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Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady vs Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas
The Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady was built in 2021. It was renovated in 2024. This is an adults-only ship; all guests must be 18 or older. It's 13 years newer than the Independence of the Seas, which was built in 2008 and renovated in 2018.
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 Scarlet 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 Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas, the Scarlet Lady is 29% smaller in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady holds 30% fewer passengers than the Independence of the Seas 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 Scarlet Lady has more space per person compared to the Independence of the Seas. 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 Scarlet Lady | Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Lady | Freedom |
| Gross Tonnage | 110,000 | 154,407 |
| Length | 912 | 1,112 |
| Beam/Width | 125 | 185 |
| Passenger Decks | 13 | 14 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,700 | 3,858 |
| Crew | 1,150 | 1,440 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.3 | 2.7 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 41 | 40 |
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 Scarlet Lady has twelve different dining options like Gunbae, Social Club Diner, and The Pizza Place. Of those options, twelve are complementary, or included with your cruise fare.
The Independence of the Seas has one more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Vintages Wine Bar, Sorrento's Pizza, and Chops Grille. nine of these restaurants are complementary and the other nine have an additional fee.
The Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady has about the same number of dining options as the Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Scarlet Lady might be a better choice then the Independence of the Seas. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady | Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 12 | 13 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 12 | 9 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 0 | 9 |
| % of Included Options | 100% | 31% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady has 4 more bars than the Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas. The Scarlet Lady has 18 bars like Richard's Rooftop Bar, The Aquatic Club Bar and The Dock House Bar. On Scarlet Lady, you can grab a drink at 14 different bars such as Olive or Twist, Solarium Bar and Suite Lounge.
| Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady | Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas |
|---|---|
| •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 | •Boleros • Casino Bar • Champagne Bar • English Pub • Olive or Twist • Playmakers • Pool Bar • Schooner Bar • Sky Lounge • Solarium Bar • Star Lounge • Suite Lounge • The Plaza Bar • Vintages |
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. Most Royal Caribbean ships also have Coke Freestyle machines where you can make 100 different flavor combinations.
You can check out recent the bar menus for the Scarlet Lady and the Independence of the Seas 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 Scarlet 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.
Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas has more pools than the Scarlet Lady and more hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Independence of the Seas. 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 Scarlet Lady | Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 2 | 3 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | |
| Pools - Exclusive | 0 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 6 | 7 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 4 | 5 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 2 | 0 |
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 Scarlet Lady. Only 55% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Independence of the Seas, 72% of the activities are included at no additional cost.
| Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady | Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Acrobatic Show | ✓ | ✗ |
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✗ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✗ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Climbing Wall | ✗ | ✓ |
| Escape Room | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| FlowRider | ✗ | ✓ |
| Group Fitness | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ice Skating | ✗ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✗ |
| Laser Tag | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mini golf | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✗ | ✓ |
| Private Karaoke Rooms | ✓ | ✗ |
| Salon | ✓ | ✗ |
| Shows - Broadway play | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✗ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✗ | ✓ |
| Tattoo Studio | ✓ | ✗ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✗ |
| Water slides | ✗ | ✓ |
| 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.
Royal Caribbean, 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 Scarlet Lady | Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | Included | $18.50 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | Included | 18% |
| Soda Price | Included | $3.50 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.00 See drink menus | $8.25 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | No drink package available | $77 - $118 Learn more |
| Internet Plan | Basic Wi-fi is included. Premium is $30/day and Work from Sea is $50/day. | $19 to $30 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing, which means the pricing for many things will vary per sailing. The daily gratuities and tip are consistent across the fleet, but the pricing for the drink package, internet, and excursions will change. The only way to know your price is to consult the Royal Caribbean cruise planner once you're booked.
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