6 things no one realises about Virgin Voyages cruises

I discovered six hacks that will change your next Virgin Voyages cruise. 

From a panoramic perch (that I wrongly assumed was off limits) to a secret burger you only get if you ask for it (not to mention the MI6 type party crew whose job it is to "activate" the dance floor), here are six things that blew my mind on a recent Virgin Voyages cruise.

 

1. You can get a hot tub all to yourself, if you play your cards right

Enjoying a solo sunset on Richard's Rooftop.

That's right. On the last night of my cruise from Melbourne to Tasmania I headed up to Richard's Rooftop (just check your room tier has access). While everyone else was getting ready for the famous Scarlet Night party, I scored a sunset hot tub session all to myself.

2. Outside of class hours, you can score the best view on the boat up on The Perch

Perched right at the top of Resilient Lady is an area I thought was off limits, but actually has one of the best views on the boat.

Jake "The Foodie" Harrison, a member of Virgin Voyages' Happenings Cast (Virgin's version of cruise ship directors) tells me that The Perch, which has 270 degree views of the ocean (i.e. the best view anywhere on the ship), and which I wrongly assumed you could only use if you were doing an exercise class, is one of the most magical places onboard. 

"It's where we do most of our yoga and it’s just magical dawn and dusk. It's also where we do zumba - but when it’s not activated you can go up there and do your own stuff."

"You can bring your own mats, you can lie in the sun, it’s super quiet, it’s a really good spot - especially when you can’t even see land so you just see the wake of the ship and just feel like you’re just a drop in the ocean."

3. There's a 'secret' burger you only get if you ask for it

The Razzle Dazzle menu is great, but it's missing one thing...

If you go to Razzle Dazzle, a veggie-friendly restaurant with all kinds of burgers and a cocktail topped with popcorn, there is a 'secret' burger that you can only get if you ask for "the secret burger." The fillings change regularly but think smashed beef burger with blue cheese for all the meat lovers

4. There are undercover 'party starters'

Virgin Voyages employs an elite team of secret service esque 'party starters' to help events like Scarlet night get started.

Jake "The Foodie" Harrison also tells me that there is something of a secret team of party starters, whose job is to "activate" the dance floor on certain moments of the trip when the other guests are feeling a bit shy. From costume clad dancers throwing giant stuffed toys around to more covert dancers simply grooving away on the dance floor until real guests start to feel the vibe, I definitely noticed this during the trip.

"If they [the guests] are just a bit too shy like, say for instance at Pink Agave (the ship's Mexican restaurant) after dark there’s a live DJ and I go around and ask someone if they want to do a quick salsa dance in the middle of the restaurant, so it’s just activating those spaces to make them super fun."

5. There is a magic dish you won't find in any of the restaurants 

Sometimes it's nice just to stay in your room.

Beyond the secret burger at Razzle Dazzle, there is another dish you won't find on the menus of any of the onboard restaurants: a spectacular chicken soup. To get it you have to order room service and Jake "The Foodie" Harrison tells me its one of the ship's most underrated features.

"Like a warm hug from mum. Little noodles, high quality shredded chicken, carrot celery, really clear broth, nice and simple, feels good. Comes in a thermos and the noodles on the side. You pour it on yourself, so it's not going to get cold."

6. Staff are allowed to fraternise with guests

A staff member also tells me that, unlike most cruise lines, there is no explicit rule against staff interacting with guests. 

This writer was a guest of Virgin Voyages. 

Originally published as 6 things no one realises about Virgin Voyages cruises