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Disney Dream vs Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady
The Disney Dream was built in 2011. It was renovated in 2024. Disney Dream's exterior has a old-school steam boat feel while the interior leans into the Art Deco styling. Outside the ship, you'll see Sorcerer Mickey painting the name on the stern. It's 10 years older 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 Dream is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 1,115 feet long and 121 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 3.1 football fields, as wide as 2.3 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 14-story building. Compared to the Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady, the Dream is 18% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Disney Dream holds about the same number of passengers as 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 Dream 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.
| Disney Dream | Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Dream | Lady |
| Gross Tonnage | 130,000 | 110,000 |
| Length | 1,115 | 912 |
| Beam/Width | 121 | 125 |
| Passenger Decks | 14 | 13 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,500 | 2,700 |
| Crew | 1,458 | 1,150 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 1.7 | 2.3 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 52 | 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 Dream has ten different dining options like Royal Palace, Enchanted Garden, and Remy. Of those options, six are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other four options have an additional fee.
The Scarlet Lady has two more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Lick Me Til Ice Cream, The Dock / The Dock House, and Social Club Diner. twelve of these restaurants are complementary.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Scarlet Lady might be a better choice. It has 20% more dining options than the Dream.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Scarlet Lady might be a better choice then the Dream. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Disney Dream | Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 10 | 12 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 6 | 12 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 4 | 0 |
| % of Included Options | 60% | 100% |
| See the options | See the options |
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.
There are also plenty of bars available on these ships. You can check out recent the bar menus for 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 Disney Dream has a total of 3 pools and 3 hot tubs.
Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady has fewer pools than the Dream and more hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Scarlet Lady. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools and one of the hot tubs are adults only on Dream.| Disney Dream | Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 3 | 2 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | |
| Pools - Exclusive | ||
| Total Hot Tubs | 3 | 6 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 2 | 4 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 1 | |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 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 Dream, 77% 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.
| Disney Dream | Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady | |
|---|---|---|
| Acrobatic Show | ✗ | ✓ |
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✗ |
| Arcade | ✗ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✗ | ✓ |
| Character experiences | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Group Fitness | ✗ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mini golf | ✓ | ✗ |
| Movie Theater | ✓ | ✗ |
| Private Karaoke Rooms | ✗ | ✓ |
| Salon | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shows - Broadway play | ✓ | ✗ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✓ | ✗ |
| Tattoo Studio | ✗ | ✓ |
| Thermal Suites | ✗ | ✓ |
| Virtual Sports Simulator | ✓ | ✗ |
| Water Coaster | ✓ | ✗ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Disney 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. Typically newer ships cost more, so a cruise on Disney Dream will likely be cheaper than on Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady.
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.
| Disney Dream | Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $16.00 | Included |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% | Included |
| Soda Price | Included | Included |
| Domestic Beer Price | $6.50 | $8.00 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | No drink package available | No drink package available |
| Internet Plan | $12 - $36 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. | ||
With Disney Cruises, soda is included for meals, but will have an extra cost at bars and throughout the day. While no drink packages are available, you can preorder bottles of wine or beer at a discount.
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