LA Mer-Maiden: Brilliant Lady Ship Tour

Brilliant Lady is Virgin Voyages' fourth ship in their fleet of "Lady Ships." VV hosted a special night for travel agents to check out their brand-new lady ship — and I secured an invite.

The Ship Itself

If you have been on a Virgin Voyages cruise before, the ship layout will be no surprise. Brilliant Lady is very similar to the other lady ships with a few subtle differences. The top deck features a slightly bigger pool and there are some minor layout adjustments throughout. Familiar enough to feel like home, different enough to feel fresh.

Mega Rockstar and Rockstar Suites

I got to tour some of the Mega Rockstar and Rockstar suites — and talk about mega and fab. These suites will make you feel like a true celebrity. Many of them had separate bedrooms and seating areas, massive balconies with their own private hot tub, and of course the signature red hammocks VV has become known for. Several suites had multiple hammocks. If you have ever considered splurging on a suite for a cruise, this is the one.

Virgin Voyages Entertainment

Virgin Voyages does their entertainment differently. Their shows are not your average cruise ship Broadway mashup or retelling — they are unique, creative, and sometimes even moving experiences that lean hard into their rockstar and adults-only identity.

We got to preview their new show called Red Hot, which they described as a love letter to the Virgin brand. It walked us through the history of Virgin as a company and highlighted founder Richard Branson as a central character throughout, with the cast recreating signature Virgin Records artists to help tell the story. The performers danced and sang their hearts out, and the technology and staging truly came to life — including digital character mermaids who starred throughout. It was a genuinely fun and impressive show. We even got to hear directly from the CEO of Virgin Voyages, Nirmal Saverimuttu.

Foodies Delight: Pink Agave

To continue the evening, we got to try out one of Brilliant Lady's 20-plus eateries — their specialty included dining restaurant, Pink Agave. This is their high-end Mexican-inspired restaurant. I made some new travel agent friends and had some very delicious food. Major shoutout to the guacamole and their incredible Relleno Vegano. I am a pescetarian, so I don't eat a ton of meat, and this vegan relleno was so flavorful that I ate everything but the stem. We finished the meal with an awesome bread pudding.

Pink Agave is a no-extra-charge restaurant available as part of your cruise fare — reservations required and highly recommended.

Scarlet Night

We concluded the night with a VV Scarlet Night celebration up on the pool deck. This is where the entire Happenings Cast and entertainment crew come together for a red-themed night with its own unique lore — no spoilers! Check out a fun snippet of this exciting, wet, and entertaining event:

The Verdict

Virgin Voyages offers a truly unique cruising experience compared to legacy brands. It is fresh, adult-only, and you can genuinely feel like a Rockstar from the moment you board. Get in contact with Jonathan at Trip Jig to learn more about this brand and plan your own Mer-Maiden voyage on one of their Lady Ships!