MIAMI, FL - April 21, 2026 - Some festivals are about the headliner. This one is about everything else - the smell of something unexpected, the texture you didn't see coming, the sound that makes a dish hit differently. Virgin Voyages is back with its fourth-annual Eat & Drink Festival, and in 2026, it's going bigger, bolder and deeper than ever before.
Introducing Eat & Drink Festival: Festival of Senses - a reimagined expression of Virgin Voyages' signature festival that turns taste into theatre, dining into exploration and every sea day into something worth talking about long after the ship docks.
Running across the fleet for a limited range of voyages this fall, the Festival of Senses invites Sailors to come curious, come hungry and leave with stories worth sharing.
"There's a moment at a really great meal where you stop thinking and just feel it -- the atmosphere, the smell, the sounds around you all click into place," said Charles Steadman, Director of F&B Experiences and Strategic Partnerships. "We spent a lot of time this year asking how we engineer more of those moments. Festival of Senses is the result, and I think Sailors are going to be genuinely surprised by what we've put together."
At the heart of this year's festival is a new event – A Feast for the Senses – staged inside The Manor. The venue transforms into an immersive sensory gallery where short films of food and drink come to life. As Sailors move freely through the space, cinematic and interactive moments unfold before being invited to taste what's on screen in an event that’s part art installation, part culinary experience.
Flanking that flagship moment is a Sensory Dinner Series, a limited offering at The Wake running across all Eat & Drink Festival voyages. The experience is crafted by the acclaimed husband-and-wife duo behind Caputo's Kitchen and authors of "The Flavor Matrix," who have designed a menu that pairs exquisite flavors with expertly chosen beverages. Every Sailor attending leaves with their own copy of the book to take home. New this year is the Color Me Curious Dinner, a series from The Taste Curators that’s both delicious and visually striking. Sailors will enjoy a three-course Sip & Savor-style experience to the table at Extra Virgin, with each course paired to a color-inspired cocktail.
Also new this year, Sea-Cerone, A Beer Master Class will be offered at Draught Haus on sea days. Designed as an approachable entry point into the world of beer, it introduces Sailors to styles, tasting techniques and flavor fundamentals with no prior knowledge required.
Returning Sailor favorites get a full refresh, too. The legendary Shhh... Speakeasy is back, phone-free and reimagined with a fresh design perspective and a newly developed cocktail program. It retains the exclusivity and buzz Sailors loved while introducing a distinct visual identity and an evolved menu that signals this is a new experience. And for the first time, Sailors can bring the whole experience home with The Cocktail Book, a comprehensive guide to Virgin Voyages' bars, restaurants and hosting moments, available for purchase at the VV Store.
The festival runs across the following voyages:
- Scarlet Lady: Aug. 31, Sept. 10, Sept. 20
- Valiant Lady: Aug. 27, Sept. 6, Sept. 19
- Resilient Lady: Aug. 27, Aug. 31, Sept. 5, Sept. 10, Sept. 14, Sept. 19, Sept. 24
- Brilliant Lady: Aug. 27, Sept. 3, Sept. 11, Sept. 19
To book a cabin or learn more, visit VirginVoyages.com or contact your First Mate.
About Virgin Voyages
Promising to Create an Epic Sea Change for All, Virgin Voyages is the award-winning, exclusively adult cruise line founded by Sir Richard Branson. Delivering unforgettable, relaxing vacations at sea, Virgin Voyages launched at the end of 2021. Inspired by superyacht design, its fleet of Lady Ships exemplify an elevated, boutique hotel at sea with contemporary spaces that strike the perfect balance of nautical chic and glamour. Currently departing from the sun-soaked cities of Miami, Barcelona, Athens and San Juan, the fleet offers more than 60 unique itineraries, sailing to 150+ incredible ports of call. On-board, 20+ eateries feature culinary experiences from Michelin-star chefs, stylish workout spaces and group fitness classes are offered daily, and a festival-like line-up of intimate and larger-than-life shows are on the agenda. Paired with modern, tech-savvy cabins, designer suites fit for a rockstar and a mermaid-inspired spa and thermal suite, the brand is taking the industry by storm. For three consecutive years – 2023, 2024 and 2025 – Virgin Voyages won best cruise line in Travel + Leisure’s highly coveted World’s Best Awards for mega-ship ocean cruise line, along with the 2023 and 2024 Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards for best large ocean cruise line.
