I Was A Cruise Holiday Sceptic. Then I Went On This One

Could I be converted?We hope you love the trips we recommend! All of them were independently selected by our editors. Just so you know, HuffPost UK may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them. Oh, and FYI — prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.When I started telling friends and family that I’d been invited on a Western Caribbean cruise by Virgin Voyages the response was overwhelming ‘it’ll be good for you’.As a steadfast city break lover who is incapable of relaxing, cruises have been so far removed from my normal holidaying behaviour that they’ve felt borderline mythical. If I go away I’m going to be doing at least 40k steps a day, panickedly making sure I’m checking out every recommended cafe, bar, restaurant and attraction (as well as any nearby towns and villages that are suggested) and feeling like I could do with another holiday the second I return. Super healthy, I know.But then again, cruises are for the (ahem) older of us travellers and are just a cheesy all inclusive holiday at sea, right? Well, after spending a week onboard Virgin Voyage’s Scarlet Lady, it turns out that a cruise may just have been the remedy to all of my holidaying bad habits – and that all of my misconceptions were outrageously wrong.When we embarked at Miami, I was completely gobsmacked by the sheer size of the Scarlet Lady – and the fact it felt more like a luxury hotel than it did my preconceptions of a ‘traditional’ cruise ship. The floating resort boasts an swimming pool and hot tubs, private cabanas, sun loungers a-plenty, over 20 restaurants and eateries, a spa, a tattoo studio (!!!), barbers and hairdressers, several outdoor and indoor bars (all individually themed), an array of luxury shops and a gym, should you be that way inclined.Our home for the week.Kid-free at seaHearing the screams of endless children from a neighbouring ship, I couldn’t help but feel massively smug as we set sail from Miami’s port. Sorry parents, but if there’s one thing that immediately pulls me out of holiday mode, it’s kids running around unsupervised or shrieking endlessly as I lie by a pool. No worry about that onboard Virgin Voyages – they’re strictly kid-free.Cruises are actually a young persons’ gameSure, older people go on cruises but Virgin Voyages are kitted out with every age group in mind (expect kids, god bless). According to Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)’s latest 2025 report on the current state of cruising, the future of the cruise industry rests on the shoulders of the younger generation. Approximately 67% of cruise passengers are Gen X or younger and Millennials are one of the most enthusiastic age groups when it comes to holidaying at sea. When we boarded the Scarlet Lady, I was immediately struck by how many groups of friends around my age (I’m 32) were joining the boat at the same time as our press cluster. Chatting to holidaymakers onboard (after a few complimentary glasses of fizz), it turns out that for many this is the most sensible holiday option – “why try and organise loads of elements of a group trip when we can all just get on a boat for a week and it’s all done for us?”. Well, quite. Thinking about my own somewhat stressful city break holidaying, I couldn’t help but agree that they had a point.Food & DrinkEasily the best part of the entire experience was the food and drink on offer onboard the Scarlet Lady. It doesn’t matter what your tastes are – there is, as cliche as it sounds, something for everyone. There are over a whopping 20 eateries onboard, with menus curated by Michelin-starred chefs. Forget images of beige buffets and dining halls, dining on a Virgin Voyages ship is a seriously slick affair.Korean BBQ at Gunbae restaurant.I spent six nights and five days absolutely denying myself nothing. From their steak restaurant (where I had the best bread course of my life) and lively Korean BBQ, to a massive food market and a late night ice cream stand – nothing was safe from my seemingly endless appetite. When all food is included in the price of the trip (and tastes so damn good) it’s hard to say no. The all inclusive element was something I found hard to wrap my head around as I ordered a gigantic rib-eye steak one evening in a decadent restaurant with an interior that would rival some of London’s high end eateries. There’s no need to tip either – that’s included as well, as are soft drinks and filter coffees.The ship has over 20 eateries onboard.Dining is 24/7 – after a late night of dancing (and drinking), sitting at the all night diner’s counter scoffing a smash burger was utterly divine. It was unbelievably easy to forget we were at sea at all. The best bit? All of these dining options were less than a five minute walk from my cabin – a far cry from my normal hectic racing across cities to visit talked about restaurants and bars.As the restaurants are all very popular at the usual dinner times you’d expect, it pays to head along at off-peak times. You can also pre-book a seat at your chosen venue ahead of time on the Virgin Voyages app or up to 45 days before you board! ExcursionsWe had three stops during our cruise: one in Costa Maya, Mexico, and another in Roatán, Honduras, before our final break at the island of Bimini in the Bahamas. Excursions at each of these stops included Mayan Ruins Tours and zip-lining through the jungle (both of which we opted for), while our day at Bimini consisted of a visit to the Virgin private beach club there. We could have also joined in with snorkelling, kayaking or jeeping in various beauty spots, but for once, I took it easy! Post zip-lining through jungle.There was something deeply refreshing about not having to do heavy research into a location before heading there – all we had to do was walk the five minutes from our cabin to disembark and join our relevant tour group. The tours were incredibly carried out and didn’t feel like a cliched coach tour – these were slick. While I don’t know if I’ll ever break my fast-paced holiday habit, I definitely will be looking into pre-planned and organised tours on future trips, as the rare relaxation that came from the excursions was a bit of a wake up call! CabinMy Sea Breeze cabin was the perfect wee home from home for my days at sea – and what a joy to not have to pack and unpack for each stop along the way. A tablet controls the curtains, lighting and TV – which boasts a whole array of channels and preloaded movies and TV shows to sink into.I’d been tipped off by a friend who has previously been on cruises that downloading your UK TV programmes before boarding can be a godsend – especially if you’re in the middle of a binge watch of something on iPlayer or the UK version of Netflix. Wifi is strong on the boat, but download speeds aren’t fast by any means, so come stocked up for those days when you want to have a slow morning in bed (or the day is a washout, more on that to come).You can switch your bed into a sofa for daytime lounging.If you’re watching a show that’s coming out weekly, then thank god for VPNs. At the time of our cruise The Traitors was on and sorry, but we weren’t going to miss out on arr Claudia Winkleman or have the show spoiled for us on social media. We ended up hosting our press pals in our room to watch it as we were the only ones who came prepped with an app pre-downloaded.Meanwhile, outside there’s a balcony for perfect views of the sea, best enjoyed from the provided hammock, of course.SpaSix months on from my trip and I still can’t stop thinking about Scarlet Lady’s spa, Redemption. Boasting a mud room, salt room, sauna, steam room, hot and cold plunge pools, and heated marble hammam benches, this thermal suite is better than most spas I’ve been to onshore. I booked two two-hour visits to the Redemption Spa across my stay (once just wasn’t enough) and it was a gorgeous way to fully unwind after a night ‘out’. I may have fallen asleep on the marble benches more than once.For those looking for a little extra, there’s also the option to pay for a massage, acupuncture or a facial. Our favourite place on the ship.EntertainmentIf you find yourself getting bored on a Virgin Voyages trip, I’m sorry, but you need to take a long hard look at yourself. With the weather firmly not in our favour, despite being in the Caribbean (sobs softly), there was no shortage of things to do. From pub quizzes to drag bingo, to gym classes to a casino and karaoke rooms, it’s easy to pack out a day with activities should you wish to do so. As the evenings draw in, surprisingly impressive theatre shows take place before club nights kick off and dancing begins… in our case, into the very small hours.What’s ’AppeningSo how the hell do you stay on top of everything a city at sea has to offer? Well, with a dedicated Virgin Voyages app that can do everything you could possibly need onboard (apart from control the weather). From it you can see the timetable of events and shows, make restaurant reservations, book shore excursions if you haven’t already, order room service, and keep track of your spending onboard.There's no shortage of shows to see onboard.WeatherAs frustrating as it is not to get sun on a six day cruise in the Caribbean, it didn’t stop any of us having a week full of equal measures of relaxation and fun. We may not have gotten tans, but we were all forced to slow down and appreciate the hilarity of our situation. After a shore excursion where we all got soaked through, our ragtag team of journalists descended on an on deck hot tub, drinking cosmopolitans and sharing stories – something which became an almost daily occurrence. Sea sicknessLet’s get down to it – thanks to some unexpected bad weather, the ship rocked a fair bit more than anyone could’ve expected and I’m a Nauseas Nelly at the best of times. Thankfully, I’m far from having been the only person struck down, with even seasoned cruise-goers telling us that this had been their first time feeling sea sick. Fortunately, the medical bay onboard Virgin Voyages’ ships dish out free anti-sickness tablets.And for those needing extra help, wearing just one ear plug (an old sailors trick) will help you get your sea legs almost immediately. By plugging one ear, you disrupt the conflicting signals the brain receives from the inner ear and eyes – farewell sea sickness.The verdict?Not even the weather could dampen spirits onboard the Scarlet Lady.We tried our best at pub quizzes, lounged in the Spa, had long lies in our gorgeous cabins, ate until we felt like we were going to burst, did yoga and bungee fitness classes, watched live music, screamed our lungs out at karaoke and partied harder than we did in our early 20s. We saw incredible Mayan ruins and ziplined through dense jungle, before drinking cocktails in hot tubs and descending on champagne bars. And on one day where the sun decided to join us, we basked by the onboard open air pool for as long as we could. Sure, I would’ve loved to get the good weather that is normal for the particular time of year we were cruising at – but it sure as hell didn’t stop us having a good time.And, despite my hectic holidaying of years gone by, I can now firmly see why cruises are finding new fans in millennials. ‘Honduras, Mexico & Bahamas’ 7-night sailing on Scarlet LadyDeparting from Miami and calling at Roatan, Honduras, Costa Maya, Mexico, Cozumel, Bimini, Bahamas.Fri, Oct 31 - Fri, Nov 07Insider cabins from £1,604 ‘Western Caribbean Charm’ 7-night sailing on Brilliant LadyDeparting from Miami and calling at Costa Maya, Roatán and Bimini.Sat, Nov 01 – Sat, Nov 08Insider cabins from £1,712Related...I Visited Dublin’s Guinness Storehouse And Learned The Iconic Stout Isn’t Actually BlackI Tried My Best To Wreck These Hiking Shoes In Iceland. They Still Look Brand New.I Stayed In A Hotel's 'Christmas Room' With My Kids – And I’m Not Sure Who Had More Fun

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