Where am I – Virgin Voyages ‘Resilient Lady’
Destination – Burnie, Tasmania
Duration – Two night getaway, Melbourne return
Suitable for – Couples, singles and groups of friends. The ship is adults only (18+), with a strong focus on good food, unique experiences and a vibrant day / to night life.
Highlight – I felt the two night voyage was a great option for anyone new to cruising, and the timing (just pre Christmas) was a fun way to wrap up the year. Sailing from and to Port Melbourne made the whole experience as stress free as can be (I travelled home on the tram, virtually door to door!) And actually journeying out of Port Philip Bay itself was an unexpected treat - we watched the sun going down over the city from the prime vantage point of The Dock House; situated at the rear of deck 7 with an expansive indoor outdoor layout. Once you’re settled, you can order a variety of mezze treats straight to your sunbed as the spray from the ocean occasionally mists over the deck to keep you cool. Perfect!
Recommendation (fav meal / drink) – With only two nights to play with, we had our work cut out to visit every single restaurant and bar on board (there are over 20!) but we made a valiant effort!!
Pink Agave (Mexican) was an absolute standout for quality of the food (as good as anything you’d have on land) and the attentive service. I loved the decor of Extra Virgin (Italian), and we had some fabulous aperitivo sitting at their bar pre dinner one night. Would definitely have returned here for a proper sit down meal if we could have secured a reservation. Next time.
The sophisticated surrounds of The Wake (steak & seafood) made for a very glamorous brunch venue. Surprisingly I managed a morsel here (not to mention a morning mimosa), after sneaking in an earlier breakfast at Razzle Dazzle - with it’s outrageous & vibrant decor living up to the name.
We had the obligatory snack pizza at the aptly named Pizza Place. Even managed to squeeze in a few treats in The Galley; Virgin’s version of a buffet, featuring a mix of shops and food-truck-style carts specialising in everything from bento & ramen to burgers & tacos.
Really the only major venue we didn’t at least sample was Gunbae (Korean BBQ), which by all accounts a lot of fun. (*Hot tip, we did pop in here with some takeway breakfast as they opened the restaurant for overflow seating and it was great to get away from the hustle and bustle of the much busier Galley.)
And the only dining disappointment (for our group) was the laboratory-like Test Kitchen; loved the concept, but none of us particularly enjoyed the cuisine.
*You can make dinner reservations (limited to one venue per evening) in advance of your sailing date…and this is highly recommended as they do book out, especially for these shorter sailings. Walk in / waitlist are a possible backup but not guaranteed.
Life on board – With such a large ship, there’s always somewhere new to explore. I particularly enjoyed some of the quirkier design aspects - like the ‘muscle beach’ vibe of the top deck Training Camp. As well as features not found on many (any?) other cruise line; like the barbershop Stubble & Groom, the in house tattoo parlour Squid Ink, and the bookable private karaoke rooms.
Our Sea Terrace (balcony) cabin was compact but very cleverly designed. Heaps of storage and a convertible bed / sofa which was a great bonus when getting together with friends to make multi use of that space. We didn’t really utilise the hammock on the balcony…but I daresay for a long sunny day at sea, this would be the perfect spot to enjoy a good book!
