Dominican Daze on the Scarlet Lady

After a fun night in Miami, we took a shuttle from our hotel that we pre-arranged to pick us up as late as possible to meet our boarding time. As soon as boarding the ship, our room was ready and our room steward greeted us in the hall to discuss our room preferences. From there we went to the Dock House because I knew I wanted an aft view at sail away. The vibe was chill but upbeat. More my speed than the party at the pool, although it looked to be a blast, he settled in on one of the many lounge beds and sipped cocktails into the night.

Our first dining experience was at the Wake, the steakhouse on the ship. I started with the clam chowder, had the cooked to perfect, filet and of course ended with a myriad of desserts. The next morning, we opted for the room service, Ship Eats. Everything arrived hot, fresh and quick. Every dining experience was incredible, so many choices and unlike other cruise lines, the specialty dining is included with your fare. At the Galley, everything was made to order, not kept warmed under a lamp like some buffets.

Entertainment on the ship was so great. It's not your typical Broadway type productions you may be used to. Although definitely adult orientated, I found nothing to be distasteful or vulgar. Scarlet Night and the pajama party were my favorite events, I danced well into the night and even made it to an after party (or two) at the Manor. The diversity of adults on the ship was so vast. Despite this, I felt overwhelmed with emotions seeing everyone together having the time of their lives side by side. Inclusivity is a word I use often when telling my friends, family and clients about Virgin Voyages.

Our first port of call was at Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. We opted to stay in port and chill by the pool instead of an excursion, which Virgin calls Shore Things. Everything was very clean and well maintained, we danced by the pool, sipped on a frozen pina colada and took a little trip down the lazy river. Our next visit was the Beach Club at Bimini, Bahamas. This place was beautiful. The party at the pool kept me hyped up for a good time until it was sadly time to leave. Virgin usually stays in the ports longer than most, so we still had plenty of time to enjoy the beach. When we returned to Miami, embarkation was sad but very easy. We met our ride-share driver and we were off to the airport back to reality.

I recommend any ship or itinerary on Virgin Voyages to almost any adult. Solo, couples, friends, LGBTQ+, old and young. Virgin does a great job breaking the ship up in a way that no matter what kind of traveler you are, you can find exactly what meets your vibe.

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Dominican Republic. In need of further inspiration? Check out Lindsay Vaughn’s guide, Dive into Dominican Dreams: Unveiling the Enchantment of Dreams Dominicus La Romana.