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Florida’s Virgin Voyages to debut Indian restaurant at sea
The restaurant, Ariya, is named after the cruise line's founder Richard Branson's Tamil-origin great-great-grandmother.
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Staff Reporter - Sat, 14, Mar 2026
- 01:52 EDT
- 11
Ariya Restaurant / Virgin Voyages
Florida-based cruise line Virgin Voyages will introduce a new Indian culinary destination, 'Ariya', aboard its 'Valiant Lady' cruise starting May 2026.
Developed in partnership with chef and cookbook author Maneet Chauhan, 'Ariya' was named after the cruise line's founder Richard Branson's great-great-grandmother, a traveler from the coastal town of Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu.
By day, Ariya serves as a popular breakfast and brunch spot; each evening, it transforms into a 220-seat dining sanctuary.
It added, “The interior draws inspiration from the intensity and rhythm of India’s spice markets, reflecting the richness of turmeric, cardamom and peppercorn. Layered wood tones and grasscloth wall coverings provide depth and texture, while hammered metal and woven cane accents add crafted detail.”
“Ariya is the next chapter in our food and beverage collection that we've been building with real intention since day one. Every restaurant we open is a statement about what we believe dining at sea can be, and Ariya says something we haven't said before,” said Nirmal Saverimuttu, CEO of Virgin Voyages.
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He continued, “Indian cuisine, done with this level of craft and this much heart, belongs on the 'Valiant Lady'. Sailors who've sailed with us before will understand immediately why this belongs here. For those who haven't, Ariya might be the reason they book.”
Chef Levi Mezick, senior director of culinary program development at Virgin Voyages, said, “Indian cuisine is finally getting the global recognition it has always deserved and our Sailors get to experience it at its best, with Chef Maneet. The spice combinations alone will surprise people. That's the goal: to make every Sailor at that table think, ‘I didn't know food could do that.’”
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