Courtney Donovan is a seasoned solo traveler, but she still finds dining alone to be tricky.
The founder of The Queens & Carryons Club, an online community aimed at plus-size women over 40, said she gets scared of being judged or mocked: “Oh my gosh, look at this big girl,” Donovan told USA TODAY. “‘She's eating alone. How much is she eating?’ You know what I mean?”
But on her last Virgin Voyages cruise, her server made her feel completely comfortable when debating between a chocolate cake and cheesecake for dessert aboard the Scarlet Lady ship in 2023.
“And I was like, I can't decide,” the 42-year-old Jacksonville, Florida resident recalled. “He was like, ‘Honey, you're on a cruise. You deserve both.’ … He made me feel like just anybody else that would order two desserts and feel like I deserve it, and I'm allowed to have that. And that was a huge win for me.”
That’s intentional on Virgin’s part. The adults-only cruise line, which launched its fourth ship in September, has worked to create a welcoming atmosphere for passengers of all body types, from the physical design of its ships to its onboard culture. Here’s how.
