Brilliant Lady Review: A Full Tour of Virgin Voyages' Newest Ship
A room-by-room review of Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady — the cabins, every restaurant, the bars and nightlife, the spa and gym, and who this adults-only ship is built for.
Mark Jackson · Travel Advisor & Cruise Reviewer
Heads up: this post contains affiliate links, including my Virgin Voyages link. If you book through it I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you, and I only recommend what I would sail myself.
Brilliant Lady is Virgin Voyages' fourth ship, and if you have followed the brand you know the formula: no kids, no buffet, no formal night, tips included, and a design that looks more like a Miami hotel than a cruise ship. She entered service in September 2025 after a long delay, and she is the only ship in the fleet that fits through the Panama Canal, which is why she is the one Virgin sent to Alaska. For how she compares to her sisters, see my breakdown of the Virgin fleet by size.
I sailed her on the 7-night Seattle-to-Alaska loop. This is my full tour. If you want the trip overview and itinerary instead, start with my Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady Alaska guide.
The Ship at a Glance
Brilliant Lady carries about 2,770 guests with roughly 1,150 crew across around 110,000 gross tons. There are more than 20 places to eat and drink, plenty of deck space, a running track, and a two-story nightclub, but the ship is small enough that by day two you know your way around and you keep seeing the same bartenders. She shares her layout with the rest of the "Lady Ships," so she feels dialed-in rather than experimental.
The Cabins
Virgin keeps the cabin lineup simple. There are four tiers.
Insider (interior). The entry-level cabin, no window, and the smartest budget play. If you are off exploring ports and out at the bars late, you are barely in the room anyway. Virgin also sells solo Insider cabins with no single supplement, which is rare and welcome for those of us who sometimes travel alone.
Sea View. A step up with a real window but no balcony. Good value if you want daylight without paying for a terrace.
Sea Terrace. This is the one most people should book, and the one I would steer you toward for Alaska. You get a private balcony with Virgin's red mesh "hammock" strung along the railing, a rain shower, and a bed the crew flip into a sofa during the day so the room works as a living space. On an Inside Passage cruise, an outdoor perch is worth the money.
RockStar and Mega RockStar Suites. The top tier, from roomy suites to multi-room spreads. The perks earn their keep: priority embarkation, included Bar Tab credit, a dedicated agent, premium in-room drinks, and access to Richard's Rooftop, a suites-only lounge. The biggest Mega suites add private hot tubs and large terraces. If money is not the deciding factor, it is a great way to sail. For everyone else, a Sea Terrace hits the value sweet spot. (If you want to see how these fares add up in practice, my post on how much a Virgin Voyages cruise costs walks through a real budget.)
The Food, and Yes, It Is All Included
This is where Virgin separates itself. There is no main dining room and no buffet. Instead there are full sit-down restaurants, and every one is included in your fare, with no specialty-dining surcharge. You make reservations (do this as soon as booking opens) and eat your way around the ship.
The lineup:
- The Wake — the aft steakhouse and seafood room, with wraparound ocean views. This is your special-night dinner.
- Pink Agave — modern Mexican, and one of the best-looking rooms on the ship.
- Gunbae — Korean BBQ where you cook at the table in groups, with a drinking game the servers run. The most fun dinner on board, especially with friends.
- Extra Virgin — Italian with house-made pasta.
- Razzle Dazzle — a playful, vegetable-leaning menu, and home to the drag brunch.
- The Test Kitchen — an experimental tasting menu for the adventurous eater.
- The Galley — the fast-casual food hall, open around 20 hours a day, with counters from bao to burgers to fresh juice. Your grab-and-go, late-night bite, and casual breakfast.
The quality holds up. Because no upcharge is steering you around, you order what you actually want, and dinner becomes the highlight of the day.
The Bars and Nightlife
For an adults-only ship, the bar program matters, and Brilliant Lady delivers:
- The Manor — the two-story nightclub inspired by Virgin Records, and the center of the late-night scene.
- On the Rocks — cocktails and live music.
- The Loose Cannon — a British-style pub with beer, darts, and games.
- Sip — the champagne and wine bar.
- The Dock — a Mediterranean-style outdoor lounge, good for a sail-away drink.
- The Perch — afternoon tea by day, cocktails by night.
- Richard's Rooftop — the RockStar-suite-only hideaway.
One thing that surprises people: there is no casino on any Virgin ship. If a night at the tables is central to your cruise, that is a real consideration. I never missed it.
Then there is Scarlet Night, Virgin's signature once-per-sailing deck party. Everyone dresses in red, the ship throws a takeover party on the pool deck, and it builds to a big communal moment. It is peak Virgin.
The Spa, Gym, and Deck
The wellness side is a strength. Redemption Spa has a thermal suite with a mud room, heated quartz loungers, and a salt room; treatments cost extra, but the space is worth a visit even for one massage. The Athletic Club is an open-air gym with weights and cardio, there is an outdoor running track, and group fitness classes are included (yoga, spin, HIIT, strength). Up top you have pools and hot tubs, and because the ship is adults-only, the deck stays calm. There is also a working tattoo parlor, Squid Ink, if you want a permanent souvenir.
What You Pay Extra For
To be straight with you, "Always Included" does not mean all-inclusive. Included: dining, tips, basic WiFi, group fitness, still and sparkling water, drip coffee, and tea. Not included: alcohol (there is no traditional drink package; you pay per drink or pre-load a discounted Bar Tab), specialty espresso, spa treatments, and shore excursions. I cover the money side in detail in my Virgin Voyages drinks and Bar Tab guide, my post on why tips are included, and the full what's included breakdown.
Who Brilliant Lady Is For
You will like it if you are an adult who wants good food, a good bar, a stylish room, and a calm ship without kids underfoot. Couples, friend groups, and solo travelers all do well here.
You will want a different ship if you are traveling with children (they cannot sail), you want a big casino and large-scale shows, or you want set dining times and a formal night. If you are torn between Virgin and a mainstream line, my Virgin Voyages vs Royal Caribbean comparison lays out the trade-offs.
Ready to Sail Brilliant Lady?
If this sounds like your kind of ship, I can help you book it. I sail Virgin regularly and book it for clients every week, so I can help you pick the right cabin and time a Bar Tab or Sailor Loot promo. You can book your Virgin Voyages cruise through my link here, at no extra cost to you, and it supports these reviews.
Bottom Line
Brilliant Lady takes what makes Virgin distinctive — adults-only calm, included tips, all-restaurants-included dining, and design that feels good to be in — and points it at the best scenery on the continent. The Sea Terrace cabins are the value pick, the food is the strongest value at sea right now, and the only things you will miss are a casino and Glacier Bay. For the right traveler, she is one of the most enjoyable ways to see Alaska.
Related Reads
This series
- Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady Alaska: My Full 2026 Guide
- Virgin Voyages Alaska: A First-Timer's Guide
- Seattle pre-cruise guide
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