Virgin Voyages are bringing their adults-only cruises to Australia

If you are one of those people who has loudly declared you'd "never go on a cruise," there's a new experience coming Down Under that may have you eating your words.

Sir Richard Branson grabbing some popcorn before a movie on one of the Virgin Voyages vessels.

This December, Virgin Voyages are bringing their unique brand of cruising to the South Pacific for the first time since the brand launched in 2021.

Described as "the ultimate boutique hotel at sea for the 18+ traveller," their brand new vessel, The Resilient Lady, will be cruising around Australia and New Zealand throughout summer.

Like the company's founder Richard Branson, the cruises are a bit rock 'n' roll. Their aim is to "make waves and change how people might think about cruising." 

So ... what does that look like exactly? 

It's kid-free

A pool party at the Aquatic Club pool.

Kid's Club? In the bin. Virgin Voyages is the only cruise brand on the open seas explicitly designed for adults so "Sailors can have the best possible experience without the unpredictability of kids". According to a company spokesperson: "This, in our opinion, makes everything from design to entertainment to food amazing. We love kids but sometimes you just need an adults-only escape."

In a practical sense this means there is a hammock on every balcony - something that could never happen if there were under 18s on board.

There are no kids ... but there's still an ice cream bar serving unique flavours daily.

There's a tattoo studio on board

Historically traced back to sailors marking their epic voyages and nautical milestones, tattoo art has always celebrated tales of adventure. Inspired by this maritime tradition Virgin Voyages teamed up with World Famous Tattoo Ink, Soho Ink, and Freshly Inked Magazine to continue this legacy with rock ‘n’ roll style by bringing some of the best ink artists to sea, at their very own tattoo studio on board.

We have questions about whether it's open during rough weather.

There's a strong wellness element

The Runway running track.

While there is obviously a very strong party element, wellness and the idea of "vitamin sea" are a big part of the on-board experience.

"Because we offer an exclusively adult product, we've been able to utilise spaces that would normally be used to entertain kids into wellness areas," explains a spokesperson.

"These wellness concepts were also largely inspired by the fitness interests of founder, Sir Richard Branson, who's a regular at the gym every morning he's on the ship."

When you get rid of the childcare spaces, you have more room for ... yoga studios.

"All of our voyages employ elements of both detox and energy, depending on how a Sailor might want to spend their time," she continues.

"We embrace self-care while feeding your sense of adventure, recognising that a complete experience makes room for both. This means if people want to run 10km before they start the day, we have a raised running track called The Runway or treadmills with the most amazing view to do it on. If they’re up to take a complimentary fitness class like our 80s-style workout VHS, HIIT or bungee, they’ll break a sweat and have fun while doing it. Or if they simply want to take a yoga class then kick back poolside, they can recharge at our ‘Aquatic Club’ or relax at the aft of the ship on the largest daybed at sea."

A bungee fitness class onboard a Virgin Voyages cruise.

There is also an luxe spa called Redemption.  As well as offering a range of treatments, there's a Thermal Suite including a mud room, salt room, sauna, steam room, hot and cold plunge pools, and heated marble hammam benches. On top of that, there are blow bars, barbers and nail salons for a spot of pampering.

The food does not look rubbish

No sad bain marie food for you.

They've ditched the one-big-dining-hall experience and the waste it creates by saying goodbye to buffets and instead have developed individual spaces, so you can have unique dining experiences each night. It's like exploring a bunch of restaurants in a new city. There are six signature restaurants and more than 20 eateries, and they've won awards for their on-board dining experiences.

There are menus created by Michelin-starred chefs, like Brad Farmerie (of PUBLIC in NYC) and Sohui Kim (of Gage & Tollner and Insa in NYC), and there's plenty of variety, with Korean BBQ, red hot Mexican and a whopping food market. All of the eateries are included and there are 24/7 dining options (just in case you feel like late night pizza from their Pizza Place).

The entertainment is a vibe

No daggy stage shows here. They've swapped classic Broadway productions for modern and immersive entertainment. Sailors can choose from a festival-like lineup developed by a collective of directors, choreographers, and artists. There's also a nightly partly schedule that culminates in their signature blow-out Scarlet Party.

The design is super slick

The brand tapped some of the world's top design creatives (such as Tom Dixon’s Research Studio, Concrete Amsterdam, Softroom, and Roman and Williams) to create the hospitality venues, suites and cabins. 

The exterior of the Well-being Pool.

There is champagne on demand

It will come as no surprise that they have a very good app to elevate your onboard experience. Fun fact: If you open the app and shake your phone, someone will turn up with a bottle of champagne, no matter where you are on  board.

You can get an AI version of Jennifer Lopez to send a personal invitation to your friends

Lopez is the "chief celebrations officer" for Virgin Voyages. You can use this special tool to create a personalised video invite from Jen AI to convince your crew to set sail together. This video explains it.

What is included in the fare?

All food, essential drinks (coffee, tea, water, soft drinks), gratuities, basic WiFi, unlimited group workout classes and entertainment is always included in the fare. Side note: Travellers interested in cruising on Virgin Voyages can snag 30 per cent off all local South Pacific sailings, plus a complimentary $150 bar tab by booking before 30 September.

Which Virgin Voyages ship will be cruising from Australia?

The Resilient Lady is Virgin Voyages' newest ship, and that is the vessel that will be cruising around the South Pacific.

When will the Australian Virgin Voyages cruises begin, and where will they go?

The ship will be arriving on Australian shores in December, 2023. You can view the Virgin Voyages South Pacific cruise dates and itineraries here.

Originally published as Virgin Voyages are bringing their adults-only cruises to Australia