It’s no secret that we love Virgin Voyages, the ground-breaking new cruise line that is winning every award in sight. There is much to love on a Virgin Voyages cruise. Today we share what many consider one of the high points–Virgin Voyages food and beverages.
Great Drinks and Snacks at the Dock House
Virgin Voyages Food
With over 20 eateries designed by Michelin-starred chefs, you can find everything from steakhouses and Korean BBQ to elaborate brunches and an international food market – all included in your Virgin Voyages cruise fare. Plus, you won’t find any big dining halls or stuffy dress codes here – you can dress up or down as you like! And that’s not all – you can also enjoy sustainably sourced food and there is a bar in every restaurant.
What you will not find is a buffet, which means fresher food, less food waste, and better sustainability. The Galley is more like a food court, but they serve you. Choices range from salads, breads and desserts, Mexican, breakfast all day, hamburgers and fries, specialty coffees, ramen, to-go boxes, sushi in Bento boxes, and more.
Special dietary concerns such as vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options are readily available throughout the ship. Food allergies? Let your travel advisor know so they can accommodate you.
Reservations
With the sailor app you can cancel, change, or make new dining reservations onboard at any time. The app will have food venue opening and closing times. There is also a tablet in your cabin you can use for this.
Some smaller and popular venues fill up quickly, so reserve something ahead if you can. You can change your reservations after boarding through the app, at the restaurant, or by calling the restaurant.
You can make dining reservations 45 days before your voyage and popular venues fill quickly. Rockstars (suite guests) can make their reservations even sooner.
Tip: If you book with us, we send you a reminder the day before you can make reservations, so you don’t miss it.
The Wake is one of our favorites
We Recommend
- Be sure to try the multi-course Test Kitchen tasting menu – it’s a must! Book it in advance as soon as you can. Unless you are dining with a party of 8, you will probably have others at your table.
- Breakfast venues include Razzle Dazzle, the Wake, and the Galley which also has all-day breakfasts. Once onboard you can make brunch reservations on the app.
- If you are dining at the Galley, walk by the stands before you sit down. They often have specials not listed in the app.
- Room service is available and gets high marks from guests. There is a $7 delivery charge but if you order items that have an extra charge like a specialty coffee or a beer or glass of wine, they waive the charge. Waits for room service breakfast can be long, so it is a good idea to order the night before.
Yummy chocotacos
More Virgin Voyage Food Tips
- If an eatery you want to try seems booked, keep checking as people cancel and change all the time. A venue that has no openings may have one an hour later.
- You can make one dinner reservation per day and can only book each restaurant once if your voyage is under 6 days and 3 reservations per restaurant on longer itinerary. And this does not mean you can’t go again to a favorite by walking up. Also, if doesn’t mean you can’t have three dinners 🙂
- Even if you cannot reserve a table, don’t fret. Virgin Voyages tries to accommodate walk-ups, so give it a try. It seems especially easier to get in this way if you arrive at opening time, usually 6 p.m.
- You can always eat at the Galley or the pizza place or have nibbles at the Dock House or the Social Club. And don’t forget the poke bowls and bao at the Sun Club.
Drinking on Virgin Voyages
On a Virgin Voyage cruise, it’s always happy hour. Virgin offers a range of beverages to enjoy during your upcoming cruise, included in your fare. A Virgin Voyage cruise is adults only, after all. There are plenty of great non-alcoholic choices too
Included in your fare you’ll find:
- filtered still and sparkling water
- non-pressed juices and sodas
- teas and drip coffee
Your cabin will have water carafes that are refilled. You can ask for still or sparkling water in them.
Tip: Bring a reusable water bottle for everyone in your party. As part of Virgin’s sustainability efforts, they do not have bottled water. There are water coolers throughout the ship and your cabin attendants will refill the carafes in your room often. If you need more water, use the app to request more.
Prices to Expect
Drinks are generally affordable, with 42% of wines by the glass under $10, $7 for fresh-pressed juices, $5-6 for beers, and $9 cocktails. The Grounds Club serves Intelligentsia specialty coffees and chai. You can expect most specialty coffees to run between $4-$6.
Bringing Alcohol on Board
If you wish to bring a special bottle of wine or liquor, you may bring two (2) 750mL bottles of wine per cabin in carry-on bags (no liquor or beer). Any alcohol in checked luggage will be collected pre-sailing and returned to you upon the completion of your voyage. Additionally, you may bring specialty liquors from a port of call on board, simply hand them to the security team as you board and they will hold them until your final night.
Bar Tab
The Bar Tab is very different from other cruise line packages. No dollar limits, no limits on how many drinks you may buy at a time. It is simply money you have pre-purchased toward drinks. You can use it to buy drinks for others as well as yourself. Do remember it is use it or lose it, so if you have money left at the end of the cruise, be sure to buy everyone a round.
Remember if you wish to take advantage of the $350 bar tab for $300 offer, you can only do so up to 24 hours before the cruise. You cannot buy a Bar tab on board the ship. If you use up your bar tab funds, your credit card will be charged for the rest of the charges.
Learn More About Virgin Voyages
Because we are a Gold Tier Virgin Voyages agents who have sailed on Virgin, we pride ourselves on giving people who book with us the best values, great information, and tips. For example, people who book with us will receive at least nine emails from us describing every aspect of what to expect. We are available around the clock to answer questions and solve problems. This all comes at no additional cost to you. If you would like to book with us, you can either book directly using this link or contact us.
Read more here:
Ways to Save on Virgin Voyages
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