This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
After a very easy drive we were dropped off at the terminal (Z class, no limo) and checked in - all very efficient and easy and then straight up in the lift past the shoe carnival and into the hallowed portals of the Clubhouse. We were hungry and so enjoyed an excellent breakfast, served quickly and efficiently by a lovely waitress. We then went back into the terminal to get my daughter something to eat on the plane as she hates 'plane food' and struggles to find anything she likes on-board - over the years it just seems easier to take on a couple of sandwiches otherwise she is starving when we land.
I have never met a fellow V-Flyer before and on this trip had the privilege to meet Honey Lamb[oo] in the Clubhouse after her horrible journey the previous day. What a lovely lady! She seemed remarkably recovered after such a long and tiring journey and we had a brief chat before it was time to board our flight and she was off for a treatment.
Naturally there was no priority boarding and it was the usual scrum to board the plane. Mr Avalon and I asked for sleep suits but Avalon jnr would not even consider one and she has never even seen the threads on here about them being washed and re used. She did raise a few eye brows as she was wearing track suit bottoms (even though she is most definately not a chav) and UGGS and a t shirt. She prefers to wear her own clothes on board but maybe I am too old but I cant understand the wearing of UGGS en route to Miami! Who am I to argue.
Now I would like to make one thing clear before going any further. I am not complaining about any aspect of this flight as there was nothing to complain about BUT nor was there anything more than average about it. The reason for this I believe was the FSM. She was not visible until well after take off and then made only the briefest of appearances. She seemed to avoid all eye contact with passengers and was not at all welcoming. Only after two different people asked was the basket of extras brought round and this was about an hour and a half into the flight.
I asked the name of the plane and was told it was Sweet Dreamer - VSSH.
The CC responsible for our seats came round and wanted to take our lunch order but seeing as Mr A and I were still stuffed from breakfast we asked to eat later. It was made very clear to us that this was an inconvenience but my husband would not be pressured into eating at 12 midday and so she reluctantly agreed to us eating later. My daughter was grinning back at us to make the point that with her sandwiches she could eat when she pleased. We decided to eat about an hour or so after the first meal run and in other parts of the cabin others were also beginning their meals. I 'borrowed' the menu so that I could report accurately but it seems to have mislaid itself between here and Naples. The meal was I am sorry to say poor - why oh why cant Virgin provide something edible and appetising. I think I had fish of some description but cant remember now and I know I did not finish it as it was not nice. I think I did my usual of eating some salad and then going for the cheese and some fruit. There was a lovely fruit bowl on the bar which never seemed to get empty. There were plenty of crisps throughout the flight. I did hear another CC say to the passenger opposite to choose his meal and it would be reserved for him as they did not always have enough of all the choices on board, but again I had read that on here.
It was a very turbulent flight and several times the seat belt sign went on. I settled down to watch a movie and chose Gone Baby Gone. I must have watched it for about an hour or so and then thought that it was almost at the end and so selected a different film. Later I looked up to see my daughter enrapt in a film and went to see what she was watching. It was still Gone Baby Gone and I had missed the twist[:I] She could not believe that her mother could be so blonde and made me promise to watch it on the way home as it was such a good film.
I later on settled down to sleep and managed a couple of hours decent rest. It seemed to me that the pillows were quite plump possibly even plumper than usual - in fact more like the one you see with John Hannah in the advertisement. I did however grab an extra one as I like to sleep with my head well supported and as the cabin was relatively empty there were plenty spare.
When I woke up it was time for afternoon tea. Again the CC assigned to our section was not particularly helpful and we were offered a choice of either sandwiches OR cake - there was no suggestion of the scone on the menu. Not being too hungry it was not an issue but in other parts of the cabin some pax were being handed fully loaded trays.
Landing was smooth and then the best part of the journey. After landing we trekked to Immigration and found no queue at all[:D] The Immigration Official could not believe the sight of my daughter in her UGGS and wanted to know the temperature in the UK - he seemed to think that we/she were crazy and we decided not to disagree.He said it was over 95 degrees outside! Apart from that we were through in moments and went to the luggage carousel where the cases were waiting for us. I have landed many times at Miami and I do not understand why when flying Virgin the Immigration process is so much quicker than entering the US with BA. The only thing I can think of is that the BA terminal is a much busier one than the one which Virgin uses.
We were quickly through and our driver was waiting for us to take us over to Naples.
All in all this was not a bad experience simply an indifferent one but as it was there was nothing wrong but nothing fantastic. However the homeward flight was probably the best we have ever had with VS.
