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Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady vs Margaritaville at Sea Islander
The Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady was built in 2022. It was renovated in 2026. This is an adults-only ship; all guests must be 18 or older. It's 22 years newer than the Islander, which was built in 2000 and renovated in 2024. The Islander formerly sailed as the Costa Atlantica before it was brought to the Margaritaville fleet.
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
- See Our Detailed Cruise Blog
Ship Size
The Valiant 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 Margaritaville at Sea Islander, the Valiant Lady is 28% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady holds 28% more passengers than the Islander 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 Valiant Lady has more space per person compared to the Islander. 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 Valiant Lady | Margaritaville at Sea Islander | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Lady | MAS Spirit |
| Gross Tonnage | 110,000 | 85,619 |
| Length | 912 | 960 |
| Beam/Width | 125 | 127 |
| Passenger Decks | 13 | 11 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,700 | 2,114 |
| Crew | 1,150 | 920 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.3 | 2.3 |
| 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 Valiant Lady has twelve different dining options like Social Club Diner, The Wake, and Gunbae. Of those options, twelve are complementary, or included with your cruise fare.
The Islander has the same number of dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Far Side Sushi, JWB Prime Steakhouse, and Cheeseburger in Paradise Burger Bar. Six of these restaurants are complementary and the other six have an additional fee.
The Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady has about the same number of dining options as the Margaritaville at Sea Islander.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Valiant Lady might be a better choice then the Islander. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady | Margaritaville at Sea Islander | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 12 | 12 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 12 | 6 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 0 | 6 |
| % of Included Options | 100% | 50% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady has 6 more bars than the Margaritaville at Sea Islander. The Valiant Lady has 18 bars like On The Rocks, The Aquatic Club Bar and The Manor. On Islander, you can grab a drink at 12 different bars such as Flip Flop Atrium Bar, Havana Daydreamin' Sports Bar and Lounge and The Tiki Bar.
| Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady | Margaritaville at Sea Islander |
|---|---|
| •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 | •5 o'Clock Somewhere Bar • Bubbles Up Lounge and Champagne Bar • Coral Reef Lounge • Flip Flop Atrium Bar • Havana Daydreamin' Sports Bar and Lounge • Hemisphere Dancer Craft Spirits • Hot, Hot, Hot Night Club • JWB Prime Lounge • LandShark Bar and Lookout • Love and Luck Casino Bar • The Far Side Lounge • The Tiki 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 Valiant Lady and the Islander 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 Valiant 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.
Margaritaville at Sea Islander has more pools than the Valiant Lady and fewer hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Islander. 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 Valiant Lady | Margaritaville at Sea Islander | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 2 | 3 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | |
| Pools - Exclusive | ||
| Total Hot Tubs | 6 | 3 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 4 | 2 |
| 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. You might up paying more while on board the Valiant Lady. Only 55% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Islander, 71% of the activities are included at no additional cost.
| Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady | Margaritaville at Sea Islander | |
|---|---|---|
| Acrobatic Show | ✓ | ✗ |
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✗ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Comedy Show | ✗ | ✓ |
| Dry kid's play area | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Group Fitness | ✓ | ✗ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mini golf | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pickleball | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✗ | ✓ |
| Private Karaoke Rooms | ✓ | ✗ |
| Salon | ✓ | ✗ |
| Shows - musical review | ✗ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✗ | ✓ |
| Tattoo Studio | ✓ | ✓ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✗ |
| Waterslide | ✗ | ✓ |
| 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.
Margaritaville at Sea, 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 Valiant Lady | Margaritaville at Sea Islander | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $20.00 | $22.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | Included | 20% |
| Soda Price | Included | $2.95 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.00 See drink menus | $9.00 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | No drink package available | 64.99 |
| Internet Plan | Basic Wi-fi is included. Premium is $30/day and Work from Sea is $50/day. | $17.99 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
We sailed aboard the Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady
Follow along on our sailing on the Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady. We take you through every aspect of our sailing, from getting to the port to debarking the ship. See the schedule of events, menus, what excursions we did, and what we really thought about the ship.
Valiant Lady - Cruise Blog - Day 1 - Miami
Valiant Lady - Cruise Blog - Day 2 - Sea Day
Valiant Lady - Cruise Blog - Day 3 - Costa Maya
Valiant Lady - Cruise Blog - Day 4 - Sea Day
Valiant Lady - Cruise Blog - Day 5 - Bimini
5 Hits and Misses on Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady
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