In 2026, Virgin Voyages' award-winning Eat & Drink Festival voyages return as A Festival of Senses, a reimagined, immersive, ship-wide gastronomic takeover designed to engage all five senses through flavor, music, scent, texture, and atmosphere.
Sailing on select cruises between August 27 – September 28 only, this is a limited-run experience, and one of the most innovative food and drink festivals at sea.
A reimagined Eat & Drink Festival
Now more immersive than ever
Now in its fifth year, the Eat & Drink Festival evolves into its most interactive iteration yet. The new Festival of Senses transforms dining into something exploratory and social. Every moment is immersive, innovative, and unforgettable, designed to surprise first-time Sailors looking for an experience they won’t find elsewhere, while providing loyal Sailors (or seasoned cruisers) a compelling reason to book a Virgin Voyages cruise again.
The new multisensory onboard experience
Main Event Moment
Across every voyage, A Feast for the Senses brings all five senses together in Virgin's most immersive experience yet. Inside The Manor, the space transforms into a living sensory gallery where cinematic and interactive moments unfold in real time, and what you watch becomes what you taste.
More Eat & Drink Highlights
- Sensory Dinner Series: Intimate, multi-course dining experiences with curated beverage pairings and expert-led storytelling.
- Color Me Curious: A vibrant, visually driven dining experience pairing each course with a color-themed cocktail.
- New menu offerings: Refreshed dishes and evolving flavors debuting in select eateries.
- Sea-Cerone, A Beer Master Class: Part alchemy, part education, and full entertaining, learn the styles, techniques, and fundamentals of beer.
- Shhh… Speakeasy: A reimagined take on one of Virgin's most talked-about experiences, with a new specialty cocktail collection served in the ship’s hidden bar.
- The Cocktail Book: Take your experience beyond the ship with their newest book that dives into each of Virgin's venues’ distinct personalities and specialty drink recipes.
Together, these experiences create a fully immersive, social, and expressive food and drink cruising destination, where every moment is designed for discovery.
What makes this one of the best food experiences
Virgin Voyages is known for offering some of the best food on a cruise, featuring:
- 20+ eateries with menus designed by award-winning chefs
- No buffets, no dining restrictions, and no extra charges for core dining
- A focus on fresh, made-to-order, globally inspired cuisine
Festival of Senses builds on that foundation, transforming it into a festival-scale, immersive experience where dining becomes something you don’t just taste, but fully feel. And outside of all dining included in the voyage fare, WiFi, soda & water, group fitness classes, and entertainment are part of the Always Included Luxuries that don’t cost Sailors extra.
A limited-time gastronomic festival in the world’s best destinations
A Festival of Senses sails for a limited time only — and on all four of their ships — in late summer and early fall between August 27 – September 28, 2026. In between sailing to the world’s most sought-after destinations, itinerary pairs destination-driven flavor with immersive onboard experiences, turning every region into part of the story.
Mediterranean cruises on Scarlet Lady
- Four voyages available from Rome (Civitavecchia) and Athens (Piraeus)
- Visit iconic ports like Santorini, Mykonos, Dubrovnik, and Athens
- Experience a journey shaped by coastal cuisines, world-renowned wine regions, and Mediterranean flavors
Northern Europe & North Atlantic on Valiant Lady
- Three voyages available from Portsmouth, Reykjavik, and New York City
- Sail to the UK, Netherlands, Iceland, Greenland, Canada, and the U.S. Northeast
- Experience seafood traditions, local ingredients, and regional specialties
- Enjoy scenic cruising days paired with immersive onboard tastings and beverage experiences
Caribbean cruises on Resilient Lady
- Three voyages available from Miami
- Sail to Key West, Dominican Republic, Turks & Caicos, and Bimini
- Dive into tropical flavors, rum culture, and Virgin Voyages’ private beach club
- Pair sun-soaked days with festival-style nights onboard
Alaska & West Coast cruises on Brilliant Lady
- Seven voyages available from Seattle, Vancouver, and Los Angeles
- Sail to Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, California, and Mexico
- Visit ports like Sitka, Skagway, Prince Rupert, San Francisco, and Cabo San Lucas
- Discover regional seafood, seasonal ingredients, and destination-inspired dining
