Cruise lines similar to Virgin

[the_fh_mets]

Virgin's currently available US itineraries for 2025 aren't particularly exciting (a downside of only having three ships and a contractual commitment to Port of Miami). For those who have cruised with Virgin and other lines, which line do you sail when you can't sail Virgin? Why?

[Travel-and-See]

I like Celebrity.

 

Usually less kids but still a more modern feel. A few things I love about Celebrity vs. Virgin is any-time dining, no reservations for shows and events, much nicer cabins (they feel more luxurious and are much better designed in my opinion), and the little touches like chocolates each night, water stations when you come back from sight-seeing, etc. 

 

The staff is also extremely friendly on Celebrity- everyone greets you with a smile.  
 

plus the on-board lectures are nice.  
 

There’s things I really like about both lines.  
 

 

[rebeccac]

Celebrity also has much better pools.  

 

Princess might be another one to look at.  Or Oceania, if you want to step up a bit (although they don't have nearly as much going on due to the ships being smaller - between 650 and 1250 passengers).

[CineGraphic]

We'd never sail Princess again after sailing with Virgin. They even offered us special fares for this summer/fall,14 days for $50 per cabin, and we still didn't consider them.

Virgin is vastly superior to Princess in so many ways.

 

It will be hard to find a cruise line exactly like Virgin, as there are kids on most other lines.

It all depends on what's important to you. Food, service, amenities, itineraries, entertainment, etc.

[cantgetin]

I vowed several years ago after a bad experience to not sail Princess again unless I had a really good reason like something I couldn't get anywhere else.  I don't think Princess compares to Virgin at all, but they do have a lot of ships and go a lot of places.  So, in fairness, my experience with them is pre-covid. 

Of the lines we've sailed, I'd rank Celebrity as closest to VV.  They do have kids, but generally not a lot.  I like the entertainment better than VV.  You can read comments from others above.  

[Travel-and-See]

8 minutes ago, cantgetin said:

Of the lines we've sailed, I'd rank Celebrity as closest to VV. 

Same.  I’ve never been on Princess though so can’t compare there.  
 

Both Virgin and Celebrity get some things right and wrong.  I’ve had extremely inconsistent service on Virgin compared to Celebrity and Virgin misses lots of little details.  

[the_fh_mets]

How does the included food on Celebrity compare to VV? One thing I like about VV is that all of the food is plated nicely and seems to be cooked fresh, and can be customized on the spot to meet dietary restrictions, compared to other cruise lines where the MDR, at least in pictures, seems to be "banquet food", for lack of a better term. 

[Travel-and-See]

40 minutes ago, the_fh_mets said:

How does the included food on Celebrity compare to VV?

The buffet on Celebrity has way more options but the Galley Food Court on Virgin has much better quality and is fresher.  

The pizza on Virgin is 10 times better than pizza on celebrity that’s for sure!

 

It’s a little tricky comparing Celebrity MDR to the restaurants on Virgin… I’ve had some hits and misses on both.  When Virgin hits, it’s way better than Celebrity - my first meal in Razzle Dazzle was one of the best meals I’ve had anywhere.  But on my next cruise, the same items were not nearly as good, and one of the items was obviously sitting around for a long time before served to me.  
 

The restaurant food on Virgin does seem higher quality, but it’s also more experiential which may or may not be your thing. 
 

Service is also more hit and miss on Virgin.  Again, I’ve had a couple of waiters on Virgin that were the best I’ve ever had, but also that were the worst on any cruise I’ve taken.  Celebrity is way more consistent in my experience.  
 

 

 

[the_fh_mets]

3 hours ago, Travel-and-See said:

 any-time dining, no reservations for shows and events

The reservations (and the pressure I put on myself surrounding them) may be my least favorite part about Virgin. That and the pool. 

[the_fh_mets]

Thanks everyone! Really insightful.

 

This may actually all be moot now that it sounds like Resilient is heading to San Juan...

[CruisingWalter]

7 hours ago, the_fh_mets said:

Virgin's currently available US itineraries for 2025 aren't particularly exciting (a downside of only having three ships and a contractual commitment to Port of Miami). For those who have cruised with Virgin and other lines, which line do you sail when you can't sail Virgin? Why?

 

Celebrity cruises is adult centric. Princess is adult centric.  Oceania Cruises has the most inclusions like VV and the food is superior. Much smaller ships at 1250 and 650 pax maximum. 

[We_like_to_cruise]

Lots of thumbs up for Celebrity on this thread.  However, we sailed with them recently and it was not so great. 

 

Undoubtedly it depends on which ship you sail on and your cabin category.

 

Looking forward to our first VV cruise coming up soon !

 

 

 

[Wildcatllamas]

I would compare Celebrity to Virgin. Definitely not Princess or NCL. I definitely prefer the food on Virgin versus Celebrity, although Celebrity did have a much better selection of gluten free items. I even took pictures so I could show a friend who was also gluten intolerant. And the items were actually not bad.

 

Beds and cabins on Celebrity, in your balcony cabins, were way better then Virgin or Princess. But then others think they are fine so this is one of those subjective issues.

 

My one issue with Celebrity, at this time, is their change on the single supplement. That is literally priced them right out of my budget when I sail alone.

[rebeccac]

Basically, I think that which cruise line you should look at depends a lot on what you like and don't like about Virgin.  Any of the cruise lines mentioned get rid of the stress over dinner reservations and all of them have better pools even the small ships of Oceania.  It can also vary somewhat depending on which ship within the cruise line that you are looking at. 

 

Personally, I think almost every cruise line has more comfortable beds than the ones in the standard cabins on Virgin, but I know there are others who have no problem with them.  And food is so subjective.  Two people can eat the exact same thing on the same day on the same ship and have two vastly different opinions. 

 

Bottom line is that only you can decide what you like and the only way to know that is to try different lines/ships and form your own opinion.  Personally, I have yet to be on a cruise line I would never sail again.  Admittedly, I like some more than others, but I truly do not have an absolute favorite.  

[Travel-and-See]

3 hours ago, We_like_to_cruise said:

Lots of thumbs up for Celebrity on this thread.  However, we sailed with them recently and it was not so great. 

 

Undoubtedly it depends on which ship you sail on and your cabin category.

 

Looking forward to our first VV cruise coming up soon !

 

 

 

It will be interesting to see how you like Virgin. Based on some of your complaints on the equinox, I’m not sure if Virgin will be your style but maybe you’ll love it.  

[cantgetin]

I agree with the above comments by Travel And Sea above.  We were disappointed in the revision of the dinner menu in Razzle Dazzle as they removed several of our favorites.  THe new deserts are a nice change though.

Celebrity has more "normal" food done well, while Virgin has more "foodie" food, sometimes amazing, but other times the same item can be disappointing.  While I don't like the buffet style where others can potentially touch food, the variety quality of the Celebrity buffet is top notch.  The consistency in quality and service is better on Celebrity.  BUT when VV has good service, it is GREAT service.  Same with food....and really friendly crew.

One issue on Celebrity--if you order a diet coke at dinner, they bring a can and pour half of it into a tiny glass; they won't let you keep the rest of the can.  Then, I'm convinced that they ration you on the package by making you wait for 20 minutes or more for a refill.  This did not make my cruise partner happy!  And you are paying for it on their beverage package.  At the buffet, they just hand you a full can.

[fsdorado]

We have been big fans of Celebrity, especially the newer Edge-class ships.  We will be going on our first Virgin Voyages cruise on Saturday aboard Valiant Lady.  We are very excited to try something new.  We'll report back in a week or so on the differences.

 

Frederick

[rj59]

Celebrity Edge-class ships have a Virgin feel and decor, with things like silent discos and three different theatrical spaces with two singer/dancer groups. They have an amazing screen in their main theater, as well as shows in a Club and Eden, an aft cafe/bar/wake watching space. They also have really nice design choices, like a two-level up-and-down running/walking track and champagne-glass hot tubs that rise two decks, and a rooftop garden. Like Virgin, prices for those ships have gone through the roof, but it's because they're hugely popular. They also have four different smaller main dining rooms, with themed cuisine, although in practice they only have 5 or so appetizers and mains that are unique to that restaurant. The main drawback, apart from being decidedly not-all-included, is a very elaborate class system on the new ships, with a huge Retreat taking up much of the front part of the ship, and dining spaces also segregated by fare classes. 

 

NCL Viva and Prima are also attempting to capture some Virgin vibe, with a food hall and lots of smaller venues, and lots of upper-deck infinity pools and hang-out areas. In practice, it doesn't seem to work that well, because popular venues, like a music bar, get overcrowded, and much of the upper deck is taken up by a huge go-kart track, and their ship-within-a-ship privileged private areas, the Haven, is even larger. 

[stan01]

May be a little bit surprising to make this comparison but Viking Ocean which is a little more mature (swap out Branson brash and the tattoo parlor for modern Scandinavian design and a Norwegian cafe that serves up waffles and pea soup.  It's also a no kids experience if that is important and they have a lot of ships with different home ports.

Then I'd have to mention Seadream Yacht Club.  More expensive yes but this is a case where you get what you pay for if you can get past not having your own balcony (not needed, the ship is so small there is space everywhere) and the 40 year old decor.  The food, drink, and elegant casual vibe makes up for it though.  Fares are lower in Caribbean than in Med. 

 

Edited March 4 by stan01

[fsdorado]

We're back from our Virgin Voyages cruise.  I think the most accurate thing I can say in regards to comparing Celebrity and Virgin is that they are "different".  We really enjoyed our Virgin cruise.  We're already looking to book another one. I really think that it's comparing apples and oranges.  We absolutely loved not having kids on the ship.  It made a huge difference in the feel of the cruise.  The overall service was great.  All of the crew was friendly and helpful.  The Happenings Cast made sure everyone was engaged and enjoying themselves.  The food quality in the Galley and in the restaurants was also excellent.  Trying to schedule dining and going to shows was a challenge since you make dining reservations 45 days in advance.  Many of the shows that required reservations had the days/times changed from what was in the app before embarkation, which was kind of frustrating.  It took a little bit to get used to the different terminology (Sea Terrace vs. Veranda, Galley vs. Buffet, Happenings Cast vs. Cruise Director Staff, etc.). Bottom line, we will likely book our next cruise on Virgin rather than Celebrity (unless we find a great deal).  We still love the Celebrity Edge-class ships (especially in the Retreat) but we feel like we still have more to experience on Virgin.

 

Frederick

[kaysha2004]

I've been on 8 Virgin cruises, with 4 more this year.  Celebrity has taken a downturn in all the things that Virgin excels in, so my cruise dollars are going to Virgin.

[garycarla]

i will also add that Viking Ocean is similar, but a bit more laid back and big older crowd.

[Flafun888]

On 3/13/2024 at 5:49 PM, fsdorado said:

We're back from our Virgin Voyages cruise.  I think the most accurate thing I can say in regards to comparing Celebrity and Virgin is that they are "different".  We really enjoyed our Virgin cruise.  We're already looking to book another one. I really think that it's comparing apples and oranges.  We absolutely loved not having kids on the ship.  It made a huge difference in the feel of the cruise.  The overall service was great.  All of the crew was friendly and helpful.  The Happenings Cast made sure everyone was engaged and enjoying themselves.  The food quality in the Galley and in the restaurants was also excellent.  Trying to schedule dining and going to shows was a challenge since you make dining reservations 45 days in advance.  Many of the shows that required reservations had the days/times changed from what was in the app before embarkation, which was kind of frustrating.  It took a little bit to get used to the different terminology (Sea Terrace vs. Veranda, Galley vs. Buffet, Happenings Cast vs. Cruise Director Staff, etc.). Bottom line, we will likely book our next cruise on Virgin rather than Celebrity (unless we find a great deal).  We still love the Celebrity Edge-class ships (especially in the Retreat) but we feel like we still have more to experience on Virgin.

 

Frederick

Can you share any insights re: the music? I was so close to booking this past week, but then dove into the reviews and read some that said music volume was pounding loud everywhere on the ship and mostly hip hop, EDM and Latin. Did you find that, as well?

 

Did they offer any other music genres on a daily basis? Traditional rock, 80s-00s Top 40; country, blues, jazz, standards - anything? If I'm stuck hearing nothing but hip hop and EDM for most of the trip, that would be pure torture for me - and a deal-breaker, sadly. 😞

Edited March 14 by Flafun888

[Travel-and-See]

11 minutes ago, Flafun888 said:

Can you share any insights re: the music? I was so close to booking this past week, but then dove into the reviews and read some that said music volume was pounding loud everywhere on the ship and mostly hip hop, EDM and Latin. Did you find that, as well?

 

Did they offer any other music genres on a daily basis? Traditional rock, 80s-00s Top 40; country, blues, jazz, standards - anything? If I'm stuck hearing nothing but hip hop and EDM for most of the trip, that would be pure torture for me - and a deal-breaker, sadly. 😞

All areas of the ship have different styles of background music playing.  They do play louder dance style music as you board and at the sail away and other parties and of course in the dance club.  
 

live music is lots of variety, there is always a solo guitarist on board as well as a guest band.  The bands vary in styles but I’ve seen some excellent musicians on board.  
 

I’ll also mention that the virgin ships are less open than other like celebrity - this means that noise levels don’t affect all areas of the ship. Always easy to find a quiet area to relax 

[the_fh_mets]

20 minutes ago, Flafun888 said:

Can you share any insights re: the music? I was so close to booking this past week, but then dove into the reviews and read some that said music volume was pounding loud everywhere on the ship and mostly hip hop, EDM and Latin. Did you find that, as well?

 

Did they offer any other music genres on a daily basis? Traditional rock, 80s-00s Top 40; country, blues, jazz, standards - anything? If I'm stuck hearing nothing but hip hop and EDM for most of the trip, that would be pure torture for me - and a deal-breaker, sadly. 😞

The only music that I found that was too loud and not my style was anytime the DJ was playing, which is generally:

- In the atrium on boarding day (mostly avoidable, unless you want ice cream or that's where you're mustering)

- In the pool area in the afternoons, when the pool is most crowded anyway.

 

If you don't like the volume at the pool and you aren't actively in the pool, which would be full and loud at that time anyway, I found you can generally go up one deck (to the sundeck level) and there are lots of options for areas to lounge facing the water and the two bars on that deck serve the same drinks as the pool, and the sound didn't really carry. It's also more relaxing in general because there are fewer people around. 

 

The volume of the live music is much more tolerable, however, if you don't like the volume or the genre, there's always a more quiet area. For example, if you hate the band playing at On The Rocks one evening, you can just go up the stairs to Sip and it's much quieter. 

 

The live bands play all sorts of genres, from pop to soul to country to Latin, depending on the band. 

 

Other than the DJ, the non-live music is typically mostly 90s and 00s pop played at an appropriate volume for background music.

 

Sound doesn't seem to carry, so if you aren't in the immediate area of where music is playing, you really don't hear it, so you can pretty much always escape music you don't like.