Lunchtime in The Galley

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The Galley is Scarlet Lady's floating fresh food market. Start by grabbing something quick and head back out to the pool or sit down and check out the stunning design and incredible views. With more than 10 different international eateries (all included), food is made fresh to order, so it’s always tasty. From light bites and bold burgers to noodles, tacos, and much much more. This is the closest thing to a traditional cruise buffet.

Tip:  Your first time in The Galley we recommend walking around to get an idea of the various choices. Then sit down and someone will com to wait on you and take your drink and food order.

Getting Served

We took our own advice and walked around The Galley.   Since it was after 2 PM, we wanted something to tide us over until dinner, but not too filling.  You can scan the QR code on the table to view the menu or request paper menus.  Since this was our first time here, we asked for paper menus (see above).

We opted for the Taco Al Pastor - marinated pork, pineapple, salsa verde.   We made sure to leave some room for dessert.  The scarlet lady and smores cup were our favorites that we selected.  See our The Galley photo album for more pictures.

We found ourselves contrasting The Galley with a traditional buffet on other cruise lines.  There are several different stations, like a traditional buffet.  Since Covid, many cruise lines have eliminated the self-service option, so that is very similar.   The big difference that we saw was that the menu does not change at all throughout the cruise.  Also, the selections are quite limited from what a normal buffet would have.   If you want variety, you need to plan meals at the other dining venues.

Having said that, we did find ourselves eating many breakfasts and lunches in The Galley.   Stay tuned for more details about our favorite choices for breakfast and lunch.

Another difference is you don't need to dig out a room key (Sailor Band) to pay for your soda - basic drinks are included with your cruise fare.   You can help yourself from the fountain drinks or one of the wait staff will bring it to you.

Final Thoughts

Since we were sailing with only about 25% capacity, there wasn't a long wait for the made to order food.  We'd be interested in knowing how this process works when the ship is at capacity.  There is only one or two cooks preparing the food at each station, so unless they increase staff as capacity grows, you will most likely be waiting for your meals.

There is a selection of packaged goods which you can grab and go.  At lunch time these included salads, wraps, trail mix and the various Bento Boxes with fresh fruits and other choices.

This is a nice addition if you are looking for something quick any time of the day.

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See our The Galley photo album for more pictures.

Visit our Shutterfly Page to view photo albums.

 

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Our Sea Terrace Cabin

Ahoy, Sailor

Remember the days when you'd do a "doc dance"?  That was when your printed cruise documents arrived in the mail.   Those days are gone, with docs being delivered electronically.

When you sail on Virgin Voyages, you have something to look forward to in the mail once again.   It's your Sailor Bands.  They are personalized for you, and once you activate them via the Virgin Voyages app, they become your key to your cabin and everything onboard the ship.  You can expect them a few weeks before your cruise.

 

Tip:  Now that you are on the ship, you know who you are so, the name goes face down.  It's the other side that needs to be facing in order for it to be scanned.

There are no cards to carry around with you - just fasten the band around your wrist and off you go.

We got onboard and off we headed to our cabin.   It was on the "Z" side on deck 13 - yes, there is a deck 13 with cabins on there.  "Z" is starboard (right) side of the ship.  When we got off the elevator, there were crew there to direct us - so we didn't have any problems finding our cabin.

Sea Terrace Cabin 13062Z

Sea Terrace 

Whether you're getting ready inside at the glam area, rinsing off in your Roomy Rainshower or relaxing outside on your hand-woven terrace hammock, these spaces are designed to give you sweeping views of the horizon as mood lighting intuitively matches the light from the oncoming sunset.

Let's Talk Storage

Since this was a 5-night voyage, and since we didn't need to get all fancied up for a formal evening, we were able to bring just a carryon bag for each of us.   There's plenty of room in the "closet" to store small suitcases.   Larger suitcases would need to go under the bed.

When we unpacked our bags, the first thing we noticed was that there weren't drawers but rather shelves in the closet and under the desk.  There is a small refrigerator next to the shelves under the desk.

In the photo you will notice a drawer next to the bed.  There is another one hidden under the bed, but that was filled with extra linens.  We used this drawer to store our dirty clothes since we had enough room for our clean clothes on the shelving or hanging up in the closet.

It's possible for a longer voyage, you might have a shortage of space.

Note that in the bathroom, there is a shelf under the counter which can be used for frequently used items.   We put our deodorant, mouthwash, toothpaste, and toothbrushes on the counter next to the sink.   You can put less used items under the sink in the other area marked with an arrow.

Electronics & Controls

On the desk there were electric outlets which we used to charge our electronics.  There are two US plugs and one European outlet (could be problematic for European guests).

There's a tablet on the desk which controls the TV and lighting for the cabin.   The cool thing is when you open your cabin door, the lights come on and the balcony curtains automatically open to let light into the room.   There are various mood settings for different times of day.  The mirror lighting automatically adjusts as well.      If you don't want to use the tablet, there are also plenty of switches around the room to control the lighting and balcony curtains.

Above that storage drawer next to the bed, there are light switches, and also a USB port which came in handy when we wanted to charge our phones while lying in bed.  There was a USB port on the other side of the bed as well.

Final Thoughts

One issue we had was figuring out where to put the moveable table at night.  We never really used the table, and it would be in the way when you were going to  bed.  Our solution was to put it over the arm chair and pile the decorative pillows on top of it for bedtime.  

We loved the shower.  There is a hand-held wand and the overhead rainshower head.  The shower door swings in and out - so you do need to be careful that you have a good seal, or you could get water all over the floor.

Overall we were happy with the cabin.   It's not designed the same way as other ships, but once you figure out how you want to store your things, the positives outweigh any differences that you thought were lacking.   The hammock is a nice touch, although we didn't really make a lot of use of our balcony (since we were enjoying the rest of the ship when not in port).

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 Sea Terrace Cabin for more pictures.

Visit our Shutterfly Page to view photo albums.

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5 Ways to Enhance Your Cruise Ship Dining Experience

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Cruise Dining Tips

Reflecting on one of our past trips, a fabulous 7 Night Eastern Caribbean cruise on Carnival Magic, we'll focus on 5 tips that will enhance your dining experience.   We employed these tips during our cruise and thought we'd share them with our readers.   Even though we'll use the Carnival Magic for examples, the principles can be applied to most contemporary cruise lines.

This is not an exhaustive list, but it's a good start to enhancing your cruise dining.

Navigating the Buffet

Entering the ship's buffet restaurant you may be thinking that you just died and went to heaven or perhaps you are just overwhelmed by the scene in front of you.  

(Updated 10/12/2021)

As cruising resumes following the pause due to COVID-19, cruise lines have made changes to the buffet.  They are still offering them, but instead of grabbing the food yourself, one of the staff will assist you and either put it on your plate or bring your selections to you.    

If you think about it, this is actually a welcome improvement.  Despite the fact that buffets had a large selection of items, many people stayed away from them because they didn't like the idea of multiple hands in the food containers.  Now more people will likely frequent the buffet since the food is served to them.

Tip:   Don't just Dive In

One of the main entrances to the buffet is often from the Lido (pool) deck on your ship.  You will notice that shortly after entering, there's a serving station which has a long line.   Do not stop here, but continue further into the restaurant.   On most ships, there are several identical serving lines, many of which may have shorter lines.

Besides the identical lines, take notice of the unique stations.  For example at breakfast, there is usually an omelet station where you can get made to order eggs & omelets.   This line may be long, so be ready to wait.   Check out the signs overhead to help navigate through the maze of stations. Walk around the buffet to decide on the options that interest you for this meal, and take note for later in the week, when you may want something different.

Instead of waiting in the long serving line one morning, we opted for the much shorter continental breakfast line and then added some bacon from the omelet station (there was a waiter serving bacon and ham - you didn't need to wait in the omelet line).

Poolside Dining

Getting some sun or shade on loungers is one of our favorite relaxing things to do during a cruise.  We typically have breakfast in the buffet and then search out a good spot to camp out for a few hours.    Since prime locations (such as those right by the pool or in a shady location) get taken first, another option is to divide your group and eat in shifts.  (Most lines frown on you just leaving something on the lounger to reserve the chair and they may remove the items if you aren't back within a stated period of time - so be aware of the rules on your ship).

Tip:  Dine by the Pool

Lunch is a great time to eat poolside.  On Carnival cruises you can dine at Guy's Burger Joint or Blue Iguana right by the pool.  While there may be a line, it usually moves quickly, and you can get back to relaxing by the pool in no time.   There is also a 24 hour pizza station by the aft pool.  Most cruise lines have similar options. 

Sea Day Only Options

The reason we selected Carnival Magic for our latest cruise was to try Guy's Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse which is only open for limited hours on sea days.  Many cruise lines have similar restaurant venues, so be sure to plan your dining schedule ahead of time.

Tip:  Try the Unique Dining Options

Due to the limited serving hours, you can expect dining venues like these to be busy.  Plan to arrive when they open, or even shortly before that.   In order to keep our poolside loungers,  one person went on a food run for the two of us.   Check out the menu ahead of time so that you know what you want to order.

Anytime Dining

We've been cruising for over 30 years and grew up on traditional dining where you were assigned a dining time and table in the main dining room.  Every night you went to dinner at the same time with the same people.   Nowadays there are many more dining options and we encourage you to select an option that has some flexibility.

Tip:  Select Flexible Dining

Some people prefer to eat early and others late.  That is why traditional dining over the years had two choices.   There are others, that for health reasons, must eat at a certain time each day.   The good news is that even with flexible dining plans of today's cruises, any of the above schedules can be accommodated.

One big advantage of flexible dining is that you can select your dining time based on evening activities that you want to do.   Some days, after touring, you might be tired and don't want to rush to dinner. The choice is completely up to you each evening during your cruise.

We still enjoy the traditional dining experience because the wait staff gets to know you, making for an enjoyable experience.   On our Carnival Magic cruise, we had the best of both worlds.   The first couple of evenings we arrived for dinner, signed in, and took whatever table they escorted us to.  Then we found the wait staff of Singsoong and Posy.   We really enjoyed them, their service, the hot food, etc., so every night after that, we asked for a table in their section.  They would greet us by name and take care of all our needs very efficiently.

Specialty Dining

One big draw for cruise vacations is the inclusive dining options.  When we think about dining on a cruise ship we compare it to dining at home.  Some days you opt for fast food while others you want a more relaxing dinner.   For special occasions, you may opt for your favorite steak or seafood restaurant which usually comes with a higher price tag as well.   On a cruise, you can enjoy any or all of the above choices throughout the voyage.   The choice is up to you.

Tip:  Specialty Dining for Lunch

Are you celebrating a special occasion during your cruise?   Why not make at least one night a little extra special by dining in one of the many specialty dining venues on your ship?

Sometimes you can dine at a specialty restaurant at lunch for a reduced price or even complimentary.   The menu might be simpler than in the evening, but you still get to experience that extra ambiance.  On Carnival cruise ships that have Cucina del Capitano, there is a pasta bar option for lunch which allows you to taste their Italian specialties for no cost.

Cruise Planner is Your Friend

Dining may be different as cruises resume following the suspension due to COVID-19.  You may not have as many choices as previously.   Be sure to check your daily cruise planner to determine your options for the day.  Some cruise lines have free apps for your phone.  These are a good way to check your planner for any updated plans.

 

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I recently completed extensive training and have become Travel Safety Verified. As your dedicated Travel Advisor, your safety is our priority, and it's our job to ensure you have the necessary information you need to give you confidence and peace of mind when making your future travel plans. Click the link to review our Travel Safety program with valuable resources that will answer many of your questions.

Where have you explored? 

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