Considering Virgin

[kruzgal]

We have just got back from our first VV and thoroughly enjoyed it. I am sure you will too! There are a lot of differences - the ship is more casual in design, the beds are not the most comfortable, the cabins feel smaller and more basic compared to some other cruise lines but we loved the fact so much is included. The gratuities on other lines has got way out of hand, plus the continual up selling gets tiresome, I am on holiday! None of that on Virgin. Make sure you download the app and it will tell you when restaurant reservations open up. I was on it at 5 am UK time on the allotted day and got all restaurants booked easily at a decent time within 15 minutes, The best thing is the food which is all included and of a high standard with so much variety. We would book another VV. 

[mawsmaw]

17 hours ago, truesdpr said:

Thanks so much to everyone for all the helpful comments. I have just booked a 7 night cruise from Athens to Palma in October in a Sea Terrace cabin as we’re quite keen to try VV. have been on other cruise lines but thought this might be something a bit different. From reading the comments it sounds like we’ll like it!

I’m just looking at this one too (think it’s to Barcelona though, and has 3 ports we’ve not done before). 
Have done loads of cruises over the years and our favourite was Celebrity, but did a Virgin, West Med last year and really enjoyed it - very laid back and relaxing. We’re in our 60s, and certainly didn’t feel over aged. 
Last year we had $900 obc which was spent on our bar tab, casino and a few purchases. The quote I’ve got for this one is very good, but it’s for a lock in rate Sea Terrace - they want an extra £500 pp for a guaranteed cabin. So we’re just debating what to go for. 

[PJDH4]

2 hours ago, mawsmaw said:

Last year we had $900 obc which was spent on our bar tab, casino and a few purchases. The quote I’ve got for this one is very good, but it’s for a lock in rate Sea Terrace - they want an extra £500 pp for a guaranteed cabin. So we’re just debating what to go for. 

We just got back from our first VV cruise about two weeks ago.  We booked a Lock It In Sea Terrace about five weeks before sailing and wound up in a Central Sea Terrace on deck 8.  It was perfect.  We didn't mind taking the stairs up to the pool or the Galley for breakfast in the morning when we had the most energy and loved being able to stumble up just a floor or two at the end of the night from the restaurants and entertainment.

Edited August 13 by PJDH4
Wrong word

[Tatra603]

3 hours ago, WatermelonSugarHigh said:

We’re in your age group.  Things we liked - the itinerary.  Cabin was okay, very iKEA-esque. Bars were lively. Like the bar tab idea, did not like them keeping the money we paid for but didn’t use - it’s not a drink package. If we spend $300 but only use $200, give the money back.
 

Did not at all care for the restaurants or food court. Would we go again? Yes, strictly for the itinerary. 

Can you elaborate on the restaurants and food court?

Most reviews I have seen rave about the food. 

[jon81uk]

6 hours ago, WatermelonSugarHigh said:

Like the bar tab idea, did not like them keeping the money we paid for but didn’t use - it’s not a drink package. If we spend $300 but only use $200, give the money back

But that’s the whole point of pre-paying to get a bonus, use it or lose it, but if you are willing to take the risk they give the bonus. If you don’t expect to spend that much don’t pre-pay, just allow your card to be charged on the last night.

[Wildcatllamas]

4 hours ago, Tatra603 said:

Can you elaborate on the restaurants and food court?

Most reviews I have seen rave about the food. 

They weren't happy with any of the dining. If you search you can read their review on this thread.

[cantgetin]

7 hours ago, Tatra603 said:

Can you elaborate on the restaurants and food court?

 

We weren't thrilled with the dining, but I thought it was just because we were tired of the same menus.  The Razzle Dazze menu was changed about 9 months ago and our 3 favorite items were removed (dinner).  We did enjoy some of the nightly specials in The Galley--they are listed in the daily program.  The food on VV is better than the "normal" food on other lines, but not as good as most of the specialty dining on other lines.  Some things were great, overall I'd give it a "quite good." There was supposed to be a new Test Kitchen "C" menu coming out--not yet on our last cruise.  Of the lines we' ve cruised, I'd rank the normal food on Celebrity as next best.  It gets hard to compare with the "ship within a ship" programs and such on other lines.  The nice thing on VV is that you get the good food whether you are in a solo inside or a massive suite (although in the suite, you could have it sent to your room).

[Travel-and-See]

14 hours ago, Tatra603 said:

Can you elaborate on the restaurants and food court?

Most reviews I have seen rave about the food. 

I've done 2 Virgin Cruises.  One of them I would have raved about the food. The other I would not. Since I've only done 2 I can't say if there are lots of inconsistencies from cruise to cruise but the that I took were drastically inconsistent. 

 

The best restaurants can be difficult to actually eat at - I was not able to have dinner in the wake on either cruise and barely got in to Extra Virgin because of a last minute cancellation. There is a reason Razzle Dazzle, Gunbae, and Test Kitchen are the easy reservations to get 🙂

 

The Galley Food Court has better quality but also very limited options compared to a proper buffet on Celebrity etc.

[rebeccac]

38 minutes ago, Travel-and-See said:

The best restaurants can be difficult to actually eat at - I was not able to have dinner in the wake on either cruise and barely got in to Extra Virgin because of a last minute cancellation. There is a reason Razzle Dazzle, Gunbae, and Test Kitchen are the easy reservations to get 🙂

 

 

The best VV restaurants are a very subjective list.  Personally, I would put Razzle Dazzle, Gunbae and Pink Agave at the top of my list.  Test Kitchen, Extra Virgin and The Wake go at the bottom.  I know I am probable in the minority on that.  Lately, I have been enjoying the daily dinner specials in the Galley.   

[steve thfc]

I put razzle dazzle at the bottom.

 

The wake, pink agave and virgin extra are good..

[Travel-and-See]

2 hours ago, rebeccac said:

 

The best VV restaurants are a very subjective list.  Personally, I would put Razzle Dazzle, Gunbae and Pink Agave at the top of my list.  Test Kitchen, Extra Virgin and The Wake go at the bottom.  I know I am probable in the minority on that.  Lately, I have been enjoying the daily dinner specials in the Galley.   

I enjoyed the food at Razzle Dazzle - the atmosphere I don't get quite get. Mostly I didn't like eating there multiple times because it was my only choice. 

 

Pink Agave was crazy good on my first cruise, and beyond bland on my second. Service went from perfect to barely adequate as well.

 

Extra Virgin - I loved the cheese plate, appetizer and dessert. The small order of pasta was good, but the pasta at Extra Virgin was better. The entree was very strange (Polenta based) - it wasn't bad but it was a weird dish to call an entree. 

 

Test Kitchen - I loved the experience, had a great waiter and I liked the zero proof drink pairings but the food was so gimmicky. Like it's fun, but not really a meal? I don't know. 

 

Couldn't get into Wake for dinner - the menu looks great! I may give Gunbae a try just so I know what it's like. 

[briefcase full of cruise]

I'm in.

 

I don't expect it to be perfect on every way, but I expect It will not be lame.

[BethesdaSC]

9 hours ago, steve thfc said:

I put razzle dazzle at the bottom.

 

The wake, pink agave and virgin extra are good..

Agree! And as a single person who lives in the summer heat of AZ, aka no cooking, ANY cooked meal is 1000% better than I make at home. 😉

[cantgetin]

Agree with inconsistency.  We had one cruise where The Wake was a "one and done" while another it was great.  Almost the same with one poor Extra Virgin experience while overall that is a great place.

[Wildcatllamas]

4 hours ago, BethesdaSC said:

Agree! And as a single person who lives in the summer heat of AZ, aka no cooking, ANY cooked meal is 1000% better than I make at home. 😉

I don't live in AZ, although I spent a summer there back in the 70s and that was enough. But as a single person who puts in a 10 hour day at work and an hour and 15 minute R/T commute cooking is definitely not something that I do a lot of. Before I met my late husband I had been a gourmet cook and later had my own catering business. He was strictly a meat and potatoes person. I definitely enjoy a wonderful meal and then being able to get up and leave without helping with the dishes.