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
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, sausages, and hash browns. They also have this 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 really packed a punch, 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
The Caffeinated Man Behind The Blog
Where I’ve Been
Your photos are fantastic! The food looks amazing and your presentation is spot on! Great piece!