Having grown up cruising on Royal Caribbean ships, it's not easy considering other lines. But I was intrigued by an adults-only cruise.

Recently, I tried Virgin Voyages for the first time.  

While Royal Caribbean remains the gold standard for family-friendly fun, Virgin excels at creating an adult-centric experience, complete with drag performances, late-night parties, and more. In short, the two couldn't be more different.

As a child-free woman in their mid-20s, Virgin's onboard experience was a welcome change. Yet, there were a few things I wish they had stolen from Royal Caribbean's playbook. 

Here's what stood out on my cruise aboard Brilliant Lady and where Royal Caribbean excels. 

Dining

Virgin Voyages revolutionized the onboard dining experience by getting rid of crowded buffets and noisy dining rooms. 

Instead, every ship offers a food hall with stalls serving freshly prepared dishes such as sushi, tacos, burgers, and spicy ramen, as well as six complimentary restaurants. Each specializes in a different cuisine, like Mexican, Italian, Spanish-inspired tapas, and Korean BBQ.

While the concept itself was great, I found myself missing Royal Caribbean's fast-casual options. On Royal Caribbean ships, it's easy to go to El Loco Fresh for tacos or a quesadilla whenever I want, but on Virgin Voyages, I had to carve out more time to wait for my food in The Galley. 

Even the pizza on Virgin Voyages is made-to-order, which means I couldn't grab a single slice between activities or late at night. The grab-and-go options were mostly limited to pastries, pre-made salads, and wraps. 

Moving on, I missed the basic options available in Royal's dining room. Virgin’s specialty menus focus on innovative and trendy dishes, meaning classic staples like shrimp cocktails and French onion soup are not available.

Although I loved the Dakgangjeong crispy chicken at Gunbae, corn custard and black bean salad from The Wake, and Pink Agave's achiote-marinated smoked pork, it became evident that Virgin isn't the best cruise line for selective eaters.

Planning is also more important than ever. Since there are no assigned dining times, you'll need to log in right at midnight when reservations open. Otherwise, you may get stuck with inconvenient meal times, especially at popular restaurants like Razzle Dazzle, The Wake, and Pink Agave. 

As such, my partner and I ended up with a lot of 9:00 p.m. reservations. Instead of waiting that late, we typically arrived at 5:45 p.m., right when the restaurants opened, and asked to sit at the bar. 

Activities and nightlife

Royal Caribbean's ships are known for their endless activities, ranging from water slides to zip lines, rock climbing walls, FlowRider surf simulators, ice skating rinks, escape rooms, and more. 

Virgin's daytime offerings focus more on relaxation and wellness, and let guests gear up for the high-energy nightlife. As such, you won't find many onboard attractions, other than the main pool, outdoor Athletic Club, arcade, private karaoke rooms, and tattoo parlor.

While Virgin's claim to fame is the iconic Scarlet Night party, the first night started off strong with a late-night PJ party, followed by an electric glow party on the second day. 

That's not to say that Royal doesn't have fun parties, but Virgin strayed away from the typical silent discos and predictable theme nights. Everything was edgier and felt like we had a VIP invite to the coolest nightclub in town, rather than a cruise ship dance party. 

Entertainment

Royal Caribbean's entertainment is top-tier, especially if you're sailing on a newer ship with Broadway-style productions (i.e., The Wizard of Oz on Icon of the Seas and Back to the Future: The Musical on Star of the Seas). Oasis and Icon Class ships also have AquaTheater and ice skating shows, which showcase jaw-dropping stunts and cutting-edge technology. 

That said, Virgin's entertainment is scaled down in comparison and specializes in edgy and unconventional shows. Instead of the standard theater productions, Brilliant Lady features a brand-new murder mystery comedy that focuses on debunking the suspicious activity surrounding the untimely death of pop star Sheena.

The resident drag queen also hosted different events, such as bingo, karaoke, a pop-up storytime in The Roundabout, and more. My favorite, however, was the country-inspired Diva Goes West drag performance. 

My biggest gripe with Virgin's entertainment is that there wasn't a reservation system. 

Whereas on Royal ships, you can easily make reservations to secure your spots at popular theater, ice skating, and AquaTheater shows, we had to queue up as early as two hours ahead of events for seats in the tiny venues. 

Although it's recommended to arrive early for the best seats, I've never had to worry about wasting hours in line on a Royal Caribbean cruise. 

Fleet variety

When it comes to fleet variety, it's no surprise that Royal Caribbean takes the cake. They have a ship for every type of traveler, from smaller, intimate vessels to the world's largest cruise ships. 

In contrast, Virgin's modest fleet of four is nearly identical. Although you may find a few minor changes (i.e., Brilliant Lady doesn't have a record shop, and Razzle Dazzle has a new Spanish-inspired tapas menu), the bones are the same. 

Surprisingly, Virgin offers a variety of itineraries despite its limited fleet, ranging from Caribbean getaways to port-intensive Mediterranean cruises and even voyages to The Last Frontier. The diversity helps keep each Virgin cruise interesting, even if the ship is pretty much the same. 

Still, because Royal Caribbean has 29 ships (with more on the way), it’s hard to compete with the number of experiences they offer. 

For example, next summer, you can book a European cruise aboard Legend of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's next-gen Icon Class ship. However, if you want something more low-key with fewer crowds, Royal will have five other vessels deployed in Europe, so you can choose the perfect ship based on your travel style.

In comparison, Virgin Voyages will have just two ships in Europe next summer. This means that, in addition to fewer itineraries, Virgin sailors have less flexibility when it comes to departure date. 

Read more: I chose an inside cabin on my recent Virgin Voyages cruise because it was the cheapest option

Inclusive fares

While finding good cruise deals is still possible, it's more expensive to take a cruise vacation today than in the past. Cruise fares increased by over 15% in 2023 compared to 2019, meaning that travelers are trying to be more strategic with their planning to make their budgets go further. 

Royal Caribbean's cruise fares don't include everything. In addition to the base price, passengers will often shell out hundreds of dollars on add-ons like drink and Wi-Fi packages, specialty meals, and gratuities. 

It can be frustrating for guests who hate feeling like they're being nickel-and-dimed. 

Virgin Voyages, however, prides itself on having more inclusive fares. Although not all-inclusive, guests do not have to worry about budgeting extra for gratuities, essential drinks (like soda, drip coffee, water, and tea), and Wi-Fi.

All dining is included, too. Unlike Royal Caribbean ships, where you have to pay extra for specialty meals, ice cream, etc., Virgin Voyages offers a wider variety of dining options at no additional charge. 

Drink packages

One thing you must pay extra for on Royal Caribbean and Virgin ships is alcohol. Royal Caribbean offers three core drink packages, where guests can enjoy unlimited soda, non-alcoholic, or alcoholic beverages for a set daily price. 

Virgin, however, doesn't have any traditional drink packages. Instead, you must pay for each drink individually. You can, however, save money by pre-purchasing a bar tab. Essentially, you'll get a little extra free money by preloading your onboard account before your cruise. 

The amount of free money depends on how much you spend:

• $225 worth of drink credits for $200 (12% of pre-cruise savings)
• $350 worth of drink credits for $300 (16% of pre-cruise savings)
• $600 worth of drink credits for $500 (20% of pre-cruise savings)
• $925 worth of drink credits for $750 (23% of pre-cruise savings)
• $1,250 worth of drink credits for $1,000 (26% of pre-cruise savings)

That said, make sure you attend Virgin's sailaway party. They have free-flowing champagne available during the celebration. 

With 2024 coming to a close, I can't help but look back on a great year of cruises.

In 2024, I took 16 Royal Caribbean cruises and 1 Celebrity Cruise. It was a busy year, and I'm incredibly lucky to be able to have taken the most cruises I've ever had in a single calendar year.

In reflecting back on these sailings, I wanted to handpick the five best moments of the year for me, and why these sailings stood out.

Here are my favorite travel experiences of the year.

Visiting Spain & France for the first time

I was able to go back to Europe after taking my first European cruise in 2023, and this time it was to ports in Northern France and Spain.

While this might not have been the most exotic European itinerary, I relished it because I always wanted to visit France. I studied French for many years in school, and I was fascinated by the opportunity to try out my skills.

My cruise visited Bordeaux and Paris, although both cities required a multi-hour bus ride to get there. While the bus rides were as dull as you probably expected, the opportunity was worth it.  

I might not sit on a bus for as long as I did again to visit these places, but to be able to say I've been to both was totally worth it.

The surprise for me was how much I enjoyed Spain.  I visited La Coruna and Bilbao, and each had its own charm, history, and appeal. 

I think I preferred Bilbao a little bit more because of its natural beauty, history, and terrific food. Nonetheless, it was a great experience to explore each city, and I didn't have to sit on a bus for either one!

My eyes were opened to the possibilities of a European cruise last year when I went to Norway, but now I really see just how incredible it can be to mix things up and get out there.

I loved going to Europe so much that I'm already planning to return in 2025 (and I'm inviting you to join me for it!).

Getting to see Icon of the Seas

There's no question Icon of the Seas the ship of the year, and when Icon launched in January, it was an amazing moment.

The lead up to Icon last year brought a great deal of attention and intrigue. Royal Caribbean had put so much work into this brand new ship that they generated a lot of hype to go with it.

I think, the ship lived up to the hype and when I stepped onboard in January 2024, I was so impressed by this next evolution in ship design.

A new ship is exciting for just about anyone, but it's rare to get a brand new cruise ship class that attempts to set a new standard. Certainly, Royal Caribbean had high ambitions with Icon, and I couldn't get enough of the ship. I went on a couple of the preview sailings, and then the inaugural cruise, followed by a group cruise with friends and family.

What I especially like about Icon is the flow of passengers that really addresses minimizing crowds. I'm not saying there aren't lines or crowds, but their impact on your vacation seems to be the least of any cruise ship I've been on.

Plus, you can see where Royal Caribbean put a lot of energy into new offerings. An incredible culinary experience, new entertainment options, and arguably the best laid out pool deck in the fleet.

The proof for me is that while I got to sail on many more ships in the months since I went on Icon, I always judged each of those against Icon.

Staying in the Ultimate Family Suite

I couldn't believe I was actually staying in a suite I thought I'd have the opportunity to be in, but I took my family for a weekend cruise in the Ultimate Family Suite on Utopia of the Seas.

I had toured this sort of suite on other ships, but the price is as crazy high as you probably can imagine. So I didn't think it was possible until my wife and I got creative with the cruise dates.

Sometimes if you book early and look around a lot, you can find better prices on a particular cruise. I hesitate to call it a deal considering the room cost $12,000, but it was a better price than average for this kind of a room.

Besides the price, I was concerned the suite would have a novelty factor that ran out quickly.  I thought after a couple of hours, the suite would be underwhelming when you look past all the glitzy elements.

The truth is it's a giant suite with just about the best comfort qualities you can find in a room. You can entertain really well in it, and as the name implies, my kids absolutely loved hanging out in the cabin.

Add onto it the VIP privileges with the Royal Genie and access to Thrill Waterpark, and it's a heck of an experience.

I don't have any cruises booked in any of the Ultimate Family Suites or Townhouses that Royal Caribbean has, so whether or not I ever stay in another kind of these rooms, I can safely say this first time was an incredible experience.

Chartering a catamaran in Bermuda

I took my family on a quick 5-night cruise to Bermuda in the summer, and the highlight was what we did on the first night in Bermuda.

Leading up to the cruise, we didn't book any tours.  We assumed we'd just take the ferry to Hamilton and the bus to the beach.  

While we did explore Hamilton as planned, I found a last-minute catamaran rental opportunity for a sunset ride and swim.

The 3-hour catamaran charter was just for my family, and it was the perfect way to see Bermuda's beauty.

We started out going around the island and sailing past the coastline. There were bean bags at the front where we could sit and enjoy the view as the sun started to set.

We then got to feed a school of fish that lived near a ship wreck, and then it was off to a pristine cove for swimming.

Our captain then took us to the perfect spot for a beautiful unobstructed sunset that will probably be the source of family photos we will look back on fondly for decades.

It may not have been the cheapest excursion option, but darn if it didn't create amazing memories for my family.

Three new dining experiences

In addition to launching two new cruise ships in 2024, Royal Caribbean also introduced three new dining experiences.

According to Royal Caribbean's internal research, food is one of the top two reasons anyone books a cruise. So upping their restaurant choices is a major priority for the cruise line.

Three restaurants were added in 2024: Izumi Omakase, Empire Supper Club, and Royal Railway Utopia Station.

Each of was incredibly different from the other.

Empire Supper Club is a glitzy themed meal that incorporates high quality food, live entertainment, and cocktail pairings.

It's the best date night offering I've ever found on a cruise ship, and I think the level of thought that went into typing the music, food, and beverages together is why I love cruises so much.

Royal Railway was perhaps the most hotly anticipated new restaurant I can recall on a cruise ship, and it's because of how innovative this idea is.

Royal Railway Utopia Station makes you feel like you're on a classic train having dinner. There's a story element that appeals to parents and kids alike, and an all-new menu.

In total, I tried it three times this year and I think it's a fantastic memory maker for families. The sort of activity that you'll be talking about when you get home after the cruise.

I really don't think it's "just another specialty restaurant" because it has much higher ambitions. Once Royal Caribbean rolls out subsequent themes to it, then the true power of what it can do will be apparent, and I think that's when Royal Railway will be more than just "the train restaurant".

Finally, we have Izumi Omakase on Utopia of the Seas. I had never tried a chef-driven meal like this, but I think it's the perfect option for Japanese fans.

First and foremost, it's not just more sushi. The biggest surprise for me was how little sushi there was in this meal.

There are eight courses with impeccable service to go along with it. There was was nothing on the menu I didn't like, and I discovered a couple of new favorites, such as the miso broiled cod.

These new restaurants prove the appeal of a cruise vacation in that it makes things approachable, convenient, and most importantly, fun.