Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady Rojo: New Dining Concept
When Virgin Voyages launches a new ship, you expect a few surprises, but Brilliant Lady is a culinary evolution in her own right. Case in point: Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady Rojo, the sultry new restaurant that’s unlike anything else in the fleet. It feels like someone bottled up the energy of a late-night tapas bar in Spain and dropped it right in the middle of the Atlantic!
As a Top 30 Virgin Voyages partner agency, I got a front-row seat to see what’s new before the ship’s official debut. I’ve sailed across Virgin’s fleet, eaten my way through every restaurant, and seen first-hand how each new ship refines the dining experience. That perspective makes it easy to spot when Virgin is onto something big, and wow, did Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady Rojo stop me in my tracks!
It’s moody, magnetic, and already shaping up to be the hottest spot onboard. Virgin could’ve played it safe. But instead, they went bold, and Rojo is proof that Brilliant Lady is here to raise the bar on dining at sea.
In this blog, I’ll share my unfiltered take on what makes Rojo worth the hype–and how it stacks up against the rest of Virgin’s fleet. The best part is – all restaurants are included on Virgin Voyages!
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Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady Rojo – Spanish Spirit at Sea
Rojo is an experience designed around the way Spaniards actually eat: slowly, socially, and with plenty of flavor.
The menu takes its cues from the tapas and pintxos of Madrid and San Sebastián, those little flavor bombs you pass around the table until suddenly you’ve ordered half the menu!
Montaditos and larger plates show up in rotation, so dinner feels less like a one-and-done entrée and more like a rolling celebration.
According to Virgin, it’s not unusual for Sailors to stay through multiple rounds, especially once the cava and sangria start flowing!
What makes Rojo stand out is that it isn’t “Spanish food at sea” in a generic sense. It’s guided by Chefs Justin Severino and Nate Hobart, the team behind Pittsburgh’s acclaimed Morcilla.
Their fingerprints are all over the menu, elevating familiar Spanish flavors with a playful twist that feels right at home on Brilliant Lady.
It includes familiar favorites like jamón croquettes, but also unexpected bites like oxtail montaditos. It’s bold, inventive, and built for sharing. Truly the kind of food that turns strangers into friends by the end of the night.
The space itself blurs the line between dining and nightlife. Rich tones, low lighting, and the hum of clinking glasses make Rojo feel less like ship dining and more like a proper night out.
It’s sophisticated but never stuffy. Virgin wanted this to feel like part of your night out, not just dinner before a show.
The Design: A Sultry & Sophisticated Space
Rojo makes its statement the moment you walk in. The design is dramatic and unapologetic: all deep reds, dark woods, and layered textures softened by low lighting.
It’s got a moody sophistication that sets it apart from the brighter and more playful dining rooms elsewhere on the ship.
I really love how it looks! No more black and white stripes like the traditional Razzle Dazzle (yuck!).
If you’ve sailed with Virgin before, imagine the edgy mood of Pink Agave paired with the elegant polish of The Wake. But Rojo brings its own twist: it’s not trying to replicate a Mexican cantina or a classic steakhouse.
It’s channeling the social warmth of a Spanish tapas bar and wrapping it in Virgin’s signature sleek design.
Where The Galley is casual and come-as-you-are, Rojo feels more like a Barcelona lounge dressed up as a restaurant. It’s not over the top, but the vibe nudges you to put on a blazer, a bold lip, and maybe heels if you’re into that.
It’s pretty obvious Virgin designed it for nights when you actually want the dinner to be the evening.
The Menu: Tapas, Cava & Conversation
Here’s where Rojo really earns its glow-up: a menu crafted for roamers, and plates meant for sharing, stories, and maybe even a little table-hopping.
Tapas, pintxos, and platos grandes inspired by Spain’s distinct regions show up in the evening, while brunch maintains that lovable Razzle Dazzle vibe with Spanish-American twists like jamón croquettes, frittatas, and acai bowls.
It’s all about that relaxed, sample-everything joyride. None of that “main course or bust” nonsense here!
It’s more about building a meal as you go: add another bite here, another flavor there, until the table feels like a full-on Spanish spread.
Now, let’s talk drinks, because the pairings feel just right. By day, you have bubbly cava spritzes and vibrant sangrias. Nights bring out artisanal vermouths, sherries, and those herb-scented spritzes born from Virgin’s collab with Barcelona’s Onada Consulting and Spain’s top bars.
Wine lovers sit up too: Rioja and Ribera del Duero reds and crisp Albariños from Rías Baixas round out the list.
Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady Rojo Dishes Ranked!
As a foodie who’s been to Spain countless times (and enjoyed Spanish tapas in NYC when not in Spain), here’s my list of the best Rojo dishes ranked.
#1 Oxtail Montadito: Yep, the geniuses from Morcilla brought over fan-favorite creations like the Oxtail Montadito with its braised oxtail, mahón cheese, and caramelized onion burst on a crostini. It’s basically Spain in bite-sized, sharable form! THIS WAS MY FAVORITE ITEM ON THE MENU HANDS DOWN! YUM!
#2 Pulpo a La Grill: The octopus was really flavorful and I adored the brown butter potato fondue. So delicious! I also love this app because octopus can be expensive at home. It’s all included on Virgin Voyages!
#3 Roasted Cauliflower Catalan – I often find Cauliflower boring to eat… not at Rojo! I loved this take on cauliflower, especially because of the seasoning and lemon brown butter.
#4 The Basque Cheesecake – Skipping ahead to dessert, you MUST get this cheesecake. It’s so creamy and wonderful. Even with a full stomach, I greatly enjoyed it. YUM!!!
#5 Jamon Iberico – YUM! Lightly salted ham, just like on the streets of Spain! I enjoyed the little almond crunch on top, too. My friend Ashley didn’t love the standalone meat here – maybe I’m just used to it. What do you think?
#6 Chuleton a La Parilla – Who doesn’t love a good steak?! I’m a steak girlie but don’t eat it to much at home. When onboard, I’m eating it every night! I loved the flavor of the seasoned meat itself, as well as the chorizo piperade.
#7 Jamon Croquettes – These croquettes are a spanish staple! They’re a must-have at any spanish restaurant. While I definitely recommend ordering them, they were a little tough on the outside and ‘mushy’ on the inside for my taste. Of course, I’ve had much better across Spain, so I have a distinct opinion on the croquettes. I’d love to know what you think!
#8 Churros – Back to dessert, the churros are a hit. They’re set in a cup with chocolate on the bottom.
What I Did Not Love:
#1 Gambas en Escabeche – Don’t get me wrong – the shrimp are good! However, they’re just little appetizers on a piece of bread. Not the most exciting thing on the table!
#2 Pimiento Cheese – I’m usually a cheese eater.. just didn’t love the flavor. Maybe there were too many other amazing things on the table but this just wasn’t a standout for me.
#3 Conservas – I love manchego cheese. So, to me, those little bits were good. I just didn’t understand the tiny cup concept here, nor did I find the items very fresh or tasty.
I’ve heard great reviews about the Patatas Bravas Ahumadas, the Beef Tartare, and the Costillas de la Matanza (baby back ribs). I’m looking forward to trying them next week!
How Rojo Fits into Brilliant Lady’s Dining Lineup
But Brilliant Lady takes dining a step further. With Rojo, Virgin isn’t just adding another restaurant to the roster, they’re shifting the entire dining vibe of the fleet.
Part of that is variety. Rojo has a sultrier and more lounge-like atmosphere than anything else onboard, which makes it feel like the place you plan an evening around, not just grab dinner before a show.
Compare that to The Wake, which channels an old-school steakhouse; Pink Agave, with its edgy modern take on Mexican; or Razzle Dazzle, which is playful and bright. Rojo takes a different lane altogether: social, celebratory, and distinctly Spanish. See here for my take on all Virgin Voyages restaurants.
Brilliant Lady also has other ship-specific upgrades, like The Galley’s new Passport to Flavor program, where menus rotate based on the ship’s U.S. homeports.
It’s a fun touch, but Rojo feels like the crown jewel: the clearest sign Virgin wants Brilliant Lady to push dining into more elevated and experimental territory.
Virgin isn’t copying what worked before, it’s giving each new ship a signature flavor, and Rojo is unmistakably Brilliant Lady’s.
So what’s so special about Brilliant Lady anyway? Well, the ship is built to fit through the Panama Canal, so it will visit sailor-favorite ports like Miami, Bimini Beach Club, Puerto Rico, Panama, as well as Alaska and Vancouver!
When to Book a Table at Rojo
No, Rojo isn’t the spot you squeeze in between trivia and karaoke. This is where you go when you want dinner to feel like an occasion.
It’s tailor-made for date nights, birthdays, or those evenings when you’re in the mood to linger over small plates and a few too many glasses of cava.
The vibe is slower, moodier, and more elevated. So think of it as the perfect “warm-up” before you slip into the ship’s late-night entertainment.
And here’s the kicker: like every Virgin Voyages restaurant, Rojo doesn’t come with an extra price tag.
On most cruise lines, a sultry Spanish lounge with chefs this pedigreed would be filed under “specialty dining” with a surcharge to match. On Brilliant Lady, it’s just another night included in your voyage fare.
That’s Virgin’s dining philosophy in action: elevated experiences without the “nickel-and-diming”.
Check out the Menu:
Why Rojo is Brilliant Lady’s Dining Highlight
Every Virgin Voyages ship has its signature dining moments, but Rojo feels like the exclamation point on Brilliant Lady’s lineup.
This new restaurant is a signal that Virgin is willing to experiment, evolve, and set the bar higher for dining at sea.
Between the tapas-style menu, the sultry design, and the celebratory cava culture, Rojo captures everything that makes Brilliant Lady feel fresh and different.
Will the other restaurants still draw crowds? Of course! Razzle Dazzle is still playful, The Wake still has that steakhouse glamour, and Pink Agave still knows how to turn heads. But Rojo feels like the one people will be talking about long after disembarkation.
Right now, Rojo is exclusive to Brilliant Lady, but I’d bet good cava we’ll see its influence ripple across the fleet in the years to come! That’s how strong the concept feels.
If you’re even thinking about sailing Brilliant Lady, now’s the time. Being among the first to experience Rojo means you get bragging rights long before it becomes the fleetwide standard.
And trust me, this is one dinner you’ll want to say you were first in line for.
Your Seat at Rojo Awaits!
If this Spanish-inspired lounge is already calling your name, let’s get you onboard so you can see and taste it for yourself!
As a Top 30 Virgin Voyages partner agency, I have access to the best deals, cabin selection, and insider advice, plus extra onboard credit you won’t find booking on your own.
So if Rojo is on your must-try list (and it should be), reach out at el@elevateyourescapes.com. I’d love to help you plan your sailing on Brilliant Lady!
PLAN YOUR VOYAGE WITH ME!
el@elevateyourescapes.com
Better cabins. Onboard credit. Port planning. All at no cost.
