Cruise Spotlight
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Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady vs Royal Caribbean Spectrum of the Seas
The Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady is a fairly new ship, being built in 2022. This is an adults-only ship; all guests must be 18 or older. It's 3 years newer than the Spectrum of the Seas, which was built in 2019.
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 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 Royal Caribbean Spectrum of the Seas, the Valiant Lady is 35% smaller in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady holds 36% fewer passengers than the Spectrum 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 Valiant Lady has more space per person compared to the Spectrum 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 Valiant Lady | Royal Caribbean Spectrum of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Lady | Quantum-Ultra |
| Gross Tonnage | 110,000 | 169,379 |
| Length | 912 | 1,139 |
| Beam/Width | 125 | 135 |
| Passenger Decks | 13 | 14 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,700 | 4,246 |
| Crew | 1,150 | 1,551 |
| 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 Valiant Lady has 22 different dining options like The Sweet Side, The Galley, and The Pizza Place. Of those options, 22 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare.
The Spectrum of the Seas has 1 more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Windjammer, Izumi, and Chops Grille. 11 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 11 have an additional fee.
The Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady has about the same number of dining options as the Royal Caribbean Spectrum of the Seas.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Valiant Lady might be a better choice then the Spectrum of the Seas. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady | Royal Caribbean Spectrum of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 22 | 23 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 22 | 11 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 0 | 11 |
| % of Included Options | 100% | 52% |
| 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. Most Royal Caribbean ships also have Coke Freestyle machines where you can make 100 different flavor combinations.
There are also plenty of bars available on these ships. You can check out recent the bar menus for the Valiant Lady and the Spectrum 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 problem is that with thousands of people on a ship, there's not always room. If you want to spend all day for 7 days in a pool, a cruise isn't for you. You would have a much better bet choosing a resort with a huge pool complex. That being said, a quick dip in the pool can be nice on a hot day.
The Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady has a total of 1 pools and 3 hot tubs.
Royal Caribbean Spectrum of the Seas has more pools than the Valiant Lady and more hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Spectrum of the Seas. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.
| Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady | Royal Caribbean Spectrum of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 1 | 4 |
| Pools - General Access | 1 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | |
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 3 | 4 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 3 | 4 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 0 | |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 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 Valiant Lady. Only 45% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Spectrum of the Seas, 75% of the activities are included at no additional cost.
| Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady | Royal Caribbean Spectrum of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Acrobatic Show | ✓ | ✗ |
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✗ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✗ | ✓ |
| Bionic Bar | ✗ | ✓ |
| Bumper Cars | ✗ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Climbing Wall | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| FlowRider | ✗ | ✓ |
| Game Room | ✓ | ✗ |
| Group Fitness | ✓ | ✗ |
| Indoor Sky Diving | ✗ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✗ |
| Laser Tag | ✗ | ✓ |
| North Star | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✗ | ✓ |
| 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.
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 Valiant Lady | Royal Caribbean Spectrum 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 | $70 - $125 Learn more |
| Internet Plan | Base level is Included. For "premium" speeds, it's around $10 per day | $17 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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