Cruise lines represent an exciting but often misunderstood route to market for wineries and spirits brands. They can offer significant volume, international exposure and the opportunity to introduce products to consumers while they are relaxed, travelling and actively exploring new experiences.

However, selling to a cruise line is very different from selling to a restaurant, hotel, retailer or airline. Products must not only taste good and fit the guest profile; they must also meet demanding requirements around pricing, packaging, storage, logistics, availability and onboard execution.

Sid Patel spoke with Charles Steadman, Director of Food & Beverage Experience and Strategic Partnerships at Virgin Voyages, to understand how cruise-line beverage buyers evaluate products and what brands must do to build successful, long-term partnerships at sea.

Steadman’s message to suppliers is straightforward: getting listed is only the beginning. The real opportunity is building something sustainable, reliable and scalable.

About The Buyer

Charles Steadman is Director of Food & Beverage Experience and Strategic Partnerships at Virgin Voyages. His role brings together beverage strategy, guest experience, commercial performance and brand partnerships across the Virgin Voyages fleet.

Image: Charles Steadman.

A hospitality professional with more than 20 years of experience, Steadman joined Virgin Voyages during the early development of the brand and has helped shape its approach to dining, wine, cocktails and onboard beverage experiences.

Before joining Virgin Voyages, he served as Beverage Director at 1 Hotels, where he developed wine and cocktail programs across restaurants, bars, pool and beach operations and in-room dining. Earlier in his career, he spent more than a decade at The Breakers Palm Beach and also operated his own restaurant.

This combination of operational, creative and commercial experience influences how Steadman evaluates potential suppliers. A wine or spirit must deliver quality, but it must also work onboard, connect with Virgin Voyages’ Sailors and contribute meaningfully to the overall experience.

Q&A With Charles Steadman

Sid Patel: Can you begin by explaining your role at Virgin Voyages?

Charles Steadman: My role sits at the intersection of food and beverage, brand experience and strategic partnerships. We are looking at how we can create moments that have cultural relevance, a social aspect and something memorable that our Sailors can take home with them.

It is not simply about selecting beverages. It is about understanding how a product, brand or partnership contributes to the overall Virgin Voyages experience.

Sid Patel: How does procurement work inside a cruise line?

Charles Steadman: There are several different considerations and stakeholders involved. We look at product quality, commercial viability, guest relevance and whether the product can work within our operation.

A product can be exciting, but we still need to understand whether it can be supplied consistently, stored correctly and executed properly by our onboard teams. The liquid is important, but everything surrounding that liquid also needs to work.

Sid Patel: What is the most common mistake beverage brands make when approaching cruise lines?

Charles Steadman: One of the biggest mistakes is coming in with a generic presentation. Sometimes we see an airline deck that has effectively been reskinned and presented to a cruise line.

Cruise is not simply another travel channel. It has a completely different guest journey, operating model and experience environment.

Suppliers need to demonstrate that they understand the cruise company they are approaching. They should be able to explain why their product is relevant to that particular brand, its guests and its onboard experience.

Sid Patel: What should a supplier research before presenting its portfolio?

Charles Steadman: Suppliers should understand the cruise brand, its guests and the experience it is trying to deliver.

Virgin Voyages has a very distinct identity. A successful pitch should explain how the product aligns with that identity and how it can create something meaningful for our Sailors.

The strongest suppliers do not simply tell us what their product is. They explain why it belongs in our program and what it can contribute to the experience.

Sid Patel: What immediately gives a new brand credibility?

Charles Steadman: Preparation is important. The supplier should understand its production capacity, pricing, distribution, and logistics. It should also be able to explain clearly where the product fits within the program.

The liquid has to be great, the packaging has to be compelling, and the brand story needs to resonate. However, those elements are only the starting point.

We also need confidence that the supplier understands the operational side of the opportunity and can realistically deliver what it is promising.

Sid Patel: Is an exceptional product enough to secure a listing?

Charles Steadman: The product is obviously important. The liquid has to be strong, the packaging should be compelling, and the story needs to connect with the audience.

However, I am also thinking about whether that product can work onboard. Can it be supplied consistently? Is the format appropriate? Does it store well? Is it easy for our teams to execute? Does it enhance the Sailor experience in a meaningful way?

A great product without the operational capability behind it may not be the right product for the program.

Sid Patel: How do you balance quality, storytelling and commercial performance?

Charles Steadman: They all have to work together. A strong story can create an emotional connection, but the product still has to deliver. It also has to make operational and commercial sense.

We consider the complete proposition. Does the product taste good? Is its story authentic? Will our Sailors connect with it? Can our Crew understand and recommend it? Can the supplier support it consistently?

The strongest propositions are those in which all these elements reinforce one another.

Sid Patel: How important are operational factors compared with the product itself?

Charles Steadman: Operational factors are just as important as the product, and sometimes they determine whether a brand can move forward in the program.

A cruise ship is not a traditional restaurant or retail location. It operates with defined delivery schedules, restricted storage, and constantly changing destinations. Once a ship leaves port, it may not be possible to solve a supply problem quickly.

We need confidence that the product will be available when required and that the supplier can consistently support the agreed program.

Sid Patel: What should smaller wineries say about their production capacity?

Charles Steadman: They should be honest and realistic. Not every opportunity needs to begin across the entire fleet.

If a winery has limited production, there may be an opportunity to start within a particular venue, itinerary, activation, or part of the program. The important thing is to be transparent about what can be delivered and then deliver it consistently.

It is better to begin at an achievable level and grow successfully than to promise a volume the business cannot support.

Sid Patel: Where do suppliers commonly get their pricing wrong?

Charles Steadman: Suppliers need to recognise that cruise is a commercially demanding channel. The price has to work within the complete beverage program, not simply against the winery’s regular wholesale price.

We must consider the total cost of bringing the product onboard, its intended selling price, the role it will play in the program and the margin required to make the placement sustainable.

Brands should understand their costs and enter the conversation with a realistic view of the channel. If the pricing does not work at the beginning, it becomes difficult to build a long-term program.

Sid Patel: How important is packaging when you assess a product?

Charles Steadman: Packaging serves both an experiential and an operational purpose. It should look compelling and communicate the brand effectively, but it also needs to be practical.

We consider whether the format stores efficiently, whether it can be handled and served easily and whether it is appropriate for the venue or experience in which it will appear.

A beautiful package may attract attention, but it can still become a problem if it creates unnecessary operational difficulties onboard.

Sid Patel: Are cruise lines mainly interested in working with large, established suppliers?

Charles Steadman: Not necessarily. Emerging brands can offer innovation, authenticity and stories that guests find exciting. The key question is whether the company is ready to support the opportunity.

A smaller producer still needs to understand pricing, logistics, availability and distribution. It should also have a clear plan for how it will support the product once it comes onboard.

The size of the company is not the only consideration. Its readiness, flexibility and ability to execute are equally important.

Sid Patel: How can a brand bring its story to life onboard?

Charles Steadman: The story needs to be authentic, relevant and easy to communicate. Our Crew should be able to understand it and share it naturally with our Sailors.

There may also be opportunities to bring the story to life through tastings, dinners, cocktails, events or other activations. These moments can create a much deeper connection than simply placing a bottle on a wine list or behind a bar.

The strongest partnerships find ways to make the brand part of the overall experience.

Sid Patel: How important is supplier-led training?

Charles Steadman: Training is very important because securing the listing does not automatically mean the product will be successful.

Our Crew needs to understand what the product is, why it was selected, and how it should be presented. When team members are confident about a product and understand its story, they are better positioned to recommend it.

Suppliers should think beyond the first order and consider how they can help educate, activate, and support the onboard team.

Sid Patel: What can cause a brand to lose its listing?

Charles Steadman: There can be several reasons. The product may not perform commercially, availability may become inconsistent, the supplier may not provide enough support, or the product may no longer fit the direction of the program.

Some brands work extremely hard to secure a listing and then reduce their involvement after the initial order. That is a mistake. A listing needs to be supported and developed.

We continue to evaluate how products perform and whether they are still contributing to the guest experience and the business.

Sid Patel: How should wine brands view cruise lines as a sales channel?

Charles Steadman: Cruise should be treated as its own environment. A Sailor is onboard for an extended period and may encounter the same brand several times across different venues and experiences.

That creates opportunities for discovery and deeper engagement, but it also makes consistency especially important. The product, service, and story all need to work throughout the journey.

Suppliers should not approach cruise simply as another place to sell bottles. They should consider how their brand can become part of the guest’s overall vacation experience.

Sid Patel: What makes you want to continue a conversation with a supplier?

Charles Steadman: A supplier earns a second conversation when it has done its research, understands our brand and presents an idea that is genuinely relevant to our Sailors.

I also want to see that the company understands the operational requirements and is prepared to work collaboratively. The most interesting proposals combine a good product with a credible plan for execution, activation and long-term growth.

Sid Patel: What type of supplier relationship do you value most?

Charles Steadman: The partners we value most understand that getting listed is only the beginning. The real opportunity is building something sustainable, reliable and scalable over time.

We want partners who remain engaged, help us create meaningful experiences and can grow with the program. The relationship should work for the supplier, for Virgin Voyages and, most importantly, for our Sailors.

Getting Listed Is Only The First Step

For wineries and spirits brands, the cruise channel offers far more than volume. It provides an opportunity to introduce products to an international audience within an environment built around hospitality, discovery and memorable experiences.

However, the brands that succeed will be those that understand the complete requirements of the channel. They must bring together quality, value, storytelling, supply consistency, operational suitability and ongoing support.

As Steadman explains, the goal should not simply be to win a place on the wine list. It should be to build a partnership that continues delivering value to the cruise line, its onboard team and its guests long after the first order is placed.

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