A look inside Virgin Voyages' cruise ship with free Wi-Fi, no buffets and no kids

If the reason you've been avoiding cruise vacations is because of the impression that it's "for old people" or you just have an aversion to kids, Virgin Voyages could be the game-changer that'll make you do a 180.

The ship with a home port in Miami, Florida, will only be open to those over the age of 18. And instead of endless buffet spreads, be prepared for a la carte options in more than 20 dining venues onboard, all included in the price of the ticket. 

Your ticket will even cover free Wi-Fi, spa services and basic beverages such as soft drinks and coffee and tea — considered a rarity in the world of cruising.

Set to make its debut in April 1, 2020, the 110,000-tonne Scarlet Lady will be able to accommodate 2,800 passengers. While seemingly large, it is smaller than the average capacity of other popular cruise lines like Royal Caribbean, which can fit about 6,000 passengers.

But this isn't really surprising, considering that Virgin Voyages is marketed as a "boutique" cruise liner.

As expected, for the amenities provided, prices are also not run-of-the-mill.

The standard balcony room costs $3,650 (S$4,929) for a five-night cruise from Miami, with Havana as one of its ports of call, reported Skift. 

On board, expect smart cabin rooms with "mood-matching" lighting, plenty of hammocks, beach lounges, and even the first-ever tattoo studio at sea.

Here are some artist renderings of what it'll look like on board:

Lest there be any doubt that the cruise is strictly for adults only, there's even a drag-themed venue and nightclub featuring award-winning guest DJs. 

Virgin's billionaire owner Richard Branson has also mandated that the cruise liner be environmentally-friendly, with no single-use plastics on board.  

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYFYtu8ZTPY[/embed]

Bookings have been open since August 2019 for the Scarlet Lady, and a sailing date for its second ship, Valiant Lady, has already been planned for 2021 — this time offering cruises around the Mediterranean from the home port in Spain. 

candicecai@asiaone.com