This brand-new cruise line is changing the way we sail

Virgin Voyages is rewriting the rules of the game and - in the process - bringing onboard a decidedly younger crowd.

I find myself saying the most absurd thing to my partner on the night before our Virgin Voyages cruise. "I am packing these PJs, but not to sleep in them, and you should, too." My travelling companion is clearly baffled, and so I explain.

Unlike conventional voyages that have been tagged "retirement villages" and "floating RSLs", Virgin's adults-only cruises are a string of bashes that can give some Mardi Gras parties a run for their sequins.

Our return cruise between Melbourne and Hobart turns out to be exactly that. It kicks off with a rooftop, poolside party. As our ship, Resilient Lady, starts to drift away from the city skyline, the DJ cranks up the music, complimentary glasses of pink bubbles are handed out and gen Z staff - dressed in skimpy red outfits - break into vigorous moves. In fact, the entire five-day itinerary is dotted with celebrations big and small - from a live show in the Red Room theatre that seamlessly transforms into a dance party to that PJ bash "under the stars".

The message is clear. Mr Branson, who's previously shaken up the world of air travel, is now doing the same to cruising: throwing the old rule book out the window and rewriting the laws of how we sail, starting with pumping parties that are attracting a decidedly younger demographic. And that's just the tip of the bow. Here are five other ways you can expect a Virgin cruise to blow your mind.

First, the good news: there are no mega dining rooms on Resilient Lady with allocated seating and set times. That age-old custom has been scrapped here in favour of gleaming restaurants that range from a steakhouse with sweeping sea views to a highly atmospheric Mexican joint. There's no buffet here either. Instead, there's a food-court concept on deck 15 where live cooking stations, hawker stalls and burger bars replace tired bain-maries.

But despite all the innovation: not all food is exceptional. My steak on the first night is meh, the brunch next morning is forgettable and a wander through the "food court" that afternoon returns some average bites.

But it gets better - once I know where to go. Book a table pronto at Pink Agave, where exceptional service meets eye-popping interiors and irresistible food, starting with the pork that's marinated in achiote for 24 hours, before being slow-cooked for six.

Or chow down on Italian favourites at Extra Virgin, where dishes range from the utterly creamy and smooth chicken-liver mousse to the standout braised pork cheek served with chanterelle mushrooms.

Or make a beeline for the life-changing Gunbae. I am not a fan of Korean barbecue, but after enjoying svelte slices of Wagyu beef and pork belly - seared to perfection right at the table - I have to say, I am a convert.

The ship is wobbling. I can tell that because the giant chandelier-shaped floral bouquet hanging from the ceiling in the Red Room is gently swaying. But that's not stopping the acrobatic dancers from swooping up in the air and then precisely landing on the palms, between the legs or above the shoulders of their co-performers. And that's not even the most astonishing part about Persephone, unfolding in the theatre.

The entertainment industry has been touting every second show as "immersive" since Sleep No More took New York City by storm in 2011. But this is the first time I am truly feeling "immersed". It may have something to do with the design of the venue, where audiences stand in the middle of four stages of different shapes and sizes. Or it may have something to do with the cutting-edge surround-sound speakers blaring heart-racing music. But packed with gravity-defying moves, outrageously camp makeup and dazzling costumes studded with mirrors, Persephone is a far cry from shows that place spectators in one corner of the room and performers in the other.

Admittedly, not every show on Resilient Lady is as mesmerising. But Persephone more than makes up for them; it's ground-breaking and unlike anything I have ever seen at sea.

Step aside daggy carpets, gilded walls and crusty chandeliers. British designer Tom Dixon is "onboard", having given Resilient Lady a distinct theatrical vibe. Soak it up in the suites and at Richard's Rooftop (only open to suite guests), where dichroic glass screens create "freestanding sky rooms" with laidback conversation pits. Or make your way to Pink Agave, where oversized electric-blue lamps hover above curvaceous banquettes clad in honey-hued leather.

Even spaces not designed by Dixon are easy on the eye - from the luminous white spiral staircase in the middle of the ship to my Sea Terrace cabin, with a pared-back palette, blond wood accents and splashes of red, including the hammock on the balcony.

There is none. You can turn up at the ship's fine-diner, The Test Kitchen, in thongs if you like. But during my cruise few passengers made that sort of a faux pas. Virgin doesn't enforce a dress code because it knows it attracts a certain demographic that is intrinsically edgy. I see it at the pool, where millennials don chic swimwear, and at the nightclubs, where high heels and shiny tops dominate the dance floor.

But most memorable was the cruise's Scarlet Night party for which everyone dressed up with gusto - from men in sequinned jackets to women in can-can-like black and red frilly frocks. The point being: if you get the right crowd, you don't need a dress code.

There's a cohort onboard that parties hard and works out even harder. And Resilient Lady responds; not only with swank spas, vitality pools and gyms, but a dizzying variety of wellness options - from boxing, spinning and high-intensity interval training sessions to calming yoga and meditation classes.

Will I book another Virgin cruise? Absolutely. The company offers exceptional value for money with a chic design, entertaining shows, happening parties, top-notch wellness facilities and fine food (if you know where to go). Just don't forget your PJs.

Read more on Explore:

THE SHIP: Virgin Voyages' Resilient Lady

THE SIZE: 278 metres long, 1408 cabins, 2860 guests

GOOD TO KNOW: Essentials - such as accommodation, entertainment, wellness classes, Wi-Fi, and food and non-alcoholic meals in all restaurants - are included.

GET ON BOARD: Resilient Lady is sailing around our shores until the end of March, with itineraries such as the 10-night Melbourne, Sydney & New Zealand (from $5080 per cabin) on offer.

EXPLORE MORE: virginvoyages.com

The writer was a guest of Virgin Voyages.