What I Wish I Knew Before Sailing with Resilient Lady on the Adreian sea.
(This blog contains affiliate links)
If you’re planning to sail with Virgin Voyages aboard the Resilient Lady in the Mediterranean, the article is for you.
I sailed in May and, like many first-time Virgin cruisers, found a lot of things that weren’t immediately intuitive—even for someone who’s cruised with other lines before.
This blog post is a detailed guide based on my personal experience, compiled to help future sailors navigate Virgin’s unique system, features, and quirks. Whether it’s your first cruise or your tenth, this guide can save you time, stress, and even money.
Remember to check out my full cruise review here: Virgin Voyages Resilient Lady (2025): Expert Cruise Tips
Your Wristband Is Your Key
Virgin Voyages skips the old-fashioned cruise card and instead gives you a sleek silicone wristband that functions as your stateroom key, payment method, and ID. It’s waterproof and surprisingly stylish—many guests keep it as a souvenir.
No Need to Print Luggage Tags
This is one of those little conveniences that makes a big difference. Even if you receive a luggage tag digitally, you don’t need to print anything before the cruise. At embarkation, staff will attach a tag to your bag based on your room number (just show it on your phone).
Disembarkation Tip: Place your packed bags outside your stateroom the night before (by 10:00 PM), labeled and ready for porters. Keep essentials in a small carry-on for the final morning. I am surprised to see so many people taking their own luggage and got stuck in the hall way and in the stairs.
Check out Virgin Voyage on Cruise Direct
Be Strategic About Reservation Times
Virgin Voyages is all about personalization, but that means you need to plan ahead.
Boarding Time
Booking opens in the Virgin Voyages app once you complete your personal info. They enforce your selected boarding time—ours was 3:15 PM in Athens, and they did not let people board early.
Restaurant Reservations
This can get competitive. Reservations open 45 days before sailing at midnight (Miami time). Depending on your cruise length:
- < 5 nights: 1 reservation per restaurant
- 6–8 nights: 2 per restaurant
- 9+ nights: 3 per restaurant
The early bird gets the best times, so set an alarm. Onboard, you can join walk-in queues or use the app to grab cancelled spots.
Fitness Classes
These fill up fast. Once you board and connect to ship Wi-Fi, book any classes you’re interested in right away. If you didn’t show up, you’ll be charged $10 and the money goes to charity.
Tender Appointments
At tender ports like Kotor or Mykonos, book early. I didn’t realize we need to book it so ended up waiting until 1:40 PM to get ashore—cutting into our exploration time. Don’t make the same mistake! We are very lucky to sit at the upper deck and enjoyed the stunning fjord back to the cruise.
Disembarkation Slot
Though optional, reserving a later time (like 10:15 AM) can let you sleep in and avoid the morning rush. We luckily escaped the disastrous disembarkation and ate our final onboard meal at Razzle Dazzle.
Watch for Ship Time, Not Local Time
One sneaky detail: on this cruise we took, it does not adjust to local port time. It follows “Ship Time,” which can easily cause confusion if your phone syncs to local time automatically.
My partner nearly missed a fitness class because she thought it was still an hour earlier. Virgin could do a better job of warning guests upfront when handling out the bracelet and knowing that we’re first timers.
Pro Tip: Set your phone to manual time mode based on ship time.
Always Double-Check the All-Aboard Time
Virgin Voyages posts daily schedules on digital signage throughout the ship. Take a photo each morning before heading off the ship. You can’t get access to Virgin app while on land because you’re not connected to the ship wifi.
Saw shipmates asking for all abroad time all the time in the cruise facebook group.
Check out Virgin Voyage on Cruise Direct
Can You Bring Alcohol on Virgin Voyages?
Yes—with limitations.
- Each cabin may bring 2 bottles (750ml each) of wine or sparkling wine upon initial embarkation.
- Alcohol purchased at ports will be confiscated and returned at the end of the cruise.
We bought ciders at our first port, and only the non-alcoholic one was allowed back to our cabin.
Where to Get Free Juices and Soda on Virgin Voyages
Despite some premium menu items, juice and soda are included in your cruise fare. Most restaurants will serve basic orange juices for free, and even The Pizza Place can provide soda on request. No one told us that, and as a non-American, I had no idea that those handheld dispenser guns could be used to serve soda.
There’s no need to go all the way up to 15F buffet just for the soda.
Should You Purchase a Bar Tab?
Instead of unlimited drink packages, Virgin Voyages offers Bar Tabs—prepaid beverage credits with bonus value.
- $200 = $225
- $300 = $350
- $1000 = $1250
You can use your Bar Tab for alcoholic beverages, premium coffees and cold pressed juices
Important: You must purchase before boarding. It’s not available once onboard. I’ve heard you can still buy in at ports before you board.
Virgin Voyages FAQs for Bar Tab
Bonus: Use my referral link and we both get $150 Bar Tab credit on your first cruise!
Book your first Virgin Voyage and get $150 Bar tab!
Cabin Tips: Beds, Water & More
Transformable Beds
Your bed can convert into a couch during the day—ideal for solo travelers or movie nights. But this isn’t done automatically anymore. Use the room tablet to request it. Sadly, I only knew it when I finished the trip. The cabin attendant didn’t say a word about it.
Water Options
Out room water tastes… questionable. I raised it up in the fb group and it turns out that others’ water tastes fine, so if your water taste strange, just ask the cabin attendant to replace it. Instead, I went up to the buffet to fill out the water by myself everyday.
You can request bottled still or sparkling water (for free) via the tablet. Also, the reusable water bottles provided fit perfectly in the mini-fridge!
Room Service = Ship Eats
If your Ship Eats order totals $10 or more, delivery is free—including to public areas of the ship. We didn’t try it but wish we had.
Don’t Leave the Balcony Door Open when you’re out
If your balcony door is open, the A/C turns off automatically. Always shut it when you go out or return to keep the room cool.
Yes, There’s Boba Tea on Board
One of the coolest surprises? Virgin Voyages sells boba (bubble tea) at The Grounds Club café!
It’s not the chewy tapioca you may expect—more of a flavored jelly—but still, it’s boba… at sea. Only knew it when I was researching for the review. Such a shame. I think it’s worth saying that I am from the origin of Boba, Taiwan, Taichung to be precise.
Cost: ~$8 per cup
I took the picture on deck, thinking it looks like bubble tea, and it is!
The Galley & Other Dining Tips
The Galley is Virgin’s buffet alternative—a food hall with small, diverse stations. Right at the entrance is a drip coffee bar where you can use takeaway cups and milk alternatives (including oat, almond, and half & half).
Scarlet Night: A Night to Dress Up
Virgin Voyages’ most iconic event is Scarlet Night, a ship-wide red-themed party. Lighting turns red, guests dress up, and there’s music, dancing, and free face painting
Virgin Voyages actually suggests that if you’d rather avoid the crowds on Scarlet Night, you can retreat to the spa. But honestly—how often do you get to join a themed party like this at sea? Most Western guests go all out with their outfits, so dressing too casually might make you feel a bit out of place.
I already had a long red skirt and recently bought a red-and-white striped top, which ended up working perfectly. Wearing a combo of red and white is totally fine.
Around 6 PM, I passed by Shore Things and noticed a free face painting station. I hopped in line—there was a bit of a wait, but it was fun and worth it.
There was also a photo booth on the ship that night. After posing, you could have your photo sent straight to your email—a nice little souvenir!
We saw everything from glamorous gowns to casual red outfits. It’s optional, but participation makes it more fun. Western guests tend to go all out. As someone from Taiwan where we don’t normally have themed parties, this feels like prom!
Photo Booth Alert: There are two fun photo station—get your pic emailed to you!
Once onboard, I noticed quite a few guests with bright red nail polish—it suits the ship’s vibe perfectly. In Taiwan, wearing red nails often feels like celebrating lunar New Year, but on this cruise, it’s totally on theme. I have two gorgeous red nail polish at home that hasn’t been used for years—such a missed opportunity!
I did, however, bring classic red lipstick. On day one, I happened to meet one of the ship’s fabulous Diva Karakature—and my red lipstick turned out to be the perfect match for a photo together!
Check out Virgin Voyage on Cruise Direct
We Fancy is a Gold Theme Party Club night
I honestly didn’t know this after we finished our cruise but I just saw it on a facebook group, so I think I’d just add it here, it’s a Gold Theme Party. I am very sure VV only told us to prepare for Scarlet night and 80’s cloth.
The Happenings Cast would dance first and invite Sailors to the floor. Unfortunately we have some really shy Sailors so only one lady was dancing during the first 15 minutes we were there.
Shake for Champagne—Seriously
This quirky feature lets you shake your phone anywhere on the ship and have a bottle of Moët & Chandon champagne delivered to you. It costs $105 and is Virgin Voyages at its cheeky best.
We tried it—but it got delayed due to a crew drill, so we canceled. Still, it’s a fun novelty to try (or show off).
But it’s worth it, I mean they didn’t even charge you the 18.5% gratuity fee on every drink purchased like other cruise lines do.
How to Store Luggage After Disembarkation
We used Bounce, a service that partners with shops near attractions to store luggage. After leaving the ship, we took an Uber to the Acropolis Museum in Athens and stored our bags nearby for €13 (two large suitcases).
Use code VIRGINVOYAGES for 5% off
Helpful Communities and Further Reading
Want to dive deeper?
- Virgin Voyages FAQ – Very comprehensive
- VVInsider.com – Unofficial blog with guides and tips
- Facebook Groups – Search your specific sailing (e.g. “Resilient Lady May 2025”) It’s helpful to join these groups before sailing to be in the know. Oh and at the end of the sailing, some shipmate would offer free spirits bc they couldn’t finish what they took with them.
- Reddit – Join discussions on r/VirginVoyages
My full review Resilient Lady Mediterranean Review(2025): Best All Inclusive Cruise
Final Thought
Sailing the Eastern Mediterranean with Virgin Voyages was one of the most refreshing cruise experiences I’ve had. The Resilient Lady delivers on its promise of a modern, adult-only voyage filled with surprises—from Champagne-on-demand to drag shows and Scarlet Night.
But to enjoy it fully, you need to plan. Hopefully, this blog post saves you some confusion and helps you make the most of your voyage—whether it’s your first or your fifth.
Stay tuned—my next post will cover dining reviews and comparison between Virgin Voyages and Celebrity cruises.
Viator: Athens All Included: Acropolis and Museum Guided Tour with Ticket
Book your first Virgin Voyage and get $150 Bar tab!
Celebrity Infinity Mediterranean Cruise Experience: Full Review & Photos
Mediterranean Celebrity Infinity Review (2025): Amazing Food, Fun Shows
12 comments
I’ve been wanting to go on a Virgin Voyages cruise for a while so this post is so helpful and informative!
Thanks!! Hope you find a good route you like.
I love the face painting and such a good tip about getting your time slot to tender.
Thanks! The Happenings cast(crew) were so nice when doing the face painting! A good time to chat with them.
I have never taken a cruise but this post helped me imagine what it would be like.. Weee the restaurants good?
Yes they are! Especially they are no extra charges for the restaurants. I’ll write another article about the restaurants cuz I tried them several times in the 7-day sailing.
This looks like a blast! I’ve been dying to go on a Virgin Cruise. You just convinced me it’s time to book!
Thanks for your comment!!
I’ve never been to a cruise, but I’ve seen Virgin Voyages cruises many times and would love to go on one. These tips are super helpful. It’s good to know about the ship times!
It’s great that you’ve seen them so many times that means you are close to the port they’re sailing!
Great tips! I love how detailed and practical your advice is for first-time Virgin Voyages cruisers. The focus on unique experiences, food, and entertainment really sets this cruise line apart. Thanks for sharing
Thanks for your comment! We have a great time on Virgin.