Virgin Voyages Review: Is It Actually Worth the Hype?

Let me start by saying this…

We are former cruise haters.

Yes, former, so you already know this story has a happy ending.

Now, you may be asking yourself: how the heck did we decide to go on a cruise in the first place?

Honestly, our very first voyage was booked because we were looking for an easier travel option for my mom. She has a hard time walking for long periods and needs frequent breaks, but our goal has always been to keep taking her on trips outside of the U.S.

A cruise suddenly felt like a way to give her the opportunity to travel without having to constantly move from place to place.

My first thought before booking?

We are going to be bored out of our minds.

My second thought?

We are going to be stuck with a bunch of loud kids.

So, in true Elaine fashion, I spent hours obsessively researching the best cruise lines for first-timers. I also knew I wanted something with more of an adults-only vibe.

That’s when we came across Virgin Voyages.

And oh boy… what happened next was absolutely not what we expected.

For this one, I’m going to make you read a little longer before I give you the real tea.

Let’s Start From the VERY Beginning

We intentionally picked the shortest sailing we could find in case our cruise-hating instincts were right.

We booked a 5-night voyage from Miami to Puerto Plata, Bimini, and back to Miami.

Even after hours of research, my husband and I were still hesitant.

Our logic was simple: if we were going to be miserable, we only wanted to be miserable for five nights. 😂

Remember, we also booked this trip with my mom in mind. We wanted something she could genuinely enjoy without feeling exhausted.

We’re used to traveling to a destination, waking up at the crack of dawn, exploring all day, and coming back to the hotel when it’s completely dark.

So to us, a cruise sounded… boring.

I personally pictured cruises as one giant floating mall with an endless food court.

That was literally my mental image.

First Impressions

From the moment we stepped onboard, we felt like we had been transported into a high-end, all-inclusive hotel.

So immediately, we were like…

Okay. If this really does suck, at least we’ll be miserable in a nice hotel with endless ocean views.

As we stepped onto the ship, we were greeted by members of the Happenings Cast with a cheerful, “Ahoy, Sailors!”

And listen… the hater in me really wanted to roll my eyes.

But I couldn’t.

The energy from the crew was genuinely great.

We made our way to our room, and this was the first moment I thought:

Wait… this might actually be good.

Our luggage was already waiting for us, and when we opened the door to our cabin, the curtains automatically opened to reveal our balcony, complete with that iconic red hammock.

At that point I thought, okay, worst-case scenario, we hang out in this cabin for five days and enjoy the ocean view.

Not a bad backup plan.

The Sail Away Party

We headed up to Deck 16 for the Sail Away Party, where there was champagne, music, the Happenings Cast, and a really fun atmosphere.

Maybe the drinks were already flowing, but I genuinely started to feel the vibe.

And yes, I know you probably want me to stop rambling and get to the actual review.

But I wanted to paint the picture first.

Because the shift from “we hate cruises” to “wait, are we actually enjoying this?” happened very quickly.

Let’s Talk About the Food

10/10. No notes.

Seriously.

It’s exactly how Virgin Voyages advertises it: multiple eateries, no traditional buffet, and no extra charge for most of the restaurants.

And from a picky eater and someone who has eaten at a lot of great restaurants in the Dallas area, I genuinely don’t remember having a bad meal.

In fact, one of my biggest complaints was that I was constantly too full to keep eating.

We didn’t even get the chance to try everything.

That is a problem I am willing to have.

One thing I really appreciated is that the food didn’t feel like typical mass-produced cruise food. The restaurants felt more like actual dining concepts, each with their own atmosphere and personality.

The Entertainment

We only had two sea days, and somehow we still didn’t get to do half of the things we wanted to do.

There was always something happening.

We made it a point to work out every morning because the ship has a beautiful running track and a very nice gym.

And honestly, when is the next time you’ll get to work out with an ocean view?

There were shows, events, classes, parties, and activities throughout the day, all listed in the Virgin Voyages app.

I personally loved that.

I’ve heard from frequent cruisers that some cruise lines rely heavily on intercom announcements throughout the day.

And that…

Sounds…

Awful.

I much prefer opening the app, seeing what’s happening, and deciding whether I want to participate or keep relaxing.

The Ports

Taino Bay — Puerto Plata

I’ll be honest: Puerto Plata itself wasn’t my favorite stop.

Before anyone comes for me, I love the Dominican Republic. It’s an incredible destination, and I’ll definitely share more about it in another blog.

But Puerto Plata has become very tourist-heavy in certain areas.

That said, Taino Bay itself was actually a really cool cruise port.

There are pools, bars, shops, restaurants, and plenty of places to relax.

If you don’t want to venture far from the ship, you could easily spend the day hanging around the port.

Personally, I would either book a local excursion or enjoy Taino Bay and keep things simple.

Pro Tip: Virgin Voyages sometimes offers discounts on onboard services like spa treatments or salon appointments during port days, so check the app for current offers.

Bimini

Now this one…

Bimini was my favorite.

Virgin Voyages has access to a beach club in Bimini, and it honestly feels like an extension of the ship.

Think:

Vegas-style beach club energy.

Pools.

DJs.

Drinks.

Entertainment.

Beautiful water.

And most importantly…

Food is included.

You can also use your Bar Tab there, which makes the whole experience feel seamless.

This was probably the stop where I officially admitted to myself that I might actually like cruising.

Bimini Private Beach Club

Final Thoughts

So… is Virgin Voyages actually worth the hype?

For us?

Yes.

And here’s the funniest part:

I wish we had booked a longer cruise.

The people who booked five nights because they were afraid they’d be bored suddenly wanted more time onboard.

But most importantly, the trip was perfect for my mom.

She was able to enjoy the ship, the food, the ports, and the entertainment, while still having the freedom to go back to her cabin whenever she needed to rest.

She had an amazing time.

And honestly, that alone made the entire trip worth it.

Virgin Voyages completely changed how we thought about cruising.

Are we suddenly going to stop taking our crazy land-based trips?

Absolutely not.

But now?

Let’s just say there will definitely be more cruises in our future.

Thinking About Booking Virgin Voyages?

Here is our current Virgin Voyages referral offer for a $150 bar tap on your next Voyage. (as of August 2026).

As always, prices, promotions, itineraries, and onboard offerings can change, so make sure you confirm the most current details directly with Virgin Voyages before booking.

Don’t forget to travel responsibly, respect the local culture, support local businesses, and when you can, pay in the local currency.

Jesus & Elaine

Aerglo Travel