Valiant Lady Live in the Med - First Time on Virgin

[brazilgirl]

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.

[brazilgirl]

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.

[brazilgirl]

 

 

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. 

[brazilgirl]

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.

[cantgetin]

My only comment on cabin choice is that many of the discounts available (like MNVV which can be purchased thru a travel agent and applied to even your first cruise) and other perks often start at the sea terrace level.  It can sometimes cost less to book a sea terrace with the discounts than to book an inside cabin.  That's even before the perks.  Bottom line, it depends on the cruise and what discounts might be available.  Just a hint for other first timers.

Glad you are enjoying VV.

[brazilgirl]

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

[tbmrt]

What time was your sailaway party?  

[red lobster]

I'm loving your review and terrific pictures!

 

[-The-True-North-]

Which cruise itinerary are you on?

[Tyler414]

I was on a similar itinerary on Valiant Lady in June, it was wonderful and am considering another in 2024.   ENJOY!!

[brazilgirl]

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.
 

 

 

[brazilgirl]

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.

[TheDarkestBlue]

On 10/9/2023 at 9:38 AM, brazilgirl said:

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.

 

Bom dia and thanks for taking the time to post up such a wonderful review 😊 pictures are great! I have a similar sensory issue to you and I was wondering if there were any other locations on the ship or experiences that may have also bothered you? I'm a bit afraid to walk into Razzle Dazzles! 😵‍💫

Edited October 10, 2023 by TheDarkestBlue

[brazilgirl]

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.

[notscb]

I'm excited to follow along on this journey- it's one I've been looking at especially with the overnight in Ibizia! It looks like y'all are having a great time so far!

[c-boy]

[ctrusler]

We are headed on the same cruise October 22-29 for our 20th and my 50th (both of which were in 2020....). We really have not booked any restaurants or excursions and am trying to pull things together this weekend. Panicking a little about some of the reviews I'm reading on how booked things get. Any tips? Ive been to Barcelona and some of the places in France and Italy, but not since I was a law student in the mid 1990s. Hubby has not been. We will spend some extra time on the way back in Barcelona.

[cantgetin]

40 minutes ago, ctrusler said:

We are headed on the same cruise October 22-29 for our 20th and my 50th (both of which were in 2020....). We really have not booked any restaurants or excursions and am trying to pull things together this weekend. Panicking a little about some of the reviews I'm reading on how booked things get. Any tips? Ive been to Barcelona and some of the places in France and Italy, but not since I was a law student in the mid 1990s. Hubby has not been. We will spend some extra time on the way back in Barcelona.

Get the earliest boarding time you can--if you qualify for loyalty on any other cruise line or some airlines, go to the Loyalty section on the VV website and see if you qualify for their status match.  That gets you, among other things, priority boarding.  It also gets you a free bag of laundry washed--since you are doing extra time in Barcelona after the cruise, it might be nice to do this just before the end of the cruise.  Cost is $30 if you don't have it as a loyalty perk.   Once on board, we "divide and conquer,"  One of us books any needed dining changes, the other books classes and entertainment,  We've done 29 nights on board and only once been denied walk in seating.  We board, drop our carry ons in our cabin, and go to lunch--lots of good places from The Galley to The Dock to The Pizza Place depending on what you want to eat.  You can sit there and do the reservations while you wait for your food and while you eat!

One thing I would try to book NOW is a nice brunch on your disembarkation day...unless you are in a hurry to get off.  It is such a nice way to end the cruise rather than the usual "push you off" that you get on other lines.

Edited October 14, 2023 by cantgetin

[ctrusler]

Thank you!  Ill check AMEX i think they may have some connections with Virgin! Much appreciated!!

[brazilgirl]

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

[brazilgirl]

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.

[brazilgirl]

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.

 

[Freelancer3]

Your pictures are amazing. Well done.

[warmwinds]

Love your pictures, what a great itinerary.

 

But to the fried chicken in Razzle Dazzle - from the 4 pictures you posted, I could tell the lamb shank, but nothing looked like fried chicken!  (to me! 😋) and love chicken.  Which picture was it?  Will definitely try it next time!

[cantgetin]

29 minutes ago, warmwinds said:

Love your pictures, what a great itinerary.

 

But to the fried chicken in Razzle Dazzle - from the 4 pictures you posted, I could tell the lamb shank, but nothing looked like fried chicken!  (to me! 😋) and love chicken.  Which picture was it?  Will definitely try it next time!

On our last. cruise, VV had several different chicken dishes that we loved--beer chicken, butter chicken, fried chicken