Virgin’s Scarlet Lady impresses agents at UK debut
The much-anticipated arrival of Scarlet Lady, the first ship in Virgin Voyages’ fleet of three adult-only ships, took place on February 21 at the Port of Dover to much fanfare and a firework display. Over 1,000 travel agents were invited to come aboard.
First impressions of the steel grey mega ship, accessorised with a red funnel and red hammocks on its balconies, is that it’s reminiscent of a battleship. But, inside, the sleek spaces (by Tom Dixon and Roman and Williams) are anything but traditional.
Richard Branson welcomed UK travel agents, journalists and influencers, obviously proud of this product which is meant to be a game changer.
The vocabulary used reflects a young vibe - a sailing is a ‘voyage’, passengers are ‘sailors’; agents are ‘first mates’.
Music is a strong focus, with renowned DJ Mark Ronson curating the tunes for Scarlet
Lady, including its Manor nightclub.
Vinyl can be purchased at the Voyage Vinyl Record Store and other retail experiences include a tattoo and body piercing parlour.
Eating choices include the Razzle Dazzle Restaurant, which is vegetarian; a Korean barbeque eaterie named Gunbae; the Test Kitchen which serves experimental dishes; and Pink Agave, an upmarket, gourmet Mexican restaurant.
The 20-plus dining experiences are included in the base cruise fare, regardless of room category, as well as group workout classes, basic beverages (soft drinks, coffee, etc), gratuities and wifi.
Virgin’s ‘Vitamin Sea’ ideology incorporates wellbeing activated through a mix of high-energy moments and relaxation and rejuvenation and is centred in B-Complex (the ship’s gym) which has two zones - one for cardio workouts and one for for strength and yoga training.
Lower room grades have an interesting set up with an L-shaped sofa which is turned into a bed at night and then reverted to a seat in the morning.
The 110,000-tonne Scarlet Lady holds 2,770 passengers and 1,160 crew and has 1,408 cabins and suites across 13 decks.
The Scarlet Lady will be deployed from Miami for four- and five-night cruises around the Caribbean starting in April.
virginvoyages.com