rewrite this title Onboard Brilliant Lady, Virgin Voyages' New Ship – NerdWallet

Brilliant Lady, the newest ship in Virgin Voyages’ fleet, set sail for its inaugural cruise in September 2025. With 17 decks and a capacity for 2,770 guests, this adults-only ship is fun and sultry, with plenty to see, do and eat onboard.

I got a chance to check out the massive ship before its maiden voyage from New York City. While I spent nearly six hours onboard, I still feel like I didn’t get to see everything. Here are five things you should know about Brilliant Lady.

Brilliant Lady is the fourth and final ship of Virgin Voyages’ current “Lady Ships” fleet. It’s been four years since Virgin Voyages introduced its first ship, Scarlet Lady, making Brilliant Lady a long-awaited debut for Virgin’s most loyal cruisers.

The ship will have multiple home ports as it takes on different sailings throughout the year. Some of its destinations include the Caribbean, New England and Canada, the Mexican Riviera, the Panama Canal, and Alaska.

In fact, structural changes have been made to Brilliant Lady, differentiating it from the rest of the fleet. The lifeboats are closer in to the ship, and some sea terrace rooms now have a slightly smaller balcony. This means ship can now sail through the Panama Canal, opening up new destinations like Alaska, a first for Virgin Voyages.

Brilliant Lady offers multiple types of cabins, from massive suites to rooms designed for solo travelers. That means you’ll be able to pick what works best for you, and if you’re traveling alone, you won’t need to pay the “single supplement,” where a solo traveler has to pay the price for a two-person cabin.

I toured almost every cabin type onboard, and I found them to be well-designed and comfortable. A majority of cabins onboard come with a balcony or terrace with Virgin Voyages’ signature red hammock. It seemed a little gimmicky to me at first, but I have to admit, I found it surprisingly comfortable.

If you’re willing to splurge, consider booking the Mega RockStar Quarters, a suite that comes with your own RockStar Agent, a massive outdoor patio with a hot tub and even a music room.

The ship’s other suites aren’t quite as opulent as the Mega RockStar Quarters, but they’re also a great option if you’re looking for extra space to lounge around.

Still, the standard cabins still felt fairly roomy to me. I appreciated the modern design that prioritized creating more open space versus cluttering the area with additional furniture.

And I didn’t think the solo cabin was that bad. Don’t get me wrong — it’s small, but in my opinion has ample space for someone willing to spend most of their time outside of the room rather than inside. With so much to do onboard, that shouldn’t be too difficult.

Like its sister ships, there are plenty of places to eat onboard. Every eatery is included in the cruise fare, even the specialty dining restaurants (although you will find some upcharge options if you want to order special items from the menu, and alcohol costs extra).

If you’re looking for a quick bite, you have options like The Galley, a food hall where you can grab sushi, tacos, burgers, desserts and more. Otherwise, you might want to pop into The Pizza Place, where you can make your own pizza, or Lick Me Till… Ice Cream, the aptly named ice cream shop that’s very on-brand for Virgin Voyages.

Some popular sit-down restaurants include The Test Kitchen, which has a tasting menu; The Wake, serving steak and seafood; Pink Agave, an upscale Mexican restaurant; and Gunbae, an interactive Korean BBQ venue where you sit at communal tables and the waiters break the ice with Korean drinking games. I had a reservation at Gunbae and found it a fun way to meet new people.

In addition, Rojo by Razzle Dazzle is a new dining concept exclusive to Brilliant Lady, with a Spanish-inspired menu offering dishes like paella and tapas.

You can find space onboard to work out both indoors and outdoors on this ship. Gyms are outfitted with exercise bikes, treadmills, weights, yoga equipment and more. I loved that all of the fitness spaces had expansive ocean views from the deck’s floor-to-ceiling windows, perfect to look out at while doing some cardio or getting your resistance training in.

As part of your cruise fare, you’ll have access to complimentary group workouts, a great way to work off all the calories eaten onboard.

Outside, there are basketball courts, heavy bags and other types of equipment. I especially loved the whimsical see-saw.

Runners can get their day started running laps around the elevated track that overlooks the ship. (It’s also a great spot to grab a shot of the iconic neon Virgin logo of the ship at night.)

While you’ll find a lot of fan favorites from Virgin Voyages’ other ships, such as headline shows Duel Reality and Out of Time, there are some new entertainment options on Brilliant Lady to keep your eye on.

Those include Murder in the Manor, an interactive murder mystery show, and Up With a Twist, a dinner show that offers music and dancing. Unlike most of the other onboard entertainment, Up With a Twist is not included in your fare and costs an extra $50 per person.

If you’re sailing with Virgin Voyages for the first time, make sure to pack something red for Scarlet Night, a high-energy shipwide dance party that’s not to be missed.