Celebrity Silhouette vs Virgin Valiant Lady

[Jones76]

Ive cruised Celebrity 3 times (all solstice class ships, pre-covid) and really enjoyed every cruise. However, lately Ive been reading reviews for the Silhouette regarding missing staff, quality has gone down and prices gone up... also, they have less included in the beverage package... etc. 

I came upon a Virgin cruise, and reviews have been stellar on their new ship the Valiant Lady... does it compare to Celebrity (pre-covid)? I enjoy great food and drinks, and good entertainment. I especially look for good itineraries, and have found 2 that peaked my interest:

Celebrity Silhouette 10night Nov 7

Virgin Valiant Lady 8 night Nov 19

 

Thoughts on which I should choose? 

 

[JCruise85]

I haven't been on Silhouette since 2019 (just months before the happening), but I was on Virgin this past February.

They both have their plus and minuses.

 

I will say, the all included restaurants on Virgin are amazing. Gunbae is food heaven and the Galley is great.

The atmosphere is definitely more lively. They have an actual party club by the casino that will blow your ear drums if you're there too long.

 

Celebrity is definitely more traditional. The entertainment is definitely better and more organized on Celebrity as Virgin is still getting a footing there. Also, Cafe Al Bacio is my favorite place on any cruise.

 

Crews on both are great, but Virgin has a slight edge here (from my experience). They're very friendly, not pushy and will go out of their way to make you happy.

 

It can be kind of a toss up. We have a Celebrity booked this year and a Virgin next, we really enjoy both lines, but for very different reasons.

[Jeremiah1212]

I've only been on one 5 night Virgin Voyage, but I would be surprised if there is much overlap with people who enjoy both lines, especially with the hyperfanatic/critics that post here. VV is much different from Celebrity. 

 

Celebrity is much more traditional. The cabins on VV are very Ikea-ish. Clientele is a bit younger and more lively. You won't find drag, pajama parties, sex talks or the tattoo shop on Celebrity. The VV approach to food and dining is very different as well. They have the food hall instead of a traditional buffet although its really just a reformatted buffet. The shows and entertainment are very different than traditional production shows with the shouty singers (sorry Celebrity). The VV ships are much more chopped up into small venues than a Celebrity ship. Similar to NCL which in my opinion are poorly laid out. Lots of low ceilings and small venues. They definitely try to lean more Las Vegas than typical cruise. It does feel a bit forced at times, like they are trying a little too hard to make it something it is not. Overall I'm not sure I would do it again.

[ccqueenanne]

I can't speak from personal experience yet, as my first Virgin cruise is a few months away. But everything I've read this far, and I've read A LOT, makes me super excited for it (other than lack of a drink package, and no west coast sailings). And this is from somebody who likes Celebrity plenty - it's probably my favorite mass market line.

Edited October 5, 2022 by ccqueenanne

[chemmo]

10 hours ago, Jones76 said:

Ive cruised Celebrity 3 times (all solstice class ships, pre-covid) and really enjoyed every cruise. However, lately Ive been reading reviews for the Silhouette regarding missing staff, quality has gone down and prices gone up... also, they have less included in the beverage package... etc. 

I came upon a Virgin cruise, and reviews have been stellar on their new ship the Valiant Lady... does it compare to Celebrity (pre-covid)? I enjoy great food and drinks, and good entertainment. I especially look for good itineraries, and have found 2 that peaked my interest:

Celebrity Silhouette 10night Nov 7

Virgin Valiant Lady 8 night Nov 19

 

Thoughts on which I should choose? 

 

A program series on Virgin cruises recently aired on UK TV. It might be worth trying to search. Can’t remember it’s full name.  From speaking to friends who also saw it, it was a love/hate response.
 

For those like us who were hoping for a sophisticated adult experience there was disappointment. It seemed just to loud and had a party atmosphere focus. Lots of the activities seemed drink related and at extra cost. The butler equivalent for higher suites seemed more like the Genie on RC (focus on booking things for you not offering personal service). The suite rooms looked quite nice. 
 

For those who were looking for an adult party atmosphere it was seen as worth trying…There seemed to be more organised activities day and night (some at extra cost). Looked like quite a lot of group activities and that entertainment went later into the night…

 

As I say this simply relates to a response to a TV program. Hopefully more people who have actually cruised on Virgin will offer ‘real’ experience.

 

Silhouette is our favourite S class ship. Recently refurbished, extra restaurants than most of S class (other than Reflection). 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 6, 2022 by chemmo

[wineoclock]

I’ve looked at Virgin & don’t think it’s for us.

 

A shame as we like Virgin Airlines & the best place land or sea we have ever stayed is Kasbah Tamadot in Morocco owned by Branson. If it had been along the Tamadot experience we would have signed up so fast. But it doesn’t look like it. 

[kwokpot]

17 hours ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

I've only been on one 5 night Virgin Voyage, but I would be surprised if there is much overlap with people who enjoy both lines, especially with the hyperfanatic/critics that post here. VV is much different from Celebrity. 

 

Celebrity is much more traditional. The cabins on VV are very Ikea-ish. Clientele is a bit younger and more lively. You won't find drag, pajama parties, sex talks or the tattoo shop on Celebrity. The VV approach to food and dining is very different as well. They have the food hall instead of a traditional buffet although its really just a reformatted buffet. The shows and entertainment are very different than traditional production shows with the shouty singers (sorry Celebrity). The VV ships are much more chopped up into small venues than a Celebrity ship. Similar to NCL which in my opinion are poorly laid out. Lots of low ceilings and small venues. They definitely try to lean more Las Vegas than typical cruise. It does feel a bit forced at times, like they are trying a little too hard to make it something it is not. Overall I'm not sure I would do it again.

Your comparison review is quite on point. I think the biggest negative with VV are the rooms below Rockstar (suites) category. We had the XL Sea Terrace which is the best cabin below suites category and it pales in comparison to any Celebrity non-Retreat cabin. While I appreciate the contemporary aesthetic the cabin resembles a college dorm room furnished from Target. The closet doesn't have solid doors but a sheer curtain which functionally doesn't make it any easier to access the contents nor does it save space or improve the decor. The only redeeming feature of the cabin was the design and layout of the bathroom, which like Celebrity's E-class cabin bathrooms are nice and spacious. 

We enjoyed our 4 day cruise but we much prefer the total package that Celebrity offers. Despite what the updated marketing suggests the whole VV product is meant for the Millennial generation. That doesn't mean other age groups can't enjoy the VV experience but the genesis of the cruiseline was to target the younger demographic who has never been on a traditional cruise and had preconceived opinions about the traditional cruise vacation experience.   

[CruisingWalter]

We've cruised Celebrity 4 times, all Solstice class ships including the Silhouette. We cruise Scarlet Lady in July. In total we've cruised 8 different cruise lines.

 

Overall the vibe onboard Scarlet really reminded me of Celebrity, that casual luxury feel. But the ship itself feels much smaller than it really is because almost all interior spaces are single story vs. the big 3 or four story atriums and oversized MDRs. 

 

Crew on Scarlet Lady was incredibly friendly, helpful and seemed genuinely happy. They are among the highest paid crew in the industry and they get free WiFi and free toiletries. Small things, but other cruise lines (like Celebrity) can charge crew members $100 or more per month for WiFi and they have to pay for their own toiletries (hence why so many guests gift them to crew members). 

 

Food, hands down Scarlet Lady wins over everything on Celebrity. We've had every restaurant on Celebrity ships except Luminae and VV brings a serious food game. Gunbae, The Wake, Pink Agave, Razzle Dazzle, Extra Virgin, Test Kitchen, all awesome food. Of those, Extra Virgin was the weakest for us, but it's equal or better than Tuscan Grille on Celebrity. The Galley is a bit of a cluster when it's busy and they want you to flag down a server, but when it's not busy, it's awesome. The French Toast Burger for breakfast is absolutely ridiculous. 🙂 Also the tapas out on The Dock on deck 7 are so freaking good with an amazing few of the wake behind the ship along with a really good Dock Side bar. 

 

Pools are stupid on VV, no way around that. Too small and too few for a ship with that many people, so Celebrity wins there, especially with the indoor Solarium. But we did discover that if you go to the pools prior to 10:30am on sea days or just stay on board during a port day, the main pool area in the center is quite lovely. We spent a good three hours in the pool during our Puerta Plata stop and it was absolutely fantastic. Hopefully VV will get rid of the net in the back of the ship and replace that with a third pool, maybe an infinity pool like NCL Prima, when the ships go in for their first drydock service. 

 

Cocktails were outstanding throughout the Scarlet Lady. On Celebrity I park myself at the World Class Bar because that's easily the best bar in the Celebrity fleet. On VV I found all the bars were at the same level as World Class Bar. 

 

Entertainment was actually much better than I expected. We saw Duel Reality in the Red Room and that was a cool take on Romeo and Juliet. Untitled Dance Party was a bit weird, but then it's all experimental dance so it will be weird. I watched about 10 minutes. We watched about 10 minutes of Never Sleep Alone (NSA) one the of the 'sex therapy' shows. It wasn't at all what we expected, it's a cabaret style show and honestly not that great for us, she was trying too hard to be provocative. My favorite entertainment was the live music at On the Rocks, we had blues guitarist Slam Adams and some really good singers performing there nightly. 

 

I have a full Scarlet Lady playlist on my YouTube channel with a Food Tour, Cabin Tour (cheeky corner suite) and full Ship Review. CC doesn't like us linking directly to our own channels, so I'll tell you it's Where's Walter Travel and you can find it easy enough on YouTube. 🙂 

 

Prior to going on VV I would have said Celebrity all the way. Now, I would lean towards VV because the food game was so freakin good and the staff was among the best we've had on the 8 cruise lines so far. That outweighs the loss of the Solarium pool in my opinion. Honestly you can't go wrong with either cruise line, but if you're asking for the choice, right now I'd take VV. 🙂 

Edited October 6, 2022 by WheresWalter

[aggiejd2000]

@WheresWalter Thanks so much for review of your experience on the Scarlet Lady!  We've been thinking about trying something different and are intrigued by VV.  I just wish they had longer and more interesting itineraries, that would lure us right away.  We'll continue to keep an eye on their offerings.

[TX-Cruiser]

We have been on both. Me 55 and husband 64, actually currently have two favorite classes....Ovation Class on RCCL and Edge on Celebrity. I liked Virgin, I work with young people and I love their energy and the food was amazing. With that said, I love a good show and that was completely lacking.

 

Was the food better on Virgin?....depends. We enjoy speciality dining and if you do that then it is a draw. If you are only judging main stream to main stream, then Virgin all the way. Virgin intrigued me but only because it was a new experience....I don't need to do it again but I didn't have any regrets. Hope that all makes sense.

 

I felt Celebrity has the edge on embarkation and but Virgin 100% has it on disembarkation. Now, with that said, Virgin doesn't make it really clear how to get off the ship. There are no luggage tags sent to your room. You just leave your original ones on. We would not have known that had we not gone to guest services to figure it all out. 

[CruisingWalter]

16 hours ago, aggiejd2000 said:

@WheresWalter Thanks so much for review of your experience on the Scarlet Lady!  We've been thinking about trying something different and are intrigued by VV.  I just wish they had longer and more interesting itineraries, that would lure us right away.  We'll continue to keep an eye on their offerings.

 

I will agree with you the itineraries are not the most interesting right now on VV, but then with only 2 ships, that will happen. Once they have the full four ships running by the end of 2023 things should get a little more interesting.

 

Honestly Princess and Holland America have the most interesting itineraries out there right now short of the smaller Explorer ships. One thing you could consider is a side to side cruise to combine two itineraries into something more interesting for you. Do one itinerary on another cruise line like Celebrity, then hop over to Valiant Lady for another itinerary or vice versa. 

[Esprit]

On 10/6/2022 at 9:10 AM, chemmo said:

A program series on Virgin cruises recently aired on UK TV. It might be worth trying to search. Can’t remember it’s full name.  From speaking to friends who also saw it, it was a love/hate response.
 

I was eager to watch this series too and like you, I was left a little disappointed. The ship looks stunning and I love to drink and party, but not so much in the way VV is portrayed.

On reflection I'll stick with Celebrity and Princess.

[CruisingWalter]

14 hours ago, TX-Cruiser said:

I felt Celebrity has the edge on embarkation and but Virgin 100% has it on disembarkation. Now, with that said, Virgin doesn't make it really clear how to get off the ship. There are no luggage tags sent to your room. You just leave your original ones on. We would not have known that had we not gone to guest services to figure it all out. 

 

The luggage tag thing was in the app and also in the instructions we got with the luggage tags. Just an FYI. It is different for sure, but as far as the Miami debarkation at Terminal V, it was one of the easiest we've ever had with all the luggage arranged by deck number when we exited the ship. Super easy peasy vs. trying to remember the 'luggage zone' for our luggage. 🙂 

 

We have not sailed Edge class yet, that'll be next. Already looking at a 30th Anniversary vow renewal cruise with Captain Kate and Bug. 🙂 

[CruisingWalter]

2 minutes ago, Esprit said:

I was eager to watch this series too and like you, I was left a little disappointed. The ship looks stunning and I love to drink and party, but not so much in the way VV is portrayed.

On reflection I'll stick with Celebrity and Princess.

 

Was that the Bachelorette reality series? That's what aired here in the US. Totally trashy reality series and that's the reason so many people had their cruises abruptly cancelled last spring. Some with only two weeks notice. That was a terrible PR move for Virgin to charter the ship for a terrible reality series at the last minute. 

 

That being said, Virgin Scarlet Lady was an AMAZING experience, not at all what we expected. I thought we would be 'one and done' but now looking to book more Scarlet and Valiant cruises in the future. If you want to see what the ships are really like, not the sensationalized reality show or the click bait vlogs, you can visit my YouTube channel where I have a ship review, food review, cabin tour and more. CC doesn't allow me to post links to my own channel, but if you search Where's Walter Travel on YouTube, you'll find it. 🙂 

[Jeremiah1212]

15 hours ago, TX-Cruiser said:

Virgin intrigued me but only because it was a new experience....I don't need to do it again but I didn't have any regrets. Hope that all makes sense.

That mirrors my thoughts as well. I didn’t hate it. Didn’t love it. Would I book it again voluntarily? Probably not. But if a group of friends were set on VV, I wouldn’t necessarily say no like I would if they suggested Carnival. Full disclosure - I did not pay for my VV cruise but that didn’t sway my thoughts. 

 

59 minutes ago, Esprit said:

I was eager to watch this series too and like you, I was left a little disappointed. The ship looks stunning and I love to drink and party, but not so much in the way VV is portrayed.

On reflection I'll stick with Celebrity and Princess.

This is where my ‘trying a little too hard’ comment comes into play. Yes, it’s more lively than Celebrity, but it’s not nonstop champagne showers and dancing. Just like  you can easily avoid the crowd at the Martini Bar or Silent Disco on Celebrity, there are plenty of places on VV to get away from a boisterous event that may not be for you. 

[Cruising Cindy Lou]

We were on Virgin in August.  5 days on Scarlet Lady.  We were excited to try something new.  It was our 6th different line.  It was probably a one and done for us.  Everyone should give it a try.  But just found out we like the more traditional cruising.

The food was amazing in the restaurants.  Loved the hammock on the balcony.  But I missed the traditional shows in the theater.  The show "Never Sleep Alone", was terrible.  They wanted you to get up and talk to strangers about sex.  No thanks, I am a prude I guess.  Condoms on the tables. Little much for me.

During the day very quiet.  No cruise director. No announcements.  Not a set nightly show. No buffet, you go to the not buffet and order your food and it is delivered to you.  So if you order fries they are brought to you by one staff member, a taco will come 5 minutes later...and so on.

People either love it or hate it.  

 

[CruisingWalter]

1 minute ago, Cruising Cindy Lou said:

The food was amazing in the restaurants.  Loved the hammock on the balcony.  But I missed the traditional shows in the theater.  The show "Never Sleep Alone", was terrible.  They wanted you to get up and talk to strangers about sex.  No thanks, I am a prude I guess.  Condoms on the tables. Little much for me.

 

 

NSA is the one show everyone talks about as being 'weird' or 'not for me' but it's not representative of all the entertainment on that ship. That's what surprised my wife and I when we cruised Scarlet Lady. I expected many more sexual innuendo shows or overt sexual things throughout the ship and it wasn't there. Just that one show and the other one she has, with both shows being very easily avoidable by just not going to The Manor on those evenings. For us NSA was a bad show as well and we left after 10 minutes, but it's just one of many shows and performers throughout the ship. 

 

I'll agree, there's no "traditional big stage show" and you don't have the 'traditional comedy shows' but that is the whole point of that cruise line, it's not the same old entertainment as everyone else. but we really enjoyed Duel Reality in The Red Room and the various singers and performers at On The Rocks and throughout the ship. And we LOVED the drag queen show in The Manor, that was so over the top funny. Have never seen anything like that in any cruise. 

 

We've done 8 cruise lines so far, soon to be 9 and 10, and we do agree Virgin is the most unique of any of the lines we've sailed. But the quality of the food and the incredible crew really makes us excited to get back on Scarlet and try her sister Valiant soon as well. 🙂

[PTC DAWG]

Lack of a drink package is a full stop for me.  I’m not counting drinks to figure out where I stand on my cruise bill. I gave that up years ago.  
 

Right now, VV prices out at more per night for a comparable balcony WITHOUT a drink package. Big difference.