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Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady vs Norwegian Star
The Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady is a fairly new ship, being built in 2024. This is an adults-only ship; all guests must be 18 or older. The exterior of the ship was was slightly tweaked so it can go through the Panama Canal, opening different itineraries compared to its sister ships. It's 23 years newer than the Star, which was built in 2001 and renovated in 2024.
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 Brilliant Lady is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 912 feet long and 125 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.5 football fields, as wide as 2.4 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 13-story building. Compared to the Norwegian Star, the Brilliant Lady is 20% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady holds 15% more passengers than the Star 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 Brilliant Lady has more space per person compared to the Star. 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.
| Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady | Norwegian Star | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Lady | Dawn |
| Gross Tonnage | 110,000 | 91,740 |
| Length | 912 | 965 |
| Beam/Width | 125 | 125 |
| Passenger Decks | 13 | 12 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,700 | 2,348 |
| Crew | 1,150 | 1,031 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.3 | 2.3 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 41 | 39 |
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 Brilliant Lady has twelve different dining options like The Galley, Pink Agave, and Extra Virgin. Of those options, twelve are complementary, or included with your cruise fare.
The Star has the same number of dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Topsiders Bar & Grill, Teppanyaki, and Main Dining Room. Ten of these restaurants are complementary and the other eight have an additional fee.
The Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady has about the same number of dining options as the Norwegian Star.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Brilliant Lady might be a better choice then the Star. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady | Norwegian Star | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 12 | 12 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 12 | 10 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 0 | 8 |
| % of Included Options | 100% | 33% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady has 8 more bars than the Norwegian Star. The Brilliant Lady has 18 bars like Casino Bar, On The Rocks and The Aquatic Club Bar. On Star, you can grab a drink at 10 different bars such as Bliss Ultra Lounge, Proof Whiskey Bar and Spice H2O.
| Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady | Norwegian Star |
|---|---|
| •Casino Bar • Draught Haus • Grounds Club • Gym & Tonic • Mezcal Bar • On The Rocks • Richard's Rooftop Bar • Rojo's 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 | •Atrium Cafe • Bliss Ultra Lounge • Casino Bar • Gatsby's Champagne Bar • O'Sheehan's Bar & Grill • Proof Whiskey Bar • Sky High Bar • Spice H2O • Sugarcane Mojito Bar • Topside Bar |
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 Brilliant Lady and the Star 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 Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady has a total of 2 pools and 6 hot tubs. 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.
The Norwegian Star has the same number of pools as the Brilliant Lady and fewer hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Star. If you like ships without extra charges or exclusive areas, this might be a better choice since everyone will have access to these areas.
| Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady | Norwegian Star | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 2 | 2 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 1 |
| Pools - Adults Only | ||
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 6 | 5 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 4 | 5 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | ||
| 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. You might up paying more while on board the Brilliant Lady. Only 55% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Star, 64% of the activities are included at no additional cost.
| Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady | Norwegian Star | |
|---|---|---|
| Acrobatic Show | ✓ | ✗ |
| Adult Only Relaxation Area (free) | ✗ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✗ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cigar Bar | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Group Fitness | ✓ | ✗ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✓ |
| Private Karaoke Rooms | ✓ | ✗ |
| Salon | ✓ | ✗ |
| Shows - musical review | ✗ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✗ | ✓ |
| Tattoo Studio | ✓ | ✗ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✓ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Virgin Voyages is a premium cruise line. Premium cruise lines typically offer upscale food, accommodations, and service. These typically cost about $150 - $400 per person per day.
Norwegian, on the other hand, is considered a mainstream cruise line. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 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. To get a good idea of how the pricing compares, visit the cruise line's website to price out the separate cruises or consult a travel professional.
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.
| Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady | Norwegian Star | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $20.00 | $20.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | Included | 20% |
| Soda Price | Included | $3.50 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.00 See drink menus | $9.99 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | No drink package available | 106 Learn more |
| Internet Plan | Basic Wi-fi is included. Premium is $30/day and Work from Sea is $50/day. | $29.99 - $39.99 per cabin per day, with $5 for each extra device |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
Norwegian Cruise Line offers a Free at Sea fare. Through this program, guests receive open bar, a discount on excursions, some free internet, and some meals at specialty restaurants. If you book using this promotion, you'll be responsible for the gratuities on the dining and drink package. If you won't be using these options, booking a "sail away" rate that doesn't include the Free at Sea benefits is considerably cheaper. Also, most of these benefits are the base packages; you can spend more to upgrade to better alcoholic drinks or faster/more wifi.
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