Virgin Voyage Dominican Daze

I had a countdown for our highly anticipated five-night Virgin Voyage, Dominican Daze. This was our first Virgin Voyage, and I can tell you it will not be our last. From the ease of booking to boarding and disembarkation, this was one of the smoothest sailings I have experienced.

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect going into this cruise. I had read many reviews but approached it with a clean slate. I loved the excitement of walking down the gangway to board the ship, only to be greeted by the most enthusiastic host. Our rooms were ready when we boarded, so we headed straight to our room to check it out, drop off our backpacks and watch the safety video before continuing to Muster.

Image 1: Scarlet Night

On our way to Muster, we noticed the ice cream shop — known as Lick Me Till I Scream — was open. We hopped in line and got our scoop of chocolate ice cream. Just a heads-up: they have daily ice cream rotations, so if you see a flavor you want to try, you need to get it because it might not be available tomorrow. I hate to admit it, but the ice cream became a daily stop for me.

Virgin is known for their fun sail-away parties held on the top deck. Although our sail-away was rainy and moved inside to a venue, it was still a blast! There was dancing, and everyone was wearing pajamas and ugly Christmas sweaters. I didn't see the free champagne, but we danced the night away.

One of the things I liked best about Virgin is that there are no kids under the age of 18 on board, and there are no buffets! They offer specialty dining included in your cruise fare, along with casual dining options in the galley. Sodas, tea and drip coffee are also included in your voyage fare, as well as gratuities.

Once you book your cruise, you will receive emails informing you of important dates, such as when excursions open and when to make dining reservations. Make sure to set your clock for midnight to snag your preferred dining times! We had only two late dining reservations, but they were on our excursion days, so it worked out great for us.

We had a sea balcony room featuring a wonderful red hammock, which became my favorite spot on board. Everything in the room is controlled by an iPad located on the desk. The TV choices were the best I've encountered on any ship, and basic internet is included in your fare. However, we had to upgrade to a higher plan for the service we needed.

Our cruise included two sea days and two land days, with stops in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, and Virgin's private island, Bimini. On the second night, Virgin hosts what they call Scarlet Night, encouraging everyone to wear red. Even the lights on the outside of the ship glowed red. There were pop-up entertainment, plenty of photo opportunities and a huge party on deck.

The entertainment offered by Virgin Voyages is among the best I've experienced on any cruise. I can honestly say I can't wait to cruise with Virgin again!

The best time to cruise the Bahamas is from November to August, after hurricane season. I recommend researching your dining options before making reservations, and be sure to book them as soon as they're available.

For excursions, I suggest booking through the cruise line. If anything happens and you're late returning, the ship will wait for you, as excursions booked through the ship are protected. If you book outside the cruise line, you will be at your own risk.

The beach club in Bimini is very nice and has plenty of loungers available both on the beach and by the pool. At the Bimini Beach Club, your bar tab can be used. Virgin does not offer a drink package; instead, they provide a bar tab option. If you pre-purchase a bar tab, you'll receive bonus money. For example, if you purchase a $300 bar tab, you'll receive an additional $50 in bonus funds.

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