• I booked a $720 round-trip economy ticket from Seattle to Manchester, England, with British Airways.
• On my way back to the US, I received a surprise upgrade to business class.
• I enjoyed the business-class experience but probably wouldn't pay full price for it.

As a Brit in Seattle who often travels between the US and England, I love a comfortable plane ride. So, when I was upgraded to business class on a British Airways flight this past summer, I was absolutely delighted.

I paid about $720 for a round-trip economy ticket from Seattle to Manchester, England, and on the way back to the US, I had a layover in London.

When I scanned my boarding pass to get on the plane, the gate agent printed a new ticket and said I was upgraded to British Airways' Club World, the airline's long-haul business-class cabin.

British Airways, which has seen a decrease in popularity in recent years, is spending $9 billion over the next two years to upgrade its planes, customer perks, and other aspects of its business model. So, I was excited to see what the experience would be like.

Here's what my 10-hour flight in British Airways' business class was like.

British Airway's Club World cabin was a little different from other business-class models I've seen.

When I entered the cabin, my first impression was that it felt a little dated. Parts of my seat looked worn, which made me feel like the cabin could have used a cosmetic update.

Some seats in the cabin also faced opposite directions. This seating arrangement would probably be great for couples traveling together, as it makes socializing easy. But staring at a stranger for hours isn't ideal for people traveling alone.

Luckily, my window seat didn't face another passenger. It also had high walls and a screen, so I had ample privacy during the flight.

My seat was comfy but lacked storage space.

Aside from an under-seat drawer and the fold-out tray in front of me, I didn't see much storage space for my belongings. I found it difficult to empty my purse, as there didn't seem to be a good spot for in-flight essentials, such as water or a phone charger.

My seat also had all the classic airplane nooks and crannies, including a USB port and headphone jack. When I went to charge my phone, however, the USB port wasn't working. 

Turning my seat into a bed was easy.

When I boarded, everything I needed to enjoy a restful sleep — pillows, a comforter, and sheets — was in a bag under the seat. 

About halfway through the flight, I decided to take a nap. To turn my seat into a lie-flat bed, all I had to do was press a labeled button on the wall. My chair lowered until it aligned with the fold-down footrest on the back of the seat in front of me.

The bed was very cozy, and I ended up falling asleep for a few hours.

I ordered delicious food from a British-inspired menu.

Business-class passengers were also served lunch inspired by British cuisine.

For a starter, I chose the poached-prawn salad with crushed avocado and horseradish ketchup, which was light and flavorful.

Next, I opted for mushroom-and-kale-stuffed British chicken, served with spring greens and creamed potatoes. The chicken was tender, the stuffing was well-seasoned, and the herb jus was perfectly salty and hearty.

For dessert, I chose the chocolate, walnut, and orange cake — it was one of the most incredible things I've eaten on an airplane. 

Next, I enjoyed afternoon tea and some snacks.

About an hour before the plane landed, the flight attendants served afternoon tea — something I welcomed as a Brit.

The meal came with mini sandwiches, cakes, and a warm scone with jelly and clotted cream.

The amenities kit was a highlight of the flight.

I also received a beautiful amenities kit filled with products from The White Company, an English home, clothing, and accessories brand.

Along with the usual eye mask, ear plugs, toothbrush set, and socks, the leather bag contained a few miniature skincare products: a moisturizer, lip balm, and pulse-point oil.

When I researched the products online, I saw the bag alone cost $55.

I'd fly British Airways' business class again, but only if it was a good deal.

Overall, I enjoyed my experience flying with British Airways in the Club World cabin. As someone who has flown both economy and business class with the airline, I'd happily pay for an upgrade if I could get a discount.

After looking on the British Airways website and playing around with various dates and flight routes, I saw that a business-class seat booked during the same week of my flight cost about £9,000, or $11,680. I had a good experience but wouldn't book a flight that cost that much.

Still, I thoroughly enjoyed my business-class experience. The upgrade was a great way to travel back to Seattle in style.

• I purchased Virgin Voyages' $250 "A Splash for Your Bash" package to celebrate my 30th birthday.
• Our drinks at the bottomless brunch were good, but we could've bought them for only $25 per person.
• We didn't take advantage of many of the package perks, so this add-on wasn't a great value for us.

My childhood best friend and I always said we would celebrate our 30th birthdays in style. So, to ring in this milestone year, we decided to go big and book a five-day Mayan Sol cruise with Virgin Voyages.

Because this was a big celebration and we hadn't seen each other for a while, I decided to purchase Virgin Voyages' "A Splash for Your Bash" party-planning package as an add-on to our cruise.

The package costs $250 per cabin and includes a bottomless brunch, a dinner party with curated drinks and desserts, and a bottle of Moët & Chandon. It's valued at $375, so I thought it seemed like a great deal.

Here's what I thought of the package.

The bottomless brunch felt a bit underwhelming

We opted to have our bottomless brunch at Razzle Dazzle — a vegetarian-forward restaurant also accessible to Virgin Voyages passengers who didn't purchase the package.

However, as package holders, we got to take advantage of bottomless drinks, including cocktails and rosé, during our meal.

For food, my friend ordered avocado toast and mushroom "tartare," and I opted for a fried-chicken sandwich.

The service and restaurant were fun and vibrant, and the drinks were tasty. However, neither of us enjoyed our meals, as we felt our dishes were bland and overcooked.

Plus, according to the menu, the bottomless drinks would have cost passengers without the package only $25 per person — so, at the end of the day, this perk didn't feel like it was that great of a value.

However, the dinner party at The Wake felt extra special

For the dinner-party portion of our package, we chose to eat at The Wake, Virgin Voyages' take on a steakhouse-meets-fine-dining restaurant. Although all passengers were able to dine here, our package gave us access to specialty beverages and desserts, as well as an upgraded menu.

When we walked in, I was wowed by the beautiful interior design. Our table was decked out with birthday decorations, and a staff member even gave us a Polaroid camera to use as we ate. We were also served sparkling wine upon arrival.

As part of the experience, we had access to premium menu items that passengers without the package could purchase for an additional cost. Although we didn't take advantage of these items, I very much enjoyed my filet mignon, which was cooked to a perfect medium-well temperature. For the wine pairing, I opted for a glass of red, which our server refilled during the meal.

My vegetarian friend wasn't interested in any of the entrée options, but she was perfectly happy ordering all sides, including asparagus, creamed spinach, fries, and a twice-baked potato served with caramelized onions. She also ordered a mix of white and red wines to pair with her food.

I was curious to see what the curated desserts promised in this package would be like, but after we finished our meal, the wait staff cleared our table without asking if we wanted anything else.

Though we didn't take advantage of many of the package perks during dinner, we thought the food we did get was delicious. In fact, our dinner at The Wake was our favorite meal of the trip.

I wish we'd received our bottle of Moët & Chandon sooner

As part of the "A Splash for Your Bash" package, we were excited to receive a bottle of Moët & Chandon — which costs about $45 at most liquor stores — in our cabin. This is considered an upgrade from the complimentary bottle of bubbly passengers without the package receive in their cabin.

However, even after following up with the sailor-services crew, we didn't receive the beverage until the last evening of our five-day trip. The bottle was also delivered without an ice bucket or glasses, and I wished it had been chilled before we got it.

Though this may have been a one-off issue specific to our cruise, we still felt disappointed.

Overall, the 'A Splash for Your Bash' package wasn't that great of a value for us

Overall, we didn't feel the "A Splash for Your Bash" package was a great value for us.

Without the $250 package, we could've paid just a little extra money to get bottomless brunch at Razzle Dazzle or choose from The Wake's wine-pairing menu.

We also didn't end up using every perk we could have, like ordering from the premium menu at The Wake. The Moët & Chandon was a nice perk, though we wish it had been chilled and delivered to our cabin sooner.

Unless you decide to take advantage of all the perks included in "A Splash for Your Bash," I don't think it's worth the money.