What's for Dinner Pink Agave

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Tip: We were traveling with three friends in another cabin. Our reservations were cross-referenced which is important for planning purposes. You will want to plan your dining choices prior to arrival. To avoid disappointment, make them as soon as you can on the Virgin Voyages app. 

The Virgin Voyages dining experience is unlike those on other cruise lines. Just as there is no buffet, there is no main dining room. For our first dinner onboard our group selected Pink Agave for some Mexican food. We had a dinner reservation for 6:15 PM.

The dinner menu consists of a selection of small, medium, and large plates.  The intention is for everything to be shared.  Our waitress told us she would bring multiple dishes of each small and medium side dish to share.   Our table was filled with plates of food.

Pink Agave Menus Two big hits from the small and medium plates were the guacamole and corn.  You can have as much as you like, but pace yourself. Several of us ordered the ribeye steak for our large dish. That was excellent as well as all of the starters.  Make sure you leave some room for dessert.  Our recommendation is the Tacos de Chocolate.

If you like Mexican food, make sure to reserve Pink Agave when selecting your dinner venues on the Virgin Voyages app.   Don't wait until you get onboard - book ahead of time.   

       

Click the image (left) to read more about this cruise.

Bookmark this page and come back to read all about this award-winning new ship.

See our  Pink Agave Photo Album for more pictures.

Visit our Shutterfly Page to view photo albums.

 

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Happy Cinco de Mayo 2018

Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for "fifth of May") is a holiday held on May 5. It is celebrated nationwide in the United States and regionally in Mexico.   The date is observed in the United States as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride, and to commemorate the cause of freedom and democracy during the first years of the American Civil War.

In the state of Puebla, the date is observed to commemorate the Mexican army's victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.   Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico's Independence Day, the most important national patriotic holiday in Mexico, which occurs on September 16th.

Cruises to Mexico

Mexico is not just sunny beaches and great water sports. Mexico's Spanish colonial roots fused with her turbulent Indian ancestry have engendered a rich cultural history. Fascinating archaeological ruins, extraordinary works of art, colonial architecture, native handicrafts and wonderful folklore will capture your imagination. Combine all this with fiery sunsets, lots of fun and romantic evenings, and you have the makings of a spectacular cruise vacation.
There are three types of cruise to Mexico, each offering a different cruise experience.

Mexico Baja :

These are short 3 and 4 day cruises departing year-round from Los Angeles, California to Ensenada, Mexico and Catalina. Very popular with the West Coast crowd as fun, quick and relaxing getaway.

Mexico Round-Trip :

These are typically 7-night cruises departing year-round from Los Angeles, and seasonally from San Diego and San Francisco; however, they travel further South than the shorter Mexican Baja Cruises. A Mexico Round-Trip cruise often includes, Mazatlan, Cabo San Lucas, and Puerto Vallarta before returning to Los Angeles. 

Some 8, 10 and 11 night cruises to the Mexico Round-Trip are also offered seasonally. In April, many cruise lines offer a one time one-way repositioning Mexico Round-Trip Cruise from Acapulco to Los Angeles or San Francisco as their travel enroute to Vancouver for the Alaska season. They do this again in the reverse at the end of the Alaska Season.

Caribbean - Western :

Many 4, 5 and 7 night Caribbean cruises make stops in Cancun and Cozume l, Mexico, which is on the opposite side of the country when compared to the Mexican Riviera. Click here to learn more about Mexico. In Mexico you'll find world-glass golfing, horseback riding, bounteous sport fishing, and sensational diving spots. Dramatic scenery abounds. Shopping is blissful. The American dollar goes a long way, and everything, from regional leather goods and handcrafted silver to designer imports is a bargain.  

West Coast cruises had declined for many years, but this year there are more than 40 cruise itineraries to select from.  There are parts of Mexico that have seen an increase in violence, so there have been itinerary changes to keep passengers safe.   Tourist areas are safe for the most part.   As with any international travel, you want to be vigilant and be sure to use common sense (such as not wandering off alone at night). We have traveled to Mexico several times, and especially enjoy the Mexican Riviera.  Our National Conference this year will be on Norwegian Bliss to the Mexican Riviera.  Consider including one or more Mexican ports in your next cruise. 

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BlueIguana Cantina Fresh Mex Lunch

Lido Deck

Dining Options

Carnival Conquest

As mentioned in our previous post, just minutes after arriving onboard Carnival Conquest, we were already sampling some of the new Fun Ship 2.0 dining options that were added when the ship was in dry-dock.

See our previous article: Introducing Fun Ship 2.0 

 

BlueIguana Cantina

If you like fresh Mexican food, Carnival's all-new BlueIguana Cantina is for you. Your server starts with homemade tortillas and creates tacos and burritos per your specifications. Add toppings, chips and salsa from the salsa bar for a tasty meal.   Burritos were way too big for our appetite but the tacos were just right and very good. One night the fresh nacho chips were an excellent supplement to the deck party.

Welcome Aboard Lunch

Since the cabins were still being prepared when we got on the ship, the logical decision was to head up to Lido Deck (deck 9) for some lunch.   I know we just had breakfast at the hotel, but after all, this is a cruise ship and "All you do is eat - right?"

Click for Mini-Series Articles / Images

Our to-do list of food sampling already had two check marks before we even saw our cabin.   We were off to a great start in our mission to highlight as many new features on the ship as possible.  So much to do, so little time.


Next we'll talk about taking advantage of Embarkation Day specials throughout the ship.  We did take advantage of a few so we'll provide complete details on those and leave the rest for your next assignment.

 

Happy Cinco de Mayo 2011

Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for "fifth of May") is a holiday held on May 5. It is celebrated nationwide in the United States and regionally in Mexico.   The date is observed in the United States as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride,and to commemorate the cause of freedom and democracy during the first years of the American Civil War.

In the state of Puebla, the date is observed to commemorate the Mexican army's victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.   Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico's Independence Day, the most important national patriotic holiday in Mexico, which occurs on September 16th.

Cruises to Mexico

Mexico is not just sunny beaches and great water sports. Mexico's Spanish colonial roots fused with her turbulent Indian ancestry have engendered a rich cultural history. Fascinating archaeological ruins, extraordinary works of art, colonial architecture, native handicrafts and wonderful folklore will capture your imagination. Combine all this with fiery sunsets, lots of fun and romantic evenings, and you have the makings of a spectacular cruise vacation.
There are three types of cruise to Mexico, each offering a different cruise experience.

Mexico Baja :

These are short 3 and 4 day cruises departing year-round from Los Angeles, California to Ensenada, Mexico and Catalina. Very popular with the West Coast crowd as fun, quick and relaxing getaway.

Mexico Round-Trip :

These are typically 7-night cruises departing year-round from Los Angeles, and seasonally from San Diego and San Francisco; however, they travel further South than the shorter Mexican Baja Cruises. A Mexico Round-Trip cruise often includes, Mazatlan, Cabo San Lucas, and Puerto Vallarta before returning to Los Angeles. 

Some 8, 10 and 11 night cruises to the Mexico Round-Trip are also offered seasonally. In April, many cruise lines offer a one time one-way repositioning Mexico Round-Trip Cruise from Acapulco to Los Angeles or San Francisco as their travel enroute to Vancouver for the Alaska season. They do this again in the reverse at the end of the Alaska Season.

Caribbean - Western :

Many 4, 5 and 7 night Caribbean cruises make stops in Cancun and Cozumel, Mexico, which is on the opposite side of the country when compared to the Mexican Riviera. Click here to learn more about the Western Caribbean. In Mexico you'll find world-glass golfing, horseback riding, bounteous sport fishing, and sensational diving spots. Dramatic scenery abounds. Shopping is blissful. The American dollar goes a long way, and everything, from regional leather goods and handcrafted silver to designer imports is a bargain.  

West Coast cruises are currently cut down from previous years, so you'll have fewer choices.   Cruise lines have stated that the demand wasn't there, so they deployed their ships elsewhere.  There are parts of Mexico that have seen an increase in violence, so there have been itinerary changes to keep passengers safe.   Tourist areas are safe for the most part.   As with any international travel, you want to be vigilant and be sure to use common sense (such as not wandering off alone at night).    We have traveled to Mexico several times, and especially enjoy the Mexican Riviera.   Consider including one or more Mexican ports in your next cruise. 

Allure of the Seas in Bermuda Triangle

Rita's Cantina on Allure of the Seas

ALLURE CONTINUES COURSE FOR FLORIDA

Day 11 and the Allure of the Seas is continuing its Atlantic crossing right on schedule.   The weather continues to cooperate with the ship crossing the path of the once powerful Tomas now much weaker and 200 miles away from the ship.  The ship has entered the Bermuda Triangle as it sails past Bermuda.

Captain Zini introduces one of the new dining venues, Rita's Cantina, in this video report from the bridge.   The cantina brings the flare and flavors of Mexico to passengers on the Allure of the Seas.

Video:  A Mexican Fiesta: Festive Fare at Rita's Cantina on Allure

A new dining sensation is adding some spice to the Boardwalk on Allure of the Seas. Enjoy the taste of fabulous Mexican fare and festivities with a visit to the exotic and enticing Rita's Cantina.