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Some itineraries look good on paper. Our Virgin Voyages Vancouver to LA sailing on Brilliant Lady turned out to be even better in real life.
In September, we flew from Bristol to Vancouver, sailed the Pacific Coast on Virgin Voyages‘ Brilliant Lady, and finished with four nights at the Disneyland Resort for Halloween Time and Oogie Boogie Bash. In just over two weeks, we watched more than 30 humpback whales from the ship, met a rare orca in the Salish Sea, spotted sea lion pups all the way down the coast, and rode Haunted Mansion Holiday for the first time in years.
This page is our complete overview of the trip: why we chose it, what we booked, what we loved and what we’d do differently. As we publish our detailed reviews, room tours and port guides, we’ll link them here, so bookmark it as your starting point.
And if it leaves you itching to go, good news: we’ve taken a group rate on this route in September 2027, from just £1,037.88 per person. More on that at the end.
Our trip at a glance – Virgin Voyages Vancouver to LA
| Dates | Where | Stay |
|---|---|---|
| Wed 9 Sep | Bristol to Vancouver via Amsterdam | KLM Economy Comfort |
| 9–11 Sep | Vancouver | Sandman on Davie Street, 2 nights |
| 11–19 Sep | Vancouver to Los Angeles | Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady, 8 nights |
| 19–21 Sep | Anaheim | Howard Johnson Anaheim, 2 nights |
| 21–23 Sep | Disneyland Resort | Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, 2 nights |
| Thu 24 Sep | Home to the UK |
Ports of call: San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Catalina Island (Avalon) and San Diego, with three sea days in between.
Why we chose this itinerary
Honestly? Catalina Island. The moment we heard Brilliant Lady would be calling there, we got a little obsessed; San Fran isn’t a bad extra port either… But the more we looked, the more the whole itinerary made sense.
- The whole coast, without the driving. We’ve done a California road trip before and loved it, but you spend a lot of time in the car between the big cities. This sailing ticks off San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Catalina and San Diego, bookended by two of the best cities on the Pacific Coast, and you only unpack once.
- Brilliant Lady. Virgin Voyages’ fourth ship, with her own exclusive restaurant, Rojo by Razzle Dazzle. This was Kieran’s 16th Virgin voyage, and his 100th day at sea landed on our first sea day.
- The Festival of Senses. Our sailing fell during Virgin’s food festival, with one-off dinners, tastings and parties you won’t find on a normal voyage.
- Excellent value. Repositioning sailings like this are very competitively priced for the number of nights, especially once you factor in everything Virgin includes.
- Disneyland at Halloween. Finishing in Los Angeles in September put us right at the start of Halloween Time and Disneyland Resort, with Oogie Boogie Bash running during our stay.
It’s also a brilliant starting point for a bigger adventure, and we’ll share some ideas for making it your own further down.
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Two nights in Vancouver
We flew from Bristol to Vancouver via Amsterdam on KLM Economy Comfort, and the Indigenous art at YVR is a lovely first welcome to British Columbia. We stayed at the Sandman on Davie Street for two nights, with complimentary cocktails at JEON Korean next door. A Seoul Sour and a plate of Korean fried chicken are a very good cure for jet lag.
VanDusen Botanical Garden
If you’re staying longer in Vancouver, VanDusen Botanical Garden is a lovely way to slow down for a few hours instead of being on your feet all day. Taxis are reasonably priced, and the city is easy to get around. On our last trip, we headed into the mountains, so this time we wanted something a bit closer to home and more relaxed.
Whale watching with Prince of Whales
This was the big one. Our marine safari ran for four to five hours on the Salish Sea Freedom, and the crew worked hard to find wildlife, constantly talking to other boats and operators so that every trip had the best chance of a sighting.
We saw Steller sea lions, humpbacks, including Hecate and her calf, and a transient orca known as T49A1 “Noah”. Orcas tend to keep their distance from boats, so that was a genuine pinch-me moment. Professional photos were included too. We’ll share the full review soon.
That same day we even spotted Disney Magic on the horizon, eight years to the day after our transatlantic crossing on her.
Our tip: the tour leaves from Granville Island, and by the time we got back the island was winding down for the evening. Spend the morning exploring Granville Island, have lunch there, then join an afternoon whale-watching trip.
Embarkation day
We kept it easy: Tim Hortons, a 100% gluten-free lunch at Juke Fried Chicken, and a wander through Chinatown before a seamless check-in at Canada Place. Book whale watching for your full day in the city, never embarkation day.
Eight nights on Brilliant Lady
Brilliant Lady is everything we love about Virgin Voyages, with a few exclusive touches of her own. What surprised us most was the atmosphere on board.
This isn’t a sun-worshipper’s sailing, so even on warm days the pool deck never felt heaving, and indoor venues were never packed. The crowd was a lovely mix of people there for the itinerary and seasoned Virgin fans, so big events and parties never felt pressured. If you love Virgin for the ship itself rather than the sunbathing, this is a very happy medium.
Our cabin: Sea Terrace
We sailed in a Sea Terrace, as always. It’s the most common cabin category, and it’s the cabin a Virgin Voyages placeholder can be applied to, so frequent sailors can put their placeholder towards it. Even better, a placeholder can be combined with our exclusive 2027 group rate for extra savings.
Rojo by Razzle Dazzle
Brilliant Lady’s exclusive restaurant is Rojo, a Spanish eatery you won’t find on any other Virgin ship. We ate there on embarkation night and went back for brunch on our second sea day. Both are must-dos.
The Festival of Senses
Our sailing fell during the Festival of Senses, Virgin’s food and drink festival (previously the Eat & Drink Festival). It usually runs across roughly six weeks of sailings fleet-wide, though the dates move each year and it hasn’t been confirmed for 2027 yet. Here’s what we did:
- The Sensory Dinner ($100pp). Our best meal of the trip. A tasting menu with Huneeus wine pairings, a visit from the sommelier, a maximum of 20 guests, and gifts to take home, including the book The Flavor Matrix. A genuine step up from Virgin’s already-included speciality dining, and great value for what you get.
- A Feast for the Senses in The Manor (included). An afternoon session with cocktails and small bites at no extra charge. The smoked coffee old fashioned and s’more madeleines were stand-outs.
- Shhh! speakeasy ($25). Phones locked away, cocktails you can only order during the event, and a rare chance to get into the secret bar without an elusive invite. So much fun.
- New menus around the ship. The Dock and The Wake had new dishes, and Extra Virgin offered a colour-themed pairing menu called Color Me Curious, including a colour-changing octopus dish and a lamb dish exclusive to Brilliant Lady.
If you’ve sailed with Virgin a few times and want something new to try, booking a Festival of Senses sailing is always worth it.
Everything else we squeezed in
- Afternoon tea at Sip, much improved since we last tried it in 2023
- The sailaway party at The Dock, the PJ Party, and Scarlet Night with a pool jump
- The Electric party in The Manor and Murder in the Manor
- Gunbae Korean BBQ, Pink Agave’s aguachile, and Bingo Blitz After Dark
- A final-night show from comedian Rondell Sheridan
Our Pacific Coast cruise ports: four very different Californias
We explored every port independently, apart from one shore excursion booked through Virgin. What tied them together was the food: brilliant Mexican cooking, fresh seafood, a serious boutique coffee scene, and no shortage of spots for a margarita or a mai tai.
San Francisco
A sunrise sail-in past Alcatraz, then a very full day. We took our first Waymo ride and visited Lombard Street and the Painted Ladies, but Chinatown and House of Dim Sum were the real 10/10. We went up Coit Tower for views of the ship, then hit the Pier 39 sea lions, Musée Mécanique and a tiki bar before sunset at the Golden Gate. The late departure meant a midnight sail-out under the bridge, one of the best reasons to have a balcony on this itinerary.
Santa Barbara (tender)
Our surprise favourite. We didn’t plan much here, and that was the joy of it: wandering State Street’s tiles and boutiques, the Courthouse and La Arcada, a horchata doughnut from Hook & Press, and mai tais at Sandbar. We ended the day photographing the ship at sunset.
Catalina Island (tender)
The port that sold us on the itinerary, and it didn’t disappoint. Avalon is a little resort island popular with Southern Californians, with options for outdoor adventure, beach time or pottering around boutiques. We booked the sea lion boat tour through Virgin, which even included a sail around Brilliant Lady, then had gluten-free pancakes at Pancake Cottage and walked out to the Casino.
San Diego
We headed to La Jolla Cove for the sea lion pups, then stopped at Parakeet Cafe, and had dinner at Las Hadas Grill in the Gaslamp Quarter.
The wildlife surprised us most
If there’s one thing this trip taught us, it’s how much wildlife you can see on the Pacific Coast.
As we sailed out of Vancouver through the Salish Sea, more than 30 humpback whales surfaced right alongside Brilliant Lady. It was easily one of the highlights of the whole trip. After that, sea lions became our constant companions: the famous crowd at Pier 39, others lounging around Santa Barbara’s harbour, a whole boatload of sightings off Catalina, and pups on the beach at La Jolla.
September is just after pupping season, so you have a good chance of seeing baby sea lions and seals without paying for a tour. They’re often hauled out right by the harbour.
Four nights at Disneyland for Halloween
This was our third visit to the Disneyland Resort, almost exactly 15 years after our first. Our last trip in 2022 came just after Covid, when a lot of the nighttime entertainment and special events weren’t running, so it was wonderful to finally see the resort at full strength.
Where we stayed
To keep the budget in check, we split our four nights across two hotels:
- Howard Johnson Anaheim (2 nights). Good value, walkable to the parks, and fully decked out for Halloween.
- Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa (2 nights). A bucket-list stay for us, and the resort’s signature hotel, with its own entrance into Disney California Adventure.
Room tours of both are coming soon.
Tickets and Lightning Lane
We had four-day park hopper tickets with Lightning Lane Multi Pass included, and used Lightning Lanes for almost everything. We also bought individual Lightning Lanes for Radiator Springs Racers and Rise of the Resistance. You can cut waits with an early start or a late finish, but after a busy cruise we wanted to use our time efficiently rather than queue in the heat.
Staying at an official Disneyland Resort hotel also gets you a one-time Lightning Lane entry for most attractions that offer it (excluding Radiator Springs Racers and Rise of the Resistance). We used ours on Haunted Mansion Holiday.
Why Halloween is special here
The Nightmare Before Christmas is a huge part of Disneyland. The entrance to Disney’s California Adventure and central areas are themed around it, and for about three months around Halloween and Christmas, Jack Skellington and friends take over the Haunted Mansion. In North America, you’ll only find Haunted Mansion Holiday here, and it’s a must for any Disney fan.
Other highlights:
- Halloween fireworks and the updated Fantasmic!, which we hadn’t seen in years
- Cars Land Haul-O-Ween, Pixar Pier at sunset, and Mission: BREAKOUT! After Dark.
- A late-night photoshoot in an almost empty park
- Exciting look at the new construction around the resort, including the expansion of Avengers Campus.
Oogie Boogie Bash
Disneyland’s separately ticketed Halloween party, held in Disney California Adventure. Treat trails hosted by villains, character meets (the Sanderson Sisters queue ran over two hours), Villains Grove and the parade. Our verdict: better than Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. Our full review is coming soon.
Are the dessert parties worth it?
For us, yes. On a short trip, the last thing you want is to lose an hour or more holding a spot for a show.
- World of Color – ONE Dessert Party (around $95pp): 7/10. This isn’t our favourite version of World of Color, which is why it doesn’t score higher. But the semi-private viewing area, snacks and unlimited alcoholic and soft drinks for about an hour made for a great evening.
- Oogie Boogie Bash Dessert Party: our favourite: 9/10 Front-row seats for the parade without camping out on the floor.
- Fantasmic! dining package at Cafe Orleans ($64pp): 8/10. A great way to guarantee a good view. Just be prepared to sit on the floor.
Whether it’s worth it comes down to how much you value your time and comfort. We’d book them again.
How busy was it?
Busy. Halloween Time had started and cooler weather was bringing locals with annual passes back into the parks. Even so, four days wasn’t enough. The two parks are smaller than Walt Disney World’s and packed tightly together, but there are more attractions in each one, so you get a lot for your money.
What we’d do differently
We’d add a rest day. The end of the cruise brings several port days back to back, and going straight into four park days left us with tired feet and backs by the end. That’s partly why we were so grateful for the dessert parties and the paid Lightning Lanes.
If you have the time, book a night or two somewhere on the coast between the ship and Disneyland. You’ll enjoy the parks far more for it.
So, what’s our verdict?
We genuinely can’t pick a single best moment because this trip was loaded with them: 30-plus humpbacks alongside the ship, a rare orca in the Salish Sea, sailing under the Golden Gate, the Sensory Dinner, being back at Disneyland, Fantasmic! World of Color, and Haunted Mansion Holiday.
It’s a premium way to see the Pacific Coast, and one we’d happily do again.
Who is this trip perfect for?
- Virgin Voyages fans looking for something new. A fresh itinerary, an exclusive restaurant, and a relaxed ship that never feels crowded.
- Anyone who’s always wanted to see the West Coast. All the headline stops, without hours in a hire car between them.
- Disney fans who’ve never made it to Disneyland. Disneyland isn’t a two-week destination like Walt Disney World, so pairing an eight-night cruise with a few nights in the parks makes a brilliant 10+ night holiday.
Make it your own
This is just one example of what you can do with this itinerary:
- More Canada. Start in Toronto, then fly across to Vancouver before you sail.
- More Los Angeles. Add a week to take in Disneyland, Universal Studios Hollywood, studio tours, the Hollywood Hills, Malibu and Santa Monica.
- Go further. Carry on to Las Vegas after your cruise.
We’d love to help you plan your version of it.
Join us in 2027: our Brilliant Lady group sailing
We loved this itinerary so much that we’ve taken a Magical Traveller group rate on it next year: Pacific Coastal: Vancouver to LA, eight nights on Brilliant Lady from Friday 10 to Saturday 18 September 2027.
We’re very tempted to go back ourselves, as we loved it so much.
| Date | Port | Times |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 10 Sep | Vancouver, Canada | Departs 5pm |
| Sat 11 Sep | At sea | |
| Sun 12 Sep | At sea | |
| Mon 13 Sep | San Francisco | 8am – 11:59pm |
| Tue 14 Sep | At sea | |
| Wed 15 Sep | Santa Barbara (tender) | 9am – 4pm |
| Thu 16 Sep | San Diego | 8am – 6pm |
| Fri 17 Sep | Catalina Island (tender) | 8am – 5pm |
| Sat 18 Sep | Los Angeles | Arrives 6:30am |
Our exclusive group rate, Sea Terrace, cruise only (ATOL Flight packages can be added once available, just ask):
- £1,037.88 per person based on two sharing (£2,075.76 per cabin), including taxes and fees
- £1,823.88 for solo sailors
- $200 to spend on board per cabin: a $100 bar tab as a group perk, plus an extra $100 Sailor Loot from us
- Deposit of just £314.80 per cabin for two sharing (£314.60 for solo sailors) to secure your cabin, with the balance due by 13 May 2027
- Placeholder friendly: your Virgin Voyages placeholder can be combined with our group rate for an even bigger saving and extra loot!
Make it a full holiday. Flights aren’t bookable this far out yet, so we’re offering cruise only for now. Once they’re in range, we can add flights to make your holiday ATOL protected. We can also help you plan the rest of your trip, from pre-cruise nights in Vancouver to Disneyland stays and time in Los Angeles afterwards.
Repositioning sailings like this are some of the best value in the Virgin Voyages calendar, and our group cabins are limited.
📖 Follow the rest of our Pacific Coast series
We’ll add each post here as it goes live.
- Prince of Whales whale-watching review — Humpbacks, sea lions and a rare orca in the Salish Sea.
👉 [link coming soon] - Sea Terrace cabin tour on Brilliant Lady — Our non-obstructed balcony cabin.
👉 [link coming soon] - Festival of Senses on Virgin Voyages — The Sensory Dinner, Shhh! and more.
👉 [link coming soon] - Port guides: San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Catalina Island and San Diego — What we did and what we’d recommend.
👉 [link coming soon] - Howard Johnson Anaheim room tour — A great-value Halloween base near the parks.
👉 [link coming soon] - Disney’s Grand Californian room tour — Our bucket-list stay.
👉 [link coming soon] - Oogie Boogie Bash review — Is it better than Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party?
👉 [link coming soon]
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