Heading to Los Angeles for Virgin Voyages’ Brilliant Lady LA Mermaiden

Heading to Los Angeles for Virgin Voyages’ Brilliant Lady LA Mermaiden

Some trips are all about the destination, while others are just as much about the journey, the people, and the energy along the way. Our trip from Nashville to Los Angeles for Virgin Voyages’ Brilliant Lady LA Mermaiden was definitely one of those experiences. Between a fun pre-cruise stay in West Hollywood, time with friends, our own “MerMen” pool party, and finally embarkation day for Brilliant Lady, this trip gave us a mix of celebration, relaxation, and a few travel hiccups that made it all the more memorable.

Arriving in Los Angeles and Checking In at Hotel Ziggy

On Saturday, April 4, we flew from Nashville into Burbank Airport, where a private car service picked us up and took us to Hotel Ziggy. Since we had stayed there in February, we were already familiar with the property, which made it feel like an easy and comfortable choice for this trip.

One of the things we enjoy about Hotel Ziggy is its fun, music-driven personality. The hotel has a laid-back West Hollywood vibe that feels casual, social, and a little playful all at once. It is not a stuffy or overly formal property. Instead, it leans into its personality with bold style, a pool-centered atmosphere, and an energy that feels perfect for a group trip. We checked in and made our way to our room, where we were happy to find that we had a poolfront room, which ended up being a great spot for the weekend.

Later that day, some of our group started arriving, including Mary Jo, Rochet, Callie, and Hayden. Once everyone began to gather, we decided to grab a bite and some drinks. One of the fun perks at Hotel Ziggy is the daily margarita happy hour from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., which makes it easy to slide right into vacation mode. Afterward, we spent some time relaxing by the pool and just enjoying the atmosphere.

Later that evening, Keith and Cheryl arrived, and Scott and I waited for them to come down to the pool. They swam for a while, but after being up since 3:00 a.m., we were more than ready to call it a night. As much as we wanted to keep the evening going, bed sounded like the smarter plan.

Easter Sunday Brunch at The Abbey in West Hollywood

On Sunday, April 5, Easter Sunday, we started the day with breakfast at Pizza Girl, which is located right inside Hotel Ziggy. We grabbed something simple to share, which made for an easy start to the day. A few hours later, Barry arrived, and before long it was time to get ready for one of the highlights of the weekend.

We had 1:00 p.m. reservations for drag brunch at The Abbey, one of the most iconic venues in West Hollywood. The Abbey is more than just a restaurant or bar. It has long been a cornerstone of the LGBTQ social scene in Los Angeles and is known for its lively atmosphere, strong drinks, entertainment, and energy that feels distinctly West Hollywood. It has become a landmark for a reason, and it made the perfect setting for a celebratory brunch with our group.

We also met up with Taylor, the Director of Sales for Hotel Ziggy and two other Los Angeles properties, which gave the afternoon a nice mix of social time and professional connection. The food and drinks were excellent, but the real highlight was the show and the atmosphere. We had an absolute blast, and it was one of those experiences that really set the tone for the trip.

After brunch, we decided to keep the fun going with a small pub crawl, stopping at two other bars in the area before eventually heading back. By the time we got back to Hotel Ziggy, it was close to 6:00 p.m., and everyone was hungry again, so we ordered pizza from Pizza Girl. It was just as good as we remembered and hit the spot after a full day out. After that, it was recovery time. 

Our MerPeople Pool Party at Hotel Ziggy

On Monday, April 6, we hosted our merman and merpeople pool party, and it turned out to be one of the most fun parts of the trip. Hotel Ziggy and The Connected Traveler hired a DJ for our event, and we also had our own dedicated bartender, Eric, which made the day feel even more personalized for the group.

Everyone spent the day at the pool relaxing, chilling, listening to music, enjoying drinks, and just having a good time together. It had exactly the kind of laid-back but festive vibe we had hoped for. With the DJ playing, drinks flowing, and everyone enjoying the sunshine, it felt like the perfect way to kick off the trip before heading to the ship.

Embarkation Day for Brilliant Lady LA Mermaiden

By Tuesday, April 7, it was finally time for embarkation day for Virgin Voyages’ Brilliant Lady LA Mermaiden. Melissa had arrived late Monday, so we met up with her Tuesday morning. Because our group was so large, we needed three separate cars to get everyone to the port.

Once we arrived at the port, we checked in and met up with Julie and Jim, which rounded out most of our group. In addition to our hosted group, we also had another 47 people onboard who were sailing but were not officially part of the hosted group, so there were a lot of familiar faces throughout the voyage. 

The sailaway party is always one of the most fun parts of embarkation day. There is usually so much energy, excitement, music, and that feeling that the trip is officially beginning. On this sailing, though, it started later than expected. It was supposed to begin at 4:30 p.m., but by 4:42 p.m. it still had not started, which made the first afternoon feel a little delayed. We also noticed that Virgin seems to have cut back on the amount of champagne they now serve at sailaway, which was another change that stood out.

Later, we had dinner at Rojo by Razzle Dazzle, the newest restaurant and one that is currently only on Brilliant Lady. We had been told by Virgin staff that it would be Spanish tapas-style dining with paella, so we were looking forward to trying something a little different. While there was paella on the menu, it turned out to be lobster paella priced at $70, which was definitely not what we had expected. Overall, the menu did not really feel very Spanish and it did not really feel like tapas either. In fact, Scott and I both ended up ordering the ribeye steak, which certainly is not a dish that immediately says tapas, and Scott added fingerling potatoes to go with his steak. The experience ended up feeling very different from what had been described to us beforehand. That said, we enjoyed it and the steak tartare was quite good.

That night, the PJ Party was extremely crowded. The Diva and the Hostess came out, did a song, and brought out cookies, but the whole event felt rushed and lacked some of the flow and energy from which we have grown accustomed.

Sea Day Brunches, Dining, and Ship Atmosphere

On Wednesday, our first full sea day, we went to Razzle Dazzle for brunch. The menu was pretty much the same as the Razzle Dazzle brunch menu on the other Virgin Voyages ships, although there were a few items pulled in from Rojo. While the menu itself felt familiar, the service was noticeably slow. We were seated at 10:05 a.m. and did not place our drink order until 10:37 a.m., and once we did get our drinks, it seemed to take forever to get a refill. Side note: the cost of orange juice increased from our last voyage and is now $7.

After brunch, we shifted gears and got some travel work done. We headed back to our cabin and ended up spending about seven hours working and trying to catch up, which took up a big part of the afternoon.

We wanted to make it to the LGBTQ meetup because this was a first for us with Virgin Voyages, and we were curious to see how it would be. The event was hosted by The Diva, the drag queen from the Happenings Cast, and it took place at The Dock House, which made for a great setting. Scott and I arrived just a few minutes before it was scheduled to begin, so we were still able to place an order during Opa Hour before the event got underway.

While we were there, we ordered the mezze platter, which the menu said came with pita, but instead it was served with sliced bread. It was a small detail, but another example of how what arrived did not quite match what was described on the menu. After the meetup, we also stopped by On the Rocks, where Abbie the Hostess was singing, which made for a nice way to continue the evening.

One frustration onboard was that Ship Eats was not working properly in the app, and Contact Sailor Services in the app was also not functional, which made things much less convenient. That evening, we had dinner at Pink Agave. Even though our reservation was for 8:30 p.m., we arrived at 7:45 p.m. and were seated right away–the restaurant was empty!

Tender Day and More Onboard Changes

On Thursday, we had a tender port day and went ashore in Santa Barbara for a group excursion — a motorcycle sidecar tour through Santa Barbara with visits to a couple of wineries. We had previously done a sidecar tour in Barcelona, and the group absolutely loved it, so we thought this would be a fun and memorable experience to recreate here.

After getting off the ship and taking the tender into Santa Barbara, we walked about 15 minutes to the pickup location where the motorcycles were waiting for us. There were four motorcycles, and each sidecar held two people, so once everyone was grouped up, we were whisked away for the tour. The experience ended up varying depending on the driver. We all had a great time, but everyone’s tour was different. My driver was new and did not really know much about the area; so, it ended up being more of a scenic ride through Santa Barbara than an actual narrated tour. Other people in the group, however, got more of a history-focused tour of the area, so their experience felt a bit different. Even with that inconsistency, everyone still seemed to enjoy the outing overall, and it was still a fun way to explore Santa Barbara.

Back onboard, we were able to make it to the Deep Blue Extras cocktail party, which is one of the perks offered to Virgin Voyages sailors with Deep Blue Extras. It is a nice benefit and a good chance to relax with a drink before the evening gets going.

After that, we headed to On the Rocks to listen to Plan V. The group is from South America and performed a mix of rock, pop, and Latin music, which gave the evening a lot of energy and made for a fun stop before dinner.

Later, we had dinner at Extra Virgin. It is still one of the more enjoyable specialty restaurants onboard, but we did notice more menu changes. Virgin Voyages continues to make changes to its restaurant menus and remove items that people have loved, and that was definitely noticeable here. The gnocchi was gone, and so was the sea bass, both of which had been standout favorites in the past. It is always disappointing when dishes guests have come to enjoy keep disappearing from the menu.

San Diego, The Galley Delays, Gunbae Changes, and Scarlet Night

On Friday, the ship was in San Diego, but Scott and I decided to stay onboard and enjoy a quieter day by the pool rather than go ashore. Sometimes that is the best choice, especially when you want to slow down a bit and take advantage of having the ship a little less crowded.

Earlier in the day, we went to The Galley for lunch, where it took 46 minutes just to get an omelette. For such a casual dining venue, that felt like an incredibly long wait. Unfortunately, this is something that seems to be happening more and more at The Galley across the Virgin Voyages fleet. What is supposed to be a quick and easy dining option no longer feels so quick or easy.

That evening, we had dinner at Gunbae, Virgin Voyages’ Korean BBQ restaurant. While it is still a fun concept, Virgin has continued making changes to the menu, and not all of them are for the better. They have gotten rid of the bibimbap, the rice noodles, the japchae, and even the wagyu beef, all of which were items people really enjoyed. Another odd detail is that the menu states you get white rice, brown rice, or kimchi fried rice, but if you do not specifically ask for it, it may not be brought out at all. That is the kind of inconsistency that keeps showing up and leaves you wondering why the menu and the actual experience do not always match.

Later that night was Scarlet Night, the big shipwide party that is usually one of the signature experiences on Virgin Voyages. Since this was a Mermaiden sailing, Scott and I decided to fully lean into it and wear our mermen outfits. We had so many pictures taken with us throughout the night, which made it even more fun. Our group made its way around to the different pop-up performances happening across the ship before we all came together on the pool deck for the Scarlet Night party.

Normally, Scott and I would have jumped right into the pool, but it was very chilly, and we decided not to risk it. So this time, we stayed dry and just enjoyed the atmosphere from the deck. After the pool party, we headed to The Manor for the Scarlet Night after-party. Virgin changed the format and labelled the event a “hip-hop party.”  We stayed until about 12:30 a.m., and by then The Manor was pretty dead.  This was a first for us on Virgin.

It just did not feel like the Scarlet Night party Virgin used to deliver. At the same time, Virgin also seems to be heavily marketing an older demographic now. The average age onboard feels more like the mid-60s, whereas it used to feel closer to the mid-40s. That shift is noticeable, and it definitely changes the energy onboard, especially for events that used to feel much more high-energy and late-night.

Ensenada, Up With a Twist, and a Final Night Onboard

On Saturday, we started the day with brunch at The Wake. This is one restaurant where Virgin really has not changed the brunch menu much at all, which is actually a bit surprising given how many menu changes have happened elsewhere across the fleet. That said, it has also remained one of Scott’s least favorite brunch spots onboard. Unfortunately, the meal did not do much to change that opinion. The food quality was not great, and the service was slow, which made for a pretty underwhelming start to the day.

Later, we went into Ensenada because we wanted to stop at a Mexican pharmacy to pick up a few things. One quick word of caution for anyone doing the same: make sure you are purchasing from a qualified, certified pharmacy. In Mexico, you often do not need a prescription for a lot of medications, including antibiotics, but it is still important to be careful about where you purchase products.

After that, we walked around Ensenada for a while, and Mary Jo and Melissa did some haggling with shop owners over gifts and jewelry, which was fun to watch. Scott and I took a different approach and found a picnic table outside, where we sat, relaxed, had a beer, and just chilled for a bit. It ended up being a nice little break in the middle of the day.

Once we got back to the ship, we spent some more time at the pool with the group, and of course, drinks were involved. It was a fun way to ease into the last full day onboard and enjoy some more time together before the trip started winding down.

That evening, Mary Jo, Melissa, Scott, Cheryl, Keith, and I had reservations for Up With a Twist, the new dinner show on Brilliant Lady. The experience itself was really well done. The show was fun, entertaining, and one of the better nighttime experiences onboard, and it gave the evening a lively, upbeat energy. It ended up being one of the stronger highlights of the sailing and was a great way to spend our final night.

After the show, we went back to the cabin to pack, and then later met everyone again for drinks at On the Rocks, which was a nice and relaxed way to end the evening before heading home the next day.  We won’t call out Barry, Callie and Rochet for not making it down there. We would never do that.  Below may or may not be a picture of everyone doing their best impression of Callie.

Disembarkation, Flight Delays, and a Rough Return to Nashville

On Sunday, as usual, we hosted a Connected Traveler exclusive brunch at The Wake before everyone started heading their separate ways. It gave us one last chance to gather as a group, enjoy a final meal together, and wrap up the sailing before the logistics of travel took over.

Not everyone was leaving Los Angeles at the same time, so I helped coordinate a few different plans for the group. Julie and Jim were not flying home until Monday, so I arranged a room for them at the Montrose at Beverly Hills, a boutique hotel in West Hollywood known for its residential feel, rooftop pool, and convenient location tucked just off the Sunset Strip. It is a great option for travelers who want something that feels a little more relaxed and tucked away, while still being close to everything.

Rochet, Callie, Hayden, and Mary Jo were not flying out until 10:20 p.m. on Sunday, so I arranged for them to have a cabana and pool access at the Montrose at Beverly Hills so they could enjoy the day and have somewhere comfortable to relax rather than just wait around at the airport. Barry and Melissa had to leave earlier, heading out around 9:30 a.m. to catch their flights, and Cheryl had a very early morning departure. Keith was being picked up by his sister and staying extra time in Los Angeles, while Scott and I had a 2:00 p.m. flight.

Unfortunately, once it was our turn to head home, the travel frustrations really started. Our flight was delayed indefinitely because a flight attendant could not make it to San Francisco.  They ultimately found someone to fill in and we then took off with alacrity.  When we arrived in San Francisco, the next flight was delayed another 30 minutes, which only added to what was already becoming a long day.

Once we finally landed in Nashville, things still did not get any easier. We ended up sitting on the runway for more than an hour because airport operations had assigned two planes to the same gate, which was incredibly frustrating after an already delayed trip. After we finally got off the plane, it still took 39 minutes to get our bags, turning the day into an even longer and more exhausting travel experience.

From there, things became even more aggravating. When we arrived at the Conrad Nashville around 2:45 a.m., the front desk employee stated that our room was cancelled as a no show even though we had a guarantee that it would not be cancelled and confirmed our arrival time multiple times prior to arrival.  We even called the hotel to let them know we were still coming. He was able to get us back into our original room, but there was still confusion over the pricing and the original reservation.  Then, he claimed we would have to pay an additional resort fee and valet parking charges. I told him again that everything was already covered.  At that point, since it was already so late, I said I would just discuss it with the manager the next day when we went on the site inspection.  Unfortunately, the front desk would not let it go.  I finally said, we are fine with whatever, but we will address it all tomorrow–it was after 1:30 in the morning.

Once we finally got to the room, Scott started doing his usual video filming of the space. He had only gotten about a minute into recording when the phone rang. It was the front desk employee calling to say that we would be charged for a late check out–I told him to not worry about it.  Scott went back to start filming again, and about a minute or so into that second try, the phone rang again. Once again, it was the same front desk employee, this time asking me who made the reservation and what their position was at the hotel.  After I provided their name and then explained that he should consult the employee directory for more information regarding our host, I apologized and asked him not to call anymore that evening as we are trying to do a video. The frustrating part was that I had already told him on the first call that we were in the middle of filming the room.

By that point, Scott was understandably very frustrated and just wanted to splice the footage together and be done with it. I encouraged him to start over one more time, and he did, but by then we had already lost some of what we originally wanted to say because we kept expecting the phone to ring again. It did. Scott started all over and filmed again.  And sure enough, after we were finally done, it rang yet again.  That said, we apologize now for our video not being as complete as it normally is,  Regardless, you can find it here https://youtu.be/-oJiYhVsj-w?si=4uNz4OpCCWSzrX5h

The one bright spot: when our son Patrick picked us up at the airport, he brought us a pizza from Five Points Pizza.  We were incredibly grateful. We had something to eat, but no drinks 😣 Scott called the front desk to ask where we could go to buy water and a Diet Coke. The same front desk employee ended up bringing them up to the room himself as an apology.  That was a very nice gesture and we appreciated it.  At that point, we were absolutely exhausted and really did not want any more interruptions.  It was still very thoughtful. Even so, it was not exactly the smooth or relaxing ending we had hoped for after such a long and memorable day.

Wrapping Up the Trip

On Monday, we did a site inspection of the Conrad Nashville and also had lunch at the hotel before getting ready to head out. We try to literally sample everything at hotels when we stay at a property. Accordingly, Scott had ordered our car through the valet, expecting it to be ready by the time we came downstairs. However, when we got down 20 minutes later, the car was still not there.

Scott was a bit upset, especially after all of the travel and transportation issues we had already experienced. The response from the valet staff was essentially: “Well, it happens. It doesn’t always connect.” Honestly, that just is not a good enough answer. If the system does not reliably connect and request the car when it is supposed to, then they need a better service in place that actually works. At that point, it just felt like one more frustrating detail.

That said, the Conrad has some great facilities and very attractive rooms in a great Nashville location. Now that we know what to expect, we would be able to guard against our clients having the service issues we experienced.  It is on a short list of properties where I would recommend my groups–the facilities and location easily overcome minor inconveniences.

Overall, our time heading to Los Angeles for Virgin Voyages’ Brilliant Lady LA Mermaiden gave us a lot to remember. The pre-cruise stay at Hotel Ziggy, the energy of The Abbey, and our merman and merpeople pool party all helped create a fun and memorable start to the experience. Time with friends, group celebrations, and the excitement of finally boarding Brilliant Lady (a trip we had planned for years) made the trip especially meaningful.

At the same time, there were definitely service inconsistencies and a few frustrating surprises. Still, those moments are often part of the full travel story too. In the end, it was the mix of the fun, the chaos, the people, and the shared memories that made the trip what it was–a great memory with family and friends.  Isn’t that what it is all about?

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