Brilliant Lady nails food, shows and the adults-only vibe; plan around the small pool and Deck 16 elevator routing.
Virgin Voyages has built something different: a relaxed, stylish, adults-only ship with no formal nights and no announcements, where every restaurant is included and the food is some of the best we have had at sea. You can play free arcade games, run pickup games, dance until late, or spend the afternoon reading in a cabana. The small main pool, tight show venues and awkward Deck 16 elevator routing would wear thin on a long run of sea days, so we would skip the Lady Ships for ocean crossings. On a port-heavy route like this 5-night California Coasting sailing, when most sailors go ashore and the ship empties out, Brilliant Lady is one of the best cruises on the Pacific.
Ratings at a glance
Wi-Fi and sports are badges, not in the scoreShip & vibe
Ship facts
Sister ships: Scarlet Lady, Valiant Lady, Resilient Lady. Brilliant Lady is the fourth Lady Ship and slightly narrower than her sisters so she fits the Panama Canal more easily. She is the only one with Rojo by Razzle Dazzle, a Spanish tapas take on Razzle Dazzle.
The vibe
No dress code. Scarlet Night means wear red. On the Halloween sailing it became Scarlet Fright Night and most sailors came in costume.
Cabin: Seriously Suite 12261A
The Seriously Suite was the sweet spot of RockStar Quarters: three 28-inch suitcases slid under the bed, the room stayed dead quiet, and our RockStar Agent answered in minutes. The mattress was rock hard until we asked for a topper, and the see-through shower is only for couples.
What we liked
- Bed sits high enough to swallow three 28-inch hard-shell suitcases plus two backpacks.
- No noise from the pool deck, The Manor or Deck 15 venues.
- Strong rainfall shower with steady temperature.
- In-suite turntable with records (Lauryn Hill, Sex Pistols, The Stone Roses) and a Bluetooth speaker.
- Plenty of US plugs plus USB-A and USB-C at both nightstands, the vanity and the credenza.
What we didn’t
- Factory mattress was far too firm on Night 1.
- Glass shower is fully visible from the bedroom, with no curtain.
- Mini fridge only chills, it never gets drinks cold.
- About 6'6" ceiling feels snug for tall adults.
Cabin tips
- Ask your RockStar Agent for a plush topper and memory foam pillows on Day 1. Ours arrived within two hours.
- Ask for an ice bucket if you like cold drinks, since the fridge will not do it.
- Sharing with a friend or family member? The open glass shower makes this suite a couples-only pick.
RockStar perks (Seriously Suite)
- Dedicated RockStar Agent (app replies in about 5 minutes)
- VIP check-in lounge at the terminal
- Richard's Rooftop private deck
- Skip the standby line at The Manor
- In-suite bar stocked once at embarkation
- Turntable and record collection
- Daily bar restocking (Mega RockStar only)
- Self-service laundry (none onboard)
- Garment pressing in the $55 laundry bag
Cost & value
Every restaurant, group fitness class and the 24/7 Galley drink station came with the fare, and cocktails at $11 with tips included felt fair. The extras that stung were the non-alcoholic drinks, the per-device Wi-Fi and the US sales tax on everything bought at the pier.
Money-saving tips
- Buy specialty coffee in Ensenada: no sales tax on onboard drinks while docked in Mexico.
- One Premium Wi-Fi pass can cover the cabin: turn on your phone's hotspot and connect the other devices through it.
- Mocktails cost the same as cocktails, so the Bar Tab goes further on the signature drinks.
Free and worth it
- Every restaurant is included, including The Test Kitchen, The Wake and Extra Virgin.
- Group fitness classes (cycling, sunrise yoga, retro aerobics) with no fees or sign-up.
- The Galley's 24/7 drink station: hot water, teas, crushed ice and sparkling water.
- Arcade games in The Social Club are free.
- Drink prices already include the tip.
Money traps
- Zero-proof mocktails cost $11, the same as a signature cocktail.
- Red Bull is $7 and a Grounds Club latte is $6.
- Premium Wi-Fi is one device per pass, $40 to $60 each.
- Oysters Rockefeller at The Wake is a $30 supplement.
- Laundry is $55 a bag, and pressing is charged per piece on top.
- While docked in a US port, sales tax applies: 9.75% in Los Angeles.
- RockStar bar refills after the first stock are charged at menu prices.
Dining
This was one of the best food programs we have had at sea. The Test Kitchen and The Wake were the highlights, Rojo's tapas night was excellent, and the only real miss was a crowded, lukewarm brunch at Rojo on Day 3.
Restaurants worth planning for
Sit-down restaurants we rated, plus anything that costs extra. Book these on day one.
The Test Kitchen
A fixed six-course tasting menu in a lab-style room with steel counters and test tube touches. The asparagus course was perfect: still snappy, with nutty richness and a clean savory finish. The low-ABV drink pairing proved cocktails do not need a lot of alcohol to stand up to rich food. One of the most creative meals on any ship we have sailed.
The Wake
The ship's steak and seafood house, built around a brass spiral staircase with views over the wake. The scallops were the dish of the night, and the $30 Oysters Rockefeller earned its upcharge.
Extra Virgin
Virgin's Italian trattoria with pasta rolled fresh every day. The handmade Bolognese and the tableside affogato were the stars, and the chicken came close. Half portions let us try seven dishes, though the seafood pasta was light on seafood. Our seven dishes averaged 8.54 out of 10.
Pink Agave
Elevated Mexican food that skips the usual cruise ship clichés. A good early dinner before Scarlet Fright Night.
Rojo by Razzle Dazzle: Brunch
The single culinary low point of the sailing. Tables were packed elbow to elbow, and most plates came out tepid. The Rojo Breakfast was the worst of it: runny eggs, dry Impossible sausage and bland mushrooms. Coffee was the best thing on the table. Our food averaged 6.7 out of 10. Go for dinner instead.
Rojo by Razzle Dazzle: Dinner
A complete redemption from brunch. Seating was well spaced, dishes came out hot and properly seasoned, and the savory menu averaged 8.98 out of 10, led by a perfect oxtail montadito. Dessert was the only letdown: the churros were cold and stale.
Grounds Club
Americanos and croissants on Catalina morning, tax-free lattes in Ensenada. In US ports, LA sales tax pushed an Americano and a latte to $10.98.
Everyday spots
Included in the fare.
The Galley
A food hall instead of a buffet: sit down and order, or walk up to stations like Diner & Dash (24/7 breakfast), Let's Taco Bout It, Noodle Around and the Burger Bar. The 24/7 drink station with hot water, teas, crushed ice and sparkling water was a lifesaver late at night and before dawn.
The Pizza Place
Easy slices on our sea day.
Lick Me Till Ice Cream
Fresh gelato, a sea day must.
Dining watch-outs
- Rojo brunch on a port morning was packed, loud and lukewarm. Go for dinner instead.
- Rojo's churros were the one dessert to skip.
- Non-alcoholic drinks cost as much as cocktails.
- US sales tax is added to every drink while docked in Los Angeles and San Diego.
Activities, sports & Wi-Fi
Out of Time in The Red Room is Broadway-level and the show to plan your night around, and Dueling Reality was a fun mix of mind reading and acrobatics. The small venues fill fast, so expect to line up 45 minutes early unless you are a RockStar.
Dance, big vocals, great lighting and a real story. Easily rivals theater on land.
Mentalism, illusions and high-flying acrobatics.
Evening comedy and variety show.
The Halloween take on Scarlet Night: fog, red lights, roaming characters, a costume contest, a Grog Walk bar crawl and DJ sets on the pool deck.
Interactive Halloween trivia.
RockStar-only deck with cabanas, loungers, a bar and two hot tubs. Frosted glass blocks the ocean view when you sit, and smoke can drift up on the starboard side.
Free retro arcade games and screens on Deck 7.
For sports fans
Only a few big games are shown, and sports channels are thin in cabins and lounges.
Free Wi-Fi was close to unusable on sea days. Premium handled browsing and audio calls, not Zoom or big uploads.
Crowds: where and when
Port days were the secret: when most sailors went ashore, we had cabanas, the gym and The Galley nearly to ourselves. Sea days were a different story at the small main pool and the outdoor stairs up to Deck 16.
Ports & logistics
We booked this one for the ship, not the ports. We know San Diego well and were lukewarm on Ensenada, so we stayed onboard and enjoyed an empty ship. Hugging the coast also kept our AT&T phones on shore 5G for much of the trip.
5-Night California Coasting (Catalina, San Diego & Ensenada)
- DAY 1Los Angeles (San Pedro)Boarding
What we did: VIP check-in, security in ten minutes and settled in our suite by 1:45 PM. Moet at the Richard's Rooftop sail-away, then dinner at The Test Kitchen.
- DAY 2Catalina Island (Avalon)Tendered
What we did (explored on our own): Coffee and croissants at Grounds Club, a few hours on the Avalon waterfront, then back early to a quiet pool deck. Dinner at The Wake and Dueling Reality in The Red Room.
Tip: Tenders ran smoothly. Come back early and enjoy the empty ship.
- DAY 3San DiegoDocked
What we did (stayed onboard): Docked on the Embarcadero next to the USS Midway. A rough brunch at Rojo, an afternoon lift in the B-Complex with skyline views, dinner at Extra Virgin and Plan V at On The Rocks.
- DAY 4Ensenada, MexicoDocked
What we did (stayed onboard): A slow morning onboard with tax-free coffee at Grounds Club Too, Monster Mind Benders trivia, an early dinner at Pink Agave, then Scarlet Fright Night.
Tip: No sales tax on onboard drinks while docked in Mexico.
- DAY 5Sea Day
What we did: Pizza, gelato and bao in a shaded port-side cabana on Richard's Rooftop. Out of Time in The Red Room, then the farewell tapas dinner at Rojo.
- DAY 6Los Angeles (San Pedro)HomeIn 6:30 AM
What we did: Breakfast at The Wake, then express walk-off with our own bags. Cabin door to a moving rideshare in 20 minutes.
Getting to the ship
LAX is about 20 miles from San Pedro, and LA traffic is unpredictable, so give yourself extra time.
Boarding and getting off
- RockStars get a private check-in lounge with seating, sparkling wine and luggage help.
- We cleared security in about ten minutes and boarded on Deck 6.
- Keep your bags and walk off: we left the suite at 7:34 AM and were in a rideshare by 7:54 AM.
- Escalators at the World Cruise Center are carry-on only. Big rolling bags go to the elevator line.
- Checked luggage was not ready in baggage claim until 8:16 AM, too tight for a 10:00 AM LAX flight.
Our verdict
Pros
- Every restaurant is included, and The Test Kitchen and The Wake rival top restaurants on land.
- True adults-only vibe with no overhead announcements.
- B-Complex gym has dumbbells up to 100 lb.
- Out of Time is a Broadway-level show.
- Our RockStar Agent answered in minutes and fixed a card problem in three.
- Express walk-off: cabin door to a rideshare in 20 minutes.
Cons
- Midship and aft elevators stop at Deck 15, so reaching Deck 16 means outdoor stairs.
- The main pool is small and crowded on sea days.
- Small show venues fill up 45 minutes early.
- Free Wi-Fi barely works at sea, and Premium is one device per pass.
- Mocktails and energy drinks cost as much as cocktails.
- Glass shower in the Seriously Suite offers no privacy.
Book it if
- You want an adults-only cruise where every restaurant is included.
- You care about food and shows more than ports.
- You lift: the gym goes up to 100 lb dumbbells.
- You can sail a port-heavy route and enjoy the empty ship.
Skip it if
- You are booking a long, sea-day-heavy crossing.
- You need fast Wi-Fi for video calls on more than one device.
- You want to watch lots of live sports.
- You are sharing a suite with someone other than your partner (glass shower).
Questions people ask
This sailing was entirely self-funded. We received no complimentary upgrades, comps, or promotional considerations from Virgin Voyages. All opinions, cabin critiques, and dining evaluations are strictly our own. Some links on this page may be affiliate links that support meetthewhytes.com at no additional cost to you.