Brilliant Lady shows represent the most ambitious entertainment lineup Virgin Voyages has ever put on a ship. New headline productions in the Red Room, a premium paid supper-club experience exclusive to this ship, expanded cabaret in The Manor, reimagined drag programming, and parties redesigned for colder-climate itineraries. Whether you plan your evenings as carefully as your port days or prefer to stumble into whatever’s happening, this guide covers every Brilliant Lady show so you know what to prioritize, what costs extra, and what to book early before it sells out.
The Red Room is Virgin Voyages’ main theater — a transformational performance space with multiple stage configurations that changes layout between shows. All Red Room headline productions are included in your fare with no extra charge. If reservations are offered on your sailing, you’ll see the option in the Sailor App; otherwise, arrive early for the best seats because popular Brilliant Lady shows fill up fast, especially on sea days when everyone is onboard.
A high-energy musical revue celebrating Virgin’s music legacy. It’s the most universally crowd-pleasing headliner in the Brilliant Lady shows lineup — big vocals, big choreography, and a “this feels like a real show” production level that rivals anything you’d see on Broadway or the West End. Virgin highlights Red Hot as one of the signature new productions, and first-time cruisers consistently rate it as the standout of their voyage.
A cirque-style acrobatic retelling of Romeo and Juliet. Two rival groups face off through high-flying stunts, precision acrobatics, and physical storytelling while the crowd picks sides. It’s athletic, tense, and visually spectacular — the kind of show that makes you forget you’re on a cruise ship. The Red Room’s transformational stage is configured in a standing-room center layout for this one, which adds to the immersive energy. Arrive at least 20 minutes early for the best vantage point.
A time-hopping comedy adventure following Dr. Victoria Vortex as her time machine malfunctions and sends her careening through different eras. It’s campy, quirky, and more narrative-driven than the other Red Room shows — think less spectacle, more story. If you enjoy theater that leans into humor and doesn’t take itself too seriously, this is the one to catch.
A rotating lineup of comedians, magicians, and specialty acts that can change by voyage. Check the Sailor App once onboard to see who’s performing on your sailing. Festival Stage fills the nights between headline productions and is often where you’ll discover unexpected highlights — a stand-up comedian who kills, a mentalist who leaves you genuinely confused, or a musician who turns a random Wednesday night into the best show of your trip.
On Brilliant Lady, The Manor leans harder into being a true cabaret venue than on any other ship in the fleet. It’s intimate, atmospheric, and hosts multiple distinct Brilliant Lady shows per voyage. This is where the ship’s personality shines brightest — smaller room, closer performers, and a vibe that feels more like a speakeasy than a cruise ship lounge.
This is Brilliant Lady’s most elevated entertainment experience and the one show that requires a paid reservation. Up With a Twist is a roaring-twenties supper club that blends a multi-course dinner with live music, vocals, interactive performance, and high-fashion costuming into a single immersive night. Virgin describes it as a supper-club musical with a new ending every night, meaning repeat visits on longer sailings won’t feel like reruns.
Book it as early as the Sailor App allows — it sells out fast, often within the first few days of being available. If you’re trying to budget your onboard spend, note that this is a ticketed experience and comes out of your Sailor Loot balance or credit card rather than your Bar Tab. Treat it like a “special night out” splurge. Mega RockStar Suite guests may find Up With a Twist included as part of their suite perks — check with your travel advisor to confirm for your specific sailing.
An interactive whodunit with ’80s horror flair. It’s playful, unpredictable, and genuinely engaging — especially if you like audience participation and don’t mind being pulled into the storyline. The intimate Manor setting makes this feel personal in a way that big-room shows can’t replicate. Great for couples, solo sailors, and anyone who enjoys a bit of campy mystery.
A stripped-back, soulful showcase of iconic musical duos. Smooth vocals, simple staging, and a calm contrast to the big Red Room productions. If you need a mellow evening after a packed port day, Duets delivers beautifully.
A country-themed drag show that puts a fresh twist on Virgin’s popular Diva format. Expect live vocals, Western-inspired humor, and a looser, funnier vibe than the Diva shows on Scarlet Lady, Valiant Lady, or Resilient Lady. If you’ve seen the Diva on other ships, The Diva Goes West is different enough to be worth another look.
Scarlet Night is Virgin Voyages’ signature shipwide event — dress in red, party everywhere, and cap it off with a theatrical finale. Because Brilliant Lady sails colder itineraries like Alaska, Virgin has redesigned Scarlet Night to work primarily indoors with an updated “glow-up” style. The pool deck version from Caribbean sailings wouldn’t work in Alaskan temperatures, so the indoor format pushes the energy into The Manor, the Red Room, bars, and common spaces throughout the ship. It’s still one of the highlight nights of any voyage.
Brilliant Lady debuts new nightlife events alongside returning favorites. The party programming is one of the areas where Brilliant Lady shows the most creative growth compared to her sister ships.
A neon glow dance party with jellyfish energy — high-color, high-energy, and very on-brand for Virgin Voyages. Electric is a late-night event that takes over one of the main social spaces and keeps going well past midnight.
A high-energy take on the disco era with circus vibes — a big upgrade for sailors who love theme nights and performance-forward parties. Think costumes, performers mixed into the crowd, and a DJ who knows exactly when to drop the big hits.
Beyond the new additions, Brilliant Lady also hosts the PJ Party (with some format tweaks from the other ships), Grog Walk, karaoke, trivia, and game shows. The exact schedule varies by sailing — check the app daily to see what’s happening each night.
Hostess Abi (Abi Gold) is back on Brilliant Lady. Love Love Love with The Hostess blends humor, heart, and music in a format that feels uniquely Virgin — part concert, part comedy, part confessional — and it’s consistently a fleet favorite. Abi’s energy is infectious, and this show draws a crowd that ranges from solo travelers to couples celebrating anniversaries. Don’t skip it based on the name — it’s one of the most genuinely entertaining Brilliant Lady shows and catches people off guard with how good it is.
Every Lady Ship has its own entertainment lineup. Scarlet Lady launched with the original set of Red Room productions. Valiant Lady and Resilient Lady each evolved the format. But Brilliant Lady shows represent the biggest single leap in production quality and variety — three entirely new Red Room headliners, a paid premium experience (Up With a Twist) that doesn’t exist on any other ship, and new party formats designed for the itineraries Brilliant Lady actually sails.
If you’ve sailed one of the other ships and thought the entertainment was good but not great, Brilliant Lady is worth trying specifically for the shows. The Red Room productions benefit from years of lessons learned across the fleet, and Up With a Twist adds a premium tier that didn’t exist before. For transatlantic crossings with multiple sea days in a row, having this depth of entertainment options makes a meaningful difference.
Book Up With a Twist ASAP. It’s ticketed and sells out. Check the Sailor App early and often — the moment you see availability, grab it.
Don’t assume every show is reservable. Some sailings offer reservations for Red Room shows; others are walk-in only. Either way, popular Brilliant Lady shows reward showing up 15 to 20 minutes early. On sea days, the competition for seats intensifies.
Check the app daily. The schedule shifts throughout the voyage, and some shows only run once or twice during a sailing. Build your nights around what’s actually listed for that day rather than assuming a fixed weekly schedule.
Don’t double-book with dinner. The biggest scheduling conflict is booking a restaurant reservation at the same time as a show you want to see. When planning your dining reservations, check the entertainment schedule first and leave your show nights open for earlier or later dinner times.
Use sea days strategically. Sea days have the fullest entertainment schedules and the biggest crowds. If a show runs on both a port day and a sea day, see it on the port day when half the ship is ashore and you’ll have a better seat and a more relaxed experience.
If you want Virgin’s own official rundown of what’s new, see: Top reasons to sail Brilliant Lady.
Yes. Brilliant Lady has an entirely new entertainment lineup that doesn’t overlap with Scarlet Lady, Valiant Lady, or Resilient Lady. The three Red Room headliners (Red Hot, Duel Reality, Out of Time) are exclusive to Brilliant Lady, as is Up With a Twist — a paid supper-club experience that doesn’t exist on any other ship.
Almost all Brilliant Lady shows are included in your fare at no extra cost. The one exception is Up With a Twist, a premium supper-club experience in The Manor that requires a paid ticket. Everything else — Red Room headliners, Manor cabaret, parties, Scarlet Night — is included.
Check the Sailor App once onboard. Some sailings offer advance reservations for Red Room shows; others are walk-in only. Up With a Twist should be booked as early as possible through the app since it sells out quickly. For all other shows, arriving 15 to 20 minutes early gives you the best seat selection.
Up With a Twist is a roaring-twenties supper club exclusive to Brilliant Lady that combines a multi-course dinner with live music, vocals, and interactive performance. It’s the only paid entertainment experience onboard and offers a different ending each night. It’s held in The Manor and is one of the most talked-about Brilliant Lady shows among returning sailors.
Brilliant Lady shows are the strongest entertainment package in the Virgin Voyages fleet. Red Hot is the crowd-pleasing headliner, Duel Reality is the jaw-dropper, and Up With a Twist adds a premium dining-and-performance experience that doesn’t exist on any other ship. Book Up With a Twist the moment you can, arrive early for Red Room shows on sea days, and don’t sleep on The Manor’s intimate productions — Murder in the Manor and The Diva Goes West are both better than they sound on paper. For a full look at everything new on Brilliant Lady beyond entertainment, check our complete ship guide. Ready to book? Our best times to book guide covers when to lock in a Brilliant Lady sailing for the best price.
