Preview / Press Day in Dover

[CruisingWalter]

7 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

 Carnival is slowly doing away with indoor pools on new builds and even major refurbs of older ships are removing the retractable skylights. 

 

Yeah we just booked on Mardi Gras for 2021 and I don't believe she has an indoor pool area. The rest of it looks great, but that is something we love on the other lines.

[AlyssaJames]

This was a fun ride on Instagram, but I don't need to see any more:

 

• Megarockstar suite tours
• Pictures of fireworks
• Selfies in the sparkly wall room

🙂

[Cruise Critic Chris]

Hi all! 

 

Our crack UK staff was onboard. Here's our First Impressions: https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/5124/. 

 

Also Cruise Critic has a great walkthrough video that we did. If you click the Scarlet Lady story, you'll find it: https://www.instagram.com/cruisecritic/

[XLVIII]

 

Interesting review.

 

 

Edited February 27, 2020 by XLVIII

[twodjs]

I have a problem with anyone who gets so many details wrong. "No plugs on one side of the bed" wrong! Your own video proves you are wrong! "No bedside tables" wrong! Your phone is sitting on one and what's that big white 4 ft white thing next to your bed? "Took you 20 minutes to find the light switch" Duh...that is because the lights are automatic. You don't need a switch. "4000 guests on board" that's a long way from 2770. If you are going to review anything get your facts straight first.

[CruisingWalter]

10 minutes ago, twodjs said:

I have a problem with anyone who gets so many details wrong. "No plugs on one side of the bed" wrong! Your own video proves you are wrong! "No bedside tables" wrong! Your phone is sitting on one and what's that big white 4 ft white thing next to your bed? "Took you 20 minutes to find the light switch" Duh...that is because the lights are automatic. You don't need a switch. "4000 guests on board" that's a long way from 2770. If you are going to review anything get your facts straight first.

 

You do need a light switch to turn the lights off. 

 

There is no second bedside table, it's just that moveable Ikea thing.  If you're sleeping two in that cabin with the split beds, that '4 foot white thing' is the base for the second bed. You have to sleep head to head or feet to feet depending on how you want to sleep. 

 

I can't find whether 2770 is double occupancy or full occupancy. If it's just double occupancy, then 4000 would be accurate for a full ship utilizing all the four person occupancy cabins.

 

We found Emma's and Cruise Critics reviews enlightening. Especially this observation from Cruise Critic:

The inclement weather in Dover meant we spent little time outside, but we did see the main pool deck, which left us confused and wondering what Virgin was thinking. The main pool, as it is, is little more than a plunge pool, smaller than we'd expect to see on a ship a quarter of the size!

Shallow slopes encircle the pool, presumably for people to lounge on and keep cool, but the pool itself is tiny. Considering how much time and thought went into the rest of the ship, the pool almost seems an afterthought.

 

We honestly didn't realize the rest of the main pool was going to be that shallow. And that large water feature just behind the pool turns out to be an oversized hot tub, not a dip and sit pool. For a Caribbean based ship, Virgin really did not think through the pools or water features well at all. We love the focus on great food, but in the Caribbean we do tend to spend a fair amount of time around the pool and we hate hot tubs.  

 

 

[eroller]

Just heard from my friends who are currently onboard for the crossing.  There are nine of them, all girls, and they all got their own balcony cabins which is cool.  So far they are enjoying themselves, but did say there is a lot that needs to be addressed before paying passengers get on.  Of course they knew going in that they would be guinea pigs.  

 

No TV's work in the cabins, and the iPads don't work either.  No bands either so they have been given traditional cruise cards to get into the cabins.  When they arrived yesterday all the beds were made up as beds.  Today they came back from lunch and the beds were made up as the L-shape sofas.  All the restaurants and bars are up and running so that is a good thing, and there is an abbreviated daily schedule.  They ate at Pink Agave last night, the Italian restaurant tonight, and Test Kitchen tomorrow night.  

 

I've been sending them their GPS position via the AIS signal on my MarineTraffic app as they have no clue where they are as the TV's are not working.  Once they get a bit father out into the Atlantic the AIS will not be transmitted so they are on their own in regards to location.  Wifi is working so that is good!  I forgot to ask about who the Captain is but I will.  

[Biker19]

3 hours ago, eroller said:

Once they get a bit father out into the Atlantic the AIS will not be transmitted so they are on their own in regards to location.  

The cruisemapper app seems to have sat location.

[hotsauce126]

4 hours ago, creativegenius said:

 

You do need a light switch to turn the lights off. 

 

There is no second bedside table, it's just that moveable Ikea thing.  If you're sleeping two in that cabin with the split beds, that '4 foot white thing' is the base for the second bed. You have to sleep head to head or feet to feet depending on how you want to sleep. 

 

I can't find whether 2770 is double occupancy or full occupancy. If it's just double occupancy, then 4000 would be accurate for a full ship utilizing all the four person occupancy cabins.

 

We found Emma's and Cruise Critics reviews enlightening. Especially this observation from Cruise Critic:

The inclement weather in Dover meant we spent little time outside, but we did see the main pool deck, which left us confused and wondering what Virgin was thinking. The main pool, as it is, is little more than a plunge pool, smaller than we'd expect to see on a ship a quarter of the size!

Shallow slopes encircle the pool, presumably for people to lounge on and keep cool, but the pool itself is tiny. Considering how much time and thought went into the rest of the ship, the pool almost seems an afterthought.

 

We honestly didn't realize the rest of the main pool was going to be that shallow. And that large water feature just behind the pool turns out to be an oversized hot tub, not a dip and sit pool. For a Caribbean based ship, Virgin really did not think through the pools or water features well at all. We love the focus on great food, but in the Caribbean we do tend to spend a fair amount of time around the pool and we hate hot tubs.  

 

 

 

You don't need a light switch, that's what the ipad is for

[eroller]

54 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

The cruisemapper app seems to have sat location.

 

Thanks I’ll check it out.
 

 When a ship is out of AIS range I wonder if the Cruise Mapper app is using GPS or just estimating the location based on itinerary?  Either way seems pretty cool.  I’ll try to research it a bit more, but appreciate the suggestion!  

[Biker19]

16 hours ago, eroller said:

When a ship is out of AIS range I wonder if the Cruise Mapper app is using GPS or just estimating the location based on itinerary?

Not sure how they do it with a free app, but it seems to have sat data on actual location.

[CRAustin]

22 hours ago, twodjs said:

I have a problem with anyone who gets so many details wrong. "No plugs on one side of the bed" wrong! Your own video proves you are wrong! "No bedside tables" wrong! Your phone is sitting on one and what's that big white 4 ft white thing next to your bed? "Took you 20 minutes to find the light switch" Duh...that is because the lights are automatic. You don't need a switch. "4000 guests on board" that's a long way from 2770. If you are going to review anything get your facts straight first.

Well she is laughing all the way to the bank as her FB page and You Tube Channel went crazy.  She only had like 12k subscriber's this video that most hate and then others like Jim Zimmerman tried to profit off of has gone viral and making her moola like she never made before.  As an influencer I believe you need to be aware of your mind set, as I found the review negative and focused on stuff that doesn't matter.  Have I been in a hotel room or cabin that it took me 3 days to find the light switch for a certain light - yes.  Guess what not a deal breaker and I could careless about it in a review.  I want to see the venues, shows and food and drink!

[westguy99]

1 hour ago, ronbe65 said:

 

 

 

If you want to build a cruise ship you build a cruise ship.

If you want to build a bunch of gimmicks you build a bunch of gimmicks.

 

Happy cruising!

 

What a boring looking ship. No atmosphere. If I want to go in a lap pool with no music or atmosphere I will go to the YMCA. 

 

I will take the Virgin any day with a pool that keeps the lap swimmers and pool waders out. You can sit and relax by the pool, with a DJ pumping out nice tunes. No obnoxious person hanging by your feet in the pool or kids splashing around in their nappies and cruise worker yelling into a mike playing the same dumb games over and over again. Worst of all is the people these cruises and pools attract. I have been on the main stream cruisers and never spent more than 5 minutes by the pool. 

 

Like Richard said. Virgin is for those who don't like main stream cruises. I think the best part about Virgin so far is the people it is not attracting. 

 

[hotsauce126]

1 hour ago, ronbe65 said:

 

 

Happy cruising!

 

This video is like a youtube comment on the original video stretched over 5 minutes 

[gkbiiii]

So outside cabins are $500 a day and suites are at least $700+.  The suites for the extra $200 a day, are the much better option, being double-triple the space, with an outstanding marble bathroom!