My husband, a few close friends, and I recently sailed with Virgin Voyages aboard the Brilliant Lady on a Mexican Riviera itinerary from Los Angeles from April 26 to May 3, 2026. The cruise visited Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán, and Puerto Vallarta.
Short version: we had a fun trip, the crew were fantastic, but the food was very inconsistent.
Embarkation was smooth overall, especially with early boarding benefits, although the signage at the Port of Los Angeles could definitely be clearer for priority guests.
The crew throughout the ship were genuinely excellent. Everyone we interacted with was friendly, hardworking, and helpful. Service felt a little understaffed at times, but the staff themselves were amazing and easily one of the highlights of the trip.
Entertainment was solid, though getting into some shows was difficult unless you lined up early. Dual Reality was absolutely worth seeing. Red Hot was entertaining but not essential. Bingo events were also surprisingly fun.
The casino felt far too small for the number of guests onboard. Popular slot machines were almost always occupied, and the area could get crowded and warm quickly. The quieter Casino Den area was a much better experience overall.
The ports themselves were enjoyable, though tender operations in Cabo were slow because of multiple ships in port that day. Some guests waited a long time to get ashore, so we decided to stay onboard and enjoy the quieter pool areas instead.
The biggest disappointment for us was the food. A lot of dishes arrived lukewarm or cold, even when they were otherwise well prepared. Gunbae ended up being one of the better experiences simply because the food was cooked tableside. Pink Agave was probably our best meal of the cruise. The Galley was generally reliable for snacks and casual meals, and the beef wellington on the last day was excellent.
After some issues during the trip, including problems with an excursion for our travel companions, the cruise line’s executive team stepped in and did make an effort to improve the experience. They comped a cabana for our final sea day along with a few other extras, which we appreciated.
Overall, we still had a good time and do not regret the cruise, but it did not fully live up to the hype we had heard online. Virgin Voyages is not completely off the table for us in the future, but for a Mexican Riviera itinerary we would probably consider another line next time, possibly Princess Cruises.
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