Boarding Brilliant Lady. First Impressions from Her Maiden Voyage

When Virgin Voyages emailed me an invite to join the maiden voyage of Brilliant Lady, I had about three seconds of hesitation before replying yes please. New ships don’t come around every day, and if Richard Branson’s involved, you just know it’s not going to be beige carpets and “chicken or fish” dinners.

Stepping on board, the first thing I noticed was how different she felt to the “traditional cruise” stereotype. No captains in white hats marching down the hall. No all-you-can-eat buffet with the same pasta on loop. Instead: neon art, cool lounges, and that little Virgin wink in every detail.

Eating My Way Around the Ship

I’ll admit, I treated the restaurants like a personal challenge. These were the firm favourites:

• The Wake – very Mad Men chic. You half expect Don Draper to pop up with a martini.

• Pink Agave – my kind of Mexican. Think bold flavours, good tequila, and zero sombrero clichés.

• Gunbae – Korean BBQ with drinking games at the table. Perfect ice-breaker if you don’t know your shipmates yet.

• Test Kitchen – part chemistry set, part dinner. I still don’t know exactly what I ate, but it was delicious.

A Playground at Sea

Days blurred into a mix of rooftop lounging, slightly smug sunrise yoga, and evenings that started with “just one drink” and ended with me dancing at The Manor like I was 21 again. The spa deserves its own love letter, too – mainly because I lost all sense of time in there.

But what really struck me was how personal it all felt. So many of the crew remembered my name – though by day three, I couldn’t work out if it was down to my charm or my bar tab. Either way, it’s a small touch that makes a floating city feel like your own private clubhouse.

And the cabins? Way smarter than expected. Mood lighting at the touch of a button. A bed that flips into a sofa when you’re pretending you’ll have people over (you won’t).

The Events Brain Switches On

Now, here’s where my day job snuck into my holiday. As someone who works in corporate events and incentives, I couldn’t help but see Brilliant Lady through that lens. Imagine flying your top performers out here: mornings of actual relaxation, afternoons exploring new ports, evenings of entertainment that don’t feel forced.

It’s not just a trip – it’s a story they’ll be telling in the office for years. And that’s what incentives should be, right? Recognition, reward, and a little bit of wow. The highlight for me? Standing with over 2,500 sailors and crew, belting out Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now as we sailed past the Statue of Liberty. An experience like this shows just what Virgin can curate for an incentive buy-out – turning a trip into a once-in-a-lifetime reward.

So yes, I ate too much, danced too much, and fell slightly in love with Brilliant Lady. Huge thanks to Virgin Voyages for the invite – I’ve come back with a tan, a grin, and about twelve new ideas for incentive programmes at sea.