brazilgirl

Looks like a great way to opt for some quiet time! I see you will be on the Azamara Quest, interested to see how you like it. We loved Azamara!

Thank you! I took them with my iphone, which is always handy ❤️ There are definitely some areas which are quieter, the pool area is one on the more intense areas noise wise. I’d recommend taking a book and maybe some noise reducing ear loops if it is an issue for you. Have a great cruise!

I would put me in the category of more sensitive/aware of sound than most people. I really don’t like restaurants that have loud music, it can really bother me. I lived in California , then in very intense Brazil, and now I live in a small Portuguese coastal town which is the place that suits me most. But I would say that I have never really had issues on other cruise lines with the sound, so certainly it was more noticeable and intense. Just for baseline, I have been to multiple concerts, including The Clash 😂, but the loud techno seemed to be more intolerable to me

I think having a balcony would have made a difference, the hammocks looked very inviting. And discovering the live music at the Dock House outside are was a highlight, although the same group playing inside made us change seats to be as far as possible because of the really high volume. Again, this is very personal and many people may not be bothered by it. A video of the great group playing outside, which we really found to be lovely. IMG_7787.mov

We arrived in Barcelona this morning and disembarked. We left the ship around 9:30. We had a nice breakfast and coffee and headed to the airport. Luggage was easy to find and disembarkation process was extremely organized and easy. Kudos to Virgin. Now the million dollar question… would we cruise Virgin again? There was a deal breaker on the cruise that really affected the experience overall for us. It certainly is a personal issue and does not detract from the great service, lovely food and interesting and well thought out decor. The deal breaker is the loud music in the public such as the pool and many bars. My husband and I are music lovers and we don’t expect elevator music all over the ship. But it really felt overwhelming at times and we struggle to find a nice quiet corner to relax and unwind. As I said, very personal issue and depends on each person’s taste and personality. I loved the diversity on the ship and there is definitely a market for the more “vibrant” type of ship. i might venture to say that Virgin could be for us if the tweaked their product a bit and had some more areas that were geared to quieter folk ( lots of younger and older people who have sensory sensitivities). Who knows? We did really like “The Dock” outdoor area and music was fun and at a better volume ( for us) I would be happy to answer any questions. Some more around the ship photos.

After going to Ibiza in the evening, we decided to take the ferry to Formentera for the second day to enjoy the renowned beaches. There are multiple ferries . Costs about 50 Euros roundtrip and if you like charming villages and crystal blue water, it is a must. We then rented a little car and drove around the island had lunch. A perfect last cruise day.

I didn’t mention our meals at The Wake. Very elegant venue. We had dinner there as well as brunch. My husband had the Salt Baked Dorado with lemon caper sauce, which was exceptional. The salmon I had was less exciting. I didn’t get a photo of his dish, but really worth trying if you enjoy fish. Clam Chowder is nice and Citrus Cheesecake very yummy as well

Here is the fried chicken… it is really quite delicious! You must try it. My husband and I had the lamb shank and the fried chicken and shared. Another recommendation is the fried green tomatoes and okra appetizer, quite good!

Friday was the day we arrived in Ibiza. We were there overnight. The ship docked and we were allowed to disembark at 7 pm. Before that, we enjoyed some great live music at the outdoor “Dock” venue , which turned out to be our favorite place on the ship. We also had scheduled to go to the Dual Reality show, but sadly right before the show started , we had a family emergency and had to miss it. I was disappointed as it was the main show I wanted to see. Virgin provides a shuttle to the Old Town in Ibiza, which is also where the ferries are. It is very convenient and well run. We loved going to Ibiza at night. The town is charming and well lit, with cute shops and restaurants. We are not clubbers, but am sure they had fun.

Thursday was our day in Corsica. We rented a car from the airport ( beware , taxi to airport is crazy expensive). Corsica, birthplace of Napoleon, is lovely. The French and Italian influences are apparent and the beaches and architecture are stunning. It is quite easy to drive. Roads are good and not much traffic. We visited the Calanques, which are dramatic rock formations and had lunch in a little village. The island is very arid and there is much to visit, one day is a little glimpse of it.

I had checked a couple of times and it looked like people weren’t following along, so I kind of disappeared 😂 After La Spezia, we had a relaxing sea day. We watched a lecture on watches and I went to a beauty seminar. Enjoyed both. We had dinner at Pink Agave, which was a very pleasant surprise. Loved the appetizers, especially the Shrimp Amarillo and the Potatoes with Chorizo as well as the Steak with Oaxaca Cheese and Carmelized Onions. The Agua Fresca was yummy and service with Jess was outstanding. We liked it so much we went back on our last night. Including some evening photos of the ship and Pink Agave food

Bom dia! The ship is not soothing to the senses 🤣. One of the challenges is the volume in public places, the live music venues, pool area etc are very loud . This is less hard than screaming ( like the Miss Behave show) , so I can adjust to it. I am going to the circus style show, as I love that kind of entertainment , hoping it will work out 😍 As far as Razzle Dazzle, as soon as I walked in , I did find the venue overpowering. But have myself time to transition, ended up very much enjoying the food. My husband had the fried chicken , which was amazing! I had the lamb shank and tuna tartare started, very tasty. Some photos of our meal. We watched some Karoake last night and were blown away by the talent onboard. My husband was also very happy to find popcorn served! Today is a sea day, so will explore the shops.

Today, we docked in La Spezia. We have been to Italy quite a few times and decided to venture nearer . We booked a Viator tour to Portovenere which passed by three scenic islands in the Bay of Poets. It turned out to be a really nice option . We had lunch and explored the town, the churches and castle. We had beautiful weather and crowds were very manageable.

I am back. We did not go to the sailaway party, so not sure. We are very much about itinerary and relaxation. Our itinerary is : Barcelona Toulon La Spezia sea day Ajaccio Ibiza Ibiza Barcelona Last night, we went to Extra Virgin and really enjoyed the food. I would like to go back just for the gnocchi, as it was heaven. Yesterday, I took a few photos around the ship. I love the murals and the outdoor gym equipment and the many areas with loungers of different types around the ship. Posting some photos. Great ship for active people. Already eyeing a trip with our adult kids. I think they would love it. I do miss having a library. Yes, I am old and boring.

Good tip on booking, it was really last minute. We did get $600 bar tab and $100 OBC which was nice.

Today we docked in Toulon, France. We opted to do a DIY day on foot and explore the town. We have been to this region before and just wanted a leisurely day. Had a great breakfast with an oat parfait, a gorgeous apple pastry and a vanilla latte. We came back for lunch and had Poke Bowls and dessert. I am very impressed with food on board so far. Excellent quality and variety as well as presentation. Husband liked the gym. Another plus is I don’t drink and there are very nice mocktails , which is unusual. I also love the automatic deck doors.

Our cabin is on deck 9 and very comfortable and well laid out. It feels spacious. Bed is comfortable. There is a difference in some small details from more “premium” lines, like towel size and quality, but nothing that deters from the experience. There were no bath towels or soap when we arrived, but after requesting them, they arrived quickly. The shower has good pressure and toiletries are nice and smell good. Storage is a bit limited, but we packed light, making it a non-issue. Our first dinner was at the Test Kitchen. We loved meeting fellow guests and the service was excellent and we really enjoyed the food. After dinner, we went to the Miss Behave show. Unfortunately, I have auditory and visual sensory issues and the noise level and lights were not a good fit for me, so we had to leave. But the audience seemed to really have fun and performers were talented. We then went to a bar and walked around the ship. The venues are attractive and very well kept. The ship is a lot bigger than I am used to, so getting lots of steps in, lol.

I would recommend in Barcelona avoiding heavily tourist places like Las Ramblas and explore El Born, Eixample etc to enjoy the amazing Art Nouveau buildings. We had a really nice meal at a restaurant called Antiqua which was quite memorable. Our boarding time was 3:00 pm. Boarding was well-organized and very fast, even though there was a fairly long line. We usually book balcony cabins, but we booked rather last minute and decided to enjoy the very lovely October weather the Med has been having, so we opted to have an inside cabin to take advantage of the inviting price. We took a cheap Ryanair flight, so it was really a bargain.

This is our first Virgin cruise and we boarded yesterday. I always enjoy doing reviews, so will try to keep up a live review with photos and impressions. We are a couple in our mid-50s that currently live in Europe but have also lived in South America and the US. We have sailed many cruise lines, including Holland America, Crystal, Azamara, Celebrity, RCI, Carnival and Seawind Crown ( which no longer exists). We have traveled extensively on land as well. We arrived in Barcelona early Friday morning and had a lovely couple of days revisiting the city ( which we had been to before). We stayed in the Eixample neighborhood and pretty much did all of our exploring on foot. One of the highlights was Gaudi’s first house , Casa Vicens. Really nice and much less crowded than his other works. We also visited Casa Batllò, at the end of the day on Friday to avoid the huge crowds. It is really worth it, but crowds are intense.

Some of my favorite places in Lisbon https://www.golisbon.com/sight-seeing/fronteira-palace.html https://www.cntraveler.com/shops/lisbon/lx-factory#:~:text=LX Factory is an industrial,more modern side of Lisbon. https://lisbontouristinformation.com/things-to-do/best-viewpoints-in-lisbon/ And yes , Monserratte Palace is well worth a visit, it is lovely and way less crowded than the other palaces

Like you , we have mostly sailed on Celebrity in the past. I think Azamara will be very enjoyable, happy sailing! I know in just the last few years Madeira has really developed a lot. We live on mainland Portugal and the Portuguese comment about all the development and the boom of tourism there. It really did blow me away, I hope it maintains the level of development it has now, which is nicely balanced and not become overly developed like some islands ( Tenerife for example is lovely but has passed that nice balance IMHO) Let us know what you think of Azamara when you get back from your cruise in October 😃

Thank you so much for the kind words! I will watch for your review, I love following people’s trips

Glad you enjoyed it 🥰

What wonderful photos! I am curious about this itinerary as well, thanks for posting

Wow, what a gorgeous dinner and nice event. And you are right…this truly is a “gift” with significance, making unforgettable memories. Thank you for the review thus far! It is great.