This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin
Ground Staff
Food & Drink
Entertainment
Seat
Cabin Crew
Boarding was easy when Upper Class and Gold Flying Club members called. Once on board it was time to check out the UC cabin. Seated in 8A & 8K. Male steward explained the operation of the seats and provided initial drink.
I must point out that I agree with previous posters that some of the suites are looking decidely tatty. Problems with the table not locking into place properly, scuffed ottomans and a general tired appearance.
FSM brought around the Ozwald Boateng amenity kits, that in my opinion are cheap looking and contain very little of use. I've had considerable better from bmi when flying in 'the business'. The FSM couldn't even get our names right. I wouldn't think that was a hard job seeing that there were only 12 passengers in UC. One cabin attendant dropped a tray of glasses that smashed on the floor showering the little girl seated in 12K with glass. The staff had no means of clearing it up other than by all best attempts by hand, and so that exit was out of bounds if you didn't have shoes on!
The Mediterranean menu was a disappointment, not enough choice for my liking, but I didn't starve.
My pre-order was delivered and I placed an order for the return trip. The steward took my credit card and disappeared for hours! When I questioned where he was, I was advised he'd gone for a rest! Eventually it was returned about 3 hours later!
The only film worth watching was 'The Devil Wears Prada'. However, there were no noise cancelling headsets and we were provided with what was obviously those from economy. Very disappointing when SQ provide Bose, I wish I'd taken mine.
Spent a fair time at the bar chatting with other passengers, so that helped pass the time.
The flight was approximately 8 hrs and 45 mins and once we arrived in MCO, we were off the plane promptly and through immigration easily. The bags appeared soon after and we placed them on the second belt and proceeded via the train to the main terminal.
We picked up the car and were in our hotel within the hour.
Returned MCO-MAN on 3rd Nov.
Utilised the Downtown Disney Check In and were checked 5 minutes after it opened at 08:30. Check in agent was really good and ensured our bags were on the right truck as there were several flights being checked in at the same time. Boarding passes issued and invite to the Crown Lounge at MCO.
We arrived at MCO at approximately 17:30 and got through security by 18:00.
We entered the Crown Lounge which we visited in 2004 when last flying MCO-MAN. A lot has changed, there is still a free bar, but the snacks amount to a self service jar of peanuts or pretzels and pre-packed slivers of 'plastic' chedder cheese!
There is very little reading material available other that that days 'USA Today' and the Delta in flight magazine.
Internet terminals are no longer available. So unless you have a laptop you are out of luck! The Crown Lounge is very poor in my opinion.
The gate for VS074 was initially given as 80, but kept changing until it finally settled on 81. Boarding was supposed to commence at 20:05, but this time came and went with no updates provided. We decided to go down and check out the gate area. Most of the refreshment outlets were now closed as it would appear that VS074 was to be the last flight out.
Virgin cabin crew could be seen eating in Burger King and even boarded carrying their Burger King drinks and only 15 - 20 minutes before boarding commenced!
At 20:45, still no annoucements had been made of the now obvious delay. Another passenger (later to be found in UC also) and I approached the desk at the same time. He asked when boarding would commence and the reason for delay. The desk agent advised that boarding would not commence until 21:00 but did not offer a reason for the delay. When asked if they were to make an announcement regarding the delay, the response was a decidely frosty 'maybe'. No announcement was forthcoming.
The next we heard was that boarding would commence for UC after it was apparent that boarding had commenced for those passengers with mobility issues that required extra time for boarding.
We passed through the ticket barrier and onto the airbridge. The cabin attendants at the aircraft door were polite, but you are not escorted to your seat as with SQ and bmi just told 'turn left'.
The welcome on board was far better than in MAN on the outbound flight and the suites appeared to be in better condition. The aircraft being used was G-VROS.
The captain apologised for the delay and advised that the flight time to MAN would only be 6hrs 55 mins!
Orders for drinks after take off, dinner and breakfast were taken rapidly. Sleep suits and amenity kits were handed out (well, it felt like thrown!). My pre-order duty free was delivered to save being disturbed in flight which was appreciated.
Dinner was served from the limited menu followed by coffee if required.
This time the noise cancelling headsets were provided, but didn't work so we all missed the start of the entertainment program whilst the cabin crew got replacements from economy. I overheard one cabin attendent say that they never work and economy headsets have to be used. What's the point in loading them? Very poor as far as I'm concerned.
Some passengers had their beds made up for them, but for someone reason no help was provided when required, so I made up my own!
Next I knew I was being awoken for breakfast approximately 1.5 hours before landing in MAN.
The Bacon Butty was nothing to write home about, the tea was lukewarm and the muffin nearly unedible. Again pretty poor.
We landed on schedule in MAN but were directed to a remote stand that meant we had to rely on being bussed to the terminal. Why it takes ages to open the doors at MAN and start disembarkation compared to other airports will always be a mystery to me.
The bus gave use a guided tour of the tarmac before depositing us at the terminal.
On the way to passport control I guessed at the number of agents that would be on duty. Yes, I was correct only 1!
We then proceeded to the baggage hall to await our baggage, getting excited as bags were already appearing from the flight for PE passengers. No such luck for UC! So much for priority handling, we waited until 11:05 for ours and so did most of the other UC pax! MAN baggage handlers seem to take great joy in making you wait!
We finally got through customs and into the arrivals hall only to find that our transfer driver was on the point of leaving seeing that we hand landed 1 hr 15 mins earlier!
MAN continues to disappoint me.
So, my overall thoughts on my first Virgin UC experience - not what it's marketed as, and overpriced for what you get taking the whole package into account. The UC suites are pleasant and comfortable, but the rest is mediocre.
(or even one of the few BD direct long haul services which are even better redemption values when BD *G 
)
