Sixteen Days, Four Countries, and One Epic Voyage: Our Valiant Lady Adventure
Posted on August 25, 2026 by Ching under Travel.
Sixteen days. Four countries. Nine ports. One solar eclipse. More food, drinks, games, dancing, comedy, sightseeing, and questionable decisions than I can possibly remember.
Our adventure aboard Virgin Voyages’ Valiant Lady was far from perfect—but somehow, that made it even more memorable. From missing a riverboat in Dublin to watching the sky turn dark in the middle of the North Atlantic, from highland cows and castles to breweries and cathedrals, this was one heck of a vacation.
And, without a doubt, the best cruise we’ve ever taken.
Day 1: Let the Voyage Begin!
After all the planning, packing, and anticipation, we finally stepped aboard the Valiant Lady!
We kicked things off with the voyage kickoff party before heading to dinner at the Wake. Then came some adult coloring, a comedy show, and finally the PJ party.
Not a bad way to start a 16-day adventure.
Day 2: Getting to Know Our Home
Our first sea day was spent exploring the ship and discovering all the nooks and crannies of the Valiant Lady.
It was on this sea day that Brian discovered Virgin beer. Contrary to what you might think, it is not a non-alcoholic beer. It’s Virgin branded.
We found the pickleball court, shuffleboard, and the pink karaoke room.
There is a LOT to see and do on this ship, and we knew we had barely scratched the surface. Next up: Dublin!
Day 3: Dublin… or How We Literally Missed the Boat
I’m not one to complain, but Dublin was a bit of a disappointment.
We had high hopes because we had booked a riverboat tour. Unfortunately, getting off the ship required tenders, and the tender operation was running WAY behind.
By the time we finally made it ashore, we were an hour late. And, well… We literally missed the boat. Instead, we got a bus tour.
After sitting on a bus for a couple of hours, my period cramps were making me miserable and my butt was officially over bus seats. Brian had hoped to find a local pub for a proper pint, but by the time the tour was over, we just wanted to get back to the ship.
I took some Tylenol and decided to sleep it off. And sleep we did. We napped so hard that we missed several lectures I had really wanted to attend.
Thankfully, we eventually dragged ourselves out of bed in time to listen to some music before joining our group for a super fun dinner at Gunbae.
Dublin, we’ll be back. Do-over required.
By the way, we found out later that the delay had nothing to do with the tenders. A technical glitch caused several passengers to disappear from the ship’s system just as sailors were trying to disembark. Everything had to stop until the issue was fixed. Because of a special passport process, the ship was holding everyone’s passports while we were in Dublin, and our wristbands were also needed to reboard. If guests left before the system was restored, they could potentially be unable to get back on the ship—or even return home. So, frustrating as the delay was, it was absolutely critical that they resolved the problem before anyone could leave the ship.
Day 4: Highland Cows, Loch Lomond & Bagpipes
Scotland more than made up for our disappointing day in Dublin. We started with breakfast and a view before heading out to see highland cows and Loch Lomond, Scotland’s largest freshwater loch (I think we call them lakes) by surface area, surrounded by dramatic mountains, forests, and picturesque villages.
We rode a motor coach (we call them tour busses in the US) to Monty’s Farm Park at Ardardan Estate in Cardross, Scotland. We saw various farm animals like sheep and goats but the highland cattle (they look like shaggy cows with horns) and adorable belted galloways (shaggy cows that look like big dogs) were the main attraction. Or should I say “mane” attraction? I’m such a dork.
After exploring the farm and enjoying some coffee, tea, and biscuits in the Ardardan tea room, we went back on the coach to go to Loch Lomond. The Saturday market was happening while we were there so there were lots of vendors and people. Brian got to sample some whiskey from one of the booths and we also witnessed some wrestling. It was an interesting day at the loch.
Afterward, we stopped for drinks at Scott’s at the port for some bevvies (Brian wanted a pint) before heading back to the ship.
Our return was perfectly Scottish: we were serenaded by bagpipers as the ship readied for departure. We got to watch the performance from our port-side balcony (Virgin calls them sea terraces) as we got ready for our dinner reservation at Test Kitchen. I’ll write a completely separate post about Test Kitchen because it was a really interesting dining experience.
Day 5: Liverpool on Foot
We decided to skip a formal excursion and explore Liverpool at our own pace. And what a day it was!
We started at Royal Albert Dock before walking to Liverpool Cathedral, which was easily the largest and most impressive cathedral we had ever seen.
From there, we wandered along Bold Street, saw the entrance to Chinatown, stopped for photos at St. Luke’s “Bombed Out” Church, and walked to the Beatles Story Museum.
The line was long, though, and our feet were getting tired, so we decided to skip the museum. Sometimes the best travel decision is knowing when you’ve had enough.
Back on the ship, Brian enjoyed his favorite beer at the Dock while I had a sangria. Then we napped—hard (again).
Dinner at Extra Virgin followed, along with the Griffin and Jones comedy/magic show. Fantastic day overall.
Day 6: Belfast & a Game of Thrones Adventure
We spent the day docked in Belfast, exploring the city and Northern Ireland countryside on our way to the Game of Thrones Studio Tour.
It was another great port day, but the fun didn’t stop when we returned to the ship.
We celebrated our anniversary with a special dinner at Ariya, followed by Around the World with the Diva, one of Valiant Lady’s many entertaining shows.
After four consecutive port days—Dublin, Glasgow, Liverpool and Belfast—we were MORE than ready for a sea day. And maybe… just maybe… I’d finally get to play some pickleball!
Day 7: Pickleball, Chess & Way Too Much Clam Chowder
Sea day! The highlights included pickleball, chess, and several rounds of “Go F** Yourself” before dinner.
But my favorite story of the day involves a reservation mistake. When I booked our brunch and dinner reservations, I apparently forgot that I had already booked the Wake. So we had brunch at The Wake…
…and then dinner at the Wake. Twice. In one day.
Honestly, though, I’m not even mad because I love their clam chowder, and yes, I had it at both breakfast AND dinner.
After dinner, we watched the Magnets perform in the Red Room. We figured the late show wouldn’t be as crowded. We were wrong. It was packed.
I also missed the official Scarlet Night dance lesson earlier in the day—but that didn’t stop me from learning the dance anyway.
Day 8: Halfway There—and Eclipse Day!
Somehow, we were officially halfway through the voyage. And this wasn’t just any day. It was solar eclipse day!
The skies were cloudy where we were, so we didn’t get the spectacular view we had hoped for. But there was still something incredibly cool about watching the day turn into night for about four minutes.
Standing on a cruise ship in the middle of the North Atlantic while the world briefly went dark? Pretty unforgettable.
And now it was time for Iceland. Three ports. Three days. Let the adventure continue!
Day 9: Siglufjörður
Siglufjörður was our first Icelandic port.
We spent the day exploring at a leisurely pace—checking out a bakery and brewery, walking around the harbor, visiting the Herring Era Museum and Folk Music Center, and taking in the scenery.
We also squeezed in a comedy show before wandering around the ship and calling it a day. Small town. Big scenery. A very Icelandic kind of day.
Day 10: Whalebones, Rainbows & Breweries
In Ísafjörður, we walked around the harbor and discovered the famous whalebone arch. Of course, we had to take pictures on the rainbow path. And, because apparently every Icelandic port needs a brewery, we found another one.
Back aboard Valiant Lady, we had dinner at Extra Virgin, caught the early show, and ended the evening watching the sunset. Iceland was definitely delivering.
Day 11: Reykjavík & Scarlet Night
Our final Icelandic stop was Reykjavík. We packed a LOT into this day: Rainbow Street, the cathedral, the Phallic Museum, the Sun Voyager sculpture, Harpa, and plenty of wandering around the city.
Back on the ship, we had dinner at the Wake before seeing the Miss Behave Show.
We also learned the story behind the mysterious octopus tentacles.
And then came Scarlet Night. Dancing, music, costumes, and all the wonderfully chaotic energy that makes Virgin Voyages feel different from any other cruise line.
Day 12: Astronauts, Ice Cream & Dirty Laundry
Sea day—and somehow I spent most of it at the Manor. We started with brunch at the Wake because, naturally, I needed more clam chowder.
They also serve a layered crepe cake at breakfast, so obviously I had to try that too. Brian doesn’t really care for breakfast at the Wake, but he was a good sport and humored me.
Later, Becca and I took a Dance Remix class with Christian “the Spark” while the boys got creative with some art. Jay was painting with coffee while Brian colored.
Then came one of the coolest experiences of the entire trip: a lecture about the construction of the International Space Station presented by actual NASA astronauts Tony Antonelli and Pam Melroy. I totally geeked out.
Lunch was at the Pizza Place, where I finally tried the pizza after nearly the entire voyage had passed. Brian was happy because they also serve Virgin’s beer—which has officially become his new favorite. Then we grabbed ice cream at Lick Me Till Ice Cream.
Later, we returned to the Manor for the “Pay Attention!” game show, which was hilarious. Then came Dirty Laundry at the Social Club with Happenings Cast members Caitlyn “the Gamer” and Sammy “the Hype.”
Brian even earned a free drink for spilling some personal tea.
We ended the night at Club Caliente with a salsa and bachata lesson led by Sammy in his alter ego, Captain Caliente, and Megan “the Glow” aka Mami Caliente.
Another sea day. Another ridiculously full schedule.
Day 13: Dancing, Games & Happenings Cast Magic
This sea day was all about dancing and games. After breakfast, I headed to Zumba with Danica “the Balancer,” who I believe is taking over for AJ “the Balancer” from Happenings Cast 11.
Later, I played trivia hosted by Caitlyn “the Gamer”—not once, but twice. We lost both times. But we had fun, which counts for something, right?
We also played “Ready, Set, Draw,” caught part of “Sink Oar Swim,” and joined Lili’u “the Flare” for Dancing Through the Decades.
That evening, Brian and I watched “Love, Love, Love,” a show centered around love languages.
One of the unexpected highlights of this trip has been meeting the Happenings Cast 12 cast members who are taking over for their Happenings Cast 11 counterparts.
Every cast member I’ve met has been absolutely fabulous, and future Valiant Lady sailors are in for a treat.
Day 14: Edinburgh!
We finally made it to Edinburgh. Our all-day excursion included a panoramic bus tour of the city, lunch at Twenty Princes Street with an amazing view of Edinburgh Castle, and a tour of the castle itself.
And thank goodness for that bus! Edinburgh was absolutely packed with thousands of people attending the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The streets were INSANE.
Our coach driver, Barry, somehow maneuvered those narrow streets like a professional.
Back on the ship, we had our final dinner at Pink Agave, watched a piano show and comedy show, and picked up a little souvenir. Another fabulous day aboard Valiant Lady.
And by this point, one thing had become very clear: This has been, hands down, the best cruise we’ve ever taken. Not perfect. But absolutely unforgettable.
Day 15: One Last Day
And just like that, our final day aboard Valiant Lady arrived. We weren’t going to waste it.
I played pickleball, squeezed in a workout class and a line dancing class, watched a comedy show, played games, listened to live music, and basically tried to absorb every last bit of the ship.
We finished with one final dinner at Extra Virgin. It was bittersweet.
This trip had been so much fun that we were already looking forward to doing it all again in February.
Day 16: Salisbury, Stonehenge & Goodbye
We disembarked from Valiant Lady—but our vacation wasn’t quite over yet. We took one final excursion to make the most of our last day in England.
First stop: the medieval city of Salisbury, where we visited the magnificent Salisbury Cathedral and saw the Magna Carta.
Then it was off to Stonehenge.
The weather wasn’t exactly cooperative. It rained for about half the time we were there. But hey—it’s England. You can’t have the full experience without a little rain, right?
After Stonehenge, we headed to our hotel and found a local pub for a quick dinner before finally calling it a day.
Sixteen Days Later… Looking back, this trip had pretty much everything.
- We missed a riverboat in Dublin.
- We saw highland cows in Scotland.
- We explored Liverpool on foot.
- We celebrated our anniversary in Belfast.
- We watched the world go dark during a solar eclipse.
- We explored three Icelandic ports.
- We walked rainbow streets, visited breweries, chased sunsets, toured castles and stood among ancient stones at Stonehenge.
- We played pickleball, danced, laughed at comedy shows, played games, listened to music, ate our way through the ship, and met an incredible group of people.
- We even managed to eat clam chowder at The Wake for both breakfast and dinner on the same day.
And while not everything went according to plan, those unexpected moments became part of the story. That’s what I love about travel. The perfect days are wonderful. But sometimes it’s the missed boats, rainy afternoons, tired feet, wrong reservations, unexpected naps and ridiculous stories that make a trip unforgettable.
Sixteen days. One incredible ship. So many memories. And the best part? We’re already looking forward to doing it all again in February. We’ll be on Valiant Lady’s sister ship Brilliant Lady for the Sisters at Sea rendezvous. If you’re looking to sail on Virgin, follow this link to get $150 toward your bar tab.
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