F&B@Sea, dedicated to the cruise food and beverage community, welcomed cruise lines, suppliers, and hospitality leaders from around the world for a highly successful 2026 edition at the Mana Wynwood Convention Center in Miami.
Featuring more than 230 vendors – including many familiar duty free and travel retail brands –the 2026 edition of the growing event attracted upwards of 3,000 attendees, marking the largest iteration of the conference to date.
Across two days, the program offered a forward-looking view of the future of dining at sea, brought to life through immersive experiences, expert-led sessions, and curated networking opportunities. The program concluded with the 2026 F&B@Sea Awards, presented by Rémy Cointreau, celebrating the innovators redefining dining at sea.
Content sessions focused on how cruise food and beverage is evolving in real time, with a clear emphasis on experience, transparency and innovation. These themes were also reflected across The Marketplace, where suppliers showcased a growing range of plant-forward and alternative ingredients, alongside solutions designed to deliver convenience without sacrificing flavor.
Beverage programming emerged as one of the most dynamic areas of innovation. “Fifty percent of people want to see the non-alcoholic options next to the menu with the regular cocktail items. Who would have thought that three to four years ago?” asked Phillip Jarrell, Vice President Travel Retail, Cruise & Key Accounts at Southern Glazers Travel, pointing to the rapid rise of mindful drinking. Jarrell spoke on a panel looking at beverage trends on S&B@Sea’s popular Main Stage.
Panelists also noted that “drinking with purpose will continue to expand,” driven in particular by Generation Z and overall beverage consumption patterns.
Insights from the Seatrade Cruise F&B Trends Report 2026 underscored two major priorities shaping the sector: experiential dining and global flavor exploration. “They no longer just want a meal – it’s about an experience that immerses them into the culture,” noted Holly Payne, Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review & Deputy Editor, Seatrade Cruise News at Seatrade Cruise. “The cruise food and beverage industry is undergoing a remarkable transformation. The beverage sector is equally dynamic.”
Event highlights
F&B@Sea introduced new show floor concepts, including the Match-making Café, a café-style lounge designed for buyers and suppliers to connect, and the Lido Deck, a chic, beach club-inspired retreat reimagining last year’s Speakeasy.
The event stressed experiential learning opportunities through the updated Taste & Learn Lounge, featuring a curated program of live culinary master-classes and mixology showcases sponsored by Coca-Cola. Of note was a demonstration reimagining Caribbean food for cruise ships from Chef Norman Van Aken, James Beard Foundation “Who’s Who in American Food and Beverage” inductee.
The very popular The Bistro returned as F&B@Sea’s tasting destination, where 80+ vendor products were transformed into elevated menu items demonstrating real-world onboard applications.
The Bistro Showcase featured curated tasting moments and highlighted featured brands, ingredients, and beverage innovations across the program.
F&B@Sea will return to Mana Wynwood Convention Center, Miami in 2027 from April 7-8.
Spiribam, Drew Foulk & Emma Ciciriello of Holland America Lines.
