Scarlet Lady, one of the newest and most luxurious ships at sea, is steaming towards its first port of call: Costa Maya in Mexico. But on the bridge, British First Officer Elliot has noticed a problem — the ship has fallen behind schedule and is in danger of missing its arrival slot. With thousands of passengers expecting a day full of exciting shore excursions the pressure's on to get back on track, or else he'll have a ship-load of angry passengers. Meanwhile, British passengers Paul and Damien are popping their cruising cherry, having been finally convinced to hit the high seas with the promise of a child-free ship. They've got big plans for their time in Mexico... if the ship ever makes it! Ambitious Second Officer Georgia performs her first manoeuvre at the helm of Scarlet Lady, rendezvousing with a tiny pilot boat, then bringing the massive cruise ship into port. It's a huge leap forward in the aspiring captain's career. Former Red Coat Kayleigh leads a cooking and dancing excursion on shore. It's her first time visiting the port, and the pressure's on to provide a top experience for the passengers, but a power cut throws her plans into chaos! As the ship prepares to depart Mexico, the crew discover two passengers are missing. The ship is forced to delay its departure while they wait for the two friends to turn up. One of them eventually stumbles back to ship — but the other is nowhere to be found. Captain Giovanni faces a difficult decision — wait longer, delaying thousands of passengers and crew or leave the stranded sailor behind! Meanwhile, passengers and crew prepare for the biggest night of the cruise — the ship-wide celebration known as ‘Scarlet Night'. As passengers get their glam on, the crew race to transform the ship with — amongst other things — a giant 75ft inflatable octopus. Will the crew be able to deliver their promise of a party to end all parties?

With a ‘no kids' policy, Scarlet Lady and Valiant are ships that promise escapism and plenty of fun for those who set sail with them. But, naturally, it's not all plain sailing. The crew, above and below deck, have many roles to fulfill to keep guests happy and the ship running smoothly. From tricky demands from the sailors to last-minute challenges on the bridge, the series follows the jeopardy as it unfolds and the characters that make these worlds come alive. Scarlet Lady, the flagship of Virgin's fleet of luxury cruise ships, is back in her home port of Miami. As satisfied sailors reluctantly bid farewell to their VIP lifestyles, a set of fresh faces eagerly come aboard! Among the new passengers are Jane and her friends Martin and Mia. Jane's been treated to the trip as a birthday gift from her generous friends — though she is sceptical that life at sea might not be for her. Can Scarlet's crew convince Jane that there's more to cruising than ‘blue rinses and buffets'? We also meet perfectionist restaurant manager Jayson, whose passion for all things food and service borders on the obsessive! Another new passenger is Alison. The Scottish grandmother is about to reach a milestone birthday and does not want to celebrate quietly. She plans to embrace everything the ship has to offer, from game shows to bar crawls — and even a tattoo from the ship's on-board tattoo parlour, the first of its kind, anywhere in the world! Housekeeper Cielo and her stage rigger boyfriend Callum enjoy a rare afternoon off. Working on opposite shifts, the lovebirds are struggling to find time together — but there are big changes on the horizon, with a possible promotion and a transfer to another ship. Could the couple soon find an ocean between them? And in the Red Room theatre, the ship's acrobats are preparing for tonight's ‘deathdefying performance'. But the weather conditions on deck are deteriorating and the ship is rocking heavily. The cast face an agonising choice — risk serious injury should a stunt go wrong, or water down their show and leave the passengers disappointed.