Cruise Spotlight
Helping you find cruise ships you'll love
Celebrity Beyond vs Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady
The Celebrity Beyond was built in 2022. The Celebrity Beyond is a step up from its siblings, with an additional deck and more outdoor space. It still features the "Magic Carpet," a moving platform that makes using water tenders a breeze while in port, or adds outdoor dining space while at sea. This Edge-class of ship is known to feel quite different than the rest of the Celebrity fleet as it's less geared towards traditional cruise passengers. It's 1 year newer than the Scarlet Lady, which was built in 2021 and renovated in 2024. This is an adults-only ship; all guests must be 18 or older.
Comparison Overview
- Ship Size
- Number of Passengers
- Food and Restaurants
- Bars and Drinks
- Pools and Hot Tubs
- Ship Features and Activities
- Cruise Costs
- Onboard Costs
Ship Size
The Beyond is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 1,073 feet long and 128 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 3 football fields, as wide as 2.4 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 17-story building. Compared to the Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady, the Beyond is 28% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Celebrity Beyond holds 21% more passengers than the Scarlet Lady based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you compare the total tonnage of the ship to the number of passengers, or what we call the "Space Ratio," the Beyond has more space per person compared to the Scarlet Lady. This means that you might have a bit more space to yourself on the ship, although there still could be some crowded areas like buffets, pools, etc.
| Celebrity Beyond | Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Edge | Lady |
| Gross Tonnage | 140,600 | 110,000 |
| Length | 1,073 | 912 |
| Beam/Width | 128 | 125 |
| Passenger Decks | 17 | 13 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 3,260 | 2,700 |
| Crew | 1,416 | 1,150 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.3 | 2.3 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 43 | 41 |
Food and Restaurants
Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.
The Beyond has nineteen different dining options like Rooftop Garden Grill, Oceanview Cafe, and Magic Carpet. Of those options, eight are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other eleven options have an additional fee.
The Scarlet Lady has seven fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Gunbae, The Test Kitchen, and The Pizza Place. twelve of these restaurants are complementary.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Beyond might be a better choice. It has 58% more dining options than the Scarlet Lady.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Scarlet Lady might be a better choice then the Beyond. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Celebrity Beyond | Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 19 | 12 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 8 | 12 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 11 | 0 |
| % of Included Options | 42% | 100% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Celebrity Beyond has 5 fewer bars than the Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady. The Beyond has 13 bars like Eden Bar, The Club and The Retreat Pool Bar. On Beyond, you can grab a drink at 18 different bars such as Draught Haus, Grounds Club and The Loose Cannon.
| Celebrity Beyond | Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady |
|---|---|
| •Cafe al Bacio • Craft Social • Eden Bar • Il Secondo Bacio • Magic Carpet Bar • Martini Bar • Mast Bar • Oceanview Bar • Pool Bar • Sunset bar • The Club • The Retreat Pool Bar • World Class Bar | •Casino Bar • Draught Haus • Grounds Club • Gym & Tonic • Mezcal Bar • On The Rocks • Red Bar • Richard's Rooftop Bar • Sip Lounge • Sun Club Bar • The Aquatic Club Bar • The Athletic Club Bar • The Dock Bar • The Dock House Bar • The Grounds Club Too • The Loose Cannon • The Manor • The Social Club |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship.
You can check out recent the bar menus for the Beyond and the Scarlet Lady below.
Pools and Hot Tubs
Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The Celebrity Beyond has a total of 5 pools and 6 hot tubs. 1 of the pools and 2 of the hot tubs are exclusive access, which means there's either an extra charge to access them or you need to book a certain class of cabin to have access to them.
Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady has fewer pools than the Beyond and the same number of hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Scarlet Lady. If you like ships without extra charges or exclusive areas, this might be a better choice since everyone will have access to these areas.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools and two of the hot tubs are adults only on Beyond.| Celebrity Beyond | Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 5 | 2 |
| Pools - General Access | 3 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | |
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 6 | 6 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 2 | 4 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 2 | 2 |
Ship Features and Activities
Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. On the Beyond, 67% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Scarlet Lady, only 55% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Celebrity Beyond | Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady | |
|---|---|---|
| Acrobatic Show | ✗ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✗ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✗ |
| Beyond the Podium Talk Series | ✓ | ✗ |
| Bingo | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Eden Entertainment Space | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Group Fitness | ✗ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✓ |
| Outdoor movies | ✓ | ✗ |
| Private Karaoke Rooms | ✗ | ✓ |
| Rooftop Garden | ✓ | ✗ |
| Salon | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Tattoo Studio | ✗ | ✓ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✓ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Celebrity and Virgin Voyages are both considered "Premium" cruise lines. Premium cruise lines typically offer upscale food, accommodations, and service. These typically cost about $150 - $400 per person per day.
Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year.
Onboard Costs
Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.
Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.
The table below will help you compare onboard prices to see if you might spend more on a specific ship.
| Celebrity Beyond | Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $18.00 | Included |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 20% | Included |
| Soda Price | $4.00 | Included |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.00 See drink menus | $8.00 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $55 - $99 Learn more | No drink package available |
| Internet Plan | $19 to $30 per device per day | Basic Wi-fi is included. Premium is $30/day and Work from Sea is $50/day. |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
Celebrity Cruise Lines offers an "All Included" program. Guests who book a cruise using this promotion will have wifi and alcohol included. Some sailings are available without this program so pay attention when booking. Typically prices are lower if they don't include "Always Included." The wifi and alcohol package are the base levels and can be upgraded for an additional cost.
Want to Stay Up-To-Date on All Things Cruising?
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, or subscribe to our monthly newsletter.
Articles Related the These Ships
About Cruise Spotlight
Founded in 2020, Cruise Spotlight's goal is to help people understand every aspect of cruising. Plenty of sites focus on the perfect Instagram pictures and marketing fluff. We focus on what really matters: onboard expenses, tips for cruise ships, detailed cruise reviews, and more. Our goal is to provide helpful, unbiased information to new and established cruisers. Over the years, we've helped millions of people get the most from their cruise vacation.
Learn more about Cruise Spotlight.