The question we get asked more than any other about Virgin Voyages: “Is there really no buffet?” There really isn’t. Instead there’s The Galley, a food hall of separate counters, each cooking its own thing to order. It’s included in your fare, and after more than 100 nights on board it’s the place we eat more often than anywhere else on the ship.
Here’s every counter, how the menu changes from breakfast to dinner, the daily specials worth looking out for, what the drinks cost and what we order ourselves.
How The Galley works
- Walk up and order. Each counter cooks to order, so food’s hot and fresh rather than sitting under a heat lamp.
- Dine in or take it away. Grab a table (the window seats go first) or take a plate out on deck.
- Mix and match. Tacos from one counter, sushi from another and a doughnut for afters. Nobody minds.
- It’s included. Every counter’s food is in your fare, as are water, filter coffee, tea and soft drinks. Speciality coffee, fresh juice and alcohol are extra.
- Check the app for hours. Opening times vary by ship and by day, and the app always has the latest.
Breakfast, then dinner: the menu changes through the day
The Galley runs two menus. In the morning it’s breakfast across every counter: bagels, omelettes, pancakes, burritos, fruit bentos and noodle bowls. Later in the day it switches to the lunch and dinner menu, and the counters change what they’re cooking: burgers, sushi rolls, salads, roast beef sandos and a full dessert line-up.
The exception is Diner & Dash. It serves breakfast 24 hours a day, so eggs and an omelette are on whatever time you surface. For every breakfast option on the ship, including the sit-down ones, see where to eat breakfast on Virgin Voyages.
Every counter in The Galley
The line-up below is from our recent sailings and the current menus. Names and dishes shift a little between ships and over time, but this is what you’ll find.
The Daily Mix
The healthy-ish corner. At breakfast it’s bagels, breads, spreads and toppings, cereals and steel-cut oatmeal. At lunch and dinner it becomes the salad counter: Caesar, Greek, mixed green and spinach and quinoa, with protein add-ons and a soup of the day.
Diner & Dash
Virgin’s all-day diner, and the counter behind the 24-hour breakfast. Expect omelettes made to order (classic, ham and cheese, Western, veggie or egg white), two eggs any style, bacon and sausages, hash browns and toast. In the evening it adds a hot roast beef sando, and there’s always a special of the day, usually a twist on eggs Benedict. It’s worth checking the specials board every time you walk past.
Burger Bar
At breakfast this is the sweet counter: buttermilk pancakes, French toast and the French toast burger, which is exactly as indulgent as it sounds. From lunch it’s burgers: The Classic, an Impossible (plant-based) burger and fries, plus a daily special burger that changes each day.
Let’s Taco ‘Bout It
Breakfast burritos in the morning (avocado, or chorizo if you want a kick) and tacos later on. This is our favourite counter in The Galley, and if tacos are on, we’re having tacos.
Bento Baby
Fruit bentos at breakfast (mixed berry, mixed fruit or tropical), then sushi rolls and sushi combos for lunch and dinner. A box of sushi is our go-to light lunch on a sea day, when we don’t want to be too full for dinner.
Hot Off the Press
The toastie and toast counter. Open-faced options include avocado toast, banana and Nutella, and smoked salmon. Toasted ones include buffalo mozzarella, bagel and egg, a BLT with avocado, and ham and cheese. Handy if you’re gluten free: the menu says every item can be made with gluten-free bread. Our gluten-free guide to Virgin Voyages has more.
Noodle Around
Steaming bowls of miso udon, tonkotsu ramen, Thai curry ramen and spicy tonkotsu. Yes, even at breakfast. A bowl of noodles is our other go-to light lunch, and it’s very good after a long, hot day ashore.
The Sweet Side (desserts)
The dangerous corner. The dessert line-up changes, but recent menus have included tropical cheesecake, a chocolate dessert named after the ship, raspberry macarons, peach crumble, coconut pavlova and a chocolate and ginger crisp. And then there are the doughnuts. We never leave The Galley without at least one.
Coffee and drinks
Filter coffee, tea, water and soft drinks are included. For a proper flat white there’s a Grounds Club Too coffee counter in The Galley, serving Intelligentsia coffee, and there’s a bar for cocktails, wine and beer. These were the prices on Resilient Lady’s Galley drinks menu in April 2026 (in US dollars, plus an automatic 20% service charge):
| Drink | Price |
|---|---|
| Espresso | $4 single, $6 double |
| Latte, cappuccino or flat white | $5 |
| Mocha | $6 |
| Loose-leaf tea | $6 |
| Spiked coffee add-on | $7 to $9 |
| Cocktails | $11 (espresso martini $13) |
| Fizz by the glass | from $9 |
| Wine | from $9 a glass, $40 a bottle |
| Beer | $8 to $11 |
If you’re drinking a lot of these, a Bar Tab might make sense. Our Virgin Voyages drinks prices guide has a calculator to work it out.
What we actually order
After 100+ nights on board, this is our Galley routine:
- Breakfast on port days. It’s the quickest proper breakfast on the ship, so we eat here before heading ashore.
- Tacos, whenever they’re on. Every time.
- Sushi or noodles for lunch on a sea day. Light enough that we still enjoy dinner.
- Doughnuts and desserts. One of each, at least. We’re on holiday.
Tips for The Galley
- Go late morning on port days once most people have gone ashore. It’s much quieter.
- Check the specials at Diner & Dash and Burger Bar. They change daily and are often the best thing on.
- Don’t over-order. Everything’s made fresh, so you can always go back.
- Save room. The Galley is great, but Virgin’s sit-down restaurants are included too and they’re the real stars.
FAQs
Is The Galley on Virgin Voyages free?
Yes. All the food at The Galley is included in your fare, as are water, filter coffee, tea and soft drinks. Speciality coffee, fresh juice and alcohol are extra.
Is there a buffet on Virgin Voyages?
No. The Galley replaces the buffet. Food is cooked to order or served to you at each counter, rather than left out for self-service.
Is The Galley open 24 hours?
Diner & Dash serves breakfast 24 hours a day. Opening times for the other counters vary by ship and day, so check the app.
Does The Galley have daily specials?
Yes. Diner & Dash has a special of the day, Burger Bar has a daily special burger, and The Daily Mix has a soup of the day.
Can I get gluten-free food at The Galley?
Yes. Hot Off the Press can make every item with gluten-free bread, and the crew can tell you what’s safe at each counter. Our gluten-free guide has more.
Can I take food from The Galley back to my cabin?
Yes, everything can be taken away. If you’d rather have food delivered, ShipEats room service runs 24/7.
More ways to eat on board
See our Virgin Voyages restaurants guide, every Virgin menu and where to eat breakfast. Rather eat in your cabin? ShipEats room service runs 24/7.
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