Aboard Brilliant Lady: What Virgin Voyages Got Right With Their Fourth Ship

I've sailed Virgin Voyages more times than I can count at this point, and I still manage to walk the wrong direction every time I board. When Brilliant Lady — the fourth and final ship in the fleet — opened its doors for the first time at Pier 90 in New York City last September, I showed up in my Scarlet Night jacket, ready to see whether VV had actually learned from its first three ships.

They did. Mostly.

The Ship Itself

Brilliant Lady is not a dramatic departure from Scarlet, Valiant, or Resilient. Same overall layout, same design DNA. But the refinements matter, and if you've sailed the other ships, you notice them immediately.

Deck 16 is the biggest win. They rotated the daybeds to face the ocean — on the other ships, they inexplicably faced inward. They swapped the metal balcony railings for clear glass, so you actually get unobstructed views while lounging. They added shade. Multiple people in our group independently called this their favorite change, and I'd agree. It's the kind of fix that makes you wonder why it wasn't always this way, and I hope that when the other ships go to drydock for refurbishment, this update is top of the list.

The pools are bigger. The main pool went from 20 to 27 feet. It doesn't sound like much until you've been on the other ships and tried to actually swim in them — it was more standing room than lap pool. This is a real improvement.

The pool deck breathes. They removed the oversized lounge chairs that ate up floor space and replaced them with more seating and open room. On Scarlet Night — which I'll get to — this means a proper dance floor instead of navigating around furniture.

The second coffee shop matters. The Grounds Club Too on Deck 15 solves one of the most consistent complaints across the fleet: the coffee line. On the other ships, there's a single location that gets backed up every morning. Now there's an alternative, and it works. Scarlet Lady has since added one too, which tells you how needed it was.

The redesigned atrium (The Roundabout) is more open and social — more like a boutique hotel lobby, with plenty of seating and cozy spaces to work or socialize.

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The Food

This is still where VV separates itself from the rest of the cruise industry. Twenty-plus restaurants, all included in the fare, and the quality holds up. No buffet anywhere on the ship — everything is made to order. Is there better or comparable food on other lines? Absolutely. But you're paying extra to access those restaurants. Here, it's all part of the fare.

Rojo is new to Brilliant Lady, replacing Razzle Dazzle from the other ships. This one sparked debate in our group. If you go in expecting authentic Spanish tapas, you'll be disappointed — one person who'd been to Spain said the food looked great in photos but didn't taste authentic. Another had a very different experience and loved it. The server described the concept as "tapas with a modern twist," and I think that's the right framing. It's good food, just not traditional. Several people preferred it to Razzle Dazzle, which had a reputation for empty tables — not a great sign for a restaurant on a ship with 2,700 guests. I've always had a soft spot for Razzle Dazzle, but it's had an identity crisis from the start. Is it vegan? Vegan-forward? A brunch spot? A diner? Asian fusion? Rojo feels like the most well-thought-through iteration of that space. Honestly, they should just call it Rojo across the fleet and keep the Razzle Dazzle name for brunch service only. (Is there a Spanish translation of "razzle dazzle"? Someone look that up.)

Gunbae (Korean BBQ) and Extra Virgin (Italian) remain highlights. The Galley — the food hall on Deck 15 — continues to be the reliable go-to for late-night tacos, sushi, and everything in between.

The Wake never disappoints, with traditional steak and seafood in a stunning yacht-inspired space. That said, our first night there was a good example of the maiden voyage learning curve. We were seated about 30 minutes late, the dinner service ran long, and when we tried to order a last round, the waiter told us the kitchen was closing. If you've never been on a cruise, that might sound reasonable — but on a ship, the kitchens and bars are all connected. It's not hard to send things over from another station. We weren't trying to squeeze in something unreasonable; we were only there late because they seated us late. It felt like the blame was being shifted onto us. But then a manager overheard, came right over, corrected the situation, and told the waiter "no — let's make this right." That's the level of service Virgin is known for. There are growing pains with new crew, but the culture of accountability is there. Mistakes don't bother me as long as they're caught and fixed — and this one was.

The dining philosophy hasn't changed: no assigned seating, no formal nights, no dress code. Come in shorts. Eat when you want. Move between restaurants without reservations for most of them. It's one of the best parts of the VV experience, and Brilliant Lady keeps it intact. Each ship also has its own exclusive menu items, which keeps things fresh even for repeat sailors.

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The Night Everything Comes Together

Scarlet Night remains the single event that defines Virgin Voyages. The entire ship transforms. Everyone wears red. The pools become a party. DJs take over multiple decks. It's the thing people talk about most, and it earns it.

On one of my sailings, the Real Housewives of Miami happened to be filming onboard. The best parts — them pushing each other into the pool, getting up and trying to be part of the show when it was decidedly NOT about them — didn't make the cut. Of course.

The entertainment beyond Scarlet Night is solid. The Red Room shows are legitimate productions — not the cheesy cruise ship variety shows you might be picturing. Murder in the Manor was popular enough during the launch that lines formed and it hit capacity quickly, so if you want to see it: show up early.

And then there's karaoke at the Social Club on Deck 7. I ended up there late one night with a group of work friends, and it was the kind of spontaneous, low-key fun that makes the ship feel alive even after the main events wind down.

The DJs, though, are still hit or miss. Off the ship, some of them have genuinely great mixes on SoundCloud. But onboard, it feels like VV puts its thumb on the scale, pushing them into the same safe, tired cruise playlist over and over. I used to think this was a generational thing or a taste thing, but everyone I've talked to — across all walks of life — has the same complaint. As a first-time cruiser said to me on my last sailing: "Wait, isn't Virgin at its core a record company?" Exactly. The ambient music piped through the ship — even in The Galley — shows they know music. So why not let the DJs actually play?

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What It's Not (Yet)

Brilliant Lady is the most polished ship in the fleet, but VV as a brand is still figuring some things out.

The MerMaiden (inaugural) sailings had well-documented growing pains — long waits at restaurants, lines for everything, staff still finding their footing. That's not unusual for a new ship, and the issues smoothed out. But it's worth setting expectations if you're booking early sailings. After Miami, Brilliant Lady heads to LA — including a Bestmates Halloween Splash of Pride — and then on to Seattle. These are all new ports for VV, so expect the excitement of something fresh alongside the occasional hiccup.

There are also signs VV is experimenting with more traditional cruise line practices — fare packages and prepaid gratuities, for instance — that feel at odds with the original "everything's included" ethos. It's early, and the core experience hasn't changed. But as someone who fell in love with the brand partly because of what it wasn't, it's something I'm watching.

The technology could also use work. The booking system has quirks, and the email notifications have a habit of sending duplicate confirmations — sometimes multiple messages a day about a booking that's been confirmed for months. Minor, but it creates unnecessary anxiety. That said, the past year has brought real improvements, including an overhauled app. It's still behind other lines like Princess on the tech front, but it's trending in the right direction. Finally.

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What VV Gets Right

The adults-only (18+) policy, combined with the no-buffet, no-formal-night, no-assigned-seating approach, creates something that genuinely doesn't exist elsewhere at sea. Add in that Wi-Fi (albeit basic), all dining, fitness classes, and basic beverages are included in the fare, and the value proposition holds up — especially compared to lines that nickel-and-dime you for every add-on.

Brilliant Lady benefits from being the fourth iteration. The design choices are smarter. The pool is actually usable. The culinary lineup has been rebooted and remixed. And she's the only ship in the fleet that can transit the Panama Canal, which opens up itineraries the other ships literally can't do.

If you've been curious about Virgin Voyages but haven't pulled the trigger, Brilliant Lady is the ship to start with. And if you've sailed the other ships, this is the upgrade you'll notice.

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Randy Marsden is a travel advisor at Bestmates, specializing in cruise experiences.

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