Speaker B: This is a staple.
[00:19:21] Speaker A: Absolutely not.
100. But when you hear that blender and you start smelling it you're like, okay, there's my pina colada smell.
[00:19:30] Speaker B: Screams Caribbean vacation than a pina colada. That's all I'm saying.
[00:19:36] Speaker D: Especially if you're drinking it from a fruit.
[00:19:39] Speaker A: Yeah, absolutely. See, I like where you're headed.
[00:19:42] Speaker D: And it's sustainable because is biodegradable.
[00:19:46] Speaker A: Exactly. We're not taking away. There's no extra water from washing it out after.
[00:19:52] Speaker D: Exactly.
[00:19:53] Speaker A: You're all taken care of. And, you know, that's got to be the best coconut in the inside. Can you imagine, like, eating the pieces after that? Pina colada?
[00:20:04] Speaker B: Time to book a cruise, people.
[00:20:09] Speaker E: That smells amazing.
[00:20:11] Speaker B: I was just gonna say something and I totally forgot. Oh, yes. Bar tab. So I think bar tab is so innovative. I think it's phenomenal. I know for me, speaking for experience, the experiences that I've had with some of my clients, a lot of them don't want both people in. Like, you know, it's a couple both people to purchase the drink package. A lot of times it happens where one wants drink, the other one doesn't. Look. It happens. So having this flexibility where you can purchase a bar tab and it's just whatever you want, whoever wants it within your cabin, I think it's gold. Seriously, you know, and there's different levels of, you know, for instance, I will probably drink a little bit more than Michael would. And we, you know, we'd be in the same cabin. So.
Kelton.
[00:21:04] Speaker A: Ooh, spill the tea. Kelton.
[00:21:06] Speaker B: Kelton would be my drinking buddy.
[00:21:10] Speaker D: I was going to say we. We have to know what Kelton's drink order would be.
[00:21:16] Speaker A: And Jenny, we can't leave a girl out over here.
[00:21:18] Speaker D: Nope.
[00:21:20] Speaker A: All right, Kelton, you missed the part about the bar tab. Not everyone in the cabin has to purchase it. It does cover mocktails. Cocktails, specialty coffee, fresh pressed juices, as well as smoothies.
So we've heard a bit about everyone's first drink of the day. What would yours be with your bar tap?
[00:21:40] Speaker C: First drink, like getting on the ship. What am I ordering?
[00:21:44] Speaker A: So remember, when you get on board, you're not getting on until 5. So if you want to start, you know, with a mimosa, you go for it. But if you want to go deep into that peanut butter whiskey, it kind.
[00:21:55] Speaker C: Of depends on what with that.
Since with it being later than most other ships or companies, I'm probably going to start hard and we might go like some bourbon on ice type of thing or, you know, I do enjoy a good old fashioned. A good old old fashioned.
Those are probably my first two choices just, you know, just with getting on later in the. The afternoon.
[00:22:28] Speaker A: Those are some good ones. And I highly recommend if you get the old fashioned. I've got some little spots that I love because just like a. Any place, whether it's a boutique hotel, a small city, you know, certain bars have their signature dish, and look, there's some that actually smoke it in the dome. So as they open it up and the whole. You see, smell those hickory smoke. Oh, I love a good old fashioned smell.
[00:22:58] Speaker C: If anything, I did get to enjoy one on a competitor company that I won't name, but it was just top notch. And with that top notch drink came with a top notch price tag on top of that.
[00:23:14] Speaker B: Well, you don't have to worry.
[00:23:15] Speaker C: Well, so it's a. I don't have to worry about that. With a virgin to put the price.
[00:23:20] Speaker B: That you want to spend.
That's nice.
[00:23:24] Speaker C: And see, that's the nice part.
[00:23:26] Speaker A: Okay, Jenny, last one to loop us through. What is your drink of choice when you're on board?
[00:23:33] Speaker E: Oh, bless you.
I am allergic.
I am allergic to everything.
So I love a pina colada.
That's usually safe for me, but I usually go to a bartender and tell them what I cannot have and what I like and let them create whatever they want for me.
[00:23:56] Speaker A: Ooh, I like that. So that's great.
Yeah. And I know, Kelton, you kind of mentioned the pricing on a competitor line. Can I just jump in and say that most of our draft beers are about $8 with the gratuity already included.
When it comes to the specialty cocktails, they're about $12 gratuity already included.
I can't get that here in Fort Lauderdale, so I think it's pretty good.
[00:24:25] Speaker C: I can't get it here in Houston. No. So see, that's what, you know, when you look at.
When you look at all these companies that are out there on the water, I would have to say that Virgin, and I'll even throw like Disney in there, are very competitive on their.
Their alcohol prices. They're very similar.
Then of course, you got the one that has their top three ships or the biggest ships in the world, and they're up there at $14 for any mixed drink or something on the rocks, something like that. So I'm very impressed with how competitive Virgie keeps their alcohol prices at.
[00:25:13] Speaker A: We have to.
[00:25:14] Speaker C: I'm ready to say.
I am ready to say, Elton. I know we have 11 flights to Fort Lauderdale. We'll get down there.
[00:25:23] Speaker B: I promise, though it's the fact that you get boutique experience for a competitive price or a more affordable price, arguably.
I mean, hello, that's. That screams paradise if you ask me. So you know, I want to go and relax on a cruise. I don't want to be stressed out. And a lot of times it is.
It is easy to stress out when you start to think about how the money starts to kind of just, oh, I thought I paid for all of it. No, you didn't. Do, do, do, do do. So you know, that's something fantastic. On the topic of alcohol, why one of the biggest things aboard the Virgin Voyages cruise line is the Shake for champagne.
Lindsay, will you please.
[00:26:21] Speaker A: Hold on, let me open up my app. Oh, it doesn't work at home. I have to be on the ship.
So we have this fabulous activation that is true to just Virgin Voyages and you can only do it once you're on board or at our beach club. So that's why mine doesn't work very well. Even though I keep shaking it.
This activation was really come about because we wanted something that was Instagramable, something fun.
Very much a I want to do that again experience. And that's where Shake for Champagne really came about.
So as it says, you can go onto your Virgin Voyages app and you can shake your phone. And a fabulous bottle of Moet and Shandon does appear.
The crew just magically knows who you are and who ordered it. There's also a nice little ice bucket with two champagne flutes that come about. But it does come at a small cost. It's 105 for that. But it does have that full bottle service where you're at and if you have some onboard credit you can use it towards that.
Now I always get the question. Okay, so you're on your app and you know all of a sudden this pops up. What if you're just dropping it like it's hot over in the nightclub and you're not really shaking your phone? Don't worry. There is a button that you have to press to confirm that you are ordering champagne. And you can actually choose whether you'd like a bot of Moet Chanton regular or would you the brute? Or if you would like Ros or we do have a non alcoholic option. If you like some bubbles with calm down bubble buzz, we've got you covered. Honestly, we're all set for anyone to have some fun with this experience.
[00:28:13] Speaker D: Brooks, you got to take care of the designated buddy.
[00:28:16] Speaker B: Sounds like a whole lot of fun.
[00:28:21] Speaker C: That could get dangerous real fast.
[00:28:25] Speaker D: Now making sure that the, the Ship is reinforced when you drop it like it's hot.
[00:28:32] Speaker A: We've got you covered.
[00:28:33] Speaker D: Okay. Okay.
[00:28:34] Speaker C: We're gonna see a whole new set.
[00:28:36] Speaker B: Of books on that.
All right, so we got alcohol out of the way.
What more adult topic than alcohol? Right.
Let's segue over into food, because that is the next best thing on a cruise.
So we. We did mention that There are over 20 eateries and all of it is included.
There are restaurants.
There are a galley.
Lindsay, please enlighten us. Got you.
[00:29:12] Speaker A: I was thinking. And just wait till you tap me in. It was full on WWE over here. No. Okay, so. So if you guys like that, you're welcome.
Yes. So we have six specialty dining restaurants that are included. You don't have to pay extra. You don't have to be at some sort of loyalty tier to even get an invitation to these six specialty dining restaurants.
Of course, I always recommend making your dining reservations before you get on. For suites, you get a two week window before it opens up to everyone else or general public.
So that opens up at 60 days. General public. It's about 45 days before the sailing. Now with those six specialty dining restaurants we have. And I'll go from the top and go down, we have the wake, which is steak and seafood. We have that for dinner as well as brunch. We also have.
Let's see, going over to Razzle Dazzle. That's also a brunch as well as a dinner option. Now with Razzle Dazzle, it's more of American style food. So that's where you're going to see burgers. We also have specialty menus for each ship.
Right now, one of our ships we have where you can pair.
Let's see, what is it?
You have fried chicken and champagne because those go together. Did you know that? I know. So there's lots of fun options for that we actually have.
That restaurant actually turns around to different experiences at night, but keeps the same brunch menu during the day.
Then extra virgin. It's like sitting in Nona's kitchen with homemade gnocchi, enjoying some nice negronis and experiencing Italian food like it was meant to be. Of course, family style. So you could try everything, including the homemade meatballs that will just melt your brain. They're so delicious.
Now going from there, then we're gonna have some fun at Pink Agave. Pink Agave is your Mexican style Mexican food. This is not your Tex Mex, Kelton. So there's no queso dip.
[00:31:23] Speaker B: Wow.
[00:31:24] Speaker A: I know.
Hold on.
Don't you worry. We've got some street corn like no other. Is like Mexico City Mexican food. So really creme de la creme. It's award winning throughout and the steak is not something to sit on. I know the wake is our steak and seafood extraordinaire. However, the steak over there at Pica Gave is award winning. So you have to try. And when, when you're at Pink Agave, if you happen to have that bar tab, we do have one of the largest collections of mescal and tequila at sea. So if you want to try a margarita or two or five, go for it. There's even a real fun one for my southerners. It's got crickets in it. I'm not going there. That sounds like you left your drink outside during a picnic. But you know, people pay for the crickets and I'm excited for them. Go for it.
Now going from Pik agave, then we're going to go over to. Let's see, see. 1, 2, 3, 4. Oh, test kitchen. Can't forget Test kitchen. So let me go ahead and explain. Test Kitchen is a tasting kitchen where you get 6 to 8 taste of different ingredients. You have no idea how it's coming to you, but what I love is it's a two hour experience and it's small bites. As you're going through now, just picture it like this. You have a menu that says a few ingredients, but it doesn't say how they're created and how they're going to be presented.
Would you like a little tip on one of the things or can I spill some tea on a little bit of what's.
[00:33:06] Speaker D: We love tips. We love all the tea.
[00:33:09] Speaker A: Okay, so we have three menus that we rotate through. So if you're on a longer itinerary, you're not going to get the same menu and Test Kitchen because even though you have your favorites, you need to shake things up a bit on a longer itinerary.
So we have on our second menu, it does list asparagus and it's after one of the meat portions.
When I was on board with my family of 10 cabins, 21 to late 70s, we all had our group dinner there together.
This was us coming together to try something new. And when I saw asparagus, I was like, oh, it's a side. It's a side after the main. Okay, no big deal. It's all going to come together.
The main comes and then no asparagus yet. So I'm like, okay, it's gonna come. It came to me in the form of Ice cream, Asparagus ice cream.
My brain was like, no, we don't do that.
[00:34:06] Speaker D: It does not compute.
[00:34:07] Speaker A: It does not. Like it was spazzing. What you mean asparagus ice cream? It was incredible.
Would I have ever ordered asparagus ice cream in my life? No. Have I ever seen that before on any menus?
Not even close.
But it was so good. So if you see that, don't sit on it. But also get a little excited because you know what's coming.
Now, of course, like we mentioned, we also have so many different spaces. But I have to talk about Gumbe. That's my last of the six specialty dining restaurants. This is Korean barbecue at sea. So it's on deck 15 because we've got those nice little barbecues in the middle of the table. And this is more of a social experience as you're coming on. So if you are maybe a couple or you're traveling solo or maybe there's four of you, it seats up to six people. So you're going to be seated with some others. But this is where you make those friends.
Especially maybe first day, second day of your voyage, the food is cooked in front of you. Or you know, I know that you guys are a few barbecue connoisseurs. So if you want to cook it yourself, you can.
Up to you. But we'll take care of you there if you would like us to take care of that. And then Steph, like you mentioned, we have the galley. Think of it kind of like a food hall food truck style. So we have 24 hour breakfast, but we also have little stations throughout that have their times where you can go and grab.
Maybe you'd like to grab some homemade sushi that's there fresh daily. Maybe you just want to go and grab a dessert because you're on vacation and you can. And that's what you want for breakfast, go for it. But I love that there's so many of these little spots. And I'll make sure that you have a full list because like I said, there's over 20. But then we just continue on. We have an ice cream shop that's also included. We have a pizza spot. The pizza place has oven baked pizzas with specialties daily.
And let me just backtrack a bit to the galley food because I know a lot of folks, they think, oh well, it's still like a buffet.
There are some things that you order and they come fresh. And then of course, when it comes to the dinner setup, we're all set up for dinner. There may Be a few things that are kind of pre. But it's not going to be massive. We had prime rib.
Prime rib right there waiting for you. You didn't have to go to a specialty restaurant. You could be right there in the galley and have as much as you pleased right there and enjoy yourself.
[00:36:49] Speaker B: Brooks is fantasizing and we changed that out.
[00:36:53] Speaker D: You, you had me at prom rib.
[00:36:55] Speaker A: I mean.
[00:36:58] Speaker D: I mean, is anyone else mouth watering?
[00:37:00] Speaker A: I mean, of course we have our salad bar. We're very.
[00:37:04] Speaker D: Okay. No, we're going back to the prime ribbon.
[00:37:07] Speaker A: We're very conscious to, you know, food intolerances and if you have certain ways that you need to have gluten free, vegetarian, vegan, but don't sit on the prime rib. We also have chicken wings daily. We've got lots of spaces for hot dogs. And then of course what I love is the specialty menus that our team really comes about. And a lot of times, especially in the galley, remember, we still have another ship that we're going to be launching.
We may be testing out some of those menus right there. So you might not realize that you're having something fabulous that'll be on Brilliant lady this fall. But you know, you have to taste it out. We have to have some tasters. I think. Brooks and Kelton, you guys volunteer.
Okay?
[00:37:56] Speaker C: Always, always sign me up there. 100%.
[00:38:01] Speaker A: Well, good. I'm glad I was able to at least paint the picture, get the mouths watering. I know I started off with asparagus ice cream and then went to prime rib. But it continues to grow in the experience of virgin voyages.
[00:38:14] Speaker C: And the foodie and I do have a quick. Because you know, we've, you've talked about, you know, the adult alcoholic beverages. If I'm there, okay, I'm there. And it's 2:30 in the morning. Can I get some pizza to go along with those adult beverages? Like what are my options between the hours of 2 and 3 o' clock in the morning for food?
[00:38:40] Speaker A: So we have the galley like I mentioned. That's 24 hours. I would head to the pizza place before 2 o' clock because it closes at 2 so you got to put that order in before 2. But then there's also cabin service which we call ship eats that you can order 247 as well and have that delivered. A lot of the dishes on that are burgers as well as a full steak. You can also order meatballs. If you want charcuterie in your room with your booze, you're all set there. But lots of ways. But I, I don't sit on the ship eats. I mean, if I'm in my cabin watching a movie, because movies and shows are included. Also, if you've, you know, a couple of drinks in the fridge, you want to grab one and maybe order a few more. Plus food on Ship Eats. Go for it. It's open 24 hours.
[00:39:32] Speaker C: Is there an up charge to go with that or is that so?
[00:39:36] Speaker A: We didn't in the very beginning. However, folks were shaking their phones so much that all of a sudden there's 10 pizzas sitting out there. We don't want waste, we never want food waste when it comes to this. So what we have come to is a $10 charge for that. It's a delivery charge and we actually donate that to our causes that make sure that the oceans are taken care of.
Now what I love also is if you make a purchase.
So if you're ordering food, it's always included. But if you add something to that order that is less than $10, we'll just knock off that $10 delivery fee and just charge you for that one thing that you ordered.
So you're all set there. So if you decided, you know what, I've got some nice cocktails here, but I really could use maybe an espresso before I go to the nightclub later. So let me go ahead and order that, you know, five $6 espresso. We'll take away that $10 charge and you're all set with that charge for your espresso. So you're set there.
[00:40:45] Speaker B: There's a lot.
And again, I don't know if this was highlighted, but these places that you can eat, these specialty restaurants that are included, you know, are, do have Michelin starred inspired cuisine. So you're talking top notch, exquisite food.
You will find me at the test kitchen, without a doubt. That's, that's my go to if I were to go on it. But Lindsey, which one is your favorite?
[00:41:16] Speaker A: See, of course, I always love starting off with light bites because it seems like by the two or the second day, the third day, you're having second lunch, maybe second breakfast in between.
So you have to kind of strategize whenever you're on board and everything's included. But my first thing I always do is I go straight to my cabin, I drop off my luggage, I try not to be too much of a Virgo and unpack everything because I need to, to go grab those light bites first and then I'll come back and unpack. So I go to the dock which is a beautiful little area that is almost like a yacht inspired feel. You've got some nice sun loungers, some wooden feels, very Mediterranean. But then you have these nice little tapas and light bites that are brought to you. The shrimp skewers and the grilled octopus there are some of my favorites. They also have my favorite drink. It's called the Golden Horizon. If you order it, send me a photo. I'd love to see it. But.
So you could sit there. Especially going out of Miami, seeing that beautiful city view unobstructed. Laying on a lounger with your grilled shrimp, your octopus, your anything that you would really like. That's those nice little tapas. When you're in the Mediterranean you can get at this little space.
This isn't a specialty restaurant. This is just an extra place to grab a light bite.
But it's one of my favorite spaces on the show.
[00:42:48] Speaker B: Starving.
Just. I had dinner before this. It's. There's gonna be a second dinner at my house real soon.
Oh my God.
[00:42:58] Speaker E: Second dinner for Stephanie.
[00:42:59] Speaker D: I mean we're all gonna adopt a hobbit diet. When it. Before it's all said and done.
[00:43:06] Speaker A: It's fine. I. I encourage that when you're on board. For sure.
[00:43:12] Speaker E: I have a question because I have a lot of allergies. Rarely do I go somewhere where something does not have to be modified. Steph and I have traveled extensively together and she can attest it. It is sometimes a challenge. I've had places make me cry before.
[00:43:31] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:43:32] Speaker E: So as. And I'm also vegan.
Plant based. I should say. I cheat with cheese once in a while.
[00:43:40] Speaker A: But always the cheese. It's always the cheese.
[00:43:43] Speaker E: It's always the cheese.
But as someone with. With allergy.
How is that handled? Is it something that I have to stick to the main restaurants or could.
[00:43:58] Speaker A: I do with allergies? Of course. We're not a fully allergy free kitchen. Yeah. But what we like to make sure is that there's something for everyone on our menus. So we do have a lot of things. And of course we always highlight even before you sell. You can list everything. But get to know your server that's there to let them know ahead of time. Because you never know what might pop up between when you filled that out and when you're actually in front of someone.
But they can guide you through it. And we're not going to give you a piece of ice over to the side. And that's what you get for dinner because you have allergies. We're Going to make sure that you still have that elevated experience.
I am also, I say I'm flexitarian because when I get on the ship, it flexes real hard.
So more along the lines, when you're on the ship, if you're being more vegan, pescatarian or gluten free, dairy free, we've got you covered. And remember that specialty coffee or that, you know, drip coffee I was telling you about? So I'm a dairy free.
Cheese is my weakness, but you know, I should be 100% dairy free. If you need oat milk or almond milk alternatives, there's no additional charge for that. We're going to make sure you're taking care of for those options. As well as that ice cream shop I mentioned, we have gluten free cones. We also have things without the red dye. And then also when you go through the ice creams, we have vegan options as well as sugar free options. So. Okay, lots of ways to be flexible, but also making sure that you are taken care of as an individual and you do not have a watered down sailor experience because of your allergies.
[00:45:44] Speaker E: Yeah, it's not fun. I don't recommend it.
[00:45:47] Speaker A: Well, now the challenge is we got to get you all on board so I could get the feedback. Especially with all the food options, you have to try as much as you possibly can.
[00:45:56] Speaker C: It's so sad. I'm looking, I'm looking right now at a tenor.
[00:45:59] Speaker E: I know, I was looking too.
[00:46:00] Speaker C: I'm like, that's so bad.
[00:46:03] Speaker A: Well, I know that you guys have a few ports close to you and you did ask before we started, where are we sailing out of. At least stateside. Of course we're out of Miami right now. But like I mentioned, ships do have a tendency to move and shift. Even though we, you know, kicked out border control, we built this brand new terminal and they love us so much for it. They checked passports six times. But we have this beautiful terminal that we do have to utilize a bit more. Because we're in Miami. We were able to pull that weight and build it, but ships move.
I have some great four and five nights though. If you ever just are in the area, let me know.
[00:46:45] Speaker B: We're all, I'm mute. Crap, we're all mute.
You, you guys have no idea how much I've driven Michael crazy. This just every, every day this year with Virgin Voyages, he, he is very much aware that it is quite literally the next cruise that will be booked because after the ones that we have already planned for this year, there's no if, ands or buts. There's too much here that just sound absolutely exquisite. Luxurious, fabulous, relaxing and then some. Right?
[00:47:22] Speaker A: Is it the kid or is it the all inclusive feel without the extra nickel and diming?
[00:47:29] Speaker B: Hashtag both. Yes, V O A F. Both, definitely. Although Jenny, she actually has a family where everyone can go on Virgin Voyages.
[00:47:41] Speaker E: Yeah, yeah, my kids are grown.
[00:47:45] Speaker A: Yeah.
Well, we have some great group programs as well as group discounts if you're booking outside of six months. So if that's something you're interested in, definitely let us know. Because that extra 10% discount on top of all the other promotions we have, that adds up. I feel like that's an extra. Sure thing. Or maybe a little more of a bar tab that could be added on later.
[00:48:10] Speaker E: Our tab.
[00:48:10] Speaker B: Amazing.
[00:48:11] Speaker C: Absolutely.
We're shaking that app, I tell you.
[00:48:17] Speaker B: Oh my gosh. So there's still so much we need to cover. Moving along.
Entertainment.
How does everyone feel about talking about entertainment?
[00:48:31] Speaker C: Tell me, tell me all about it.
[00:48:33] Speaker A: Diving right in. Let's talk some shit.
[00:48:36] Speaker B: Okay, so one thing is that Virgin Voyages does not have your traditional Broadway style shows, but that doesn't mean it's not fabulous in its own way.
There are and I'll let you, Lindsey talk about it. But I just wanted to say each of the ships and there will be four this year.
Even though they all, most of them may have the same restaurants and venues on board, you will not see the same or all of the same entertainment on board. Which I think is, you know, what makes each of them unique in its own way.
All right, Lindsay, all you, that's my cue.
[00:49:19] Speaker A: No, I love the entertainment on board because as you saw when we were coming together for our brilliant roadshow, we do not have a cruise director telling you where to go, what to do. This one personality that everywhere, on the screens at the pool, everywhere, we have a Happenings cast that is there. Oh, look at you. You got your swag on. I love it.
We have a Happenings cast that's there to really help set the tone of each event on the ship. We have these beautiful personalities of folks that are there. We have artists, comedians, we also have gamers. We have our lovely diva as well as our hostess that's there to sing their songs. But then when we go into the actually shows as well as our entertainment, we didn't, like you mentioned, want to bring Broadway to see. Because if you wanted to see Broadway, where were you going to go?
Broadway. Right, exactly. So we decided to work with some outside the box cookie cutter. We Wanted to do something different. So we worked with companies that actually created these shoes shows as well as this entertainment series like no other. We wanted to make sure that it was special to Virgin Voyages and curated just for us. What I love is one of our shows, Dual Reality actually started out on our ship and has since then because it was so just incredible. People loved it. The people would come on just for the show. It's gone from our ship to Shoreside. So there's. That's never happened. Usually they bring shows over from Shoreside or over from New York, Louisiana, Broadway, West End and then come to the ships. But no, we actually had this Dual reality award winning show. It's like a Romeo Juliet acrobatic, really immersive experience.
But that is now you can watch it Shoreside and I believe it was just in Seattle not too long ago. So if anybody's over on the west coast listening in, definitely check out with Dual Reality will be next. Now not only do we have these wonderful shows, I want to make sure that everyone understands that you don't have to go to all the shows to be entertained. If you know anything about the Virgin brand, Virgin music is in our DNA. We've had Virgin Records in the way back and with that music is always the international language. So we have house bands as well as we have these beautiful duets. We also have shows that are cabaret shows. And then of course what I love is if you just want to sit and listen to a band, we've got you covered as well. You're not just going to listen to the DJs doing house music and that's it. We're going to have you covered on all the rims. And of course our supper series. I know I chatted about all the food options as well as the sit down dinners. We actually have a few shows that we call the supper series and as a Southern girl, I love them using supper in the middle of it. But these are shows where you're actually going to have dinner and you're going to watch a show but you're actually part of the show as well. There is a small charge and that's because it is unlimited alcohol or specialty drinks while you're in this show. But it's a fun experience overall. So you're all set for that.
Now going into even more like you mentioned with our entertainment, we wanted to make sure that if you've been on Scarlet lady, maybe in our 2122 season, you know the ship back to fourth, forward to aft, starboard to portside, don't worry about it. You've seen our shows. If you're going on resilient, you're going to see different shows. If you're on value, you're going to see different shows. You're still going to have some of your favorites because, you know, sometimes something is not broken so you don't have to, you know, try to fix it.
We wanted to make sure that you had a specialized experience like no other. And with that, I have to talk about. Not only do we have our entertainment for nightlife, we also also have some things that are happening in the day as well. I'm a full on golden girl. I'm trying to be in bed by 10, 10 o' clock, 10:30 maybe. I'm only staying up for you guys. That's just that. I'm just kidding. So I like to be able to see a show, have dinner, sit in my hammock and with my pizza, watching those waves go by, and then entertained from my TV in my cabin because we're not going to charge you to watch movies or to watch some of your favorite series while you are sitting in your home away from home enjoying your piece.
[00:54:19] Speaker C: I love this so much.
[00:54:21] Speaker E: That sounds like my kind of vacation.
[00:54:23] Speaker C: That's a.
[00:54:23] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:54:24] Speaker C: That is a vacation.
[00:54:25] Speaker A: You know, exactly.
[00:54:27] Speaker B: Something that wasn't mentioned. And to me, you will find me. And I know Jen's definitely going to be there. And Brooks and Calton, actually, Lindsay, you're invited.
They've got a venue called the Groupie. And the Groupie is where you can, to an extent, basically have a room to yourself, your group, whomever you're with, and have your own karaoke party.
Like, come on, come on. Talk about a pre game before Scarlet Night.
[00:55:02] Speaker A: Yes, yes. The Groupie is a fabulous place to make new friends. Bring your friends in.
The Groupie is something that you can either, you know, go ahead and put your name down on the list to hold the room for whenever it's your time, or you can walk in to see if there's availability.
There's a larger room that I love because it fits about 10 folks. I've actually done a podcast from the Ship in that room because it's got the sound and we're all set from there. Just saying, segueing that in goals, y' all.
And then you have the smaller rooms. I actually. Can I tell you a little story about my groupie experience?
So back in my VIP group days and shout out to anybody that may have been there. I won't name names, but I was with A large group and this is my first time meeting them. I'm basically the face of the company helping them out. Well, they really wanted to get into the groupie, but I was like, that's fabulous. We rented out the whole groupie, which costs no extra. We just have to make sure that we have it to ourselves.
Needless to say, I was fairly shocked whenever I hear them belting out Broadway songs without reading the words and come to find out they're Broadway cast members. And I'm like, ah, I'm gonna be over on the room over here.
You are belting out some fabulous wicked tunes. And I'm over here like, haven't drank enough yet.
Take me off the list. I'm out. I can't follow that.
[00:56:41] Speaker D: You can always do don't stop believing.
[00:56:43] Speaker E: Yeah, look.
[00:56:44] Speaker A: What is it? Tequila.
There you go.
[00:56:47] Speaker C: I was about to say that that's one of my favorite songs to sing.
[00:56:51] Speaker A: You can't go wrong with it. But it was incredible. It was an experience because then you actually had other sailors coming. You're like, wait, I know that voice. That sounds fairly familiar. And I'm like, oh, do you now? So they had a whole audience by the time they were done. But what a fun way of really setting the tone before you start off your Scarlet Night, like you mentioned, have some fun. And don't worry if you need that liquid courage, there's a fabulous bar called Sip Lounge not too far away that you can just, you know, get a few sips in before you really sing your heart out.
[00:57:29] Speaker B: So kind of night.
So thank you, Lindsay.
Just a couple extra little things in the show notes. Beyond the main shows, you'll find pop up performances, live music themed parties and even a tattoo parlor on board called Squid Ink. Yes, you can get a tattoo while on a cruise because why not?
Our beloved Laura Greco, who is, has been on the show a lot and is, you know, a million dollar seller with FTJ who loves Virgin Voyage.
He and actually another FTJ agent we've been on the show, Stephanie Heffner, have both gotten tattoos on a Virgin Voyage cruise sailing.
So but if you're not into tattoos and you want something more relaxed, saying they do have the redemption spa offering thermal suites and invigorating treatments and of course the vibrant nightlife with Scarlet Night being legendary pool party that we just mentioned that transforms the ship. This innovative entertainment at its finest. Providing a truly unique experience at sea. And they have a casino which we did not mention. So you know, there is way, way, way too many. And I'm that's sarcastic. You have plenty of places to play and have a great time. And we haven't even touched the athletic offering. So people, do yourself a favor, just book it.
[00:58:56] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:58:57] Speaker B: You're not going to regret it.
[00:58:59] Speaker A: Can I just talk real quick? I know I, you know, talk ship a lot, so I apologize. But the casino, we did host World Poker Tour for a bit of time which was really fun to have on board and they actually encouraged us and since we have, since we've had them on, we created a whole poker room for those high stake poker players. But I have to talk about the casino because everyone always asks me. And for anyone that's ever gone to Vegas or gone to a another cruise line, ready for this. It is a fully smoke free casino. So when you're walking in or even walking by, you don't get that blast of smoke right in your face where you know if your favorite drink is right there at that casino bar, you're not having to go, okay, 1, 2, 3. And then you go and grab it and you come back to fresh air. We are set. Now of course I know that there's some that love to have their cigars, their cigarettes while they are playing. We have a special room for you guys full of some of your favorites slot machines, but it's got its own H vac system and it makes sure that that smell does not come into our casino area.
Just for those that are interested, if you've ever had a casino experience that is smoke free, you know the difference right away. But if you have not get ready, it's going to spoil you. And it's so nice. Even like I said, as you walk through, you don't have that sticking to your clothes as you're going from there to the two story nightclub or of course our wonderful red room where you're going to watch a show.
[01:00:41] Speaker D: Calton, I mean what haven't you thought of?
[01:00:46] Speaker C: I'm with.
[01:00:47] Speaker B: I saw you unmute when she was talking about the casino on. I want to know what you were going to say.
[01:00:52] Speaker C: Well, so that's one of my biggest complaints with another cruise line company is the smoke free casino. That's really not smoke free because so my wife is asthmatic. So the smoke, you know, does bother. So it is, we are hold your breath and run as we go through the casino on some of those other ships.
So I, that, that is pretty, pretty slick. And then at the fact that like I said, own H Vac and air conditioning, that's, that's top tier right there.
[01:01:26] Speaker A: I was Gonna say, did I speak your language A little bit on the H VAC system? Yeah, I, I spoke it there. But look, when I used to host things in Vegas, I would have a set set of clothes for when I'm going through the Vegas casino to the venues. And then those would stay and air out before I came back. It is so great just that experience alone and ready for this. If you have onboard credit, you can use, use it in the casino as well.
Mic drop.
[01:01:56] Speaker B: And for those listening, this is independent of the bar tab. There's bar tab. And then the onboard credit is called sailor loot. So if you're looking and you're like, what is this?
Or you can't find this on board credit, it's Taylor Loot.
[01:02:13] Speaker A: Yes.
[01:02:13] Speaker B: Virgin Voyages has their own lingo and we love it.
[01:02:18] Speaker A: I was gonna say we're very cheeky with our lingo. Even our cabin categories are fun. I love the suite app suite, especially the cheeky corner suite. We really did try to change it up. However, if you say onboard credit, we've got you. We know what you're talking about. Just think of onboard credit could be used for any purchases on the ship, as well as our beach club, our drink expense account. Bar tab is for your drink. So you're all set there.
[01:02:48] Speaker C: I do like the separation. I think that's, you know, that'll help me with. Okay, $500 here on the casino, thousand dollars here on drinks. You know, it helps budget and separate. That, that's, that's good. I like that.
[01:03:04] Speaker A: I was going to say I like your budget.
[01:03:05] Speaker B: Yeah, me too.
[01:03:07] Speaker C: I have to or else I go over. It gets. It gets bad.
[01:03:10] Speaker E: That's a great budget.
[01:03:11] Speaker A: I mean, look, I had a first bait on this past week. She never gambles. She sent me a fabulous picture of she put $40 in a machine. She came back with 2100. I'm like, that would never happen to me. But if any of that luck wants to rub off, I'm all in.
[01:03:31] Speaker B: Well, on that note, you did mention staterooms.
Okay, let's dive in there.
They have safe rooms for groups.
[01:03:42] Speaker D: Brooks here in the mouse here. Zazian booth. Look, we all knew that was going to be a two parter episode. Kind of seems like a theme this season.
But don't worry, part two will be out later this week. But while I have yalls attention, don't forget to join our Mouse Here podcast, Facebook discussion group and Facebook page. You can also follow us on TikTok X and Instagram to stay up to date for all things travel, but mostly Disney. And if you're interested in having a Fairy Tale Journeys agent book your next trip, visit fairytalejourneys.com and let them know that the podcast sent you. Lastly, if you enjoy our weekly episodes of the Bouncers podcast, we would love for you to leave us a review wherever you listen to us until the next episode, where we will be continuing our interview with the Scarlet lady herself, Lindsay from Virgin Voyages. Thanks everyone. By.
