I sat back and watched the artist workīefore going on the cruise, I was a bit skeptical about how getting a tattoo would work in the middle of the ocean. Once we settled on a design, it was printed out on contact paper and the work began. The design I wanted was simple and small, but if you have a more complex design in mind, this portion of the process may take longer. There are even a few exclusive voyage tattoos designed by the World Famous Tattoo Ink team if you’re interested in a design unique to Virgin Voyages. (Photo by Ram Sanchez for The Points Guy)įor those who aren’t 100% sure what tattoo they want, the shop did have a lookbook of designs to give sailors a sense of tattoo styles they could choose. Suggestions and opinions were given when I asked for them (such as which direction I wanted the tattoo facing), and he drafted up a great tattoo design. He asked questions about where I wanted to place it, how large I wanted it, in which style I wanted the different elements. He used the reference photo to outline the tattoo on Procreate. I showed a reference picture for what I wanted my tattoo artist, Roger, and he had me Airdrop the photo to his iPad from my phone. I knew what design I wanted before I ever booked my appointment. Related: I’ve been on more than 150 cruise ships here are my first impressions of Scarlet Lady, the first-ever Virgin Voyages vessel An artist worked with me on a design Many shops - including Soho Ink in New York City, which is a shop sponsored by World Famous Tattoo Ink - have $200 minimums for tattoos, so it wasn’t a bad price for industry standards. It was a bit more expensive than the cost of my first tattoo despite being smaller, but I chalked that up to the more stressful conditions for the artist and the fact that I got my first tattoo in a tiny shop in Jonesboro, Arkansas, seven years ago. I put down a $150 deposit, which went toward the overall cost of the tattoo. You should avoid getting a tattoo wet or exposed to too much sun while it’s still healing, and if there are two things you know you’ll encounter on a cruise in the Caribbean, it’s water and sunshine.Īn appointment on the final day of a cruise makes it easier to enjoy the other activities throughout the voyage - whether getting a tan by the beach club pool at Bimini or snorkeling with sharks (both of which I was able to accomplish before my Saturday appointment).
on Saturday (our final day at sea).īookings for that final day at sea went fast (I was one of the last to get an appointment slot, despite hitting up the parlor our first night on board), and for good reason. Thankfully, the line moved quickly, and I was able to book an appointment for 3 p.m.
But once the doors were open, there was a fast-forming line of sailors looking to secure a spot on the roster. On this voyage, the tattoo parlor didn’t open until we had set sail and reached international waters. While some reservations, events and excursions are bookable through the Virgin Voyages app before the cruise, some activities - including tattoo appointments - can only be booked once you’re on board. (Photo by Nicky Kelvin/The Points Guy) I booked my appointment as soon as I got on board Interested in the process of getting a tattoo on a cruise ship? Here’s a rundown of my experience. I had an excellent experience, and I am now sporting new ink (and a new hat because I was a little bit obsessed with the design they used on merchandise).
The cruise line has partnered with World Famous Tattoo Ink to provide the services, and two resident artists and one piercer are hand-selected to spend time on board. Virgin Voyages has a small tattoo parlor on the Scarlet Lady called Squid Ink. Want more travel news and advice from TPG? Sign up for our daily newsletter. But I was set on getting an appointment and seeing this idea through, and I definitely don’t regret it now that I’m back on dry land. “Have you lost your mind? Getting a tattoo on a cruise ship?” Those were the questions I was asked a number of times in the leadup to the trip - from family members, friends and even a few coworkers. When I found out there was going to be a tattoo parlor on board the Scarlet Lady, Virgin Voyages’ first cruise ship, I knew I had to get on that ship to try it out myself.
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