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A Virgin Voyages Cruise Review: Riviera Maya (Miami To Cozumel And Bimini)

Kevin | Caffeinated Excursions — Sat, 18 May 2024 17:00:00 +0000

A Virgin Voyages Cruise Review:
Riviera Maya (Miami To Cozumel & Bimini)

A Virgin Voyages Cruise Review: Riviera Maya (Miami To Cozumel And Bimini)

Published May 18, 2024

My friend Ismael and I recently booked a five-night cruise on Virgin Voyages out of Miami. Since this was our very first ocean cruise, neither of us knew exactly what to expect. But once we boarded the Scarlet Lady, saw our cabin, and had our first drink, we knew it would be an amazing time! From start to finish, Virgin Voyages’ Riviera Maya cruise was an absolute blast!

My review of this cruise is broken down into the following topics. To skip down to anything that interests you, click or tap the corresponding link below!

Why Did We Choose Virgin Voyages?
The Cruise Itinerary
Food & Restaurants on the Ship
All About the Scarlet Lady
Final Verdict on Virgin Voyages Riviera Maya Cruise

Why Did We Choose Virgin Voyages?

We took this cruise at the end of March, which coincided with my spring break. I work in education, so I didn’t have a ton of flexibility with my time off. With that in mind, we basically had two cruise options: this one with Virgin Voyages (VV), or a Royal Caribbean cruise leaving Port Canaveral that went to CocoCay and Nassau in The Bahamas.

A couple of logistical details pushed us towards VV. First and foremost, the Riviera Maya cruise was one night longer than the Royal Caribbean one. In addition, neither of us had been to Cozumel or Bimini, but I had been to Nassau before. Finally, the VV cruise visited two countries, while the Royal Caribbean cruise only visited one. All of these factors convinced us to go with Virgin.

On top of that, Virgin Voyages is a newer company that markets itself as an innovator in the cruise industry. Eventually, I do want to try (and blog about) cruising with one of the big three cruise lines. However, Virgin Voyages seemed like a good fit for us this time.

Ismael and I are both avid travelers who lean towards off-the-beaten-path destinations. We also love amazing food from all over the world! Virgin generally gets high marks for cuisine offerings on board, so that enticed us as well. As a brand, VV seemed more aligned with our style of travel than Royal Caribbean.

What’s important to know about Virgin Voyages? First and foremost, their cruises are only for adults. As such, there are no venues or amenities on board the ship aimed at kids. Secondly, almost all food is included in the voyage cost. Finally, there are no gratuities that you are required to pay on board.

Beyond that, we were impressed by the stylish spaces on the Scarlet Lady. Each restaurant, bar, and entertainment venue was beautifully designed. It made exploring the ship so much fun!

The Cruise Itinerary

Below, you’ll find the daily itinerary for Virgin Voyages’ Riviera Maya cruise. It includes information about the port stops, “Shore Things” (excursions), and what we did during our days at sea.

Day 1: Boarding in Miami

The first day of our cruise was all about checking in on the Scarlet Lady and getting settled. I flew from Chicago to Miami the night before embarkation, and we stayed at a budget hotel by the airport. The next morning, we woke up, did some last-minute shopping, and got lunch at a Peruvian restaurant. After that, we took an Uber to Port of Miami.

To board a Virgin Voyages cruise leaving out of Miami, passengers have to head to Terminal V (located here). Setting this as the destination for our Uber worked for us; we were dropped off in the right place.

Our designated check-in time was 4:30 pm, and Virgin requests that Sailors (their term for passengers) don’t arrive early to avoid crowding. To be honest, we disobeyed and arrived around 3:00 pm. That’s because I can’t stand the stress of running late! On top of that, we weren’t familiar with the layout of the cruise terminal, nor did we know how long the check-in process would take. I figured at worst, we might have to hang out and wait for an hour or so.

Luckily, staff at the terminal let us check in about an hour early. I think their advice not to arrive before your designated time is meant for folks who plan to show up, like, six hours before their assigned embarkation slot.

Checking in was straightforward. It took about fifteen minutes for the two of us. Terminal V is also a gorgeous, spacious building! It made a very positive first impression on me and served as a preview of Virgin Voyages’ focus on beautiful design.

Stepping foot onto the Scarlet Lady was such a cool experience for me as a first-time ocean cruiser! There are so many bright, modern spaces on board, and the boat felt larger than life. Keep in mind, the Scarlet Lady has a capacity of 2,770 passengers, making it a very average-sized cruise ship. But to me, it still felt absolutely massive, especially on the first day of our trip!

We found our cabin, dropped off our belongings, then headed to the top deck for some champagne during the ship’s sail away party. The open-air deck is one of my favorite parts of the Scarlet Lady! It was an excellent place to relax, sip our drinks, and enjoy the views of the Miami skyline before dinner.

After dinner, we attended a drag show, got a midnight snack at the ship’s pizzeria, walked around the top deck, and finally called it a night. If you’re curious about food on the ship or the ship’s entertainment offerings, click the corresponding link to skip down to those sections of this post!

Day 2: At Sea

The second day of this cruise was entirely at sea. We spent hours exploring the ship, eating, drinking, lounging at the pool, and hanging out! Throughout Days 1 and 2, the Scarlet Lady sailed away from Miami, alongside the Florida Keys, and then alongside Cuba as it made its way towards Cozumel in Mexico. For a few hours in the afternoon, we were actually close enough to Cuba to see the island off in the distance.

During our days at sea, we participated in a number of organized events and activities. For example, we took part in things like coffee tastings, bracelet making, a cocktail mixing competition, and more. Some of these activities were free, and others required us to pay extra to participate. Some required reservations on the Virgin Voyages app, and others were first come first served.

Since these activities (or at least, other similar ones) should be offered on every Virgin Voyages cruise, I won’t be detailing all of them here. If you want to learn more about the ship and its offerings, skip down to that section of this post below!

Day 3: Cozumel, Mexico

On the morning of our voyage’s third day, we docked in Cozumel. This Mexican island is part of the state of Quintana Roo. This state is home to famous tourist destinations such as Cancún, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum. By the way, the name “Riviera Maya” refers to Mexico’s Caribbean coastline between Puerto Morelos and Punta Allen (plus the island of Cozumel).

Before disembarking the Scarlet Lady, I went up to the top deck to check the weather, and unfortunately, skies were completely overcast. This would last the entire day, but at least it wasn’t chilly. In fact, even with cloudy skies, Cozumel was noticeably hotter and more humid than Miami and the Caribbean Sea during Days 1 and 2.

Virgin Voyages uses the Punta Langosta Cruise Terminal (at least, they did on our sailing). The island has between three and five main piers depending on what source you’re looking at, and Punta Langosta is right in the center of San Miguel de Cozumel, the island’s main city.

A Review of Our Sailing and Snorkeling Excursions

We booked a Shore Thing in Cozumel about four months before the cruise, which meant we had a planned outing for Day 3. It was called “Sail, Snorkel, & Hidden Beach Escape” and cost $120 per person. This excursion included a catamaran ride to a snorkeling spot, followed by a visit to a private beach club near San José.

Checking in for our Shore Thing was easy, and it didn’t require us to leave the Punta Langosta pier. We were grouped together with people from other cruises on the catamaran. After everyone found a spot to sit, we took off. Our captain navigated around the Scarlet Lady, which provided an awesome 360-degree view of the ship.

As we approached our snorkeling stop, Ismael got his gear on and prepared to dive into the water. I decided to just hang out on the catamaran and try to get some pictures. Unfortunately, with the weather still pretty grey, the Caribbean waters here weren’t particularly impressive.

Ismael said the snorkeling was fine, and some fish were visible. However, it wasn’t the best snorkeling he’s ever done. The captains also warned all of us that you need to be a decent swimmer to participate. In spite of that, some people jumped in and basically needed to be rescued right away. Everyone is required to wear a life vest, but don’t try to snorkel here if you can’t at least tread water!

One of my biggest complaints about this Shore Thing is that the drinks sucked. The description provided by Virgin Voyages says adult beverages are included in the price. The catamaran had unlimited beer and margaritas, but both of those drinks deserve very emphatic air quotes around them. The so-called margarita was extremely watered down; it tasted like lemonade. I don’t even think it had the slightest hint of tequila in it, to be honest.

The beer was better than the margarita, but that’s not saying much. It was either the lightest beer I’ve ever tasted, or it was diluted with carbonated water. Now, I understand where they’re coming from: the tour company doesn’t want passengers to become extremely drunk or unruly during the excursion. However, I’d much rather have a two- or three-drink limit on real margaritas and bottled beer versus an unlimited supply of very low quality drinks.

With the snorkeling portion of our excursion complete, we sailed for a little longer and then anchored at the private beach club. This area was decent, but not spectacular. I ordered a fish sandwich for lunch but immediately regretted it. Their burgers fresh off the grill looked a lot more enticing. We ate, strolled along the water for a while, and relaxed. Finally, we got back on the catamaran, which returned directly to Punta Langosta.

My overall feelings about this Shore Thing were mixed, if I’m being generous. I don’t think it was worth anywhere near the 120 USD per person we paid. Especially in Mexico, an excursion like this is worth at most 50 USD. Unless you’re willing to book your own activities, you’re going to pay a premium for booking through your cruise line. Even with that in mind, I don’t feel like the experience was worth such a high price.

Maybe I would’ve felt differently if we had nicer weather. Nonetheless, I will probably skip booking Virgin Voyages Shore Things on any future trip I do with this cruise line. I’ll admit, it takes more work to research activities at ports of call with independent third parties. There’s also an increased risk of not being dropped off at the boat in time. But we spoke with other Sailors who booked activities externally, and they seemed extremely satisfied with their outings. I can’t necessarily say the same for ours.

Exploring San Miguel de Cozumel

After being dropped off at Punta Langosta, Ismael and I had a few free hours. We decided to walk around San Miguel de Cozumel for a little bit to see what the town was like. It was nice, but I wouldn’t call it especially charming. Maybe I’m being uppity, but I lived in Mexico in 2018, so I’ve traveled to some of the country’s best beach towns. I would not consider Cozumel to be one of them.

I’m not trying to be disparaging, but I think this sentiment is commonly shared among cruise enthusiasts. I distinctly remember overhearing an avid cruiser say that they never get off any cruise ship when it’s stopped in Cozumel because they just don’t like it that much. Now that I’ve seen Cozumel for myself, I don’t need to go back.

We wanted to try one local restaurant before getting back on the Scarlet Lady, so we got snacks and drinks at Cocomama Tiki Room (address | Instagram). My steak tacos here were good, but the highlight here was the rum cocktails! They were amazing, especially compared to the bad drinks we had during our Shore Thing. When we were done eating and drinking, we headed back to the cruise ship to rest a bit.

The Best Part of Day 3: Scarlet Night!

Even though Cozumel was a little underwhelming, our evening on the Scarlet Lady made up for it. That’s because we celebrated Scarlet Night on our third evening! In case you didn’t know, every Virgin Voyages cruise has one night where the entire ship becomes a party. Sailors are asked to dress in red, and for multiple hours after dinner, there are events, shows, dance parties, photo booths, and performances throughout all common areas.

I’ll write up a more thorough review of Scarlet Night in my ship overview blog post [coming soon]! But until then, know that this is the biggest event on board the ship. Be sure not to miss it or forget your scarlet attire!

Day 4: At Sea

On this day, the Scarlet Lady turned around and sailed north from Cozumel to The Bahamas. We spent Day 4 very similarly to how we spent Day 2. After having overcast weather in Cozumel, it was nice to have clear skies again out on the open water.

Day 5: Beach Club at Bimini, Bahamas

Our final full day on this cruise was spent in Bimini, a tiny archipelago in The Bahamas. This is the closest part of the country to Miami at a distance of only about 55 miles. I’ve wanted to visit Bimini for years, so I was very excited to finally do so with Virgin Voyages!

From what I can tell, almost every Virgin Voyages cruise based out of Miami stops at Bimini. I could be wrong about this, so double check your cruise itinerary if visiting this Bahamian island chain is a priority for you. VV owns and operates their very own private beach club in Bimini, which is probably why most (if not all) of their Miami-based cruises spend a day there.

On a side note, I’m a huge fan of The Bahamas in general! If I had unlimited time and money, I’d spend months exploring the country’s more remote islands. With that said, I had high expectations for Bimini, and this gorgeous destination was everything I had hoped for!

Virgin Voyages docks at the Bimini Cruise Port, which is located here on the island of North Bimini. The cruise terminal provides free shuttles that make a loop between the cruise pier and The Beach Club. The shuttle takes about ten minutes each way, while walking takes about 25 minutes. Shuttles run roughly once every ten or fifteen minutes.

Exploring Bimini on Foot

Since we didn’t book any Shore Things in Bimini, we had the entire day to explore on our own terms. I really wanted to see the local towns: Bailey Town in the north and Alice Town in the south. Ismael and I decided to walk the entire length of the developed portion of North Bimini, which is a narrow strip of land. It takes about an hour each way.

As soon as you leave Resorts World Bimini (where the Virgin Voyages beach club is located), you’ll find yourself in the “real” Bahamas. If you want to spend your entire day in Bimini relaxing on the beach at the club, that’s totally fine. But I would say adventurous travelers should explore further south. Golf cart rentals are available on the island, but I’m not sure how much they cost. Walking is an option, but give yourself about two or two-and-a-half hours to go all the way to the end and back.

Bailey Town and Alice Town are both quiet, residential areas. I enjoyed leisurely walking through these communities to see local homes, businesses, and street art. When Ismael and I got to Radio Beach, we stopped for a few rum cocktails at an outdoor bar stand with a view of the water. Then we began heading back north. The ocean side of the island (the west) is much prettier than the marsh-facing side (the east).

Eat a Conch Feast

One of my favorite things about The Bahamas is the national dish: conch! It’s a chewy type of seafood, somewhat reminiscent of calamari. However, the flavor is very light (and in my opinion, not fishy at all). This makes it easy to prepare in myriad ways, which is why you can enjoy it as a salad, in a burger, as a stew, and in many other ways.

While walking in Bimini, we passed by mountains of conch shells on certain parts of the coast (shown above). It’s an integral part of Bahamian culture. In fact, sale and trade is strictly limited in the US. Some sources online say that conch meat can be sold in the US, but that it must be imported. I’ve never seen it on a menu anywhere in Florida, which is why I savor it in the Bahamas, where it is very common and readily available.

Bimini has no shortage of conch stands, and each one specializes in different conch-based dishes. After comparing reviews and menus, we decided to get lunch at Joe’s Conch Shack. We went all out and ordered fried conch with fries, conch stew with rice and beans, conch fritters, and conch salad. We also ordered two rum punches that really packed a punch! Since we were walking and not driving a golf cart, it wasn’t an issue.

Every dish we got at Joe’s tasted amazing! The fried conch really stood out, especially with a pink sweet and savory sauce to dip them in. I also loved the conch fritters, and the conch salad was similar to ceviche.

In addition to great food, Joe’s Conch Shack has such a fun atmosphere. It’s decorated with dollar bills, plus there’s a pile of conch shells right next to the picnic tables you can eat at. If you are looking to try conch on Bimini, this is a great place to do it. Just be aware that Joe’s takes cash only (I’m pretty sure).

Despite an overload of conch for lunch, I still wanted more. Specifically, I craved a conch burger, which was not on the menu at Joe’s. We stopped one more time down the road at Bowleg’s Food Truck (location | Facebook), where I was able to order one. It came out piping hot! Conch burgers are a little tough to eat since the meat is so chewy, but that’s part of this unique experience!

The Beach Club at Bimini

Even after walking the entire length of the island and back, we still had a few hours to relax at Virgin Voyages’ private beach club. This venue is absolutely beautiful! This spacious club has pools, lounge chairs, bar service, and a pristine stretch of sand with clear blue water. It’s owned and operated directly by Virgin, not a third party partner. I consider that a good thing!

The Beach Club also serves lunch, and I’ve heard many people say it’s amazing. However, as far as I could tell, Virgin Voyages does not serve conch here. That’s why we left Resorts World Bimini and had lunch further south. If you want to try conch but don’t want to leave the beach club, check with VV staff to make sure. If they aren’t offering it at the beach club, the closest local restaurant that serves conch appears to be Smitty’s Beach Bar & Restaurant.

Our Day 5 began with partly cloudy skies. By mid-afternoon, however, the sun was shining brilliantly. This made the glistening blue sea even more spectacular!

After a refreshing swim in the ocean, it was time to head back to the Scarlet Lady. Setting sail and watching Bimini slowly disappear over the horizon was the perfect end to my favorite day on this itinerary. We were also treated to the most impressive sunset of our cruise right before dinner.

Day 6: Return to Miami

By the time we woke up on Day 6, we had already arrived in Miami. It was bittersweet for our cruise to come to an end! We finished packing, went to The Galley for coffee and breakfast, and I did one final walkthrough of the upper deck to admire the Miami skyline.

About a day or so before arrival, the Virgin Voyages app prompted us to pick a disembarkation time, so we chose the last one (which I believe was 10:30 am). This allowed us to sleep in a little bit and have a leisurely breakfast. If I remember correctly, the earliest you can leave the ship on Day 6 is 7:00 am or 7:30 am.

Disembarking was generally self-explanatory. Ismael and I just went to Deck 7 and left through the same door we boarded through back on Day 1. There was a line to leave that snaked through the lobby, but it never stopped moving. After a short and simple immigration procedure in the terminal building, we were free to go.

Since we didn’t have a rental car, Ismael and I called an Uber from Terminal V. We encountered a bit of a bottleneck with so many people trying to catch a ride at the same time. Luckily, we eventually found the right vehicle, and then we were off.

Our Day 6 on this cruise fell on a Friday, so Ismael and I spent the weekend in Miami before flying back home. If you’re also planning to check out the Miami metro area before or after your cruise, be sure to consult my separate blog post about things to do there!

Food & Restaurants on the Ship

As I’ve mentioned above, Virgin Voyages does a phenomenal job with dining on board the ship! It’s one of the top reasons to book a cruise with this company. There are some important details to know when it comes to VV restaurants. For example, food is almost always all-inclusive, but alcoholic beverages are extra.

Fortunately, I’ve written a separate comprehensive Virgin Voyages food review! It includes information on all the restaurants we ate at, all the meals we enjoyed, snacks, beverages, and more!

All About the Scarlet Lady

I wrote this blog post for travelers who want to know all about Virgin Voyages’ Riviera Maya itinerary. If you’re curious to learn more about the Scarlet Lady, check out my separate blog post [coming soon]! It will include the following:

Review of our stateroom
Common areas on the ship
Entertainment and activities

Final Verdict on Virgin Voyages Riviera Maya Cruise

Here’s my short answer: I wholeheartedly recommend this cruise, and I love what VV is all about! As a travel enthusiast in my late twenties who’s a newcomer to ocean cruises, I can say that Virgin Voyages was a great fit. I think Ismael really enjoyed it too, and I will admit I’ve routinely been browsing VV’s upcoming sailings and daydreaming about booking another one!

Here’s my longer answer: the reason I liked this cruise so much was because of what Virgin Voyages did, not because of Cozumel. This Mexican island is a hub for cruise ships. I found it to be a pretty unexceptional place to spend a day. Maybe it’s much prettier when the sun is out? If you’ve been to Cozumel on a sunny day, leave a comment below and let me know how it is!

In contrast to Cozumel, Bimini was stunning. Luckily, most Virgin Voyages cruises stop here, so you’ll probably get to see this amazing Bahamian island if you’re booking a VV cruise out of Miami.

I would gladly book another cruise on Virgin Voyages (and probably will someday within the next few years). For my next one, I have my eye on Roatán, an island in Honduras. I’d also be open to stopping in places such as Puerto Rico or Grand Turk.

Have you been on a Virgin Voyages cruise before? Are you considering booking one? Let me know in the comments below! Thanks for reading, and have an amazing cruise if you’re about to embark!

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This post was published on May 18, 2024

Hi, I’m Kevin! I’m a coffee addict from Seattle, and my life revolves around traveling! Caffeinated Excursions is a record of my trips over the past seven years. Since I started blogging, I’ve lived in Mexico, Vietnam, Brazil, and the US. I just moved to Australia and plan to be here a full year. Thanks for checking out my blog!

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The post A Virgin Voyages Cruise Review: Riviera Maya (Miami To Cozumel And Bimini) appeared first on Caffeinated Excursions.

Virgin Voyages Food Review: Restaurants, Bars, And More Aboard The Scarlet Lady

Kevin | Caffeinated Excursions — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 17:00:00 +0000

Virgin Voyages Food Review: Restaurants, Bars, & More Aboard The Scarlet Lady

Published April 10, 2024

One of the first questions people ask when booking a cruise is: what will the food be like on board? That was definitely at the top of my mind when a friend and I decided to do a Virgin Voyages Riviera Maya cruise aboard the Scarlet Lady. And let me tell you, the restaurants on the ship really surpassed my expectations!

This was my very first ocean cruise, so I can’t compare the dining experience to other cruise lines (yet). With that said, I’d be shocked if one of the major international cruise companies offers better cuisine than Virgin Voyages. VV seems to market heavily towards millennials, and a major component of that involves going all out with the food!

Our five-night cruise was aboard the Scarlet Lady, but restaurants and dining options are identical across the Virgin Voyages fleet of ships. As such, this review should give you a good sense of what to expect regardless of which boat you’re sailing on!

Below are all of the restaurants, bars, food stalls, and cafes that we tried during our time on the Scarlet Lady! To skip down to any particular spot, click or tap the corresponding link below. To see Virgin’s official dining webpage, click or tap here.

Sit-Down Restaurants
The Galley
Other Options
My Favorite (And Least Favorite) Food Item on the Ship
Pricing, Drinks, And Final Thoughts

Sit-Down Restaurants

Virgin Voyages essentially has two main options for meals: sit-down restaurants and a more casual food court (more on that below). The sit-down places are not to be missed. This is where the cruise line’s culinary prowess really shines through! All of these restaurants take reservations through the Virgin Voyages app, and it’s wise to book the ones you want as early as possible. They do hold some space for walk-ins, but you are not guaranteed a table at your desired time if you don’t reserve in advance.

Razzle Dazzle

Razzle Dazzle seems to be Virgin Voyages’ flagship restaurant, complete with a red, white, and black interior design scheme to match their corporate color palette. Razzle Dazzle offers standard American restaurant fare in a modern dining room.

Our appetizers, drinks, and desserts were all decent. I ordered fried okra and green tomatoes, and Ismael ended up getting a cocktail served in a popcorn container with actual caramel popcorn on top! For my dessert, I tried a rich, smores-inspired chocolate pudding.

The best part of this meal was my main plate: a succulent slow-cooked lamb shank that fell right off the bone. It was served with glazed veggies over a bed of taleggio cheese mashed potatoes. Dinner at Razzle Dazzle was our very first meal aboard the Scarlet Lady, and it set the stage for four days of feasting and drinking!

Extra Virgin

We didn’t book a reservation at Extra Virgin (I love that play on words, by the way) weeks or months advance. But after checking in on the Scarlet Lady, we saw how chic and stylish the dining room was! That was enough to convince us that we should try this Italian restaurant. There were still some slots open for dinner, so we snagged a table!

Extra Virgin was one of my favorite restaurants on the ship, both for the ambiance and the food. The pastel colors, nods to nautical themes, and Italian design elements all come together in a very cohesive way.

Upon being seated, we were immediately brought a tray of sliced meats, cheeses, spreads, and honey. Bread, olive oil and vinegar, and wine were also served. It was a sign that this dinner would be a major ordeal, in a good way!

Guests at Extra Virgin are encouraged to order one antipasto starter, one pasta dish, and one secondo (main). We did exactly that, and I was a worried it would be way too much food. Luckily, the portion sizes here were on the smaller side. Needless to say, it was a lot of food, but not overwhelmingly so. For appetizers, we shared meatballs and calamari (both pictured above).

Because this meal was pretty large, I opted for fish instead of red meat for my main plate. The sea bass I got was light and refreshing. For my pasta, I got a black squid ink “nero gemelli” with shrimp and mussels. This was the highlight of my dinner! The texture of the noodles was perfect: just chewy enough without being mushy. The pasta and seafood also came in an irresistible spicy sauce. Don’t miss Extra Virgin on your next VV cruise!

The Wake

Known for its steak and seafood, The Wake is fully decked out with fancy chandeliers, a spiral staircase, and sparkly copper spheres on the ceiling that will make you feel like you’re in The Great Gatsby. This restaurant’s name references its location at the back of the boat, and the view it offers of the ship’s wake or trail in the water.

This was another restaurant we didn’t reserve before embarking, but we were able to get a table for brunch towards the end of our cruise. According to staff on the ship, The Wake is one of the most popular sit-down venues on board. So if you’re intent on having a fancy steak dinner here during your cruise, try to make a reservation on the app as soon as it allows you to.

We began our brunch here with a few rounds of traditional morning cocktails, followed by appetizers of citrus fennel salad and poached shrimp. The salad was delicious and refreshing, not to mention a much needed dose of fresh fruits and veggies.

However, the poached shrimp at The Wake was probably the least impressive shrimp I had on the Scarlet Lady (and trust me, I ate a lot of shrimp during our cruise). Compared to the delicious seafood I had with my squid ink pasta from Extra Virgin, these just tasted like your average shrimp cocktail. They were plated beautifully, but they didn’t have an exquisite flavor.

For our main brunch plates at The Wake, Ismael got their Benedict with pork belly, and I got the steak and eggs. We both agreed that the steak and eggs was the better dish. After all, this is what they’re known for!

The Test Kitchen

Whether you end up loving or hating it, The Test Kitchen is arguably Virgin Voyages’ most unique (and controversial) restaurant. They don’t really shy away from it either. The entrance hall is decorated with symbols of ingredients meant to look like the periodic table. Inside, the dining room is minimalistic with muted colors and chrome accents. It really does look like a science lab.

The Test Kitchen offers a tasting menu, which is shown simply as a list of about a half dozen ingredients. If I remember correctly, ours was, “corn, salmon, beet, shrimp/lamb, asparagus, and strawberry.” You won’t really know how each ingredient is prepared, or if there’s an unexpected twist, until it arrives at the table.

For example, our starter course (corn) is shown below. At first glance, this may just look like a segment of an ear of corn. But it was actually a corn mousse molded in the shape of corn on the cob. You could slice it with a butter knife and spread it on bread. It was creamy, and I personally liked it.

Other courses were more predictable, such as the lamb. Even though there wasn’t anything unusual about this plate, it was probably my favorite at The Test Kitchen.

The shrimp was a bit more interesting, served with wide noodles that were also made from shrimp. The flavor reminded me of fish balls that you might find in a Chinese hot pot.

I took pictures of every course we were served, which are shown below. We knew the meal would end with a strawberry dessert, but we didn’t know that the dollops of cream you can see on the plate were made with wasabi. That flavor combination was truly innovative and a nice end to the meal.

We met other “sailors” (as VV would call us) who didn’t like The Test Kitchen at all. In contrast, I enjoyed the overall experience, and found it to be a pretty whimsical tasting menu. However, a few of those courses missed the mark, namely the beets and the asparagus ice cream.

I feel like our wine pairings for these two courses didn’t really mesh with the flavors of the food either. However, I am not sure that any wine would’ve complemented these unusual, veggie-based recipes. Nonetheless, I feel like adventurous foodies will enjoy a meal at The Test Kitchen. Most of the plates were delicious, and a few were genuinely surprising.

Pink Agave

If you’re looking for an indulgent meal with bold flavors in a fun environment, be sure to book a table at Pink Agave! I would say this restaurant is more Mexican-inspired than Mexican, but that’s not a bad thing! I enjoyed everything I ate here.

To start off, I ordered Pink Agave’s “crickets” cocktail. Take a close look at it. There are indeed actual, dried crickets floating in the drink! I’ve enjoyed similar cocktails in places like Oaxaca, and I rarely turn down an opportunity to eat bugs. In case you didn’t know, I am an adventurous eater! These crickets didn’t really taste like much, but it was still a memorable start to this meal.

For appetizers, we split shrimp (camarones amarillos), enchiladas, guacamole, and esquites (street corn). The corn was my favorite out of all of those due to its grilled, smoky flavor.

My main plate was the roast duck, which came with mole ahumado and smoked yam purée. I’m a bit of a duck connoisseur if I do say so myself, and I was very pleased with this rendition. Ismael ordered the ribeye steak, which was topped with cheese. The duck was good, but I have to admit the steak was just a tiny bit better!

For dessert, we threw caution to the wind and ordered three things: chocolate tacos with a dulce de leche filling, bread pudding, and milhojas (a layered pastry with passion fruit). Of those three, the bread pudding was the best.

Gunbae (Korean BBQ)

This was the only sit-down restaurant on the ship we didn’t try during our cruise. For whatever reason, it just didn’t appeal to us enough to make the reservation. I guess I will have to prioritize Gunbae for my next Virgin cruise!

The Galley

Located on one of the top floors of the ship, The Galley is a large, casual food court where you can always grab something to eat without a reservation. Meals from The Galley are satisfying, but they won’t be as formal or extravagant as meals from one of the sit-down restaurants mentioned above.

Diner & Dash

This quick-service grill is Virgin Voyages’ 24-hour food stall. However, it should be noted that many other places on the ship are open very late, well past midnight. Diner & Dash offers rotating specials, such as the fried rice, orange chicken, and noodles shown below.

Diner & Dash also serves classic breakfast options such as omelettes, scrambled eggs, sausages, bacon, and hash browns. They also have a delicious cooked tomato, which I got with every breakfast! It tasted great and provided some fiber to start off the day.

Other breakfast choices from The Galley are shown below. I tried the French toast and the eggs Benedict, but I definitely preferred the breakfast from Diner & Dash over these.

Burger Bar

Burger Bar can be found right next to Diner & Dash (at least on the Scarlet Lady). They offer pretty standard cheeseburger options, plus chicken sandwiches if I remember correctly. The best item here is their fries! They’re thick with a crispy outside and a soft inside, and the seasoning they use is amazing.

Let's Taco Bout It

I tried a few fish tacos from The Galley’s taco stall. While they tasted fine, they were pretty small and basic. You can always order more, but a tray with two was a small snack for me.

Bakery & Pastry Shop

I think this baked goods counter has an official name, but I don’t remember what it was, and it’s not listed on the Virgin Voyages website as far as I can tell. The selection of desserts here is extensive and fancy: fruit tarts, chocolate pastries, large flavored macaroons, and more are available throughout the day.

Another item that deserves special mention from the bakery is their savory sausage roll! I forgot to grab a picture of it, but Ismael and I both agreed that it was one of the best items we found in The Galley.

Noodle Around

With so many other restaurants on board to choose from, I only managed to try Noodle Around on our final morning of the cruise before disembarking. I was pleasantly surprised by both the fragrant broth and the tender pork that came with an order of their spicy ramen!

Other Options

The following areas on the ship are not quite sit-down restaurants, nor are they located in The Galley.

Grounds Club

Y’all already know with a blog named “Caffeinated Excursions,” I was down in the Grounds Club every morning getting an iced oat milk latte! The ship’s main coffee shop is large and spacious, so it’s a relaxing place to sit and sip on a drink or enjoy a pastry. Be aware that espresso-based drinks are charged extra (more on pricing below).

The Dock & The Dock House

These two venues located at the back of the ship were some of the coziest places to eat, drink, and socialize on the Scarlet Lady. The Dock refers to the open-air back deck of the boat, while The Dock House is an indoor space. The latter is part bar, part restaurant, and part cabaret lounge. Both are beautifully designed; I especially loved the beachy vibe of The Dock House!

In terms of food and drink, both The Dock and The Dock House offer identical menus. Their food offerings center around Mediterranean small plates, most of which are excellent. Since they’re small and don’t cost anything to order, you can try a bunch of them. Then, reorder your favorites as many times as you like. The chicken and shrimp skewers really stood out to us.

Pictured below is a Greek sampler from The Dock House. It was fine, but not as good as the kabob skewers mentioned above.

The Pizza Place

Okay, I have to admit that with Virgin’s generally creative restaurant names, this one sort of falls flat. But don’t let that stop you from trying their personal pan pizzas! We may or may not have come here on a nightly basis to get a mini second dinner right before bedtime. The pizza is light with a thin, crispy crust, so it’s ideal for a mid-afternoon snack or late night munchies.

While I’m sure you could eat at The Pizza Place for lunch or dinner, it would be a pretty petite meal. They do have seating in the restaurant, or you can have your pizza boxed to go. Just know that it’s not a full-service dining option with waitstaff.

My Favorite (And Least Favorite) Food Item on the Ship

And now, for the moment you’ve all been waiting for! What was the best item on the ship that we couldn’t get enough of? It had to be the shrimp skewers from The Dock and The Dock House. They were just phenomenal, cooked to perfection every time! The combination of chili oil and a Greek yogurt dip was incredibly addicting, and the shrimp were light and fluffy. We simply couldn’t stop ordering them!

What was my least favorite meal on the ship? I’m sorry to say, it was the cheeseburger from Burger Bar. The biggest issue was that the meat was so dry. The patty wasn’t juicy or tender at all. Instead, it was flat, and looked like it came out of a frozen pack. The other ingredients were also thrown on at the time I ordered it, so the cheese didn’t have a chance to melt or warm up. The bun was toasted, but it was bordering on burnt. It had also cooled down, so it was hard and tough.

Maybe I got a bad batch, or a burger that had been sitting for a while. Nonetheless, this was surprising since all the other food on board was so tasty. In comparison to other meals on Virgin Voyages, this underwhelming plate was definitely an outlier. Even the thick-cut fries from Burger Bar were deliciously seasoned, with the perfect combination of crispiness and softness. So I’m not really sure why their cheeseburger was not a slam dunk.

Pricing, Drinks, And Final Thoughts

In addition to all of the restaurants and food venues mentioned above, the Scarlet Lady has a plethora of bars on board. Each one has its own character and drink offerings, which are pretty self explanatory. For example, the poolside bars tend to offer more frozen drinks and fruity libations to be enjoyed on the upper deck.

In general, drinks on the ship were mixed well. They all tasted great! I felt like Virgin did a good job of hiring experienced bartenders. In terms of potency, most drinks were medium strength. A couple cocktails we tried tasted pretty boozy, but most of them balanced flavor with ABV. I’m happy to report that I never received a drink that tasted disappointingly watered down or weak.

Let’s talk about billing and prices. The most important thing to know is that you should rarely if ever have to pay for food on a Virgin Voyages cruise. In certain cases, food may cost money if it’s part of a package deal with alcoholic beverages, or as part of a special event on board. The sit-down restaurants may also offer one or two premium courses for an additional cost. We never ordered these, and I don’t feel like we missed out by skipping them.

Virgin Voyages’ drink policy can be found here. Specialty drinks that incur an extra charge include all alcohol, handmade espresso-based drinks like lattes, and certain canned beverages like energy drinks and kombucha. Prices for all specialty drinks are usually a dollar or two cheaper than on land, since tax and tip are included.

Virgin Voyages: A Cruise Line for Foodies

I am highly complimentary of the food offerings on the Scarlet Lady. If someone were to ask me whether or not I recommend Virgin Voyages, I’d say absolutely! My top reason would be the cuisine. A few plates from The Galley could’ve been improved, but they were few and far between. Most meals on board the ship tasted great without being overly salty or sweet. I’m dreaming of my next cruise with VV so I can go back to Extra Virgin, Pink Agave, and The Dock House in particular!

Have you cruised with Virgin Voyages before? Do you have experience vacationing with other cruise lines? Leave a comment below and let me know! I am so curious to know how the food on board Virgin Voyages compares to Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and other famous operators. Someday, I’ll find out for myself. But until then, Virgin has set the bar very high!

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This post was published on Apr 10, 2024

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The post Virgin Voyages Food Review: Restaurants, Bars, And More Aboard The Scarlet Lady appeared first on Caffeinated Excursions.

Virgin Voyages Cruise Archives - Caffeinated Excursions

A Virgin Voyages Cruise Review: Riviera Maya (Miami To Cozumel And Bimini)

Why Did We Choose Virgin Voyages?

The Cruise Itinerary

Day 1: Boarding in Miami

Day 2: At Sea

Day 3: Cozumel, Mexico

A Review of Our Sailing and Snorkeling Excursions

Exploring San Miguel de Cozumel

The Best Part of Day 3: Scarlet Night!

Day 4: At Sea

Day 5: Beach Club at Bimini, Bahamas

Exploring Bimini on Foot

Eat a Conch Feast

The Beach Club at Bimini

Day 6: Return to Miami

Food & Restaurants on the Ship

All About the Scarlet Lady

Final Verdict on Virgin Voyages Riviera Maya Cruise

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Virgin Voyages Food Review: Restaurants, Bars, And More Aboard The Scarlet Lady

Sit-Down Restaurants

Razzle Dazzle

Extra Virgin

The Wake

The Test Kitchen

Pink Agave

Gunbae (Korean BBQ)

The Galley

Diner & Dash

Burger Bar

Let's Taco Bout It

Bakery & Pastry Shop

Noodle Around

Other Options

Grounds Club

The Dock & The Dock House

The Pizza Place

My Favorite (And Least Favorite) Food Item on the Ship

Pricing, Drinks, And Final Thoughts

Virgin Voyages: A Cruise Line for Foodies

Share This Post With Fellow Travelers!

Recent Posts

Meet Your Caffeinated Blogger: Kevin!

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Where I’ve Been

Upcoming Trips

Archives

Click To Follow!

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