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Virgin Voyages Unveils Eat & Drink Festival 2025 Lineup

The Eat & Drink Festival 2025 will feature exclusive events like the Spirited Dinner Series, secret speakeasies, spirit masterclasses, new dishes, and culinary pop-ups fleet-wide.

Eat & Drink Festival Returns for 2025
Eat & Drink Festival Returns for 2025 © Photo by Virgin Voyages

Virgin Voyages is setting the stage for a food and drink celebration across its award-winning fleet. With the new Passport to Flavors program launching, along with the expanded Eat & Drink Festival 2025 programming, travelers can look forward to a year of culinary experiences both onboard and at sea. The festival will run from June 29th to July 27th.

Passport to Flavors – Free Collectible Guide

Starting this year, every sailor will receive a Passport to Flavor — a collectible guide packed with recipes, event details, and destination inspirations linked to Brilliant Lady’s iconic homeports. This guide will help sailors explore new tastes and experiences throughout their voyage.

  • Passport to Eat: On select nights, The Galley will transform into a showcase of new dishes created by the Culinary Collective.
  • Passport to Drink: Join an immersive shipwide pub crawl, sample crafted cocktails and mocktails, and collect stamps for a chance to win a secret prize.

Eat & Drink Festival 2025 Programming

This year’s Eat & Drink Festival will offer a variety of events celebrating food, drink, and culture across the Virgin Voyages fleet. Whether you’re a seasoned foodie or just looking for new ways to explore flavors, this festival is a must-experience event for anyone on board.

A Taste of Brilliant

This July, treat your inner travel-foodie to “A Taste of Brilliant” — the latest extravaganza of the Eat & Drink Festival. The event honors Brilliant Lady’s inaugural North America season, with a culinary journey inspired by her homeports, including NYC, Miami, LA, and Seattle. Experience a special East-to-West Coast food and drink adventure on board Virgin Voyages’ three award-winning lady ships, from the Caribbean to the Mediterranean and Western Europe.

  • Fleet-wide events and exclusive pop-ups will highlight the new food and beverage programs of Brilliant Lady, offering guests a taste of both sides of the Atlantic.
  • Experience summer’s most brilliant flavors in the Caribbean from Miami or in the Mediterranean and Western Europe from Athens, Barcelona, Rome, and Lisbon.
Rojo by Razzle Dazzle Concept Art
Inspired by the new Rojo by Razzle Dazzle© Photo by Virgin Voyages

Spirited Dinner Series

Gather around the table for a multi-course dinner where each dish is paired with fine wines, beers, or spirits. Hosted by beverage experts, this intimate experience will introduce travelers to unique pairings designed to enhance each bite. Bookable Once Aboard | Supplemental Cost Applied

Spirited Dinner Series
Spirited Dinner Series© Photo by Virgin Voyages

Shhh… Secret Speakeasy

Venture into the shadows of our secret bar, where Prohibition-era charm meets master mixology. Featuring cocktails inspired by NYC, Miami, LA, and Seattle, this exclusive experience is a must for anyone seeking a taste of the past. Bookable Once Aboard | Supplemental Cost Applied

Shhh… Secret Speakeasy
Shhh… Secret Speakeasy© Photo by Virgin Voyages

Spirit Master Series Classes

Explore the history and craftsmanship of your favorite spirits in our exclusive Spirit Master Series classes. Learn the ins and outs of martinis, bourbon, or whisky as expert mixologists guide you through interactive tastings. Bookable Once Aboard | Supplemental Cost Applied

Spirit Master Series Classes
Spirit Master Series Classes © Photo by Virgin Voyages

Gunbae’s New Menu Items

Chef Sohui Kim has added new dishes to Gunbae, the first Korean BBQ at sea. Experience brand-new menu options available fleet-wide for the first time. Click here for more information on these new items.

Bo Ssam: Whole roasted pork butt served with oysters and caviar at Gunbae
Bo Ssam: Whole roasted pork butt served with oysters and caviar at Gunbae© Photo by Virgin Voyages

Test Kitchen Cooking Demos

Join live cooking demonstrations where ship chefs will teach you how to master everything from breakfast bowls to decadent chocolate pastries. Enhance your culinary skills with expert tips and techniques. Bookable Once Aboard | Supplemental Cost Applied

Test Kitchen Cooking Demos
Test Kitchen Cooking Demos © Photo by Virgin Voyages

Afternoon Tea

Enjoy an upscale twist on afternoon tea, featuring Macallan whisky cocktails paired with premium chocolates. This refined experience combines the charm of tea time with the artistry of mixology. Bookable Once Aboard | Supplemental Cost Applied

Glasses of champagne, tea and a tower of food

Although Bar Tab can be used only on drinks you can also use it for Afternoon Tea and Bottomless Brunch© Photo by VV Insider

2025 Voyage Dates

The Eat & Drink Festival is happening on select voyages. To see eligible sailings and secure a cabin, visit the official page here:

View Eligible Voyages

VV Insider will receive a commission when booking via this link. Bookings managed by The Getaway Guys – powered by KVI Travel.

Scarlet Lady Itineraries

Scarlet Lady will make her way across Europe this summer, with a Celebration Voyage repositioning to Portsmouth.

Valiant Lady Itineraries

Valiant Lady will be offering sailings in the Caribbean, making it an ideal choice for sailors seeking tropical beaches and vibrant culture.

Resilient Lady Itineraries

Resilient Lady continues her voyages in Greece and the Adriatic, offering stunning scenery and historic destinations.

Looking Ahead: Eat & Drink Festival 2026

Virgin Voyages has already announced plans for the fifth Eat & Drink Festival, returning in September 2026. Brilliant Lady will join the lineup for the first time, and new regions and longer itineraries are being added.

Festival sailings in 2026 will include destinations such as:

  • Alaska & California
  • Greece & Rome
  • The Caribbean
  • Iceland, Greenland & Scotland

Booking early between September 1 and September 30, 2026, will offer the best choice of cabins and rates.

View 2026 Voyages

VV Insider will receive a commission when booking via this link. Bookings managed by The Getaway Guys – powered by KVI Travel.

Inside Passage: Eat & Drink Edition

Inside Passage: Eat & Drink Edition© Photo by Virgin Voyages

About the author

Co-Founder and Editor. Blending technical know how from the iOS world with a love for Virgin Voyages with over 20 sailings around the world.


11 Comments

  1. Gale Corley says:

    Are the Spirit Master drink classes and the secret speakeasy only bookable once you board the ship or are you able to book it earlier? Also can you use your bar tab to pay for this?

    1. Rob Sammons says:

      You typically can’t use Bar Tab for paid alcohol events. They’ll be bookable on board 🙂

  2. Gale Corley says:

    Are the Series Master drink classes and the secret speakeasy only bookable once you board the ship or are you able to book it earlier? Also can you use your bar tab to pay for this?

  3. Maria Luckett says:

    Am I right in thinking that the Celebration cruise on July 22nd from Lisbon is also a food & drink festival?

    1. Rob Sammons says:

      Yes it is listed above 🙂

  4. Andrew says:

    So Gunbae will only be bookable once on board and you can’t book in advance when reservations open?

    1. Rob Sammons says:

      Gunbae will be available when reservations open yes, removed this now, it’s wording Virgin Voyages used presumably to mean the new up-charge item

  5. Vivian says:

    Seems no Asian Night Market anymore?

    1. Rob Sammons says:

      No this was only part of 2024. There’ll still be The Galley concept though

    2. Maria Luckett says:

      Am I right in thinking that the Celebration cruise on July 22nd from Lisbon is also a food & drink festival?

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