Virgin Voyages Extends Eat & Drink Festival to Two Months

by Dori Saltzman / July 20, 2023

let's mushroom around cooking class during eat and drink festival on virgin voyages — *The Eat & Drink Festival features a variety of events like this demo-style cooking class onboard Scarlet Lady.* Photo: *Virgin Voyages*

Last year Virgin Voyages introduced its Eat & Drink Festival, bringing specialty food & beverage experiences onboard its ships for a month. This year, the line is extending that to two months.

This August and September, cruisers onboard Virgin's three ships will be able to enjoy a series of culinary-related events ranging from multi-course dinners and wine pairings to chef-led demos and surprise amuse bouches.

Fleet-wide events will include:

Taste of The Galley: Every day between 4 and 7 p.m. The Galley transforms into a gastronomic showcase offering a diverse array of flavors from different chefs. (Included)
Seven Sea Slippers: An elevated bar crawl disguised as a cocktail treasure hunt. ($)
Razzle Dazzle by Night: A special evening menu available only during the Eat & Drink Festival. (Included)
Amuse Bouche at Signature Eateries: Specially-crafted by Virgin Voyages' Culinary Collective, these inventive tasters kick off dinner at select restaurants. (Included)
Flavors Uncorked: Hosted at The Wake, Flavors Uncorked is a five-course dinner menu by Michelin-starred Chef Brad Farmerie. The experience includes Champagne, oysters two ways, and a grilled Tomahawk steak, all paired with wines. ($)
Path of Negroni: Cruisers can learn how to make the classic drink and experiment to make their own variation. ($)
Juice Walk: A traveling juice bar walkabout taking cruisers to the ships' juice and smoothie spaces. Designed to keep cruisers active and hydrated. ($)

In addition to the fleet-wide events, each ship will host its own special events as well.

Joining the festivities are a number of chefs including Brad Farmerie, Sohui Kim, Eric Kim Haugen, Matt Lambert, Silvana Salcido Esparza, Waki Ng, and Lish Steiling, among several others.

Other special guests include: George Motz, and Emmy Award-winning filmmaker once called the foremost authority on hamburgers by The New York Times; Effie Panagopoulos, the first Greek woman in history to start a liquor brand (KLEOS Mastiha Spirit); and James Briscione, a chef with multiple wins on "Beat Bobby Flay."

Cruisers who book an August or September Eat & Drink Festival sailing will receive a $300 Bar Tab.