"Virgin virgin" - a few questions!

[connolk]

We're sailing on Scarlet Lady 3/24-3/29 Riviera Maya. First time on Virgin, lots of questions! I watched a lot of videos to get an overview of the ship, dining options, etc.  Thanks in advance for answers! 

 

• We are travelling with a friend who will be in another cabin.  Is the regular WiFi sufficient for using the Virgin App to communicate with your fellow travelers, or should we upgrade?  My hubby and our friend are both technologically challenged, so I need to make sure we can find each other when we're in different places! 
• Is the regular wifi good for using What's App?? 
• I saw a few videos about the Tea Service in the afternoon, extra charge $20 ish.  It looks like a lot of food for one person - can we share it??
• Has anyone seen scones and cream anyplace other than with the tea?
• Has anyone done the new Bites and Bubbles? What time of day is it usually done?  
• For the Bimini stop: do you know if they have a shuttle from the gangway to catch the tram? (Hubby has a wicked bad back and it looks like a lot of walking to get to it.) This will be our only time getting off the ship.
• I've read that it can be a challenge to reserve SHOWS:  Has anyone had luck getting reservations after you board, or are they booked up? 
• On the agenda, there is a "Festival Stage" in the Red Room, but what is it?
• Is LOLz Supper Club a comedy show? with dinner?
• How much is the "Behind the scenes" tour?
• What the heck is Boomvang?

 

Thanks! 

 

 

 

 

[cantgetin]

The fee for the high tea is per person, whether you share the food or not.  They bring an amount for each person but if there are 2 of you, it comes on one serving array.
I have not found scones and cream on VV,  THere ars chocolate scones in RD, but they need to be warmed up; I'm not a fan of them "as served."

You cannot reserve shows until after boarding.Booking availability depends on length of cruise and how many people book things and don't show up. THere is a standby line and we have generally been seated from the standby line.

Festival Stage is the entertainers who are brought on for one or two cruises....it may be a magician, a mentalist, or whatever.  There are generally 2 or 3 per cruise.

Yes, the supper club is a show with dinner served

Behing the Scenes is $200 per person (or was...may have increased).

Boomvang is a nightclub type event

We've always had complimentary premium wifi, so can't answer about regular.

[jon81uk]

The app works on the local network once on the ship so it makes no difference if you have the streaming or the regular WiFi. The ability to message others doesn’t work in the app, but WhatsApp is usually fine on all WiFi unless the weather is terrible and they lose connection to the satellite (then no WiFi works at all).

 

Personally I don’t see the value in the afternoon tea, there is plenty of other good food for free, The Galley has a large selection of patisserie style cakes. But it is charged as enough for one person and I don’t think there is anything stopping you splitting a serving for one.

 

It’s about a two minute walk down the pier to the tram at Bimini, there is no transport from the ship to the tram but it isn’t far. Be aware that if you get off at other ports there may be even longer walks through port areas.

 

I’ve personally never had an issue getting into shows, but fitness clssses can fill up quickly and the smaller activities (like Grog Walk and Loteria). Festival Stage is guest acts like comedians or magicians. LOLz supper club is brand new this week and it’s three comedians in a 90 minute show with dinner. BoomVang is just a nightclub night, Heartbeat is a better one.

[connolk]

6 hours ago, cantgetin said:

The fee for the high tea is per person, whether you share the food or not.  They bring an amount for each person but if there are 2 of you, it comes on one serving array.
I have not found scones and cream on VV,  THere ars chocolate scones in RD, but they need to be warmed up; I'm not a fan of them "as served."

You cannot reserve shows until after boarding.Booking availability depends on length of cruise and how many people book things and don't show up. THere is a standby line and we have generally been seated from the standby line.

Festival Stage is the entertainers who are brought on for one or two cruises....it may be a magician, a mentalist, or whatever.  There are generally 2 or 3 per cruise.

Yes, the supper club is a show with dinner served

Behing the Scenes is $200 per person (or was...may have increased).

Boomvang is a nightclub type event

We've always had complimentary premium wifi, so can't answer about regular.

Thank you very much for your replies!  

[connolk]

3 hours ago, jon81uk said:

The app works on the local network once on the ship so it makes no difference if you have the streaming or the regular WiFi. The ability to message others doesn’t work in the app, but WhatsApp is usually fine on all WiFi unless the weather is terrible and they lose connection to the satellite (then no WiFi works at all).

 

Personally I don’t see the value in the afternoon tea, there is plenty of other good food for free, The Galley has a large selection of patisserie style cakes. But it is charged as enough for one person and I don’t think there is anything stopping you splitting a serving for one.

 

It’s about a two minute walk down the pier to the tram at Bimini, there is no transport from the ship to the tram but it isn’t far. Be aware that if you get off at other ports there may be even longer walks through port areas.

 

I’ve personally never had an issue getting into shows, but fitness clssses can fill up quickly and the smaller activities (like Grog Walk and Loteria). Festival Stage is guest acts like comedians or magicians. LOLz supper club is brand new this week and it’s three comedians in a 90 minute show with dinner. BoomVang is just a nightclub night, Heartbeat is a better one.

Thank you very much for your replies!  

[neverendingcruising]

We were able to chat through the Virgin app on our last cruise, however it wasn't very reliable. A lot of times no notification of a new message if you weren't actively in the app. Honestly it seemed kind of pointless since everyone gets free WiFi. I guess maybe if you didn't want to give out your number or become instant FB friends with other sailors it might be useful? 

[drg1223]

On 3/8/2024 at 12:04 AM, neverendingcruising said:

We were able to chat through the Virgin app on our last cruise, however it wasn't very reliable. A lot of times no notification of a new message if you weren't actively in the app. Honestly it seemed kind of pointless since everyone gets free WiFi. I guess maybe if you didn't want to give out your number or become instant FB friends with other sailors it might be useful? 

If you have iphones the imessage works fine and for the others What's App also works...for call too.  If you are all traveling together and friends anyway, it should not be a big deal to tarade info.  That being said, I have met new people on all of our cruises (3 VVs) and traded numbers with them to cooridnate plans.