Virgin Voyages: Western Caribbean Charm on the Scarlet Lady - March 2025 - Embarkation Day

Unlike other cruise lines, VV has a late afternoon embarkation, giving you plenty of time to get to their terminal (Terminal V for Miami). This meant I could sleep in, have a leisurely breakfast, pop into Publix to grab the two bottles of wine (allowed per cabin), and then call an Uber to take me to the ship.

NOTE: The cruise terminal in MIami is BUSY, and traffic in was slowwwwwww. The Uber from Brickell to Terminal V took about an hour and cost over $100 (even though the distance was not far).

Once at the terminal, I was queued up in a line for my embarkation time and was actually let in about 45 minutes before that time. Checking in inside the terminal was a breeze, and I was given my band, a smart wearable device that serves as a room key, ID, and payment device on board (and at the Bimini Beach Club).

Then, it was time to get on the Scarlet Lady! We were welcomed aboard by a DJ and the Happenings Cast (an energetic crew of performers, hosts, and experience-makers who keep the ship buzzing with entertainment, social events, and unexpected fun throughout your voyage).

Once I was on board and connected to the WiFi, I found a place to sit and opened up the VV app to book experiences that you can only book once you are on board. Some fill up quickly, so I secured the ones I was most interested in.

Next up, stateroom tour!