10 things we loved about Virgin Voyages’ Resilient Lady: Greek Island Glow

I’m not exaggerating. Virgin Voyages is by far the best cruise I’ve ever been on. I’ve not stopped raving about it, at least to those in my millennial age group, since the first time I popped by Voyage Virginity in 2021. That was aboard Scarlet Lady, and now in 2024, I’m back to give Resilient Lady a whirl.

Richard Branson and his team have single-handedly made cruising cool. Others have tried to copy their format, but they’ve lacked the personality to do so successfully. It’s a bit like having a politician release a rap single—they can have all the tools but it’s still cringe. Whereas Virgin Voyages has the attitude, the cheekiness, and above all, knows what millennials (and millennials-at-heart) want. Adults-only spaces, eateries with ingredients we look for when dining out, non-PG shows, excursions with an element of adventure, and workouts akin to a trendy Soho gym. That’s how you get us in. My family and I boarded a seven-night Greek Island Glow itinerary and here were all our favourite parts of the experience, along with unedited photos straight off the camera roll.

What I loved about Virgin Voyages’ Resilient Lady

1. There are private karaoke booths on deck seven

This is something that anyone who has lived in Asia (like I have) might appreciate: private karaoke every day. There are three rooms of varying sizes on deck seven in a nook called ‘The Groupie’, and they can be enjoyed either walk-in or pre-booked. We had no problems getting one whenever we wanted as not many cruisers seemed to realise there was private karaoke in addition to the stage option. Each room was Lucky Voice level in terms of tech and song choice, including English songs through the decades and even K-Pop. Blackpink in your area!

2. Rooms are super eco-friendly (and still sexy)

Great combo. We were here for seven days and though there was a lot to be kept busy with, our sea terrace room was a welcome sanctuary when we wanted to just lie in the hand-woven hammock or watch a movie on the flat screen (all content pre-uploaded, so you needn’t worry about slow streaming). 

The room made clever use of space; you could reconfigure your bed into a sofa lounge area, and it was full of eco-friendly touches. For example, if you open the balcony door wide, the AC automatically stops, and when you leave the room, the lights go out. I know a lot of people (*ahem* my extended family) that waste energy on cruises, so this is a brilliant idea. There were more planet-friendly touches across the whole ship, and not a single-use piece of plastic in sight. Finally, the red accents, mood lighting, and room controls at the touch of a pad made it all feel ultra-modern and chic.

3. The shows are the kind you’d actually pay to see in London or NYC

This is where I start moaning about other cruise ships. I’ve been on ones where the shows are geared towards children or simply the buffet staff doing karaoke. Not here. Virgin brings real talent to the ship’s multiple stages and they swap out the predictable classics (snooze) for more immersive entertainment and a festival-style line-up. 

Some are a little raunchy, which of course is the Virgin way; my spicy mum-in-law completely lapped up Lola’s Library. We also enjoyed the Persephone show, an immersive Greek story where the outfits were gorgeous. Across all performances, audience participation is encouraged (on this ship, they have no choice. Everyone is up for it and hollering “yassss!”)

4. Excursions champion local communities

We did two excursions and what I liked about them is they partnered with local businesses for a proper cultural experience. The one I liked most was a Mykonos cooking demo & local wines session. In this, we went into a local’s actual home, where they showed the group how to prepare a Greek feast followed by lunch afterward. Some of us were called to the front to assist, and I got to try my hand at making tzatziki (I didn’t do a great job, apparently). Others got to help with a spinach pie and stuffed tomatoes.

Even if you don’t opt for an excursion, VV makes sure you get into the centre of the action with free boat tenders and shuttles. In Santorini, they gave us free cable car tickets to get to the top of the cliff. Make sure you take advantage of this as the steps up are slippery and covered in donkey poo. I don’t think those donkeys are treated too well either so I would advise against riding them up. The cable car is much easier. While in the queue, remember to watch out for people (usually not on this cruise) who try to cut in line. There was a lot of that going on when I went.

5. The specialty dining is all included

We met a couple who had been on “c**p cruises like Carnival” (their words, not mine), who didn’t realise the dining was ALL included on Virgin Voyages. They found out halfway into their trip. 

Every day, we had a different dining experience and didn’t pay a penny more, unless you want alcohol which of course is a separate charge. The ship had over 20 eateries, but the standouts you should definitely book ahead for are Gunbae, a Korean barbecue experience where you’ll play drinking games with other diners; the Test Kitchen, a six-course Michelin style journey; and Razzle Dazzle, which is plant-BASED but also caters to carnivores who want to eat with their vegan pals. Seriously, it’s hard to believe this is cruise ship food, and even harder to believe it’s included with every cruiser’s package at no additional cost.

6. Workouts are plucked out of a trendy fitness studio

You know those cycle and boot camp studios that cost a pretty penny and need you to have the expensive activewear to match? They’re free (again!) to do on the ship and you won’t be judged for sporting an ugly vest. We only had time to try two. If you just have time for one, try the Bungee workout class which is unlike any other class I’d ever done. For self-training, the ship also has a massive gym, and a running track at the top, a red 255-ish-metre halo. I spied a boyband dance class on the schedule but sadly missed it to hang out with the resident drag queen. 

7. The ice cream stand was incredible

I went here as often as we went to karaoke. It was on the same deck and was open 2-10pm every day, so I couldn’t resist. Lick Me Till… Ice Cream has six homemade flavours to choose from along with vegan options. The lovely Ferlin (pictured) knew my combination and was ready each time I rocked up to her stand. On other cruise ships like Royal Caribbean, you have to pay extra for fancy dessert stations, but on VV this was included for everyone.

8. This ship is strictly adults-only: no screaming kids in sight

There are no kiddie playgrounds and water slides. Instead, these spaces are filled with things that adults enjoy, like swanky cocktail lounges, immersive shows, dance clubs, the running track, and more room to lie out and read a book without being splashed in the face. They’ve also swapped kids’ menus for Michelin-star chef-curated menus, so that explains why even the all-day hall food is way better (yes, there’s unlimited ramen and sushi). 

The clientele definitely skewed younger than traditional cruises. Like us, we saw a ton of millennials and their (fun) parents, including a couple in their seventies partying with their forty-something-year-old children. Think Richard Branson and crew.

9. I repeat, EVERYTHING was included. Even the Wi-Fi and the Tips

As a now semi-seasoned cruiser, I can’t stress how important this is. On traditional cruises, you pay a shocking amount per day for Wi-Fi, and they have compulsory tips to sting you with at the end, so you are a few hundred out of pocket before heading back home. On Virgin Voyages, Wi-Fi is included (and for us, it was pretty fast) and so is staff gratuity. 

I.e. VV actually takes care of their employees and pays them a fair living wage. Their good treatment is reflected in their genuinely positive attitude to work and therefore service. You don’t feel like staff are just being friendly for a tip but rather they want to actually help and show you a fabulous time. We were even invited to join the crew on the final night for drinks, so you can form some genuine friendships. 

In my opinion, tips are a terrible way for employers to get away with treating their staff poorly and underpaying them.

10. The port area was pretty cool (and we preferred it to Athens)

If it weren’t for the cruise, I’d never have thought to visit Piraeus. As Athens’ main passenger port, it’s full of coastal city charm and much less hectic and touristy than the capital (though, just a 30-minute train ride got us to the Acropolis). 

We arrived the night before embarkation and checked into a lovely boutique hotel called Twinn, Downtown Piraeus. It’s brilliantly located, and of amazing value, starting at just 60 euros for a single room. I recommend getting here a night before any cruise, not only to avoid on-the-day stress but also to feel like a local in Piraeus and explore its restaurants, independent shops, and waterfront via your new flat-away-from-home, Twinn. The breakfast is stellar too. I had avocado toast and coffee before boarding the ship. A rideshare from Twinn to the cruise terminal cost us less than 10 euros. 

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