Virgin Voyages - Day 3 - Puerto Plata
So when the night falls
My lonely heart calls — I Wanna to Dance With Somebody (Whitney Houston)
Today was our first port day! We sailed into Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. There were plenty of excursions to book, but I opted to just explore the port area as I had read it had a nice pool and lazy river and plenty of bars and restaurants. I also had booked a massage for myself this day, so I didn't want to venture too far and then potentially miss my much-needed massage. One thing I noticed about this cruise line is people sleep in much later than on family cruise lines. It's something to keep in mind when planning your mornings. The breakfast rush time is a bit different than you might be used to. I will say on port days, this did change, and it was a bit busier earlier. However, I noticed strolling off the ship at around 10 AM, many people were still on the ship unless they had specific meet up times for excursions.
As I explored the port area, I wandered by many shops before I reached the pool area. They all had an employee outside trying to lure you in, but they were much less aggressive than I have experienced in other tourist places. I found the hustlers to be taxi drivers. They were lined up at the end of the shops talking quickly and moving on quickly we they realized you aren't a sale for them. My friends on the cruise said some of them were being driven by drivers that kept trying to take them more places than they requested to raise the fare price. I feel like that is common in touristy places, so it's a good reminder to all to pay attention.
After I walked to the end, I hung out on the beach for a little bit and then opted to go back to the ship early. It was getting steamy outside, and I didn't want to be sweaty for my massage.
Speaking of massages, I love a good massage. To be honest, I can't say I've ever had a bad one. I suppose that's a good thing! You never really know what to expect when it comes to a vacation massage. There are so many different styles of amenities and rooms, and I went in with no research ahead of time so I could experience everything like the standard guest. I checked in at the desk of the Redemption Spa and was led to a section with a long bench while I waited to get escorted to my treatment room. Once my name was called, I was led through the Thermal Suite, which I will get a pass for on my next sailing and led down a hall to my room. Upon entering the room, the first thing I was shocked to see natural light in the room. In my experience, most massage rooms have no windows, and this had a porthole window. As soon I was laying on the heated table and relaxing while listening to stereotypical spa music, despite my preference for dark rooms in general, it did not impact my experience. The treatment was great, and I felt wonderful afterwards. As per normal, they always try to sell you products to take with you, my new response is always "It's not in the budget" and they can't argue with that!
As I floated back to my room in relaxation bliss, I knew I was going to take a shower and then a nap, and dream about the steak I was going to have at dinner that night.
This night also was the popular "Scarlet Night" that Virgin Voyages is known for. Everyone dresses in red. Don't worry about dressing up, some people will get formal, some people will look like they are going to a club, and some people will be wearing red tanks and jeans. Wear whatever you feel comfortable in, and a little foreshadowing…maybe something that you are OK getting wet! Before dinner, my group decided to meet up to get some pictures in our red outfits, as we were going to different places for dinner. After our mini-photo shoot, it was off to the dinner that I had dreamed about – “The Wave”, which is the ship's steakhouse.
What impressed me so much about this ship was the quality of the food - there are many cruises that will upcharge for the quality of the food we were receiving at these dinner reservations, but it was all included in the fare. This ended up being my favorite meal of the whole cruise and it was great for those in our party with allergies and dietary preferences!
After dinner, we went up to the Pool Party. This is NOT your typical pool party. Everyone is still in their Scarlet Night best (whatever that means to each individual person) and it is a huge dance party, very high energy. There are entertainment portions to get the party started, but then it becomes interactive and those that are brave can get in the pool and dance!
I did not last very long out there, I like to be in the action for a little bit, and then I will slowly move my way further and further away until I can escape. After we escaped the dance party, we took advantage of the beauty of the ship and took photos while most people will still be dancing by the pool. After that, most of all called it a night! It was a long day.
If you want to book a cruise on Virgin Voyages, you can book through me through this link: https://www.virginvoyages.com/book/voyage-planner/find-a-voyage?cabins=1&USD[%E2%80%A6]lors=2&toDate=2022-10-04&agentId=148969&agencyId=5310
OR fill out a quote request here: https://travefy.com/f/6ws9rqequmpara2uwxzesgnu3gdappcy4a
