I took one cruise when I was a kid, much of which I remember in flashes. The good: endless days on the pool deck, thumbing through colorful jewelry stands in Mexico, and discovering what new towel origami awaited in the room (minus the monkey that hung in the darkness that scared the bejeebus out of me). But what I remember most was the food, really, the lack thereof.
RECOMMENDED: The best cruises from the U.S. for every type of traveler
While on the first evening we all sat down as a family, my parents figured that my sister and I could be left to our own devices during the trip, including remembering to feed ourselves. Sadly, they were wrong. After endless hours at the pool and pops in and out of the teen-friendly center, by the time we tried to enter the restaurant, we found it perpetually closed. As a result, we spent many nights at the galley, eating lukewarm, leftover pizza slices that were all but gelatinous. So to hear that this award-winning cruiser boasts over 20 restaurants on board, including fine dining? Let's just say I was excited to take to the ocean blue.
Conquering land, air, and even space, Richard Branson brought his aspirations back to Earth with the launch of Virgin Voyages. Initially planned to set sail in 2020 (but docked for obvious reasons), the red and white cruise ship officially set sail on its first voyage in 2021. With a superyacht feel and a no-kids policy, the adults-only cruise is a party at sea with raucous bashes run by drag queens, stellar entertainment led by Mel B of the Spice Girls and Latin superstar Nicky Jam, and an all-red scarlet party that is best experienced as opposed to described. With only four years at sea, the cruise liner has received plenty of buzz, including the recent crowning of the “World’s Best Awards” from Travel + Leisure.
Another call out? The food. Ditching the monotonous—and often unsanitary mess—buffet hall, Virgin Voyages boasts more than onboard 20 eateries, from sit-down, reservation-only restaurants led by award-winning chefs to casual, late-night burger spots that sizzle ‘til 2am. The best part: everything is included in the price of the trip, gratuities included. So, over the course of five days, I spent my time slurping ramen, pre-gaming Korean BBQ with shots of baju and twirling pasta, in an attempt to find the best bites aboard Virgin.
Start strong with the Italian-leaning Extra Virgin—my favorite of the bunch—with its never-ending charcuterie plates for snacking and all manner of freshly made noodles, including the pillowy, albeit massively sized, potato gnocchi with an earthy hen of the woods and truffle sauce. The make-your-own affogato cart, which wheels right up to the table, was a nice touch after all the carb-loading.
One of the more sophisticated finds on board was The Wake. Located down a cascading staircase—its light fixture descending along with you—the dining room opens up to curved blond-wood walls, cream-colored banquettes and a ceiling adorned with golden bells. Here, the taste of land and sea (while at sea) comes by way of slurp-worthy oysters, freshly cracked lobster and cuts of hanger steak, filet mignon even a dry-aged tomahawk.
For a shot-taking, table-shaking good time, head to the Korean BBQ restaurant, Gunbae. Each table starts with a drinking game where everyone wins (and by that, I mean drinks soju) followed by a feast of sweetly marinated short rib, thinly sliced pork belly and shrimp cooked before you at the tableside grill, alongside golden-fried seafood pancakes, stir-fried Japchae and “forever” crispy chicken with squares of pickled daikon. The only caveat: if you come with a smaller group, you will share a table with fellow sailors, which can make or break the party. Let's just say my table fell into the latter category as a solid portion of the night devolved into discussions of Bitcoin and stocks.
Even if you didn’t reserve a space at the restaurants up above, the more casual finds on board also hit the spot. The Pizza Palace pulls fresh, made-to-order pies from its wood-burning oven, including gluten-free pizzas. At the same time, The Dock made me feel like a Grecian goddess whose only chore was to swipe at beet hummus with puffy pita and nibble on skewers of griddled beef and fish—all while lounging on a daybed. Even the food hall-like The Galley gave some redemption as to what cruise dining could be, with hot and iced coffees and croissants from the Grounds Club, cheesecakes glazed with passionfruit and lime zest at The Sweet Side, and a surprisingly spicy bowl of Thai curry ramen with legit springy noodles that I credit with staving off my budding hangover.
Of course, not all glittered at sea. While appetizers like the charred shrimp with mole in the Camarón Amarillo were standouts at the Pink Agave Mexican restaurant, the Bistec Marinero en Escabeche entrée came with a huge slab of gummy, Oaxacan cheese, which did little to boost the underseasoned ribeye underneath. Attempting to eat healthy-ish proved a bit difficult, not to mention flavorless—the avocado toast with smoked salmon from Hot off the Press was tired, a victim from sitting in the window for far too long, while the oatmeal was a runny, inedible mess. The breakfast at The Diner & Dash included plain jane eggs (perhaps due to the older clientele), and bulbous sausages that became sickly sweet the more you carried on.
The most "cheffy" restaurant of them all was The Test Kitchen, and it was one of the more confusing disappointments. Throughout each course, I couldn’t nail what they were trying to be. Fine dining? Not exactly, as servers had to yell each course over the noise of the dining room. Experimental? They definitely leaned hard into the gimmick, with servers clad in white lab coats. But here, the food merely cosplays as gourmet, employing flavorless tulles this and plumes of hickory smoke that up the presentation but not much else. I'll admit, the “Study Of Chicken” did cook the bird three different ways, with a braised chicken thigh, chicken sausage and jus, but was ultimately just an OK dish.
Now, would any of these restaurants rival those on land? No, most would get blown out of the water. However, a steakhouse, a Mexican restaurant and an ode to all things Italian serving 2,700 plus souls a night, floating in the middle of the ocean? And options that go beyond sad slices and sneeze-guard buffets? It certainly is a luxury worth booking.