Nobody forgets their first time. For something actually, however particularly on a cruise ship! Escaping from the humdrum of life on land, attending to see a number of ports without delay, and dropping your self on ships which are akin to floating resorts chock-full of thrilling issues to do.
Virgin Voyages is likely one of the greatest and one of many latest, having solely launched in 2021 as an adults-only cruise line. They trade screaming youngsters for tranquility by day and spicy leisure by evening, all with honest costs. Most significantly, they’re additionally one of the LGBTQ+ pleasant manufacturers on the market. Virgin Voyages will not be particularly a homosexual cruise line, however they’ve actually gone above and past to offer for his or her LGBTQ+ attendees. Two Dangerous Vacationers will even be internet hosting group journeys on cruises with them in 2025/6, visiting Amsterdam, Bruges, and Bordeaux in September 2025; the Riviera Maya in Feburary; Spain, Italy and France in June; and Greece, Italy and Spain in October.
There’s all the time one thing to do on a Virgin Voyages cruise, and you may anticipate to expertise every little thing from sports activities actions and splendid well being therapies to extravagant performances and enjoyable events with risqué themes; you could be hard-pressed to even wish to get off the boat at port.
Listed here are a number of the greatest issues to do on board whereas out at sea with Virgin Voyages:
A Little Self-Loving
All of us work—and play—exhausting all year long, and any vacation ought to all the time include a chance for some self-love. On any Virgin Voyages ship, you’ll discover a thermal suite that provides you the prospect for pampering. There’s a mud room, salt room, steam room, cold and hot plunge swimming pools—for the courageous—and an space to obtain the infamously tough however cleaning hammam massages.
Wanting Sizzling
To cite the queen mom RuPaul herself: If you cannot love your self, how within the hell you gonna love any person else? Virgin Voyages are all about selling self-love and offers a wealth of magnificence therapies to decide on between. Within the Tune Up sections of the ships, there are manicures, pedicures, haircuts, grooming, tattoo artists, Botox, and even IV remedy—ultimate for laundry away any lingering hangovers.
Let’s Get Bodily
Mendacity across the pool is great and all that, however if you happen to’re extra of the energetic kind, Virgin ships have much more to supply. The B-Advanced is a techno health club with a view and an entire bunch of free courses all through the day. In addition to your extra fundamental biking and weights courses, the adventurous can attend bungee courses and even participate in boxing of their Geezer Boxing Ring! For those who want a bit alone time and admire the deserves of solo run, then there’s The Runway—a Virgin-red, 255-meter outside working observe on the very prime deck of the ship.
Greater than Positive Eating
Stomachs want lining earlier than hitting the nighttime leisure, and there’s all the time a spread of eating places on a Virgin Voyages vessel to do the job. Every restaurant prides itself on being distinctive not directly, providing themes that create an expertise somewhat than only a meal. Gunbae, for instance, is a Korean restaurant the place you kick issues off with a enjoyable ingesting sport, and the wok is constructed proper into the desk. In the meantime, Take a look at Kitchen serves a sequence of experimental dishes—to say the least—which could be paired with an ingenious cocktail listing. These are simply two of the “large six,” and you actually need to attempt all of them to find your favorites.
Reside Like A Rock Star
Virgin Voyages offers a number of selection in relation to cabins, however for these with a bit extra hard-earned money to splash round, there’s The Rock Star Quarters, which actually would make the likes of Iggy Pop jealous. Not solely are the cabins full of luxuries like sizzling tubs, totally stocked minibars, and king-sized beds, however reserving one offers you VIP entry all through the ship—together with an unique personal lounge known as Richard’s Rooftop with the opposite rock stars.
A Drink or Eight
No cruise is full with out drinks accessible on faucet. Virgin Voyages has important drinks lined within the value, however the “non-essentials” are additionally accessible at affordable costs from a variety of watering holes. Virgin companions with a number of the most esteemed mixologists to serve up top-quality drinks, from cocktails to each spirit you may think about.
Identical to the eating places, the bars all have their very own themes. The Dock is unbeatable if you happen to like your drinks with a tranquil sea view. There are daybeds and chairs looking over the ocean—underneath a parasol, must you want—to look at the sundown with a craft cocktail in hand. The Solar Membership is one other good bar-with-a-view possibility, solely this one offers optimum sunbathing alternatives on the deck above the pool and is the perfect place at evening to people-watch down on the nighttime pool events—looking out for fellow gays to play with.
For those who’re searching for one thing with a bit extra aptitude, there’s The Purple Bar, discovered in the back of the Razzle Dazzle restaurant. Its garish purple décor raises the spirits, and it has its personal signature drink menu, together with bottomless drag-inspired drinks like glittery champagne—known as YAAASSS Queen—and a spread of totally camp cocktails. It ought to come as no shock that this tends to attract the LGBTQ+ passengers.
As a result of the Evening Belongs to Us
Virgin ships flip into floating nightclubs because the solar units, with totally different choices accessible everywhere in the ships for these not wishing to take an early evening—and why would you? Virgin received the Greatest Nightlife award at each the U.S. and the UK’s Cruise Critic Editors’ Picks Awards, and it is easy to see why: their events are epic.
Maybe the perfect identified is The Scarlet Social gathering, which includes dressing in purple—Virgin Voyages’ signature colour. The celebration celebrates how a sailor received the love of a mysterious Goddess of the Sea and includes the complete ship reworking with pop-up circuses, performances, karaoke, and reside music. All of this culminates in an enormous dance celebration by the pool. You’ll, in fact, discover your fellow LGBTQ+ passengers right here, bedecked of their greatest red-hot pants.
In addition to the events, Virgin Voyage ships additionally include their very own nightclub. The Manor has two flooring, three bars, and an attractive ‘70s vibe. The nights all the time kick off with some sort of reside leisure however later transition into DJ units taking part in till the early morning.
Let Them Entertain You
On the subject of leisure, Virgin Voyages excels there too. The Purple Room is an onboard theater internet hosting an eclectic mixture of performances. An unmissable spotlight is Duel Actuality, a retelling of Romeo and Juliet within the type of a circus—as two households try to outdo one another with more and more daring stunts. It is also a fantastic love story that pulls on the heartstrings…and the boys are pure fireplace!
Then there’s The Diva. Each ship has a Diva—that’s the title of every Virgin Voyage ship’s resident drag queen, who hosts occasions all through the week like drag queen bingo and a spectacular camp present known as Across the World with The Diva. If there was any doubt that Virgin goes out of its approach to offer the perfect, most inclusive, and most enjoyable expertise for LGBTQ+ passengers, The Diva in all her fabulousness dispels them.
This text was written in collaboration with Virgin Voyages. Nonetheless, relaxation assured that we are going to by no means sacrifice our integrity for a sponsorship. In actual fact, we’re large followers of Virgin Voyages and actually love and assist the work that they do.