Virgin Voyages has revealed that it will not charge extra for guests to eat at any of the 20+ dining venues on board its first ship, Scarlet Lady.

The move – to coincide with the release of extra details regarding the ship’s onboard amenities – is part of  “a mission to capture the spirit of dining in the best cities of the world and bring it to sea”, according to the company’s president and chief executive officer, Tom McAlpin.

He added: “Because food is the fuel for our bodies and souls, and we’re Virgin Voyages, naturally it all had to be included within your ticket price.”

The line has promised to bring “city-like eating to sea”, with the removal of the “traditional cruise dining rule book”. This means no buffet, no main dining room, no forced formal wear, no assigned seating and no assigned dining times.

Virgin has worked with the AvroKO Hospitality Group in designing its dining venues.

It is also banning single-use plastics and will invest in clean technologies to improve environmental performance.

“There’s a Virgin twist on everything you’ll see aboard the Scarlet Lady, which means there will be no stuffy formalities, boring buffets and no main dining rooms. Sailors are not going to want to leave our ship after they experience how we’ve designed our restaurants and tasted the dishes we are going to be serving up in 2020,” said Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group.

Dining options include:

Wake – Situated at the aft of the ship, Wake offers guests a dramatic view of the ship’s wake while serving “a theatrical take” on steak and seafood.

Razzle Dazzle – With an interior scheme that resembles the bold camouflaging of ships from WWI using patterns of black and white paint, Razzle Dazzle offers “vibrant and creative twists” on vegetarian fare and a juice bar.

Plus, to live up to the boldness of its name, Razzle Dazzle will not simply brunch but rather Drag Brunch, where guests are treated to a performance by the Scarlet Lady’s resident drag performer and friends.

The Test Kitchen – Offering “innovative and avant-garde cuisine” in a clean and modern space, this laboratory-like eatery is part cooking school and part restaurant, making it the ultimate place for discovery through cuisine.

Geonbae – A Korean BBQ restaurant where each meal begins with a complimentary round of soju for the table and throughout the evening guests are encouraged to take part in lively Korean drinking games.

Geonbae features specially engineered flameless grills built into each table and invites guests to cook their perfect BBQ.

 

Pink Agave – A Mexican restaurant designed to transport guests to the vibrant streets of Mexico City.

Extra Virgin – The ship’s trattoria serves regionally-inspired and approachable food, deeply rooted in Italian culinary traditions with handmade fresh pasta made daily.

Dock – A beach club-inspired space offering Mediterranean small plates, salads, dips and mezzes.

The Galley – Modelled on popular food halls where visitors can taste a cornucopia from different restaurants, The Galley’s concepts include a dedicated bakery and pastry shop, a panini shop, a burger grill, a taco shack, a sushi bar with bento boxes, a noodle bar, a soup and salad stand, and a 24-hour American diner.

The Pizza Place – The Pizza Place features a beach club-inspired design with white and pastel coloured furniture hues and navy striped accent pillows and hammocks for lounging. Guests can choose from the classic menu or design a bespoke pizza.