I Sailed Virgin Voyages to Alaska on Brilliant Lady: Here’s What Surprised Me

I just returned from eight nights aboard Brilliant Lady in Alaska, and I have so much to tell you. I’ve sailed with Virgin Voyages before, so I thought I knew what to expect. I was wrong.

Alaska changed the entire feel of the experience, in the best possible way.

There were glaciers so blue I still don’t know how to describe them, incredible scenery, more crab than any reasonable person should probably consume, live music, great food, Scarlet Night, a tattoo, and a Mega RockStar experience that has officially ruined me for sailing Virgin any other way.

And perhaps the most shocking thing of all?

I didn’t work. Not once.

My husband Sam would probably tell you this was the rarest thing we saw in Alaska. My colleague Veronica had everything covered back home, including a very busy week of Disney Cruise Line bookings, and she handled everything beautifully. For eight nights, I actually did what I’m always telling my clients to do.

I took the vacation.

And what a vacation it was.

Our 8-Night Alaska Itinerary on Brilliant Lady

We sailed September 3–11, 2026, on an eight-night one-way itinerary from Seattle to Vancouver:

• Seattle

• At Sea

• Sitka

• Icy Strait Point

• Skagway

• Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier

• Ketchikan

• At Sea

• Vancouver

Virgin officially offered this exact eight-night Seattle-to-Vancouver itinerary aboard Brilliant Lady during her inaugural 2026 Alaska season.

I traveled with Sam, my sister Michele and her husband Dave, and their friends Bill and Linda. Michele and Dave were in the Gorgeous Suite next door to us, while Bill and Linda stayed in Sea Terrace cabins. That distinction ended up teaching me something important about traveling with a group, but we’ll get to that.

First, let’s talk about how this trip started.

I Went Mega RockStar...and There’s No Going Back

Sam and I stayed in Gorgeous Suite 15315A on Deck 15, which is part of Virgin Voyages’ Mega RockStar experience. And I’m just going to answer the question now.

Would I sail Virgin Voyages again? Absolutely.

Would I personally sail without Mega RockStar? No.

I’m spoiled. There. I said it. 

Virgin’s current Mega RockStar benefits include a dedicated RockStar Agent, private transfers or parking where available, a bottomless in-room bar, daily bar benefits around the ship, and Thermal Suite access.

But a list of benefits doesn’t really explain what the experience felt like.

So let me introduce you to Agent Dave.

Meet Agent Dave

Our Mega RockStar Agent was named Dave. Unfortunately for him, my brother-in-law is also named Dave. That lasted about five minutes.

He immediately became Agent Dave, a nickname he loved, by the way.  We could call or text Agent Dave throughout the day, and I’m not sure there was anything he wouldn’t have done for us.

He brought our Americanos and breakfast in the morning. He kept our refrigerator stocked with our favorite beverages. He picked up our laundry and brought it back. He arranged our car service to the airport and at the end of the cruise, he personally walked us off the ship. Sometimes, for no particular reason at all, he would appear with a charcuterie board. Or a bottle of Veuve Clicquot.

Always Veuve.

One of my favorite Agent Dave moments happened on embarkation day.

Because Michele and Dave were in the Gorgeous Suite next door, Agent Dave opened the divider between our two balconies and created one enormous balcony. All six of us were out there enjoying ourselves and somehow completely forgot about the Sail-Away Party.

Suddenly, Agent Dave appeared carrying a bottle of Veuve Clicquot and six glasses. Apparently, if we weren’t going to the Sail-Away Party, Agent Dave was bringing sail-away to us.

That, more than any benefits list, explains Mega RockStar to me. We probably could have asked Agent Dave for almost anything. The funny thing was, we already had more than we needed. And yes, Agent Dave supplied the Veuve faster than we could drink it. I brought a bottle home. Along with two bottles of Moët. I consider this excellent vacation planning. 

Embarkation Was Almost Ridiculously Easy

Virgin Voyages had also booked our pre-cruise stay at the Sheraton Grand Seattle.

At 1:00 PM, our private Mega RockStar transfer picked us up at the hotel and drove us to the port.

We were dropped at the curb, our luggage was taken, we walked into security and were aboard Brilliant Lady by 1:30 PM, the earliest boarding time on our sailing.

Our suite was already ready, but we headed straight to Sips for the RockStar meet-up and priority bookings. This turned out to matter. A lot.

We booked our spa appointments, onboard activities, floor seating for Up With a Twist, Murder in the Manor, and one very special Shore Thing that had only become available once we boarded.

It was a small-boat excursion that would take us closer to Dawes Glacier than Brilliant Lady could go. Remember that one. It becomes very important later.

We watched our safety video on our phones and checked in at our muster station, which conveniently happened to be Sips.

Muster drill complete.

LOVE IT.

Then we went to our suite, where Agent Dave was waiting.

Vacation had officially begun.

You Don’t Have to Vacation the Same Way to Vacation Together

This trip reinforced something I tell people planning group vacations all the time: Traveling together does not mean doing everything together.

Bill and Linda weren't staying in suites. They were in Sea Terrace cabins.

It didn't matter.

They spent time with us in our suite, and the six of us were together at bars, restaurants and around the ship. We only visited Richard's Rooftop a few times, so the RockStar-exclusive spaces weren't the center of our vacation.

Even the Mega RockStar beverage benefit worked well for our group. On our sailing, each of the four Mega RockStars could order two included drinks at a time, so when all six of us were together, getting everyone a drink certainly wasn't a problem.

More importantly, we didn't try to make six people want the same vacation.

During the day, we often chose completely different Virgin Voyages Shore Things. Bill and Linda enjoyed the casino. The four of us didn't. One evening, Bill and Linda ate at The Test Kitchen. Michele, Dave, Sam and I don't particularly enjoy it, so we went somewhere else. And that was perfectly fine.

Most evenings, we'd simply agree to meet back at Sips for drinks before dinner.

We'd spend the day having completely different adventures and then come together to compare stories. That's how I like group travel.

You don't have to vacation exactly the same way to vacation together.

Sitka: Bears, Totems, Raptors...and an 8-Mile Hike for Someone Else

We didn't arrive in Sitka until noon, which meant there was absolutely no reason to rush the morning.

Room service. Breakfast in bed. Mega RockStar life was treating me very well.

Once ashore, Sam and I did Virgin's Totem, Bear & Raptor Shore Thing. Michele and Dave chose an eight-mile hike. Bill and Linda were supposed to kayak, but unfortunately their Shore Thing was canceled. Don't feel too badly for them. Their kayaking story gets much better in Ketchikan.

Icy Strait Point: Hiking, Ziplining, Metal Art...and Crab

Icy Strait Point was another later arrival. You know what that means. Breakfast in bed. Again.

Sam and I did some hiking and exploring before finding something extremely important: Crab. I love crab. This will become a recurring theme. Meanwhile, Michele and Dave went ziplining, and Bill and Linda made metal art.

Three couples. Three completely different Alaska experiences. Same vacation.

Skagway Was One of My Favorite Ports

Once we reached Skagway, our leisurely breakfast-in-bed mornings were over.

The remaining ports had early arrivals, which required Agent Dave to supply two Americanos each and an early breakfast in our suite.

Breakfast was still lovely. It just wasn't happening in bed anymore. 

Skagway was also a tender port on our sailing, and Virgin used the ship's lifeboats as tenders. As I sat inside one, I had one thought:

I hope this is the only time I ever have to see the inside of one of these.

Sam and I took the White Pass Scenic Railway, as did Bill and Linda, although our departures were about an hour apart.

Michele and Dave chose something completely different: a helicopter tour to a glacier.

The scenery in Skagway was spectacular and became another highlight of the trip for me. We met Bill and Linda for lunch afterward.

And yes.

I had more crab.

This time, King Crab.

That evening we went to Up With a Twist, Brilliant Lady's cabaret-style supper-club experience. Virgin describes it as a dining and theatrical experience set at Lady Valentina's Emporium of Excess.

My review?

100% worth the upcharge.

It was fantastic.

Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier: THE Highlight

I have been trying to find the right words for this part of the trip. I don't think they exist.

As Brilliant Lady sailed through Endicott Arm toward Dawes Glacier, the scenery became almost surreal. The water was a shade of blue I don't know how to describe.

Pieces of ice from the glacier floated past us. At first they were small. As we traveled farther into Endicott Arm, they became larger. And larger. Until eventually Brilliant Lady stopped. She had gone as close to Dawes Glacier as she could.

And that's when the Shore Thing we had grabbed immediately after boarding became one of the best decisions of the entire vacation. Small tour boats pulled alongside Brilliant Lady and took a limited number of us even farther into Endicott Arm.

We were on the afternoon departure. And off we went. We passed an iceberg. We saw seals. We spotted porpoises. And then...

Dawes Glacier.

It was enormous. Jagged. Uneven. And blue.

So unbelievably blue.

You can see pictures of glaciers your entire life, but standing in front of one is completely different. At one point, Sam actually held a piece of glacial ice that had been pulled from the water. And for the record, this was the only time during the entire Alaska cruise that I was truly freezing.

We stayed near the glacier for some time before turning around.

By then, Brilliant Lady had already begun sailing back out of Endicott Arm. Our little boat had to catch up to the ship, pull alongside her and transfer us back onboard.

Virgin's 2026 Alaska program specifically featured Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier on Brilliant Lady itineraries, with the line building its Alaska Shore Things around wildlife, glacier experiences and local adventures.

But no description could have prepared me for seeing Dawes Glacier that close.

This was the highlight of my cruise.

Without question.

Ketchikan: Rain, Crab and Redemption

It rained in Ketchikan. Of course it did.

Sam and I booked the Totem & Crab Fest Shore Thing. I'll be candid: the first part wasn't my favorite. The rain didn't help, and I wasn't overly impressed with the totem portion of the experience. But then came the Crab Fest. Oh. My.

All-you-can-eat Dungeness crab.

And boy, did we eat.

There is photographic evidence. Lots of it.

Bill and Linda finally got the kayaking experience they'd missed in Sitka. This time they got up close to seals.

Michele and Dave went hiking and then enjoyed their own seafood feast. Sam and I walked around Creek Street before heading back to Brilliant Lady. And after days aboard the ship, we finally used the hot tub at Richard's Rooftop. Then it was time for...

Scarlet Night: Alaska Style

If you've sailed Virgin Voyages in the Caribbean, you already know Scarlet Night can be wild. Alaska's version felt different. And I actually preferred it.

We dressed in red and headed to Sips, where the octopus had arrived.

Then we went to Murder in the Manor, a fun, immersive mystery-and-dance production created specifically for Brilliant Lady. Afterward came dinner, and then the ship turned RED. But there wasn't a giant nighttime pool party.

Because...

It's Alaska.

Nobody needs to be jumping into a swimming pool at night in Alaska.  Instead, the celebration moved indoors, including the Red Room and The Manor.

And that brings me to one of the things that surprised me most about this entire sailing.

Virgin Voyages in Alaska Felt Different

I've sailed Virgin before. I know the energy. But Alaska seemed to turn the volume down just a little. There was still nightlife. Still cocktails. Still Scarlet Night. Still dancing. Still shows. But there was considerably less...UNTZ UNTZ.

The entire cruise felt more relaxed and peaceful than the Virgin sailings I'd experienced before. And I liked it a lot better.

We'd spend our days exploring Alaska, riding trains, hiking, kayaking, eating crab or staring at glaciers. Then we'd return to Brilliant Lady, meet at Sips for drinks, have dinner, listen to live music or see a show.

There was a wonderful singing group, a jazz band and live entertainment throughout the sailing, along with Brilliant Lady's larger productions in the Red Room. Virgin also created several shows specifically for Brilliant Lady, including Red Hot, Up With a Twist and Murder in the Manor.

It was still unmistakably Virgin. Just Virgin at a slower rhythm. For Alaska, I thought it worked beautifully.

Let's Talk About the Food

Oh. My. Gosh.

Virgin advertises 20+ eateries as part of its included dining experience, and Brilliant Lady gives you an enormous amount of variety without a traditional main dining room setup. We ate very well.

Our overall favorite was Pink Agave.

Everyone loved Gunbae, and we ate there twice.

Everyone loved Extra Virgin, and we ate there twice too.

We all liked Rojo.

We enjoyed The Wake for both dinner and brunch.

And then there's The Test Kitchen. Michele, Dave, Sam and I simply don't enjoy it.

Bill and Linda do. So they went. We didn't. Remember our group-travel rule?

It's okay!

Then there's The Pizza Place.

Do not skip it.

We certainly didn't. 😂

We went several times when we were hungry and wanted something easy.

And I need to explain The Galley, because experienced cruisers may walk in and immediately think: Oh, here's the buffet. Except it isn't a traditional buffet. It's a food-hall-style quick-service space with several different areas and plenty of food prepared to order. Virgin itself describes The Galley as its all-included food hall. With that many dining options, there really was something for everyone.

Two Sea Days, and Yes, People Were Swimming in Alaska

We had one sea day at the beginning and another at the end. There was plenty to do: shows, exercise classes, trivia, dance classes and other activities.

But you could also simply do nothing.

Our final sea day was surprisingly warm. People were swimming, relaxing in the hot tubs, reading, napping and sitting around the pool. If it became a little chilly, blankets were available.

I had intentionally scheduled my spa appointments for that last day, so I spent the entire morning in the spa.

And then at 2:00 PM...I had another appointment.

Yes, I Got a Tattoo on the Ship

Virgin Voyages has a tattoo parlor onboard called Squid Ink.

And when I sail Virgin, I've developed a tradition: I get a tattoo on the last day.

Guest artists from around the world sail with Virgin, so for anyone who enjoys tattoos, it's a chance to add something very personal to the trip.

This time, I added to my existing Virgin Voyages/travel tattoo. In honor of Ozzy, I added his purple sunglasses.

To anyone who doesn't know the story, they're simply a pair of purple sunglasses that fit into my travel tattoo.

But if you know, you know. 💜

The Mega RockStar Perk I Thoroughly Tested: Laundry

I almost forgot one of my favorite Mega RockStar benefits.

Laundry was included. I sent mine out four times during this eight-night cruise. Why four times? Crab. So. Much. Crab. 

Apparently eating my way through Alaska also meant my clothes frequently smelled like crab. Agent Dave would pick everything up and return it clean.

And I came home from an eight-night Alaska vacation with...No dirty clothes.

Anyone who has ever returned from vacation and immediately faced Mount Laundry understands why this is luxury.

So...Would I Sail Virgin Voyages to Alaska Again?

Yes. Absolutely. In fact, this sailing surprised me because I think I enjoyed Virgin more in Alaska than I have in warmer destinations.

The more relaxed atmosphere suited me.

I loved having active days in port followed by great food, cocktails, live entertainment and comfortable evenings onboard. I loved that our group didn't have to do everything together. I loved Brilliant Lady. I loved the food. I loved Alaska. I loved Mega RockStar. I REALLY loved Agent Dave.  And I will never forget standing in that little boat staring at Dawes Glacier. Would I personally sail Virgin without Mega RockStar after experiencing it this way?

Nope.

But that's my vacation style. Bill and Linda had an amazing vacation in Sea Terrace cabins. They ate with us, drank with us, explored with us, hung out in our suites and had completely different adventures when they wanted them.

Mega RockStar isn't something everyone needs. It's something I loved.

And that's exactly the kind of distinction I think matters when choosing a cruise.

The “best” cabin, ship, itinerary or experience isn't necessarily the most expensive one. It's the one that fits you.

Thinking About a Virgin Voyages Alaska Cruise?

If Alaska is on your list and you're wondering whether Virgin Voyages might be the right way to experience it, I'd love to help you sort through the options.

Virgin is adults-only, and Brilliant Lady's Alaska experience combines a very different style of cruising with some extraordinary destinations. Virgin officially confirms that Brilliant Lady sailed Alaska from Seattle during her 2026 season, and Alaska remains part of its upcoming cruise program.

Whether you're considering a Sea Terrace, RockStar Suite or you're ready to join me in being completely spoiled as a Mega RockStar, the right answer depends on how you want to vacation. And if you're traveling with friends? Remember: You don't all have to vacation the same way to have an incredible vacation together.

A Thought Before You Go...

I've been on a lot of cruises, but every once in a while, a trip reminds me why I fell in love with travel in the first place.

Alaska did that.

There were big moments: standing in front of Dawes Glacier, riding the White Pass Railway and watching Alaska unfold outside our balcony.

But there were also the little ones. Meeting at Sips before dinner. Laughing about what everyone had done that day. Agent Dave appearing with Veuve and six glasses because apparently we weren't celebrating sail-away properly.

Eating far too much crab. Sitting with Sam and simply watching the scenery go by. And for once, not working.

I think sometimes we get so busy planning the perfect vacation that we forget what we're really planning it for. It's not just the places we're going to see.

It's the people we're going to experience them with.

Six people went to Alaska together on this cruise.

We didn't always stay in the same type of cabin.

We didn't always eat at the same restaurant.

We didn't always choose the same Shore Things.

Sometimes we didn't even see each other until drinks before dinner.

But we came home with a story we all shared.

And maybe that's what traveling together is really about.

Not doing everything together. Just having something wonderful to come back together and talk about.

Ready to Experience Alaska Your Way?

Whether Virgin Voyages already sounds like the perfect fit or you are still comparing cruise lines, ships and itineraries, I would love to help you find the Alaska vacation that feels right for you.

We can look at your travel dates, budget, preferred cabin, must-do experiences and the way you actually enjoy traveling. Then I can help with the details, from selecting the right sailing and accommodations to navigating flights, hotels, transportation and Shore Things.

Your Alaska story does not need to look exactly like mine. It just needs to feel like yours.