Up next in 10
🚢 It has been a busy week of news… and Virgin Voyages has dropped a surprising set of changes across the fleet. In this week’s Virgin Voyages INSIDER Update, David from VV Insider covers freshly updated fleetwide bar menus, the brand-new Air, Land and Sea status match program, and the newly released Scarlet Lady Winter 2027 to 2028 sailings — plus we reveal the 2026 US Comedy Fest headliners and meet the new cast taking over Lola's Library on Resilient Lady. ✨
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Extra perks + planning support when you book through VV Insider:
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WHAT WE COVER TODAY 👇
🍹 New Bar Menus – freshly updated menus across all Lady Ships featuring new cocktails and an Aperol Spritz party kit
✈️ Status Match – how to use existing airline or hotel loyalty to unlock valuable Blue Extras
🎭 US Comedy Fest – highly anticipated headliners revealed for the 2026 Valiant Lady sailings
👯 Lola's Library Cast – meet the brand-new performers taking over the venue on Resilient Lady
🌴 Winter 2027 to 2028 – Scarlet Lady's newly released Southern Caribbean itineraries
💰 February Wave Offer – locking in 80% off a second sailor, up to $350 Bar Tab, and $300 Sailor Loot
🔗 LINKS & RESOURCES
🍹 Full Guide to New Bar Menus ➜ https://vvinsider.com/virgin-voyages-updates-bar-menus-fleetwide-with-new-drinks/
✈️ Status Match Program ➜ https://vvinsider.com/virgin-voyages-expands-status-match-with-air-land-sea-program/
🎭 NYC Comedy Fest Headliners ➜ https://vvinsider.com/virgin-voyages-announces-nyc-comedy-fest-headliners/
👯 Meet the New Lola's Library Cast ➜ https://vvinsider.com/introducing-the-fourth-lola-next-cast-in-lolas-library/
🌴 Scarlet Lady Winter 2027 to 2028 ➜ https://vvinsider.com/scarlet-lady-winter-2027-2028-now-on-sale-southern-caribbean-sailings/
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0:00
For everyone that loves cruising We are getting to that time of year
0:02
where the end of winter is in sight And finally we can see on the horizon
0:07
our summer vacations and plans.
0:09
And we've seen from the news and the changes from Virgin Voyages over the
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past couple of weeks that this summer is gonna be very, very special indeed.
0:16
If you are brand new here, I'm David from VV Insider, which is a website
0:20
all about Virgin Voyages cruises.
0:23
All the information, the guides and the news that you need to know
0:26
When you are sailing on the best and the most fun adult only cruise line there is,
0:30
and it's our job here at VV Insider to tell you exactly what you need
0:34
to know about what's changing and what's going on on the ships.
0:38
And this is our Virgin Voyages Insider Update, which is a regular
0:41
catchup of all the news and changes that you'll need to know when you
0:45
are sailing on Virgin Voyages.
0:47
this week we've got a whole host of announcements and changes that
0:50
are very exciting indeed, including some brand new bar and drink menus
0:54
with loads of new beverages and cocktails that you need to hear about.
0:58
We also have some long awaited news on who to expect to see onboard
1:02
the Comedy Fest Voyage in the US.
1:04
For those that want to take advantage of the Virgin Voyages Loyalty program, but
1:08
you haven't sailed with Virgin before.
1:10
There's some news about how you can match your status into the system, and I'm gonna
1:14
tell you all about how you can do that.
1:16
for fans of Lola’s Library.
1:18
We have some news about a brand new cast joining the show on Resilient Lady.
1:22
We are gonna meet the folks behind the new cast and some familiar faces that
1:26
you might have seen on board before.
1:28
So as you can tell, there's tons to cover in this update.
1:31
So let's jump right in!
1:33
VV Insider is the number one resource for the latest Virgin
1:36
Voyagers info, guides and news.
1:38
From picking the perfect cabin to booking dining, or simply just
1:41
making the most of your voyage and saving money while you do it.
1:44
vvinsider.com has helped thousands of sailors around the world sail smarter!
1:49
Support our work by hitting SUBSCRIBE and stick around to
1:52
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1:58
Starting off with some news for those that are joining the US Comedy Fest cruise on
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a five night sailing from New York City to Bermuda, these Comedy Fest voyages are
2:06
a specialty sailing that introduces some familiar faces from across the comedy
2:12
circuit onboard the Virgin Voyager ships.
2:15
And this time is no different.
2:16
For those joining Valiant Lady on April 11th in New York City,
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You'll be expecting to see some big names from across the comedy world,
2:23
And this sailing in particular is shaping up to not disappoint at all.
2:27
These Comedy Fest sailings have been going on for quite a while now,
2:31
but this one's a little bit different, with the fact that this is actually
2:34
a collaboration with a company called Don't Tell Comedy, which is a
2:38
production company that creates comedy festivals in unexpected locations.
2:43
In the past, these comedy festivals have been to backyards and warehouses,
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well now they're changing the scenery even more by going on board a cruise
2:51
ship, and that ship is Valiant Lady.
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What this means in practice, on board the ship means that we might
2:56
see some unconventional venues being used for these comedy performances.
3:01
So whereas before with the Comedy Fest, you might be used to seeing an acts in The
3:04
Red Room or The Manor, we might see with this new collaboration, some different
3:09
uses of some venues and some pop-up performances being employed as well.
3:13
So it'll be really interesting to see what 'Don’t Tell' Comedy do to
3:16
this particular Comedy Fest Sailing.
3:18
But we know when it comes to the Comedy Fest, people are really interested
3:21
in who's gonna headline the thing.
3:23
So starting off, we have Shapel Lacey,
3:25
who is gonna bring his high energy storytelling style comedy
3:29
to the high seas come April.
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Lacey is a regular at the Los Angeles Comedy Store
3:33
and is really well known for his very direct and personal standup style.
3:38
You may also know him from his podcast, Cooked in the Comments.
3:41
Alongside Shapel, another headliner on board this voyage will be Emma Willmann.
3:45
Willmann is a standup comedian and actress
3:48
who performs regularly at the New York Comedy Cellar.
3:51
you may well have seen Emma on Netflix's the lineup or the late
3:54
Night Show with Steven Colbert.
3:56
For those more of a fan of observational comedy, Usama Siddiquee
4:00
is joining the lineup as well.
4:01
Siddiquee has developed a name for himself with fast-paced comedy delivery
4:05
and he may well have seen him from America's Got Talent or a few Netflix
4:09
projects he's been involved with as well.
4:11
If you head over to our article on vvinsider.com, we have a full list of
4:15
who to expect on this voyage, and if it sounds great for you and you have some
4:19
free time in April, then why not head over to that page as well and make a booking.
4:23
There is still some availability on this particular voyage.
4:26
for those joining the UK Comedy Fest, voyage in Portsmouth, watch
4:30
this space 'cause we'll be reporting on the headliners for that show as
4:33
soon as we have the information.
4:35
So make sure you stay subscribed to this channel.
4:37
Some welcome news for those that sail multiple times with Virgin Voyages
4:41
and like to see a change or two here and there.
4:44
Well, there are some brand new bar menus and drink options available
4:48
on board across the whole fleet
4:50
with some new alcoholic and non-alcoholic options.
4:53
we've scoured these menus to see what differences there are between the old
4:57
menus and the new, here's the results.
5:00
We have some brand new drink options available in the Draught Haus, not only
5:04
in the new Brilliant Lady Draught Haus, but across the whole fleet as well.
5:08
There's a brand new Sangria option available at The Dock House and The Dock.
5:12
If you've not tried the Sangria in those venues before, it's fantastic and we are
5:16
really looking forward to trying this new option when we sail in the future.
5:21
there's also some brand new cocktails available at On
5:23
The Rocks and The Sip Lounge.
5:25
For those of you lucky enough to be Rockstars with a black band when you
5:28
head up to Richard's Rooftop, there are some new drink options available there,
5:32
including a non-alcoholic Sunset spirit.
5:35
A venue that sometimes overlooked is Juice Sea, which is the juice
5:39
bar that's sandwiched between The Dock House and The Dock.
5:42
well.
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The Juice Sea Menu has been expanded with some new options as well.
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One thing everyone will be very relieved to hear is that this
5:49
new bar menu update surprisingly does not include any price hikes.
5:53
This was one question we were asked multiple times as we were getting
5:56
these new menus put together,
5:58
But thankfully the only price rises there are to report are the price
6:01
rises that happened a few months ago where the minimum price of beer,
6:05
went up a dollar and the price of a Red Bull went up a dollar as well.
6:09
One very cool new thing is the new option to have a Aperol Spritz
6:13
party between you and your friends.
6:15
This option is priced at $95 and with this you get some Aperol, a bottle
6:19
of Cava, sparkling water, and some orange slices so you can make your
6:24
own Aperol among you and your friends.
6:26
the availability of this Aperol Spritz party kit depends on the
6:30
ship that you're sailing on.
6:32
So when you're on board, make sure to ask around.
6:34
It sounds like the perfect way to spend a lazy afternoon.
6:38
you'll of course be glad to note that the Bar Tab system still applies
6:41
across the fleet and across all the options that I've mentioned.
6:44
And if you wanna preview any of these new bar menu options yourself, then head over
6:49
to vvinsider.com where we've been hard at work uploading all the brand new bar
6:54
menus so you can take a look for yourself.
6:56
These are all broken down per venue, and when they vary per ship, you'll be
7:00
able to see that very clearly as well.
7:02
But it's a great way to get an idea of the things that are gonna be available
7:06
when you set sale in the future.
7:07
Now of course, keeping these bar menus up to date.
7:10
It's just one of those little jobs that we do here at vvinsider.com
7:14
to make sure when you set sail, you know exactly what to expect and you
7:18
can plan for the perfect vacation.
7:21
Well, if you find those helpful tools and these videos useful at all and you'd like
7:25
to support us, The best way to do that and ensure your support doesn't cost you
7:29
a penny, and all you need to do is when you are making your next booking with
7:33
Virgin Voyages is just to make sure that VV Insider is linked to that booking.
7:38
To do that is really, really straightforward.
7:41
You just go over to our website and click the 'Book Now' button and any
7:44
voyage you were looking at, you'll be able to find on our website.
7:48
all you do is make your booking just as you would before.
7:50
You just use the link on our website and that makes sure we're connected together.
7:55
It really is that easy and as a thank you for doing that,
7:57
we'll make sure we give you some exclusive extras and perks as well!
8:01
And you'll also be part of our loyalty program.
8:03
So with that very first booking, you'll get your first set of diamonds And you
8:07
can spend those diamonds on onboard credit, on your future sailings.
8:12
And again, this costs you no more at all.
8:14
It really is a win-win.
8:16
if you wanna learn any more about that, or if you've got any questions
8:18
for us at all, then head over to vvinsider.com/book And we'll answer all
8:24
of the questions that you have and make sure we plan the perfect voyage together.
8:28
and now is actually a great time to make those plans for the future because
8:32
recently the details of the brand new February 'Wave Offer' have been announced,
8:36
and this includes up to 80% off a second Sailor and up to $350 Bar Tab and up
8:43
to $300 Sailor Loot for every booking.
8:46
These offers of course come and go, but this one is actually
8:49
very, very similar to the 'Wave Offer' that's just been and gone.
8:52
that was incredibly generous.
8:54
And this one is nearly the same value.
8:56
This particular offer comes to an end in the next few days.
8:59
so on the 26th of February, that's your last chance to
9:02
snag at this particular offer.
9:03
If you have a sailing in mind, make sure you get it in there
9:06
before the 26th of February.
9:08
now some really exciting news.
9:09
For anyone that loved Lola’s Library.
9:12
Lola’s Library is a very special cabaret show that's on board,
9:15
Resilient Lady and started when Resilient Lady launched back in 2023.
9:21
It truly is an iconic show that mixes dancing, live vocals, acrobatics, and
9:26
a fantastic if not bizarre atmosphere that sailors absolutely love.
9:31
Anyone that's seen it before will know that the titular character, Lola,
9:35
is an absolute force to reckon with
9:37
having been played in the past by only three actresses.
9:40
each of which are absolutely iconic, and bring their own flair to the show.
9:44
So in the past we've had Meg, we've had Jodie, and recently
9:48
we've had Lexi as well.
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Stepping into those iconic heels and donning those incredible glasses.
9:53
This time is Livi Rose.
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Livi is an actor, singer, dancer
9:58
and fitness instructor from Long Island, New York.
10:01
She graduated from Long Island University with a BFA in Musical Theater.
10:05
Livi recently made her off-Broadway debut in the cast of the My True Love Musical.
10:10
and start as Doralee in Dolly Parton's, 9 to 5 musical in North Carolina.
10:15
This Marks Libby's very first contract on board a cruise ship.
10:18
so we wish her all the best, and we just know she's gonna
10:20
be amazing as the new Lola.
10:23
Joining Livi in the library is Charis Vaughn, who you may know from her
10:27
previous engagements with Virgin Voyages, both in Persephone and Another Rose.
10:32
And playing the iconic role of Dewey is Jonny Stranks, who UK sailors may
10:36
recognize as Johnny is a previous winner of Britain's Got talent.
10:40
if you're planning on sailing on Resilient Lady, you may wanna
10:43
learn more about Lola’s Library.
10:45
Well, we have an entire guide that you can read through about
10:48
this event and what to expect.
10:50
And quite recently there's a brand new show called Booked:
10:52
a Lola’s Library Story, which launched on Scarlet Lady last year.
10:57
The story of Booked serves as a prequel for Lola’s Library,
11:01
but includes some familiar characters from the original story.
11:04
We've seen some very encouraging news from the Virgin Voyages brand
11:07
recently who've reported that revenues are up 20% this year during
11:12
Wave Season compared to last year.
11:15
This is really encouraging news for those that love the brand and want to
11:18
see it go as far as it possibly can.
11:20
it's certainly easy to see how the launch of Virgin Voyages fourth ship,
11:23
Brilliant Lady, has played into this, but industry reports are indicating
11:27
that the 'kid-free' strategy, the adult only strategy on Virgin Voyages
11:32
is a real trend across the industry, and that's why we're
11:34
seeing such a buoyant market when it comes to these kid free cruises.
11:39
I know for me personally, it's one of the things that keeps me
11:42
going back time and time again.
11:44
and it's one of those things when you step off the ship and onto land, it
11:47
takes you somewhat by surprise When you see a kid running around or screaming,
11:51
it certainly makes you appreciate why you chose Virgin in the first place.
11:55
There's been some new information about Virgin Voyages status match program.
11:59
The reason why this is so anticipated is that you don't need to have cruised
12:04
at all before in order to match to a status program within Virgin Voyages.
12:09
And That means if you have status already with a cruise line or an airline or
12:14
a hotel chain, you can status match into the Virgin Voyages program.
12:19
There is, of course a list of programs that will help you match into the
12:23
Virgin Voyages program, but the perks that you'll get are Blue Extras.
12:27
And of course, over on vvinsider.com, we have a list of all the perks
12:31
that you'll get with Blue Extras.
12:32
This includes dedicated Sailor services support, including an
12:36
exclusive line down in Sailor Services.
12:39
So you can skip the queue.
12:40
an exclusive Blue Extras cocktail event you get complimentary cocktails
12:45
for an entire hour during the Blue Extras party onboard your sailing.
12:49
You also get a free bag of laundry during your sailing as well,
12:53
which comes in incredibly handy.
12:55
And you also get one free specialty coffee per day.
12:58
You don't need to go to the coffee bar for that.
13:00
You can order them in a restaurant as well, but you get that totally free of
13:04
charge as part of the loyalty program.
13:06
in order to match your loyalty status.
13:08
There's a little bit of a process involved, but we spell it out
13:11
really easily over on our article on vvinsider.com, and if you get in
13:16
touch with us, we can help you make sure you match your status as well.
13:20
So absolutely feel free to reach out.
13:23
This week saw the release of some brand new Scarlet Lady itineraries
13:27
going into 2027 and 2028.
13:30
It all starts with this Halloween transatlantic sailing, leaving from
13:34
Barcelona and heading to San Juan.
13:36
San Juan will then be the home port for Scarlet Lady, offering some really
13:40
nice hot weather alternatives in the Caribbean, in those winter months.
13:44
so for those of us that live in the northern hemisphere in winter
13:48
and are battling rain in England or snow in North America, maybe
13:52
these are the sailings for you.
13:53
If you are looking for something to watch.
13:55
I did my own video report of a Resilient Lady sailing in the
13:58
Caribbean that we took back in January.
14:00
We made some mistakes along the way and I put that video report
14:04
together to tell you which mistakes I made and how to avoid them.
14:08
So head over to that video for tips on how to deal with a missed or
14:11
a canceled port in the Caribbean,
14:14
and how to take some very simple planning steps with excursions and Shore Things to
14:18
make sure you have the best time possible.
14:20
Just to say thank you so much for your support, not only for our
14:23
website, but also the videos that we have here on our channel on YouTube.
14:27
if you'd like to support us along making this content and putting
14:30
these videos out, then of course make sure that you're connecting
14:33
us to your Virgin Voyages bookings.
14:35
Head over to vvinsider.com/book to find out exactly how to do that.
14:40
It's really easy, but if you think you've missed the boat, if you pardon
14:43
the pun and you've already made a booking that isn't connected with us,
14:46
There are perhaps some ways that we can still be connected to your booking.
14:50
So again, You'll find some information on there on how to transfer your booking to
14:54
us, and we make it as simple as possible.
14:57
if you want any help with booking or with transferring, then please
15:00
do let us know and reach out.
15:02
well, I'll be back next week with a new 'Sail Smarter' Guide, Which looks
15:06
at a particular topic about sailing with Virgin Voyages and how to make
15:10
sure you get your planning perfect.
15:12
So I'm looking forward to seeing you next week, but until then, happy sailing!
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