My First Virgin Voyages Cruise as a Solo Traveler

Let me tell you about my first cruise: It was AWESOME! 11 days from Barcelona to Athens on Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady. I loved going solo and being able to meet so many great people and explore new locations.

I will say that check in was a little messy due to technical issues in the port of Barcelona. Thankfully, I had priority boarding as an added perk thanks to booking through Fora. It made it less stressful as the check-in line was super long and the terminal was warm.

It was smooth sailing after checking in. Virgin Voyages really caters to solo sailors and has scheduled meetups and dinners to get to know others. Just on the first evening, we built a nice group. I always had a new friend to share experiences with, if I chose to.

My cabin was a Solo Sea View cabin and it was the perfect size for me. I met my main cabin attendant as soon as I got to my cabin and she showed me all I needed to know, including how to get in touch with her if I needed anything. I had a double bed, a desk, a pretty large closet with plenty of cubbies to unpack into, plus there were drawers under my bed. The bathroom was compact but practical and there was a cubby under the counter where I could place my make up and other items to keep the clutter to a minimum. Overall, I loved my cabin and felt very cozy when I was in it. I also loved having a window and looking out every morning as soon as I woke up to see the new ports! The itinerary was through the Mediterranean, from Barcelona to Athens. I got to visit many islands I had never been to before. The stops were: Cannes, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, Malta, Santorini, Crete (Chania) and Mykonos. Ending in Athens.

Here are my three favorite ports from this sailing:

* Crete, Greece: WOW. The landscape included mountains, olive farms and orchards. The people were absolutely lovely. On the Shore Thing excursion I chose, I got to visit a local monastery and distillery and try some local raki and wine. I will return!
* Corsica, France: What can I say, I love mountains. On the Shore Thing excursion I chose, we got to visit a bee farm and try different types of local honey. We also visited an essential oil distillery and learned a lot about their health benefits. I would love to return and do some agrotourism.
* Sardinia, Italy: Although I only got to explore the capital of Cagliari, the food did it for me. I had an excellent lunch at Trattoria Lillicu after walking around the city and visiting the botanic garden. Now I have to return and explore the crystal-clear beaches!

Onboard I got to eat the BEST food. My favorite restaurants were Gunbae and Test Kitchen. I love communal culinary experiences. Being a solo sailor, these restaurants made it possible for me to meet others and make new friends. Gunbae is a Korean BBQ restaurant where you get to play a drinking game to break the ice with your fellow diners as soon as you get settled at the table. Test Kitchen will challenge your palate! I love trying something new and different, so I appreciated that the restaurant offered three menus throughout the sailing. I was able to try two of them! 😊

I also got to do a sushi class where I made two different rolls… call me sushi-San from now on. Additionally, I joined a painting class with unlimited champagne. These were at an additional cost. Thankfully, I had some Sailor Loot thanks to booking through Fora!

Other things I loved about the sailing were Scarlet Night, the shows, the parties, the Diva (a hilarious drag queen), DJs, karaoke rooms, losing several times at trivia and bingo.... everything was so much fun. But the most memorable thing for me was the great service! From my cabin attendants to the sweet employees I got to meet and go explore the islands with.

I liked this cruise so much that I'm going back! I’ll be sailing out of San Juan, Puerto Rico on Resilient Lady with my mom next January 2025. Can’t wait!

If you’re curious about Virgin Voyages and what they offer, here’s a recap:

* Adults only! 🎉
* Award-winning service.
* All dining is included (No extra fees for specialty dining)
* Group fitness classes are included.
* Gratuities included.
* Entertainment included!
* Seriously, what are you waiting for?

I recommend Virgin Voyages for solo travelers, girl’s trips and couples. Additionally they are SUPER LGBTQ+ friendly!

Feel free to send me a message to learn more and get some added perks when booking with me!

For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our Cruises page.