Teri West
On a seven-night Virgin Voyages cruise, I ate my way around the Brilliant Lady.
On the first night, dinner was tapas at Rojo by Razzle Dazzle. On the second, I dined at the dimly lit Mexican restaurant Pink Agave.
The fifth night was the most memorable -- communal dining at Korean restaurant Gunbae and a drinking game with fellow cruisers I'd never met before our meal was cooked in front of us.
Every restaurant on a Virgin Voyages ship is included in the fare. There are no specialty restaurants and there is no main dining room. The dining model is one of Virgin's most attractive differentiators.
Getting to sample a different restaurant every night is a plus for any cruiser who ties the joy of travel with a joy for food. But even more than the food, I enjoyed the unique experience that each restaurant offered and how they felt like neighborhood eateries you'd find on a city block.
Gunbae's ambience is casual and rowdy. Guests dine at circular tables with booth seating and are encouraged to chant "Gunbae" during the drinking game that kicks off the meal.
Rojo feels chic. The Test Kitchen, which serves experimental five-course meals, feels elevated and modern.
In addition to unique décor and styling, the restaurants have bar seating, which is common on land but not on cruise ships, noted Virgin Voyages senior vice president of fleet operations Frank Weber.
"This is my favorite place on the ship," he said at the bar at Italian restaurant Extra Virgin. "To come here, just sit at the bar and have a Negroni and then eat some pasta."
Weber was one of the visionaries behind many of Virgin Voyages' restaurants. He was inspired to create the restaurant that would become Gunbae while enjoying Korean barbecue in Los Angeles.
He and his wife, who is a chef, tested out the concept at their home with a grill, some friends and soju for the drinking games.
"Gunbae was born," he said.
Dining at a different restaurant every night is an option on plenty of cruise lines for guests willing to pay extra for the experience. But for many cruisers, a key appeal of this mode of travel is knowing how much you've spent before the vacation starts.
Virgin, of course, doesn't offer the cheapest base fare, and the all-inclusive restaurant model is a reason why. But for those who crave cozier, more specialized dining, the Virgin experience may be worth it.