The Perfect Virgin Voyages Vegan Food Review & Guide
We love visiting new places, and typically, we find healthy options to eat while traveling. But cruising 🚢 is a challenge in that department.
For years, we avoided cruising due to the limited plant-based meals. However, two years ago, we decided to try Virgin Voyages, and we were pleasantly surprised by the fantastic Virgin Voyages vegan and gluten-free choices, and now it’s our favorite cruise line.
This guide will help you explore the vegan options on Virgin Voyages and see if they’re the right fit for your taste. After sailing six times on the Scarlet Lady, Resilient Lady, and Valiant Lady between 2022 and 2026, we’ve gathered plenty of insights to share.
We’ll show you where to find the most flavorful dishes onboard and give you my best tips on how to eat healthy on Virgin Voyages cruises, which is so much more than just a simple salad.
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Why Virgin Voyages Is The Best Cruise Line for Plant-Based Travelers?
Unlike a typical cruise, there is no traditional buffet or fixed dining times. We decided to sail with Virgin Voyages mostly because of their reputation for having menus created by Michelin-starred 👨🍳 chefs.
We also heard they offered several vegan options on their menus, so we decided to give it a try.
From the first few minutes of boarding, we were pleased with the welcoming boarding process, cabin space, entertainment, Wi-Fi options, and Virgin Voyages sailing perks.
Dietary Accommodation Research: You must be aware that Virgin Voyages is not an allergen-free environment. While we don’t have gluten allergies, I’m allergic to shellfish, and I always inform the server to prevent cross-contamination. We noticed that even when you forget, the crew members consistently ask if anyone has food allergies or dietary restrictions before taking your order.
On the first Virgin Voyages restaurant visit, the crew member records any dietary restrictions in the sailor’s profile, and every subsequent visit starts with a confirmation.
We noticed that crew members take dietary needs very seriously, which gave me peace of mind to enjoy our trip.
Disclaimer: I am vegan and gluten-free by preference. This information reflects my personal experience and is not intended as dietary advice. I also mentioned some non-gluten-free options that my husband enjoyed, so always confirm the ingredients with crew members.
Tip: To ensure Virgin Voyages’ vegan and gluten-free options are available for me, I usually email them ahead of time with my reservation number, sailing dates, and dietary needs.
Exploring Virgin Voyages Vegan Options On Board
When it comes to Virgin Voyages vegan options, the experience goes far beyond a basic salad. In our opinion, the food feels more like an elevated dining experience.
All four lady ships include the same restaurants, with only one restaurant being different across the fleet.
Starting in May 2025, some restaurants also began adding unique dishes exclusive to each ship. Below, we’ve included what we found on our six trips from 2022 to 2026.
So what can you find?
Tip: Always track your Virgin Voyages App because dining reservations open before embarkation: 15 days before for Basic, 45 days for Essential, 60 days for Premium and 120 days for RockStar.
Virgin Voyages Main Dining (Reservation Suggested)
Extra Virgin
Extra Virgin is the cozy, romantic Italian dining restaurant on board. On our first Virgin Voyages cruise, we couldn’t eat anything due to a lack of vegan and gluten-free options, as their pasta contained eggs back in 2022.
However, on subsequent trips, their menu has improved substantially, and we have been able to eat the most delicious Italian vegan and gluten-free dishes.
Extra Virgin has an Affogato cart where they prepare your gelato with different toppings, including espresso. It’s really fun to watch the server make each dessert, though sadly, there’s no vegan gelato, which we wish they had.
Gunbae
Gunbae is the vibrant Korean BBQ experience on board and the most social restaurant. Before you enter, there’s a hand-wash station to freshen up, since you might be sharing your dishes with others.
The dining experience breaks the ice with a Korean drinking game with a complimentary shot of soju. But don’t worry because they have Granberry shots for non-drinkers.
This is the only dining experience where you might share your table with other sailors, which makes it a great chance to meet new people.
You’ll be seated at a round table with a grill in the center where the food is cooked. Don’t worry about smells because each table has its own ventilation system, and we found it does an excellent job.
Initially, I was hesitant to visit this restaurant due to my shellfish allergies and vegan and gluten-free lifestyle, but the crew members did an excellent job showing me my options.
Gunbae has the grill experience, but they also offer a separate menu. For the grill option, they started by cooking our vegetables and mushrooms to avoid cross-contamination.
We need to advise you that if you share a table with non-vegan sailors, they will start cooking meat in front of you.
That is our only complaint about this restaurant, because when you make the reservation, there is no way to ask about being seated with non-meat eaters. Other than that, the plant-based (and gluten-free) options are delicious.
From the Gunbae menu, you’ll find:
Pink Agave
Pink Agave is a Mexican dining experience. The decoration of this restaurant is outstanding.
Starting with the stunning entryway lighting tunnel designed by Tom Dixon’s Design Research Studio, which is one of the popular spots for an Instagrammable photo on board.
Followed by the intimate dining area, perfectly illuminated to enjoy every dish. We find Pink Agave interior design one of our top favorites.
On our first trip, the Virgin Voyages vegan and gluten-free options at this restaurant were our top choice.
Don’t get us wrong, it’s still one of our top favorites, but we have experienced improvements in their other restaurants. Our top favorites are Pink Agave, Extra Virgin, and The Test Kitchen.
The Test Kitchen
The Test Kitchen is a six-course experience (plan to spend about 1.5 to 2 hours). It has this cool entrance with decorations on the walls and ceiling that show a chef’s periodic table. The whole vibe instantly takes me back to my chemistry lab classes!
In this restaurant, you don’t get to choose what you eat because the courses are presented as ingredient lists. However, don’t be afraid to try the experience because they have a course option for non-meat eaters.
To enjoy the dining experience, you must be open-minded and trust the crew members; as long as you give them your food restrictions, they will accommodate you.
The Test Kitchen restaurant has different menus (A, B, and C). Each menu also offers a vegetarian option, which might be tailored to a vegan and gluten-free version.
Tip: If you’re on a longer sailing, make sure to stop by at the beginning of your trip to see when they switch menus so that you can experience more than one during your sailing.
The crew member told us that most of their food products are sourced from Europe and are of high quality. The extra care they took to comfort me about what we were eating went beyond our expectations.
The Wake
The Wake is primarily a steakhouse and seafood restaurant experience. The restaurant decoration is the most elegant on board. The restaurant is located in the AFT area of the Virgin Voyages cruise, and you access it via a beautiful staircase, which is another great spot to snap some pictures.
They offer vegan and gluten-free options for dinner, and they are absolutely delicious. The main dish is an “egg” in a hole, followed by a coconut “panna cotta” for dessert.
Our only constructive critique is that we would love to see a broader vegan and gluten-free dinner menu, since these dishes are currently the same as the ones offered at brunch.
Note: This is based on our sailings up to summer 2026, but we heard the menu is going to be revised to add other vegan options. Subscribe to our newsletter to know when the menu is updated.
That said, the kitchen is happy to customize several sides to fit our lifestyle. During our last visit, we enjoyed wild mushrooms, green asparagus, and baked potatoes prepared in a plant-based (and gluten-free) version.
Razzle Dazzle
Razzle Dazzle has a casual restaurant vibe, and its focus is on vegan and vegetarian dishes. Also, they have “naughty” dishes on their menu for meat-eaters.
The restaurant was upgraded across the fleet with exciting new concepts: Lucky Lotus on the Scarlet Lady (December 2024) features a Chinese-inspired menu, Rojo on the Brilliant Lady (September 2025) offers a Spanish culinary concept, and Ariya on the Valiant Lady (May 2026) features an Indian-inspired menu.
Lucky Lotus By Razzle Dazzle At Scarlet Lady
In the summer of 2025, we sailed the Mediterranean aboard the Scarlet Lady cruise from Barcelona and absolutely loved the upgraded version of Lucky Lotus by Razzle Dazzle. The food portions were generous and very tasty. The tofu dessert was incredibly soft, almost melting in your mouth, and we really liked the hint of almond flavor.
Razzle Dazzle At Valiant Lady
The original Razzle Dazzle at Valiant Lady didn’t have many plant-based choices. However, this was before they upgraded it to the new Razzle Dazzle Ariya, an Indian menu concept which we are glad to explore on our next trip. Below is what we were able to enjoy before the change:
Brunch (Reservation Suggested)
On my first cruise, we learned about the brunch options only on the last day, so we only got to try one!
But on our next trips, we made the most of both. Most people don’t realize there are two brunch spots onboard, so here’s what you can expect on the Virgin Voyages Brunch.
The Wake (Brunch)
The Wake plant-based (and gluten-free) brunch options mirror the Wake dinner menu.
Razzle Dazzle (Brunch)
Razzle Dazzle is the second restaurant with brunch options, and since it is primarily vegan and vegetarian, you will find several delicious options. In our opinion, it is more than the dinner menu.
Casual Eatery
Virgin Voyages Galley Vegan Options
The Galley is the improved version of a buffet experience on a typical cruise line. However, there is no buffet per se. The experience is like visiting a food court, each with a different concept.
Most dishes are prepared on the spot. You can either:
The Galley’s hours of operation vary (check out the Virgin Voyages app). You’ll find breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night snacks (Dinner & Dash only).
Food shops you’ll find at The Galley?
Tip: Ask the crew member for the gluten-free soy sauce (tamari). You can also find tamari at the counter by The Daily Mix, along with other sauces like spicy sauce and ketchup.
Tip: You can find gluten-free toast during breakfast time.
Tip: On sea day (only), the Galley offers a special menu. We tried Vegetable Briam (with vegan cheese and gluten-free bread). Always ask the crew member, as the special varies and is not always vegan.
Additional Vegan Options Outside The Galley
Sun Club Cafe
Sun Club Café is an outdoor eatery located on Deck 16 and is open just a few hours (typically from 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm). Unfortunately, we haven’t tried this place because we couldn’t find vegan and gluten-free options.
The Social Club Diner
The Social Club Diner is our go-to for popcorn 🍿 and a vegan hot dog with vegan spicy mayo (ask for no bread for a gluten-free version). They also have pretzels and sweet snacks, but none are vegan and gluten-free. It’s one of the few eateries open late (from 2:00 pm to 12:00 am).
The Pizza Place
The Pizza Place is the best pizza on a cruise ship, with vegan and gluten-free crust options (in our opinion!). The best part is that you can explore the ship while waiting for your order. They will give you a portable buzzer that vibrates when your pizza is ready.
If you want to enjoy the pizza in your cabin, ask for to-go boxes. They’ve improved a lot since 2022. They used to close early but are now open from 2:00 pm to 2:00 am, which is perfect after nighttime parties.
Tip: The vegan pizza comes with vegan cheese, black pepper, and arugula, but you can ask to add more toppings. Available vegan and gluten-free toppings are onion 🧅, roasted garlic 🧄, oregano 🌿, tomatoes 🍅, and olives 🫒.
Their service is beyond any other cruise experience. On one trip, they didn’t have a gluten-free crust ready. Then the chef came to us to apologize and made a gluten-free crust from scratch. It was worth the wait for the best pizza ever!
The Dock House
The Dock House is a cozy Mediterranean vibe spot (located at AFT Deck 7). They have an open-fire grill menu, but there aren’t vegan and gluten-free options. However, they have a “from our mezze cart” menu with some delicious vegan and gluten-free options.
During their “opa hour” (from 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm), you can order Kleo Patra cocktails 🍸 (for an additional charge) and enjoy complimentary bites (though we didn’t see any vegan or gluten-free food options in the “opa hour menu”).
DON’T FORGET TO READ:
Grab And Go
The Galley, The Dock House, and The Pizza Place are spots where you can find Virgin Voyages vegan grab-and-go snack options. The food is conveniently stored in a reusable ♻️ container you can grab and store in your cabin fridge to eat later.
During the morning, you can find bananas, apples, delicious date power bars, and overnight oats (with almond milk).
We love it because you can find a few healthy options for the rest of the day. Especially if you want to eat something light instead of a vegan burger or a pizza late at night.
Lick Me Till Ice Cream
Lick Me Till Ice Cream🍦 is the improved version of a typical “self-serve soft-serve machine” on any other cruise ship. But on Virgin Voyages cruises, they will serve your ice cream.
They have rotating vegan and gluten-free flavors every day (usually one or two options). We recommend checking daily since the flavors change often. You’ll also find vegan cones available, but they’re not gluten-free, so if you need gluten-free, we suggest grabbing a cup instead.
Ship Eats (Room Service)
Ship Eats is the 24-hour room service option you can order from the Virgin Voyages app, with a $10 fee that can be waived if you order items totaling $10 or more.
Read More: If you’d like to learn about our experience ordering from Ship Eats and customizing our order to include vegan (and gluten-free) options, check out our full guide on Ship Eats.
Virgin Voyages Vegan Options At Bimini Beach Club
Virgin Voyages has a fantastic private Beach Club at Bimini cruise port, and the pool party is my favorite activity. Typically, you’ll stop here when sailing from the Miami cruise port.
The best part? The food at the Beach Club is complimentary, so you don’t have to stress about meals after getting off the ship. We always find delicious vegan and gluten-free options that are refreshing and healthy.
Read More: Sailing to other destinations? Check out our Taino Bay cruise port in Puerto Plata guide and Costa Maya cruise port guide to see what each port has to offer.
Overall Opinion
Food is a key factor for us when booking vacations. The service and attention to dietary needs on Virgin Voyages have been exceptional. Just remember to inform the crew about your dietary restrictions, both before and during your trip, and don’t hesitate to ask about ingredients.
More Vegan Travels?
Virgin Voyages Cruise:
Caribbean:
United States:
Europe:
Plant-Based Travel Tips:
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