Virgin Voyages - Resilient Lady Day 3- We experience our favourite EVER day onboard a cruise!

On day 3 of our Resilient Lady cruise we enjoyed a busy day in Amsterdam. Back onboard the ship it was time to exprience Scarlet Night for the first time, would it live up to the hype? Read on to find out!

Amsterdam Canal Boat Tour

After a quick breakfast onboard we hadded straight out to enjoy the city. We had booked a canal tour using Viator while still on the ship, and it was only a short walk to where all the canal boat tours depart. One thing to note when booking excursions while onboard is that the ship operates on UK time, while Amsterdam is an hour ahead. This caused a little confusion, so we had to double-check the time to avoid missing our tour.

We chose a wine and cheese canal tour, and it didn’t disappoint! The wine was very free-flowing, and they made sure your glass was constantly topped up. You could choose between red, rosé, and white wine; we tried both the white and rosé and thoroughly enjoyed them. The tour took us through the main canals, and we saw some amazing sites around the city. The staff were fantastic, we found them engaging, funny, and they even played some games with us during the tour. If you’re ever in Amsterdam, we highly recommend this experience, and we would definitely do it again!

Tony’s Chocolate Shop

After the canal tour, we decided to check out Tony’s Chocolate Shop, an Amsterdam institution that we’d always wanted to visit. Unfortunately, the machine where you could make your own chocolate bar was out of order, so we just browsed the shop and bought some of the classic chocolate bars. It’s a fun place to stop by if you’re in the area!

Drinks in the City

Next, we met up with some friends, Emily and Liam, who had been in Amsterdam for the weekend. We had tried to meet up with them the night before, but timing didn’t work out, so it was great to finally catch up. We all headed to an Irish bar, enjoying a drink outdoors while the weather was still pleasant. We did have a few uninvited guests in the form of wasps, but it didn’t spoil the experience.

Back on Board

After a fun afternoon, it was time to return to the ship to prepare for Scarlet Night. It was quick and easy to get back on board, and we could already see the decorations going up as the crew prepared for the evening’s festivities. We were feeling a little hungry by now, so we made our way to the Social Club to try their hot dogs and wings. The food was okay, but the hot dogs were a bit on the cold side. The wings had a spicy sauce, which Laura found a bit too spicy, so next time, we'd request it on the side.

Deep Blue Extras Cocktail Party

One of the perks of our cruise package, Deep Blue Extras, was an invitation to a cocktail party at the Athletic Club. There wasn’t much in the way of cocktails, but we were able to enjoy sangria and plenty of champagne. The drinks were flowing freely, and we had a lovely time chatting with fellow cruisers while enjoying the beautiful weather on the back of the ship.

Glam Station

After the cocktail party, we popped back to our cabin to get ready for the evening. We headed to the Glam Station, where we had a bit of glitter put on our faces to get into the Scarlet Night spirit. The queue was a little long, so I’d recommend getting there earlier if you can.

We then stopped by the On the Rocks bar, where the diva was finishing her set. We met up with Tom and Dom and decided to try something different at the bar. We told the bartender what types of drinks we liked, and he surprised us with two cocktails that were not on the menu. He did a great job and both of us enjoyed the drinks that he suggested.

The Wake

Dinner was booked for 8pm at The Wake, and Lizzy was especially excited because she loves steak. We had a little wait, but they seated us at a lovely table with great wake views. The menu was explained to us by the waiter, and we started with some lovely soft bread. For starters, Laura had the chowder, which had a bit of theatre when the soup was poured into the bowl at the table, while Lizzy tried the bone marrow. Unfortunately, she didn’t enjoy the bone marrow at all!

For the main course, Lizzy had the filet mignon, which was hands down the best piece of steak she's ever eaten. Laura opted for chicken, which was decent, but not particularly exciting. We also tried a range of sides, including mushrooms, chips, and a surprisingly tasty creamed spinach.

Scarlet Night

After dinner, we headed towards the Roundabout area, where the Scarlet Night festivities were in full swing. We caught a pop-up dance performance, which was a fun little surprise! As we continued through the area, we were invited outside onto the deck for a short story that set the atmosphere for the rest of the night. It was windy and cold out there, but it really added to the mysterious vibe of the evening.

We then made our way to the Red Room to see a show about the story behind Scarlet Night. The hostess, Milly, has an incredible voice, and it was fascinating to hear about the inspiration for the event.

The Pool Party

The main event of Scarlet Night takes place by the pool, and we made sure to get there early to grab a good spot. The atmosphere was electric, even before the cast and dancers appeared. The show around the pool was incredible, and the dancers really got everyone in the party spirit. As tradition goes, we ended up in the pool ourselves! It was freezing, but the energy of the crowd was contagious, and we couldn’t resist jumping in.

After a while in the pool, we were absolutely freezing, so we made our way to a nearby hot tub. It was the best decision we made all night. The warm water was the perfect way to thaw out after our dip in the chilly pool. After the pool party, we popped back to our cabin to shower and change before heading to The Manor for the after party.

Late Night Snacks

Of course, after all the excitement, we ended up heading to the Galley for some late night snacks. It was incredibly busy in there, and unfortunately, the only option available was the all day breakfast, which wasn’t exactly what we were craving, but it did the job. We spent the next hour chatting to fellow cruisers and enjoying the late-night atmosphere.

By the time we finally made it back to our cabin, it was around 4am and we were exhausted! It had been a long and eventful day in Amsterdam, followed by a wild night of Scarlet Night celebrations. This has definitely been one of our favourite days so far on a cruise ship, and we can’t wait to experience Scarlet Night again during the second part of our back-to-back cruise.

Thanks for reading, if you'd like to watch our day in more detail, check out our video of the day below.