Virgin gets into cruise game with unique megaliner trips
A long time ago, I used to man the DVD counter in the basement of the downtown Vancouver Virgin Megastore. I remember it well: I received a whopping eight-cent raise shortly before Virgin founder Richard Branson drove an amphibious car across the English Channel. He set a Guinness World Record that day; I took my eight cents and decamped for a career in film and television.
Now, worlds collide again. I’m not fishing my old Virgin Megastore T-shirts out of storage just yet, but things are definitely coming full circle. Branson is getting into the cruise business with a new cruise line and a purpose-built megaliner set to debut in Miami in 2020.
Dubbed the Scarlet Lady, Virgin Voyages’ first ship will include gratuities in the cost of the cruise; come with most non-alcoholic drinks free of charge; and will be limited to adults over the age of 18. Families with kids need not apply.
Passengers — or sailors, as Virgin Voyages calls them — will be treated to unique amenities like an on-board tattoo parlour (the first at sea) and a unique choice of cabins that includes ones designed for solo travellers, adventurous accommodations that can sleep up to four in chalet-style bunks and rooms with “sea beds” — beds that convert into lounger-style seating during the day.
Rooms will also boast something else that’s truly unique: A collection of in-room vinyl records, a nod to Branson’s early days when he launched Virgin Records. Balconies — er, sea terraces — will even feature custom hammocks.
It’s cool, unique and different, and I am very excited to see the end result when Scarlet Lady hits the waves in 2020.
The ship’s inaugural itineraries also might surprise you. Instead of weeklong round-trips to the Caribbean, Scarlet Lady will sail four- and-five-night runs departing Miami at 7 p.m. They’ll typically feature one key port — like Havana, Cuba; Costa Maya, Mexico; or Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic.
Virgin says that all of its voyages will feature either an overnight stay in port or an extended evening call. It also states that all itineraries will include a second port of call, but Virgin hasn’t revealed the secondary ports for any itinerary yet.
Unconventional, sure. But give Virgin Voyages credit for developing a product unlike anything currently afloat. Most adults-only ships are smaller, luxury-based affairs — few lines actively cater to the 18-plus market on a big ship.
That Virgin is going after a younger demographic in a way that is interesting and not insulting is also commendable.
Details are still being teased in advance of Scarlet Lady’s debut next year, but its first itineraries go on sale on Valentine’s Day for those who are eager to hop on board as soon as possible. I know I’m excited. I may not know exactly what to make of it all, but I know this: This sailor is eager to see if Virgin Voyages really can deliver on its promise to change the face of cruising as we know it. And I just might wear that old Virgin Megastore shirt — if it fits.
Happy cruising.
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