The Ultimate Virgin Voyages Dining Guide (with Photos!)
Let’s get started…
Welcome to my complete Dining Guide for Virgin Voyages, where I’m going to give you a full tour of every dining option onboard these beautiful cruise ships. Before we get started, it’s worth highlighting - Virgin have designed and built Scarlet Lady, Valiant Lady, Resilient Lady and Brilliant Lady to be almost exactly the same, and they all feature the same dining venues. This means that this guide is relevant to you if you’re cruising on ANY Virgin cruise ship!
Throughout this guide, I’m going to share some of my ‘top tips’ with you on dining with Virgin Voyages, my experiences eating at all of these venues (yes, I’ve sampled them all, but just for research purposes, of course…), show you some of the menus, and most importantly show you some of the food I’ve eaten through my own photos.
If you enjoy this guide, please do come over and support my journey by subscribing to my YouTube channel - you can do that by CLICKING HERE, or by searching ‘Fraser at Sea’ if you’d rather make your own way there. Every view, ‘thumbs up’ and subscriber over there helps my content to reach more people, so a genuine thank you from me if you do head over there!
So, let’s start by talking about how the subject of ‘dining’ is different on a Virgin cruise vs so many other cruise lines. There are a couple of key differences:
1) ‘Speciality Dining’ is a thing of the past with Virgin - for anyone who hasn’t cruised before, a ‘Speciality restaurant’ is one on a cruise ship that you pay extra for. Most cruise ships will offer you the choice between a buffet option and a main dining room included in your fare, but on Virgin ships, EVERY dining option is included in your basic fare.
2) Michelin-starred chefs have been involved - Virgin have roped in some world-famous names to help them to create some of the most unique food menus and experiences at sea!
3) The buffet is gone! Most cruise ships have enormous buffet areas, where they can serve the masses. This isn’t an option on Virgin, but they do have an interesting replacement - more on this later, though.
4) 24-hour food options - whatever time you’re hungry, there’s going to be something to help onboard these ships. Most cruise ships close down their venues and offer food only via Room Service from about 11pm-midnight onwards, but you’ve got options all night on these ships. Again, more later!
If you’d like to see more from onboard these gorgeous cruise ships, then you can watch my video below, which gives you a full ship tour of Scarlet Lady. Also, there’s much more available over on my channel!
So, what are my ‘top tips’ for dining with Virgin Voyages?
The fact you’re on this site shows that you’ve started researching for your next trip (which is great news). If you’re anything like me before my first Virgin cruise, you might be a little overwhelmed with all of the information, and all of the options. I was in so many forums before my first cruise that were giving me contradicting information, so hopefully I can help to ‘set the record straight’ with any confusions you might have! Now, dining on a Virgin cruise ship certainly isn’t difficult (trust me, you’re not going to be hungry on here), but there are a few things that will help to make your experience as smooth as possible…
1) Pre-book your restaurants! Did you know that restaurant reservations open 45 days before your sailing? That’s right - set your reminders and get ready to have full access to restaurants via your Virgin Voyages app. You can book either via your App, or you can go through your Travel Agent (Virgin refers to Travel Agents as ‘First Mates’, by the way). The 45 day rule applies to all guests sailing in what I’d refer to as ‘Standard’ cabins (in other words, non-Suite cabins), with those travelling as RockStars or Mega RockStars (yes, Suite guests) being able to book from 60 days before they sail. Don’t worry if you don’t get your perfect time trying to book before you sail - they don’t release all of the available booking options, so you may be able to ‘walk in’ on the night, or book once you’re onboard.
2) Aim to try everything! I find the food offering to be really varied onboard Virgin ships, and they’ve got some food types that I’d never tried before (for example, Korean). My overall advice is to approach these restaurants with an open mind - don’t just book the Italian place every night of your cruise - it’s time to expand your horizons!
3) Don’t stress too much about it! It can be so easy to get caught up in the chaos of booking restaurants, trying to secure the perfect time, and then being totally overwhelmed with the experience. Always remember - this is YOUR holiday/vacation, so it’s all about YOU. If you feel overwhelmed, just breathe - it’s much easier than it might look - trust me!
4) Can’t get a reservation? Check what other meals that restaurant is open for… On my first Virgin cruise, I missed out on a few restaurants just because I couldn’t get a table for dinner. However, had I thought about it, I could’ve booked a couple of them for brunch, or also lunch - it’s not just dinner that you can book in these restaurants!
Ok, let’s run through the restaurants - we’ll cover informal dining options later!
The Wake
We’re kicking off the run-down today at one of my absolute favourite venues onboard any Virgin Voyages cruise ship: The Wake. This is the onboard Steak and Seafood restaurant, and it’s absolutely stunning - every time I walk in here, I feel like I should be paying extra for the experience - the setting is just gorgeous. Location-wise, you’re all the way at the back of the ship on Deck 6, so you get some absolutely amazing views looking out over the wake of the ship. For anyone who’s seeing the word ‘Wake’ a lot here, this term refers to the water behind the ship as it heads through the ocean - I would assume that’s exactly why Virgin have named this restaurant after this nautical term, as it really is a key feature for so many diners in here. Let me give you a look at the venue, and also that famous view:
Gorgeous, isn’t it? In terms of meals in here, you’ve got a couple of different options. The main event in this restaurant is dinner, but the Wake is also open for breakfast/brunch, on both port days and sea days, so you have no excuse to miss this place out!
Here’s a sample of the menu, to give you an idea of what you can expect. Oh, while we’re here - thanks to Virgin Voyages for allowing their menu images to be used in this post!
Razzle Dazzle
Let’s now move on to our next Dining venue: Razzle Dazzle. You’re going to find this one down on Deck 5 of the ship, just along the corridor from Sailor Services (or Guest Services, to most!). This one’s really unique - I love the background to the design of this place. Years ago (in the First World War), Navy warships were painted in dazzling camouflage to confuse enemies - apparently it would make it more difficult to determine things like which direction the ship was travelling in. This restaurant is decorated in homage to this tactic, and the whole room is decorates in a really unique black and white ‘abstract’ design. You’ll find this venue to be much more informal than what you’ve seen above from the Wake - think bright colours, contrasting design choices, and huge portholes windows allowing the light to pour in. Here’s some of my photos to give you a real feel for the vibe:
In terms of food, Virgin describe this place as offering a unique view of American comfort food, so you should find it pretty easy to find something on the menu that everyone in your party will enjoy in here.
So, when can you eat at Razzle Dazzle? This place, in my opinion, specialises in helping you start your day off right. If you’re going to take one piece of advice from me, I’d love it to be that you’re going to come in here and try either the waffles or the watermelon pizza (yes, you read that right) for your breakfast - both are absolutely to DIE for, trust me! If you’re looking for slightly ‘different’ dining experiences, then you can also book into Razzle Dazzle for a bottomless brunch. For this, your mimosas, bloody mary’s, rose wine and draft beer are unlimited for a set time period - this one is an extra charge though.
You can see the sample menus below for both lunch and dinner, followed by some photos of my meals from this venue. Note: this venue totally transforms at night into ‘Razzle Dazzle by night’ - don’t worry - this isn’t a totally different venue being thrown in here! Hopefully you’ll agree - pretty good quality, right?! I was impressed!
Pink Agave
Like Mexican food? Then you’ll want to get booked into Pink Agave at some point during your Virgin Voyages cruise. This venue is described as ‘upscale Mexican’, as the food in here really is top-notch. If you’ve followed me on YouTube during my cruises on Virgin ships, you’ll know that I love it in here - the flavours are just SO intense - a big ‘thumbs up’ from me. This place is only open for dinner, so be sure to get this one booked as early as you can - it’s super popular!
In terms of the environment itself, I’d describe it as ‘discreet luxury’ - it’s such a great space, with the same huge porthole windows as Razzle Dazzle (it’s in the same part of Deck 5 as Razzle Dazzle, but just over the other side of the ship), allowing some beautiful ocean views to become a key feature. If you enjoy Mezcal and/or Tequila, you’re probably going to enjoy yourself in here - they have the largest selection anywhere at sea, so GOOD LUCK working your way through that!
Here’s the sample menu for Pink Agave, followed by some food shots to get you in the mood…
Gunbae
Up on Deck 15, right beside the food hall, which I’ll tell you about in a bit, you’re going to find Gunbae. This is SUCH a unique dining experience at sea, and I don’t think I’ve ever found a more ‘fun’ (genuinely - it’s really good fun) experience on ANY cruise ship, so ‘well done’ to Virgin on this one! This is the onboard Korean BBQ venue, and it certainly is lively in here! Think sharing food, think drinking games, and think interactive cooking - it’s such a fantastic way to meet new people on your cruise!
On that point, it’s worth noting that tables at Gunbae are NOT exclusive to your travel party, and you’ll be asked to accept this condition at the point of booking. Don’t go booking this restaurant if you’re looking for a romantic table for 2 - that’s just not going to happen in here. Instead, you’ll be joined by other Sailors, for what should be a really fun, interactive and engaging evening. From my experience, I’d recommend you budget yourself a little longer to dine in here - it’s not that the service is any slower than elsewhere, there’s just more to get through! Enjoy the experience - don’t try to rush it! Let me show you the restaurant itself - you can expect to be seated at huge, round tables, with the cooking equipment in the middle (your server will use this to cook your dinner infront of you!).
As you can see, this place is very different to the other venues onboard. On my first couple of cruises with Virgin, I overlooked booking this and ended up enjoying this on my final evening onboard. Instead, I now always recommend that people try to book to eat here during the first few nights of their voyage - what better way to meet people than over such a fun dinner? Who knows - you might make some cruise friends in here!
Gunbae is only open for dinner, which is probably a good thing - I’m not sure how tasty Korean BBQ food would be for breakfast… It’s a venue that’s open pretty late - I actually found people would enjoy eating in here later than the other restaurants onboard the ship. I assume they’d hang out at one of the bars, have a few drinks, and then come here after for some fun over dinner.
Here’s the sample menu below to give you an idea of what you could be eating if you do choose Gunbae for an evening meal… You’ll find some photos of my food under the menu, too!
Extra Virgin
Down on Deck 6 of the ship, you’ll find Extra Virgin. This, in my opinion, is one of the ‘safest’ dining options onboard - who doesn’t enjoy an Italian? I’ve always found the food in here to be really fresh and tasty - I can’t find a single thing to complain about, other than the fact Ive found it to be the most difficult restaurant to get a table reservation in. It’s so popular and is only open for dinner, so get yourself booked in for this one!
In terms of the venue itself, it’s another gorgeous space - really simple, but well designed and has a real ‘boutique’ feel. Here’s some shots to give you a feel for it, and also the sample menu:
The Test Kitchen
Welcome to the final formal ‘restaurant’ venue I need to fill you in on today. This restaurant is, similar to Gunbae, very unique to Virgin - you’re not going to find this on other cruise ships. Think laboratory-style - you’re essentially dining inside a food lab, with scientists in white lab coats serving your meal to you. The setting itself is absolutely spotless (as you would expect a lab to be…!).
You’ll find the Test Kitchen on Deck 6, just behind the shopping arcade. This one’s only open for dinner, and offers typical Michelin-style dining, where you can enjoy your multi-course meal as ‘food only', or you can pair up with a drink pairing for an added cost. Personally, I often struggle with wine pairings at this sort of restaurant, and so I opted for the non-alcoholic pairing option, and it was really excellent - well recommended!
In terms of seating arrangements, you might be able to have a table exclusively for your travel party in here, but chances are you’ll be at a shared table. For me, I was seated at a high chair looking into the food preparation area, so had people sitting in a line alongside me also looking in. For some others they were in booths (these are more private) and others were at longer communal tables. If you do have a preference, just pop down to the restaurant that afternoon and let them know - I’m sure it wouldn’t be an issue! Here’s the menu (yes, each course is just given the title of one main ingredient), and some photos of some of my food to give you an idea of the type of experience you could expect from the Test Kitchen.
So, that’s the restaurants, but what about informal dining options?
Fear not - if you don’t want to be sitting in restaurants for every single meal on your cruise (remember - you can if you want to!), then Virgin Voyages has you covered. There’s a range of much more informal dining offerings on these ships, and you won’t need reservations for any of these.
Lick Me Till… Ice Cream
To be abundantly clear, you’re never going to hear me say the name of this place on a YouTube video - read it aloud, and you’ll understand why. This is the onboard Ice Cream shop (to confirm though - it’s not an added charge - it’s included!), and you can expect wonderfully fresh ice cream, with daily-changing special flavours. My tip for this one? If you’re at dinner and not sure if you want a dessert, why not just skip it and come here for an ice cream?! You’ll find this place open from early afternoon right into the evening (it’ll close around 10pm), so plenty of opportunity for you to grab either a cone or a cup of your favourite flavour!
The Dock House & The Dock
I think this must be my favourite casual dining venue - it’s absolutely beautiful! Think beach club, mixed with tapas and mezze-style dishes, and you’ll land somewhere near what the Dock House & The Dock are offering. The Dock House is the indoor venue, and The Dock is essentially just the outdoor terrace. Both offer live music from time to time, so what better place to pop in, order a few light dishes, and relax in the (hopefully) sunshine while enjoying some live acoustic music?
Time-wise, you’re going to find these venues open around lunchtime, and will close after the evening food service - no excuses for skipping this one! A tip if you’re planning to eat outside - some Sailors will come and relax here without ordering any food, and that’s absolutely fine! If you do want to order anything, just raise the flag (you can see what I mean in the photos below), and a member of the crew will be right over to take your order!
The Pizza Place
On Deck 7, and right beside the Ice Cream shop, you’ll find the Pizza Place. I won’t insult your intelligence by telling you what this place specialises in(!), but you can also grab salads and light bites ‘to go’ from the chillers when you walk in, and you’ll also be able to grab drinks in here (this last tip could be useful if the bars are particularly busy and you happen to be passing here…).
You’ll find a menu of pizzas that remain the same throughout your cruise, but there will usually also be a daily special. You’ll usually not see this on the menu, but it’ll be on a separate card on the counter - be sure to check this out before you place your order! In terms of dining arrangements, you can opt to either eat indoors within the venue itself, eat outside on their terrace, or take back to your room with your very own pizza box!
This venue is open from lunchtime until around 2am, so be sure not to miss out on those late night pizza cravings - get in before they lock the door if you’re hungry before you head up to bed!
The Social Club
Staying on Deck 7, we’re now going to move towards the back of the ship so that I can tell you about the Social Club. Think relaxed sports bar here, and you’ll hit the vibe on the head - it’s very different in here to elsewhere on the ship. Of course, you can get the normal drinks here, but you can also get milkshakes and floats. Take it from me - the floats are well worth trying - this is exactly where I fell in LOVE with a Fanta float (it might sound dreadful, but don’t know it until you’ve tried it!).
You can also grab some food here - think pretzels, chicken wing (the spicy ones are EXCELLENT), pretzels and that sort of stuff - quick, easy finger food - thumbs up!
The Galley
Remember I mentioned way back at the start of this post that Virgin Voyages have got rid of the buffet from their cruise ships? Well, this is what they’ve replaced it with! Think of this as more of a food hall - you can either go up to each counter to place your order, or just grab a seat somewhere and a server will come and get you sorted out.
I do find the quality of food in this part of the ship to be decent, but not as good as in the restaurants onboard. For that reason, it can mean this venue is pretty quiet at night while the restaurants are SO busy - it would be good if Virgin would put a bit more of a focus up here, in order to alleviate some of the pressure on their restaurants. Here’s a list of all of the options you’re going to find in the Galley:
The Daily Mix: Salad and other light, fresh options.
Diner & Dash: this is the 24-hour option - think all day breakfasts, and diner-style food.
Bento Baby: think Asian food here - it’s your onboard Sushi bar!
Noodle Around: what it says on the tin - think noodles and ramen for this one.
Let’s Taco bout it: Mexican and Tacos,
Hot off the Press: Fresh sandwiches, panini’s and other grilled items.
The Sweet Side - this one’s worth checking out - the dessert counter!
I do need to give a special shout out to that dessert counter - it’s one of the reasons I need to buy bigger clothes after a week on a Virgin cruise ship… Here’s some photos - how could you possibly resist?!
Any other options worth talking about here?
The only other area of the ship worth highlighting for you today is the Grounds Club. You’ll find this coffee shop on Deck 7, just along from the main atrium section of the ship. There’s also a smaller version of this up in the Galley, the food hall. You can, of course, get all of the usual teas and coffees here that you’d expect in any ‘normal’ coffee shop, and you can also order it ‘spiked’ with some alcohol, too! From a food point of view, you’ll get some lovely snacks and pastries in here - I’d really recommend the almond croissant - I can almost taste it just writing this part…
What about Room Service?
Ok, it’s time for the final food offering onboard a Virgin Voyages ship - can you believe that we’ve FINALLY got there?! It’s time to talk about Room Service, or ‘ShipEats’ as it’s known on here. You can either order via your App, or you can use the cabin phone to place your order - it’s really simple! Your order will be delivered to your cabin in large ‘ShipEats’ bags (you’ll see photos below), with your food in reusable containers within.
Quality-wise, I found this to be OK. Probably nothing worth being overly excited about before your cruise, but nice if you’re looking for some snacks for the room, or if you simply can’t be bothered going out around the ship!
One thing that is worth remembering with ShipEats is that there is a delivery fee. For any orders of ‘On Us’ items (included in your cruise fare), there’s a $10 delivery charge (expensive, right?!). However, if you order any chargeable item, then this delivery fee is waived. That’s right - if you pop one coffee onto your order, your delivery fee will be waived. Whilst this may seem like a flawed system, just order a drink with your ShipEats order, and you won’t be paying a high delivery charge!
Phew, we got there!
We’ve made it to the end of this full dining guide covering every part of the dining experience on offer from Virgin Voyages. I really hope you’ve found this guide useful. If you have, why not do 3 things?
1) Sign up to receive my FREE newsletters - you can do this by CLICKING HERE and popping your e-mail address into the box!
2) Subscribe to my YouTube channel - this is a massive support of my content creation journey, and I’d be so thankful for your support. you can CLICK HERE to go to YouTube now!
3) Check out more of my Virgin Voyages posts? You’ll find them here!