Taking to sea with Virgin Voyages is exciting, and to that the chance to sip champagne in your very own hammock as you sail away and you are on to a winner! 86% of the cabins onboard the Virgin Voyages ships have a balcony so there are lots to book. If you’re thinking of choosing a Sea Terrace but not you’re sure if it’s worth the upgrade, read on for our Virgin Voyages Sea Terrace review.
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I’d like to apologise for the quality of these photos. They are mostly screenshots taken from a quick room tour video (this was an unplanned blog post). Maybe one day, we will be back onboard and update them.
Contents
First Impressions of Our Sea Terrace Room
Virgin has a certain style, a flair if you will. This is evident from the moment you open up the door of your cabin. The curtains open bathing the room in natural light and the TV plays a heavenly chord. It’s the perfect way to welcome guests!
I was surprised at the size of the cabin. They measure 225ft² (around 21m²). It seemed pretty spacious (more available floor space than my bedroom by a factor of three). We never bumped into each other, even with stuff out and all over the floor as we got changed in a rush. The massive mirror on the outside of the bathroom section really helped with this too.
I had read that the rooms were a bit IKEA-ish. A little cold, white-walled and missing lots of the “cruise style” that people were accustomed to. It is true that it is more like a cool Yotel than a fancy business Best Western but it suits our style to a tee. They have added some wooden touches to warm the room up, and I dare say that it was a wide choice but honestly, I didn’t miss the slightly early 90s feel I’ve seen elsewhere.
We were impressed at the 43 inch TV and loved the safety demo which everyone needs to watch on it. It’s a musical extravaganza!
Some Features of the Sea Terrace Cabin
The Storage
When the Scarlet Lady first took to the water, one of the biggest complaints in the room was the storage. There is a wardrobe area which originally had cubby holes and a rail. Well, Virgin listened to the feedback and converted some of the cubbies to drawers, put in another little unit with a couple of baskets that serve as drawers and added a large top shelf. In the wardrobe, you’ll find a safe that was plenty big enough for all of our cameras and would fit a normal laptop too.
We had more than enough space for all of our things but maybe we brought less than most people. We each had hand luggage with enough clothes for two outfits a day but no more. Some people are upset that the bed doesn’t fit their cases underneath it but we kept ours in the wardrobe and actually, our smaller cases would have fit.
To find out everything you need to pack for a Virgin Voyage, check out our packing guide here
Under the desk, you’ll find a couple more shelves but I don’t think we used them for anything. There is also a fridge in which we stored leftovers and our two allowed bottles of sparkling wine. Finally, there is a wide but shallow drawer in the white section of the SeaBed which not many people notice.
The Convertible SeaBed
The double bed in the room converts into twin beds but not in the normal way. One half of the bed swings to the side so the occupants will be sleeping head to head at a 90° angle. You can ask your cabin steward to make it up this way as a sofa during the day which gives you a ton of space but I would only bother with this if you are planning to socialise in the cabin. We used the top of the white section for bits and bobs most of the time and enjoyed the easier access to the drawer underneath.
The mattress of the bed was quite firm but not hard. I found them very comfortable but if you like a softer bed, it might take a couple of nights to adjust to.
On one side of the bed is the arm of the sofa and over this, they have fashioned a bedside table of sorts allowing you to have a glass of water without the fear of it slipping off. There are plugs on this side of the bed but not on the other. If you like to have your phone in bed then bring a long cable.
Our Bathroom
The bathroom is quite small. I wasn’t expecting it to be any bigger so I was perfectly happy. It was like something you would have on an overnight train. Mind you, I don’t do the majority of my getting ready in the bathroom. I shower, wrap in a towel and get out. I can imagine that with a smaller space to manoeuvre in, you would find it a little uncomfortable. The majority of the counter space is over the area with the toilet so you really have to make sure you’re not knocking anything off into the bowl! Even if something just falls on the floor, there isn’t a lot of room to pick it up. There was a little cubby hole underneath but it was only just big enough for our two little washbags.
I loved the sink which made good use of the sink. It was a separate bowl which gave just a few inches on the counter whilst also being a nicely sized sink. Here you’ll find the charcoal soap which really divides the crowd. It is very trendy, and charcoal is good for your skin, but if that black gets under your nails, it can be tricky to get back out. Luckily, the small towels that say makeup make you feel a little less guilty about smudging them with charcoal.
The shower was really decently sized. It was strong and I really like the shampoo and conditioner that were provided. The shower had a real door rather than a curtain which I loved. I cannot bear curtains that try and stick to you as you shower and if there is a slight rocking, you can guarantee you’ll get that flimsy curtain stuck on your butt at some point! Oh, and did I mention the rainfall head? What a treat!
A Look at the Sea Terrace
The terraces are quite large with plenty of room for two people to hang out. However, you might be fighting for the best seat on Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady, the hammock!
The bright red hammocks that adorn most Sea Terrace balconies are so comfortable. They are sewn the other way around to a traditional hammock, allowing you to sit or lie down easily. The gentle rocking of the boat means the whole thing swaps slowly and lulls you into a very happy stupor. You can sit with a drink but you cannot smoke or vape out here so bear that in mind whilst you are chilling out.
Nice Touches
Wine Time
We loved the corkscrew/bottle opener provided in the room. I know, I know, that seems lame but it was one of those beautiful design touches that Virgin does so well.
The Tablet
On the desk, you will find the room’s tablet. This smart device can be used for lots of handy functions. You can control the curtains and lighting (more on that in a second). You can scroll through loads of free films to watch on the TV. It is also good for communicating with your room steward if you need extra towels, water or want the bed converted into a sofa.
The Lighting
Virgin loves mood lighting. If you have ever flown Virgin Atlantic, you’ll have noticed that their planes are full of coloured lights that gently change throughout the flight. Well, Virgin Voyages is no different. The tablet in the room has some fun mood lighting settings. There is a cinema setting that dims most lights and closes the curtains, a hangover setting that is just a cool blue light and a “let’s get it on” setting. This rather special option turns on the red/pink hue and the TV even plays music!
Water
Every room is supplied with a nice carafe of water. This is free and topped up always so you should never run dry. We know that some cruise lines make you pay for a water package but Virgin’s drinks set up includes water in your room and throughout the ship as standard. It’s a welcome touch that it comes in such a nice vessel.
Is it Worth Paying More for a Sea Terrace?
Absolutely! I was pretty sure that this was the case but having now done a cruise in an interior cabin, I can confirm it for sure!
When jet lag struck on day two of our cruise, I went to sit out on our balcony, bathed in red light. I could see three thunderstorms flashing in the distance and even made a little birdy friend. (I am basically Snow White). It was also so lovely to order room service and eat it on the balcony in the morning. The sound of the sea, the Bahamian breeze and utterly delicious jalapeño cheddar pastries…who could ask for more?
Well…maybe a Rockstar Suite. Maybe next time?
Final Thoughts on Our Virgin Voyages Sea Terrace Review
In general, I am impressed at how much feedback Virgin Voyages have taken on board. Seeing how they’ve listened to the passengers and tweaked the rooms to make them a little more homely but maintaining Virgin’s style. Virgin brands have always been good to swap, change and edit so I can only imagine everything on the ships will improve over time.
As for the Sea Terrace, when we were booking our cruise we debated about getting a sea terrace and I am SO glad that we spent the extra. Having now done a cruise with an interior cabin for comparison, I’d opt for a balcony every single time!
Rosie xx