Maximise your Avios, air miles and hotel points

Spend the day on Brilliant Lady, the new Virgin Voyages ship, for 7500 Virgin Points!

Links on Head for Points may support the site by paying a commission.  See here for all partner links.

Virgin Voyages is gearing up to launch its fourth vessel, Brilliant Lady.

Before it sets off, it is holding an open day on Wednesday 20th August in Portsmouth.

Everything is on the house once you are there, including an evening meal in one of the restaurants, shows in the theatre and a late evening party.

Spend the day on Brilliant Lady, the new Virgin Voyages ship

Tickets cost 7,500 Virgin Points each via the website here. We’d value these at £75 if used for a premium cabin flight redemption, so the event certainly isn’t ‘free’.

However, if you are thinking of a Virgin Voyages cruise or – like me – like the idea of having a good poke around a cruise ship without the bother of actually having to sail somewhere, it is quite tempting.

This is how the event is described:

That’s right, Brilliant Lady is throwing open her gangway for a launch party like no other – and you’re invited to step aboard and discover what it means to sail The Virgin Way.

You’ll have a full afternoon and evening to explore. Once onboard, the bars will be on hand to serve up a sample of your favourite tipples – whether it’s bubbles, spritzes, or something a little stronger.

Live music will echo through the decks and vibrant pop-up acts will appear in unexpected places. Signature karaoke lounge, The Groupie, will be available for those who fancy a singalong or just want to soak up the fun. Plus, you’ll be among the first to enjoy one of Brilliant Lady’s brand-new shows, created exclusively for her debut season.

Of course, no visit would be complete without a taste of Virgin Voyages’ award-winning dining. For your evening meal, you’ll pre-book a glamorous, one-night-only dinner show or a table at one of the ship’s six elevated restaurants. Whether it’s perfectly cooked steak at The Wake, upscale Mexican at Pink Agave, or modern Spanish-inspired fare at Rojo – a new concept unique to Brilliant Lady – you can expect nothing short of exceptional.

Spend the day on Brilliant Lady, the new Virgin Voyages ship

Either side of your dinner reservation, there are plenty more options for casual bites and late-night cravings. Grab a slice from the pizzeria, cool off with a scoop from the ice cream parlour, or graze your way through countless food market-style eateries. One thing’s for sure: you won’t go hungry.

As the sun sets, prepare to dive headfirst into Scarlet Night, Virgin Voyages’ iconic ship-wide celebration, brought to life in full. Think dazzling visuals, immersive characters, pulsating beats, and surprises around every turn. A splash of red is encouraged, whether in your outfit or accessories – because this is no ordinary evening: it’s bold, brilliant, and unmistakably Virgin.

Please note this event is not an overnight stay, and there will be no access to cabins, spa facilities, the casino, or retail spaces during your visit. The party will conclude by 23:00, so be sure to make the most of every minute onboard.

You can find out more, and redeem, on the Virgin Red website here or in the Virgin Red app. You may need to search in the app for the word ‘brilliant’ to bring it up.

Note that no under 18s are allowed. This is, in theory, a full day event if you stay for the party in the evening – you’ll have nine hours on board if you are there at the start.

Comments (66)

  • Mark says:

    We’ve booked. Great day out. Shame they’ll be no cabin use, would be good if they did it as an add on. Worth it for somewhere to freshen up and get changed etc.

    I’ve booked the travel lodge opposite the port. 12pm checkin, free parking and cancellable

  • Mark says:

    Strangely, just been offered a 5 night freebie from New York on the same ship. Alas too busy.

    • Mr. AC says:

      Do you know how you became eligible for that? I’d love to take that…

      • Thegasman says:

        Spend some $$$ in the onboard casino on a previous VV cruise would be my guess.

        • Mark says:

          Through a casino partner.

          If you play on land or cruise casinos and have status, there are agents out there that will get you free or discounted cruises on other lines.

          I’ve just managed to get a week on Norweigian Aqua next Easter in a Family Suite W/ Master Bedroom for the three of us.

          All drinks, internet, speciality restaurants, excusions etc for $2100

          Website price is over £6000 and that doesn’t include some of the perks.

          • Mr. AC says:

            That’s pretty interesting. Would you say that you’ve spent a corresponding amount of $ at the casino, or some lower or higher amount?

  • Nigel says:

    Has anybody received the follow-up confirmation email which allows dinner booking etc yet?

    • David S says:

      Not me and no indication of timescales for it arriving either – hours, days or weeks. Who knows !

    • Yvo says:

      It came through within ten minutes and we had to enter passport details to make the dinner booking.

      • Nigel says:

        Did you book the ship visit with Virgin Red today? We did it this morning and still haven’t received email… wondering if there might be a delay as it’s the weekend?

        • Yvo says:

          Friday before after spotting it on the Virgin Red site. Might be activated on a working day?

  • paul-uk says:

    Are we SURE that drinks are included – cruise lines are notorious for saying “all inclusive” and then offer drink packages on top.

    • Ladyshopper says:

      I must have missed the bit where it said drinks are included, and I read it three times! It says the bars are open, but doesn’t say they’re included?

      Soft drinks and hot drinks on Virgin cruises are included as standard, but alcoholic drinks are not, so definitely something worth checking.

      • paul-uk says:

        It hasn’t stated included alcohol, merely implied it.

        £75 each (7500 points x 2) for a meal and a show
        £60 each for a budget hotel
        £20 for parking
        £20 for Taxi to/from hotel
        £50-£75 each for alcohol (cruise pricing) ??
        £30 fuel
        2 days off work midweek

        All of a sudden it loses it’s appeal lol

    • Nigel says:

      The Virgin Red site does say:

      “Will I need to pay for anything extra on board?
      Nope – everything is included in the ticket price.
      Just a heads-up: alcohol is complimentary but only available while supplies last.”

      https://membersupport.red.virgin.com/hc/en-gb/articles/36258278803473-Will-I-need-to-pay-for-anything-extra-on-board

      • stevenhp1987 says:

        Ah, hidden in the Faqs rather than on the main page.

      • paul says:

        PMSL they leave on a Transatlantic crossing the next day (only invited guests and family)

        If they run out of alcohol on launch day, it’s going to be a pretty miserable crossing for those invited lol

  • stevenhp1987 says:

    Good day out for 7,500 VS miles, even if alcoholic drinks are not included (doesn’t say they are on Virgin Red…).

    I was beginning to wonder if we’d make it onboard a VV ship this year.

    We normally go straight to the pool deck on embarkation but without a cabin that will be interesting as if others have the same idea then the 2 pool bathrooms will be busy with people changing.

    • paul says:

      When they say it’s an EXCLUSIVE EVENT (@7500 or £75 ISH) it’s shows Virgin as liars and untrustworthy again – when you could buy the deal for less on an external website.

      Just about everything they do they fail miserably at.

      • stevenhp1987 says:

        The ship won’t be full. Therefore it’s exclusive.

        Only 80 tickets were sold for £49

  • mkcol says:

    Weird, I’ve sufficient points in Virgin Red but it won’t let me select any number of tix.
    I’ve force closed the app, reloaded but still refuses to play.

  • Jay says:

    Is anyone else going solo? It seems like it might be more geared toward couples, and while I’d really love to go, I’m single and a bit unsure if I’d feel out of place. I would also be travelling down via train.

    • stevenhp1987 says:

      VV generally has plenty of solo cruisers on board. Plenty to do on your own. I’m sure most people on board will be friendly too.

      If you go then perhaps request Gunbae for your meal. You’re seated on a shared table of up to 8.

      • CameronDeeze says:

        I forgot about how awkward that dining experience was. The yelling definitely distracts from the food.

  • CameronDeeze says:

    I sailed last year around Greece with Virgin on points. If you’re considering sailing with them, would recommend doing this taster. I found the staff to be lovely and the entertainers very keen to help you have a good time. The food and overall experience isn’t something I’m keen to repeat though. It all felt very manufactured Disney adult fun times on board and then being shuffled on and off the boat to ports either best visited outside of a mass tour group or avoided entirely. A friend did a cruise to no where on Scarlet Lady during sea trials on points before she launched and also found that helpful in deciding not to sail again. If you’re on the fence about cruising, try to get a taste before committing to a full itinerary.

Leave a Reply to CameronDeeze Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Please click here to read our data protection policy before submitting your comment

The UK's biggest frequent flyer website uses cookies, which you can block via your browser settings. Continuing implies your consent to this policy. Our privacy policy is here.