Yes, Virgin Voyages is good for Alaska. It is not the right Alaska cruise for everybody though, and the reasons have almost nothing to do with what people argue about online.
I sailed 14 nights back to back on Brilliant Lady through Alaska and the Canadian coast. That was sailing 36 and 37 for me with Virgin Voyages, so I had a lot to compare it against.
There is a loud take going around that Brilliant Lady was never built for a cold itinerary and that the outdoor spaces go to waste. I want to answer that one head on, because I lived on that ship for two weeks and it is not what I saw.
So here is everything I wish somebody had told me before I boarded: what actually happens outside, the Alaska-only programming nobody warns you about, what the shore things really cost, and who should book this ship over anybody else.
The Biggest Complaint About Virgin Voyages in Alaska, and What I Actually Saw
The complaint goes like this: Brilliant Lady is a warm weather ship, Alaska is cold, so half of it goes unused. I heard it before I sailed and I still see it in my comments constantly.
Here is what actually happened. Sailors were outside all the time, on both of my sailings.
Virgin Voyages did one very smart thing that nobody talks about: there are gray fuzzy blankets everywhere. Not just the two red ones in your cabin. Everywhere.
They are at the pool, at The Dock, at Richard’s Rooftop, and stashed all around the ship, with towels out too. People grab one and wear it around like a cape, and honestly it is adorable.
The pool and the jacuzzi are both heated, and heated properly. The jacuzzi was a hot bath. The pool was not steaming, but it was more than comfortable.
How Cold Is It Really, Inside and Out
Outside, dress for it and you are fine. Alaska in May ran cool and windy, and the views were worth every layer I put on.
I got in the jacuzzi on one of the coldest nights of the sailing. I brought a towel up, grabbed a couple of the fuzzy blankets, wore my big winter coat, and got in with Ketchikan sitting right there around us.
It was one of my favorite nights of the whole trip.
The part that genuinely surprised me is the inside of the ship. Brilliant Lady runs cooler indoors than a Caribbean sailing does.
This was sailing 36 and 37 for me, and I wore an indoor jacket more often than I ever have on Virgin Voyages. Some sailors were in tank tops and perfectly happy. Others sat inside wrapped in a blanket.
The doors at The Roundabout open and close constantly, because people really are moving in and out all day. Bring layers you can add and drop, not one enormous coat.
What Happens to Scarlet Night, the Pool Party, and Sailaway
Scarlet Night moves indoors. So does the PJ party, and the PJ party is much bigger now: it runs all over the ship instead of just The Manor. If you want the full breakdown of the new programming, I went through it in my Brilliant Lady post.
The pool party does not happen. I asked about this on Instagram and a lot of you told me you would still want it, because it stays light so early and so late in Alaska.
I hear you, and I still think you would freeze. It gets genuinely windy up there. The new indoor Scarlet Night is a great time, so you are not missing out on the night, just on the pool.
Sailaway can absolutely happen outside. I did two sailaways out of Seattle in May and both of them were outdoors in beautiful weather. If the weather turns, it moves inside.
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The Alaska-Only Happenings Cast: Three People You Do Not Get Anywhere Else
This is the one I did not see coming, and it is the biggest reason the ship feels like Alaska instead of a Caribbean ship parked in a fjord.
The Happenings Cast is normally a fixed group. For Alaska, Virgin Voyages added three more: a Naturalist, a Lumberjack, and a Culturalist.
They run their own programming and none of it exists on any other itinerary. The Naturalist hosts viewing sessions where you grab a coffee, watch the coastline go by, and actually learn what you are looking at.
The Lumberjack does talks at The Athletic Club about what that job really is. The Culturalist runs sessions like the one I sat in on in The Manor about Alaska Native masks.
I was so locked in on the ports that I nearly missed all of it, and I still ran out of time across 14 nights. Do not make my mistake.
The Alaska Events Worth Your Time, and the Ones That Cost Extra
My favorite paid one was Headphones and Horizons. It is a private glacier viewing up on The Perch, and it is worth every dollar.
You get premium binoculars, headphones, unlimited mulled wine, hot chocolate, and Abby telling you the story of what is sitting right in front of you.
On the free side, You Don’t Know Lumberjack is a game show where the room splits into two sides and competes. It was one of the most fun hours I had on board.
The Social Club runs Alaska trivia like Crack the Crab and Bear Wit It, and people got competitive. There are foodie events too, where you make Alaska dishes and drinks.
Here is the part to actually act on. Most of these are first come, first served, but a handful carry a fee, the same way Grog Walk and Loteria do.
Get to your cabin as soon as you board and start booking. Dining opens the day you arrive, and Murder in the Manor is a booking now too, which is new.
Alaska-Only Food and Drink: Look for the Little Bear
I expected a few Alaska dishes in the restaurants. It is not a few, and it is not just the restaurants.
It is every bar, The Galley, Grounds Club, and The Dock House, where Opa Hour becomes Golden Hour. I ran out of meals before I ran out of things to try, and I had 14 nights.
The tip that makes this easy: look for the little bear icon on the menu. The legend spells it out as Alaska Exclusive, and it sits right alongside the vegetarian and gluten free markers.
What to Actually Pack for Virgin Voyages Alaska
Layers, and a jacket you are happy wearing indoors. That is the whole answer.
Do not bring one enormous coat. Bring a waterproof outer layer, a warm middle layer, and things you can pull on and off as you move between the heated indoors and the open decks.
I lived in a hoodie and a puffer, and I used them inside about as much as I used them outside.
Don’t forget to pack THIS!
Virgin Voyages has reimagined sailing and what you need to pack on for this trip is DIFFERENT than a normal cruise line. There are many items I wish I knew to bring (that I didn’t have with me on my first sailing).
Get a free printable pack list and save yourself the headache!
OR if you’re just looking for some inspo! See the curated list of Amazon items I’ve put together (and use!) for Virgin Voyages.
Book Your Shore Things the Same Day You Book Your Cruise
If you take one thing from this whole post, take this one. Alaska shore things sell out, and they sell out early.
In Prince Rupert, Canada, there is a grizzly bear expedition that only holds a small number of people. It was gone. I walked into the shop on board and asked them to help me find a way in, and there was no way in.
The one that was worth every penny for me was dog sledding on the glacier. It was magical and I would go back tomorrow.
Book early even if you are not certain yet. The cancellation window usually runs to about a day out, and they adjust it, so you have room to change your mind. Holding the spot costs you nothing.
Be Honest With Yourself About the Shore Things Budget
I spent more on shore things than I spent on the cruise itself.
That is not a complaint and I would still book them. But nobody told me going in, and I would rather you hear it from me now than find out when the folio lands.
These are magical experiences. They are not magically free. Build the shore things budget at the same time you build the cruise budget, not after.
Sea Terrace or Insider Cabin for Alaska?
For Alaska specifically, I would take the Sea Terrace. If you are still deciding between ships as well as cabins, I broke that down in my guide to the differences between the Virgin Voyages ships.
This is the one itinerary where I kept wanting to look at something gorgeous without going out and finding a spot among everybody else. There were too many moments sailing past something incredible where I just wanted to step out of my own room and watch it.
If you are booking the Insider to keep the cost down, that is a completely reasonable call. And here is the thing I did not find until my very last day: there is an Alaska live stream on your cabin TV.
It shows you what is happening outside, right now. I found it on the final day, sitting in Seattle, with nothing left to look at. Learn from me and turn it on early.
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Alaska With No Kids On Board Is the Real Reason to Pick This Ship
Virgin Voyages is 18 and over. In Alaska, that lands completely differently than it does in the Caribbean.
The first time I went to Alaska I was a kid, on a different cruise line, and I was dragged there by my parents. I wanted a beach. I did not want to count whales.
I thought about that a lot on this trip, because doing it as an adult was a completely different experience. Quiet decks. Nobody shrieking through the glacier viewing. A red hammock on my balcony that would not have survived five minutes with kids around.
If you have been going back and forth between Virgin Voyages and one of the big family lines for Alaska, this is the deciding factor. More than the food, more than the parties.
Small Things I Wish Somebody Had Told Me
Seattle is not Miami. It is a new port for Virgin Voyages and they are still working out the rhythm of it. Tag your luggage before you get to the terminal and you will save yourself a headache.
The photo booths run during the day now, not just on Scarlet Night. I spent my first week looking frumpy and rushed in all of them before I worked this out. Dress cute, take the photo.
The shopping is a whole thing. Alaska items in every store, pop-up shops that appear during the sailing, Alaska pieces in the Virgin Voyages brand store, and the Happenings Cast even runs little runway moments with sailors modeling the merch. Check the app so you do not miss the pop-ups.
And if you want the port-by-port version of all of this, every map, the packing list, and a vlog from every single stop, it is all free on my Alaska resource page.
Virgin Voyages Alaska FAQs
Is Virgin Voyages adults only in Alaska?
Yes. Every Virgin Voyages sailing is 18 and over, Alaska included.
Is the pool heated on Brilliant Lady in Alaska?
Yes, and so is the jacuzzi. The jacuzzi runs properly hot. The pool is comfortable rather than steaming.
Does Virgin Voyages have a pool party in Alaska?
No. Scarlet Night and the PJ party both move indoors, and the indoor programming was expanded to make up for it.
Do you get free hot chocolate on a Virgin Voyages Alaska cruise?
No. The free drip coffee and tea are in your cabin as always, but there are no hot chocolate packets.
Do you need a balcony for a Virgin Voyages Alaska cruise?
You do not need one, but Alaska is the itinerary where I think the Sea Terrace earns its price. If you book an Insider, use the Alaska live stream on your cabin TV.
Is it cold inside the ship?
Cooler than a Caribbean sailing. Bring a jacket you are comfortable wearing indoors, not just one for the deck.
Are the Alaska shore things worth the money?
The ones I picked absolutely were, and I would book them again. Just budget for them properly, because I spent more on shore things than I did on the cruise.
The Bottom line
Virgin Voyages is good for Alaska if you want an adults-only ship with real food, real nightlife, and a version of Alaska that is not built around lecture halls and bus tours.
It is the wrong pick if you are bringing kids, or if what you want from Alaska is a naturalist narrating every single mile from a forward lounge. That is a real style of Alaska cruise and other lines do it better.
For me, after 14 nights, it was the most fun I have ever had in Alaska, and I have been going since I was a kid who did not want to be there. Book your shore things early, pack layers, and go find the little bear on the menu.
