Food is an exciting and important part of the cruise experience, as it is on any vacation. Knowing that, the Virgin Voyages team takes a different approach from other cruise lines when it comes to dining.
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On board Virgin Voyages ships, you’ll find a variety of casual and fine dining restaurants, but you won’t find a main dining hall or buffet-style restaurants. Instead, Virgin Voyages focuses on providing guests with an a la carte menu of exciting dishes from all over the world.
Plus, unlike other cruises ships that have a mix of restaurants that are free and restaurants that cost extra, all of the 20+ restaurants on Virgin ships are included with your cruise fare.
Keep reading to learn more about Virgin Voyages’ food options and what you can expect when dining on one of their Lady Ships.
See our full Virgin Voyages Review on YouTube to see more of the food
Virgin Voyages Food Overview
With Virgin Voyages, you can say goodbye to buffets and specialty restaurants with upcharges. Instead, you’ll get to choose from a wide range of cuisines in more than 20 unique restaurants on board the ships.
Michelin-starred chefs have created the menus, which offer a wide range including vegetarian, steak and seafood, Korean bbq, Mexican, Italian, and even a “test kitchen.”
In addition, guests can choose to order 24-hour dining from The Gallery restaurant or from the room service menu. There is a $5 cover charge for this, but at such a low cost, it’s worth it!
One of the best parts of dining on a Virgin Voyages vessel is that every restaurant is included in your fare. Other cruise lines require upcharges for specialty restaurants which can be annoying when you are already paying for a vacation.
Even though the restaurants are included in your fare, it’s recommended to make reservations beforehand. Guests can use the Virgin Voyages Sailor App and make reservations for preferred restaurants up to 45 days in advance. You should know that you can only make reservations for each restaurant once per voyage.
If you have any food allergies, be sure to let the staff know ahead of time so they can accommodate you. Lastly, don’t worry about a dress code because Virgin Voyages is a laidback cruise line, so feel free to dress comfortably while dining.
Now that you have a feel for what Virgin Voyages’ food and dining style is like, let’s take a look at some of the most popular restaurants on board.
The Wake
When it comes to Virgin Voyages food, many passengers flock to The Wake first. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner and is nothing less than luxurious.
The Wake is a steak and seafood restaurant that offers a raw bar, premium drinks, and a sophisticated atmosphere. Due to the restaurant’s popularity, it’s a good idea to get reservations as early as you can.
Razzle Dazzle
Razzle Dazzle is a plant-based restaurant with a focus on vegan and vegetarian dishes. While a majority of the menu is made up of vegetarian ingredients, the restaurant does offer meat options for those who don’t follow a plant-based diet.
However, the menu is creative and unique, so it may be worth trying the vegetarian dishes, as you might be surprised. Guests can try Razzle Dazzle for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
The Test Kitchen
The Test Kitchen is an experimental kitchen and restaurant that has a laboratory-like atmosphere. Don’t expect to come in here and order your favorite meal because everything is created on the spot and can change from day to day.
This restaurant is perfect for those who like trying different foods and flavors. The Test Kitchen is only open for dinner but is worth experiencing while cruising with Virgin Voyages. Guests can also choose to add drink pairings to each course for an additional cost.
Pink Agave
Pink Agave is an upscale restaurant serving authentic Mexican dishes. Guests can try dishes inspired by the food mecca Mexico City such as tortas, enchiladas, pato (roasted duck), cochinita pibil (smoked pork), esquites (grilled corn), and more.
Feel free to grab a margarita before your dinner or taste test a variety of mezcals and tequilas. Pink Agave also has a beautiful bar if you want to head there after you’re done with dinner.
Gunbae
If you want a fun, hands-on dining experience, then Gunbae is worth eating dinner at. Gunbae is a Korean-style barbeque restaurant that brings guests from all over the world together to indulge in a communal dining experience.
Guests can grill meats and vegetables right at their table and pair them with their favorite sauces. Expect to play drinking games with the staff and have a blast.
Extra Virgin
Who doesn’t love a homemade pasta dish with a glass of wine? Extra Virgin is a very popular dinner spot for its Italian-inspired dishes. The restaurant has both communal tables and private dining rooms.
In total, guests can choose from 30 dishes and a list of Italian desserts such as gelato and affogato (ice cream with espresso coffee).
The Gallery
As mentioned early, Virgin Voyages does not have buffets. However, they do have the Gallery, which is a food court offering a wide range of culinary options. Guests can choose from more than eight food carts, including burgers, paninis, tacos, sushi, ramen, soup and salads, bakery, and pastry shops.
There is also a 24-hour diner serving American breakfast options. Diner & Dash is perfect for those who drank too much and need to cure a hangover. It’s also great for those who are still drunk and like to eat breakfast at 3 a.m.!
When eating at The Gallery, you will need to find a seat and order food through their app. There are servers if you need to make any special requests regarding your food.
The Dock and Dock House Bar
The Dock and Dock House Bar consist of the same tapas menu, but one is inside while the other is outdoors. The Dock House Bar is a laidback beach house-style bar with shutter windows, bright lighting, and relaxing music. If you’d rather take in the scenery and the sun, then head outside to The Dock.
The menu consists of Mediterranean tapas (small bites) such as grilled shrimp, fire-roasted chicken, Spanish octopus, and more. You will also find dips from the Mezze cart, which has shortbread, beet hummus, falafel, and chocolate hummus served with pretzel chips and strawberries.
The Pizza Place
As the name states, The Pizza Place is where you go to get your pizza fix. Guests can build their own pizza from the dough to the toppings. While most of the dining is outside, there is some seating inside, or you can take your pizza to go. If you don’t want to build your own pizza, there is a fixed menu that you can choose from.
The Social Club
The Social Club is a fun place to go play bar games and shuffleboard while enjoying a drink and some snacks. This isn’t a fine dining restaurant; instead, you will find a hotdog and snack menu that consists of pretzels and cracker jacks.
Sun Club Cafe
If you are looking for something light and fresh, head to the Sun Club Cafe for a Hawaiian-inspired poke bowl. Typically, poke bowls consist of a protein such as raw fish or chicken with sticky rice, vegetables, and sauces. However, you can request a vegetarian option if need be.
Lick Me Till… Ice Cream
If you have a sweet tooth, you should definitely go to the retro ice cream parlor, Lick Me Till… Ice Cream. This is a classic ice cream shop serving up 6 flavors of homemade ice cream. The ice cream shop is open every day from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Virgin Voyages Food Conclusion
As you can see, there are plenty of Virgin Voyages food options to choose from. The best part is that it is all included in the price. Just be sure to make reservations early if there is a specific restaurant you want to try!
Want to learn more about Virgin Voyages? Check out these articles:
- Virgin Voyages Cruise Review
- Valiant Lady vs. Scarlet Lady
- Virgin Voyages vs. Royal Caribbean: How Do They Compare?
- Virgin Voyages Alcohol Package & Drink Prices.
