Up With a Twist

The Logbook — Real Guest Soundings

Depth Sounding: This is a composite account from multiple guest experiences, edited to our venue standards for clarity. Individual sailings vary by ship, itinerary, and crew.

Up With a Twist Review: Immersive Dinner Theater With Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Flair

Introduction. Up With a Twist is a Supper Club Series experience by Kaleidoscope Immersive — set in Lady Valentina's Emporium of Excess, it blends immersive theater with cocktail service and choose-your-own-adventure elements. Guests are transported into a world of couture, cocktails, and reimagined hit songs, with the narrative branching based on audience choices. It is one of Virgin Voyages' more ambitious immersive concepts, combining dining-adjacent entertainment with genuine theatrical production. Available on select ships; included in the fare. Drinks are Bar Tab or per-drink.

Drinks & Service

Cocktails are served as part of the immersive experience — themed drinks are presented by characters in the narrative, which elevates the presentation above a standard bar pour. The "Valentina's Elixir" (a gin-based floral cocktail with edible flowers) is the signature and it is both visually striking and genuinely tasty. Champagne is poured with theatrical flair at key narrative moments. The bartenders are performers as much as mixologists. Where it falls short: the themed cocktails prioritize spectacle over consistency — some drinks are overly sweet or oddly flavored in service of the theme. If you want a straight whiskey or a simple gin and tonic, the immersive format makes it awkward to order off-script. The drink pacing is tied to the narrative, which means you may wait longer than you would like between rounds.

Service

The performers commit fully to the immersive world — characters circulate among guests, deliver dialogue, sing reimagined pop hits, and guide the choose-your-own-adventure narrative branches. The production design (costumes, props, set pieces) is elaborate and well-executed. The choose-your-own-adventure element is genuine — audience votes and choices affect which scenes play out, which gives the experience real replay value. The cast is talented and adaptable, adjusting to different audience energy levels.

Atmosphere

Lady Valentina's Emporium of Excess is a fully realized immersive environment — opulent decor, theatrical lighting, and a sense of being transported out of a cruise ship and into a different world. The design is maximalist and deliberately over-the-top, which suits the "excess" theme perfectly. The intimate capacity means every guest feels close to the action. Where it falls short: the concept can be confusing for guests who do not engage with immersive theater — some find the narrative hard to follow or feel unsure about their role. The experience is short (approximately 60 minutes) and the complexity of the choose-your-own-adventure format means no single viewing captures all the content. The production can feel self-indulgent at times, prioritizing aesthetic over emotional engagement.

Conclusion

Rating: 4.0/5. Up With a Twist is one of Virgin Voyages' most creative immersive experiences — ambitious, beautifully designed, and genuinely interactive with real narrative branching. The themed cocktails are a highlight, and the performers bring the world to life convincingly. It falls short on accessibility (confusing for immersive-theater newcomers), runtime, and drink quality when spectacle overrides substance. Tip: attend at least twice to experience different narrative branches — and engage fully with the performers and the story. The more you participate, the more rewarding the experience becomes.

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