Premium economy was very nice. It was like European first class, with the seats still in 3 and 3 configuration, but the upper middle seat flipped down and turned into cup holders.
Also, the arm rests near the middle seat moved in another inch or two. We were the only 2 people in PE for the flight to Christchurch, as well as the flight back from Queenstown. Anything on the menu was complementary, including an electronic tablet that was normally $15 to rent with movies and TV shows loaded on it, and a few extra inches of legroom.
The flight attendant greeted us by name and remarked that it was a long day to come from LA. Very impressive. All Virgin Australia workers way exceeded expectations on this trip. The extra friendliness really left a positive impression.