This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Bethany Stevens . It has been edited for length and clarity.
24.01.2025 - 01:49 / insider.com
My childhood best friend and I always said we would celebrate our 30th birthdays in style. So, to ring in this milestone year, we decided to go big and book a five-day Mayan Sol cruise with Virgin Voyages.
Because this was a big celebration and we hadn't seen each other for a while, I decided to purchase Virgin Voyages' "A Splash for Your Bash" party-planning package as an add-on to our cruise.
The package costs $250 per cabin and includes a bottomless brunch, a dinner party with curated drinks and desserts, and a bottle of Moët & Chandon. It's valued at $375, so I thought it seemed like a great deal.
Here's what I thought of the package.
We opted to have our bottomless brunch at Razzle Dazzle — a vegetarian-forward restaurant also accessible to Virgin Voyages passengers who didn't purchase the package.
However, as package holders, we got to take advantage of bottomless drinks, including cocktails and rosé, during our meal.
For food, my friend ordered avocado toast and mushroom "tartare," and I opted for a fried-chicken sandwich.
The service and restaurant were fun and vibrant, and the drinks were tasty. However, neither of us enjoyed our meals, as we felt our dishes were bland and overcooked.
Plus, according to the menu, the bottomless drinks would have cost passengers without the package only $25 per person — so, at the end of the day, this perk didn't feel like it was that great of a value.
For the dinner-party portion of our package, we chose to eat at The Wake, Virgin Voyages' take on a steakhouse-meets-fine-dining restaurant. Although all passengers were able to dine here, our package gave us access to specialty beverages and desserts, as well as an upgraded menu.
When we walked in, I was wowed by the beautiful interior design. Our table was decked out with birthday decorations, and a staff member even gave us a Polaroid camera to use as we ate. We were also served sparkling wine upon arrival.
As part of the experience, we had access to premium menu items that passengers without thepackage could purchase for an additional cost. Although we didn't take advantage of these items, I very much enjoyed my filet mignon, which was cooked to a perfect medium-well temperature. For the wine pairing, I opted for a glass of red, which our server refilled during the meal.
My vegetarian friend wasn't interested in any of the entrée options, but she was perfectly happy ordering all sides, including asparagus, creamed spinach, fries, and a twice-baked potato served with caramelized onions. She also ordered a mix of white and red wines to pair with her food.
I was curious to see what the curated desserts promised in this package would be like, but after we finished our meal, the wait staff cleared our table
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Bethany Stevens . It has been edited for length and clarity.
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