Brilliant Lady Rope Knots: Can You Decode Them?

Darryl Gordon

I must have walked past the Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady rope knots in the stairwells a hundred times before I realized what they were. They aren’t just decoration. They’re a puzzle. Each ship in the Virgin Voyages fleet has its own signature artwork. If you’ve read my Virgin Voyages Insider Tips for First Timers, you know this cruise line does things differently. On Brilliant Lady, it’s a rope. They are tied into knots, and these Brilliant Lady rope knots spell out phrases.

It’s a nod to maritime tradition. Sailors have used coded communication for centuries. Virgin Voyages honors that history across its fleet. The sister ship Valiant Lady hides messages in her elevator lobbies using maritime signal flags. There are 16 of them, each one a coded phrase. Brilliant Lady does the same thing, just with an actual rope.

What Are the Brilliant Lady Rope Knots?

They’re an art installation built into the walls of the stairwells. As soon as I figured out what they were, I saw that each one is saying something.

I photographed nine of the Brilliant Lady rope knots. They’re all different. Some look simpler than others. I won’t say which ones gave me trouble.

So Can You Figure Them Out?

That’s the challenge. You’ll need to use the Brilliant Lady rope knots code to see how rope knots correspond to letters or a code system. It’s doable, but it takes patience and a good eye.

While you were busy decoding knots, you might have missed some of the best food on the ship. Brilliant Lady is home to Rojo by Razzle Dazzle, a Spanish restaurant that’s exclusive to this ship. And if you haven’t figured out the dining reservation system yet, my Virgin Voyages Dining Reservations Strategy will save you a lot of frustration. If you want to know what I actually ate and loved, check out Virgin Voyages Food Highlights: Best Dishes From My Cruise.