When Virgin Voyages launched its first cruise ship, the Scarlet Lady, the excitement was all in regards to the eating places. While cruise ship meals is all the time a sizzling subject, Virgin Voyages actually reinvented cruise eating with modern ideas, scrumptious meals, and distinctive choices. Here is an outline of the Virgin Voyages eating places in your subsequent cruise.
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Virgin Voyages Restaurants You’ll Love
Virgin Voyages has actually innovated your entire cruise expertise, together with the eating choices. Unlike different cruise strains, there are not any primary eating rooms. Instead, visitors could make reservations upfront for six totally different signature eating locations with among the finest meals at sea. There’s no additional value for these specialty eating places – they’re included in your cruise fare.
In addition, there isn’t any actual cruise buffet onboard. But that doesn’t imply that your choices might be restricted. Virgin Voyages affords the Galley, a meals hall-style venue with varied forms of delicacies.
Servers will take your order and ship your meals proper to you. Indoor and out of doors seating is on the market on the Galley.
Like different facets of Virgin Voyages, ideas are included. While you gained’t have the identical server staff throughout your trip, the service is all the time nice.
Dining reservations may be made 45 days upfront on The Virgin Voyages Sailor app in case you are in an ordinary stateroom (not in Mega Rock Star or RockStar Quarters). I like to recommend that you just make the reservations when the reserving window opens as a result of they will guide up in case your crusing is full.
You’ll have the ability to make dinner reservations one time per restaurant. Brunch reservations are additionally really helpful, however you’ll be able to’t make them till you’re onboard the ship. Do that as quickly as you’re on the ship’s WiFi.
The Wake
To me, the Wake appears like essentially the most “cruise” of the Virgin Voyages eating places. It’s a traditional steak and seafood restaurant and is essentially the most formal of the eating places (though your entire ship is informal).
The Wake affords each brunch and dinner. For brunch, anticipate finding a big choice of benedicts, together with a fully scrumptious soft-shell crab benedict. The fennel and citrus salad, in addition to the poached shrimp, are wonderful starter choices. If you need to have brunch right here, make sure to guide it if you get on the ship as a result of it’s very talked-about.
For dinner, the menu is full of each seafood and steak choices. The clam chowder starter is scrumptious, and I actually loved my filet mignon. There are additionally uncooked bar choices on the menu which can be out there for an upcharge.
Razzle Dazzle
I completely love the Razzle Dazzle. While I get pleasure from the entire meals on Virgin Voyages, the brunch on Razzle Dazzle is among the meals that I all the time take into consideration once I’m at dwelling. It’s a must-do. Book it if you get onboard for the most effective availability.
While the Razzle Dazzle affords some wholesome vegetarian and vegan choices, it’s undoubtedly not a vegan restaurant. Instead, the menu affords each a naughty and good part, with choices for everybody.
There are so many scrumptious choices for lunch, together with avocado toast, watermelon and sesame cream, and the Razzle Dazzle breakfast (with Impossible patty, eggs, mushrooms, and potatoes). Don’t miss the smoked bacon, which is among the finest bacon I’ve ever had.
Dinner on the Razzle Dazzle can be scrumptious. Starters embrace mushroom “tartare”, Impossible burgers, fried hen, and extra. Be positive to ask about any secret menu gadgets. During our most up-to-date cruise, there was a butter hen and steak dish on the key menu.
Gunbae
Gunbae is the one Virgin Voyages restaurant that I, sadly, haven’t skilled. It’s a vigorous Korean BBQ restaurant providing communal eating, consuming video games, and scrumptious meals. Tables seat 6, and also you’ll most likely be seated with strangers if you happen to aren’t a gaggle of 6.
Gunbae’s menu consists of small bites in addition to BBQ and noodle dishes. A Wagyu beef platter is on the market for an upcharge. Each desk has a big spherical grill within the heart. Typically, visitors are handled to a spherical of Soju, which you’ll use for the consuming recreation.
Extra Virgin
If you’re keen on Italian meals, you’ll undoubtedly need to make a reservation at Extra Virgin. This scrumptious Italian restaurant affords handmade pasta, antipasti, and delicious desserts.
There are appetizers together with mini meatballs and calamari, in addition to a chef’s choice of antipasti. Entrees embrace both handmade pasta (together with my favourite, spaghetti alle vongole) or a secondo dish. Vegetarian dishes can be found.
You’ll need to avoid wasting room for dessert, nonetheless. There are a couple of distinctive Italian desserts, together with a chocolate olive oil cake and a castagnaccio.
But, my favourite possibility is the tableside affogato cart. Your server will deliver alongside a cart with a choice of gelati and sorbetti. You can select no matter taste(s) you’d like, in addition to any topping. Once you’ve made your choice, it’s topped off with espresso. The affogato cart is not like anything I’ve seen on a cruise line.
Pink Agave
Pink Agave is the Mexican restaurant on board Virgin Voyages, and it’s most likely my favourite dinner possibility. It isn’t a big restaurant, so that you’ll undoubtedly need to make your reservations upfront if that is certainly one of your prime selections. During my final crusing, I booked upfront and nonetheless noticed a restricted choice of time choices for this restaurant.
The Pink Agave restaurant affords so many incredible menu choices, that it will likely be laborious to decide on among the many nice entrees. Some of my favourite small plates embrace the esquites (grilled corn) and the aguachile (tuna with avocado). If you’re eating with others, chances are you’ll need to order a couple of to share.
Entrees are additionally scrumptious. One of the preferred choices is the bistec, which is a ribeye steak. It’s most likely top-of-the-line entrees aboard the ship. There are additionally enchiladas, striped bass, and shrimp entrees amongst others.
The desserts at Pink Agave are most likely my favorites. The tacos de chocolate might be essentially the most distinctive and can be scrumptious.
Test Kitchen
If you’re keen on molecular gastronomy and different experimental cooking strategies, you’ll love the expertise at Test Kitchen. This fashionable restaurant affords a set menu, the place you’ll select between venison and beef in your primary course (with the identical preparation). A vegetarian menu can be out there.
The decor at Test Kitchen is supposed to appear to be a science lab, so it’s a bit sterile wanting with steel and clear strains all over the place. There are additionally many shared tables, though you gained’t essentially be seated subsequent to others on the identical time.
Each of the six programs is a small plate, so when you’ll undoubtedly get your fill, it is possible for you to to strive the whole lot. Some of the programs are served with fanfare, together with the egg and pea dish that’s served in a domed, clear dish. As the servers carry the highest, the smoke from the dish fills the air.
While among the dishes at Test Kitchen aren’t what I’d select off the menu, it’s a enjoyable expertise. On one other ship, it will most likely be an costly add-on.
On longer crusing, there’s a second menu at Test Kitchen. That approach, you gained’t should duplicate the identical tasting menu if you happen to dine there twice.
The Galley
The Galley on Virgin Voyages replaces the buffets on different cruise strains. It’s a meals hall-style house providing quite a lot of totally different cuisines, from paninis to sushi.
When you’re seated at The Galley, you’ll be given a menu or can scan a QR code. A server will take your order and can ship the meals to you. There are additionally some grab-and-go gadgets by the door which you can take with you to the pool or again to your stateroom for a fast chew.
The present kiosks within the Galley embrace:
- Bento Baby (sushi in bento bins)
- Diner and Dash (American diner meals, together with breakfast all day)
- The Burger Bar (burgers, together with an Impossible burger)
- Let’s Taco Bout It (road tacos and a scrumptious breakfast burrito)
- Hot Off the Press (paninis)
- Noodle Around (noodle dishes)
- The Daily Mix (salads)
- The Sweet Side (pastries and desserts)
- The Grounds Club (premium coffees, out there for an extra payment)
This can be the place you’ll discover sodas, juices, free espresso, teas, and different drinks. There are additionally wine merchandising machines if you happen to’d like one thing stronger.
I like the Galley as a result of there are undoubtedly loads of selections, nevertheless it by no means feels as crowded and overwhelming as a cruise ship buffet sometimes does. It’s the right spot for a fast breakfast if you happen to don’t need to spend time at brunch.
The Dock and the Dockhouse
These indoor and out of doors eating areas supply the identical food and drinks menu. It’s extra of a lounge and loosen up sort space reasonably than a restaurant. One day, I grabbed a guide and sat in a chair on the Dock whereas having fun with some mezze-style bites.
Menu stands on the tables exterior have a bit of flag on them, so you’ll be able to point out if you’d prefer to order. If you’re simply there to loosen up, you gained’t be approached by servers.
The meals on the Dock and Dockhouse is superb – a few of my favourite on the ship. I believe it’s an excellent possibility for lunch throughout a day at sea, or for a fast chew earlier than seeing a present.
Options embrace hangar steak, Spanish octopus, and grilled shrimp. If you’re keen on shrimp, you’ll undoubtedly need to do that model on the Dock.
No reservations are required. You’ll simply want to search out an open seat.
Other Food Options on Virgin Voyages
In addition to the Virgin Voyages eating places listed above, there are a number of different quick-serve places the place you’ll be able to seize a snack or a fast meal.
The Pizza Place
The Pizza Place affords a choice of complete pizzas all through the day. I actually love the pizzas right here – I believe they’re higher than pizzas on different cruise strains that I’ve had.
Lick Me ‘Til Ice Cream
Located off the primary foyer space (referred to as the Roundabout on Virgin Voyages). This ice cream store affords quite a lot of flavors.
The Social Club
This carnival-style quick-serve location has pastries and desserts in a show case, in addition to a small menu of snack gadgets. You can get pretzels, wings, and several other totally different sizzling canine all through the day.
The Social Club, because the title would point out, is a superb place to hang around. There’s additionally a choice of board video games which you can borrow. You’ll discover quite a lot of passengers hanging out on this space, particularly on sea days.
The Sun Club Cafe
The Sun Club Cafe is an outside fast service restaurant. It affords poke bowls, with a choice of 4 or 5 choices.
Room service
Room service on Virgin Voyages is named Ship Eats. It’s out there 24 hours a day, and a $5 supply payment applies. There are quite a lot of totally different choices on the menu, making it an excellent selection if you wish to keep in your room (perhaps having fun with that hammock on the balcony).
If you’re crusing on Virgin Voyages out of Terminal V in Miami, see the map beneath (together with affiliate hyperlinks) for close by lodges.
FAQs
While walk-ins could also be out there, you’ll undoubtedly need to make your reservations as early as attainable for the most effective availability.
The solely additional costs are for alcohol and for the few premium gadgets on the menus.
Virgin Voyages does have some drinks, like gentle drinks and juices, included within the cruise value. There is not any drink package deal, nonetheless. Instead, you’ll be able to pre-purchase a bar tab which is a set amount of cash put aside for drinks. It’s non-obligatory and you’ll all the time pay for drinks individually.
Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady and Valient Lady have the identical eating places and menus.