Cruising as a phenomenon is growing phenomenally all over the world, which has meant that this sunrise industry is offering hitherto unbelievable scope for new revolutionary concepts, particularly in the high-end super luxury cruise segment. And cometh the hour, cometh the Man – British billionaire and industry tycoon Sir Richard Branson, who as the owner of Virgin Group has launched his own cruise company – Virgin Voyages that promises unparalleled luxury on-board.
So it comes as no surprise that Sir Richard Branson has gone for an “Adult Only” cruiseliner. Virgin Voyages was launched back in 2014 with Bain Capital as partner and initially ordered three ships to Italian luxury cruise ship builder Fincantieri. A fourth ship was later added to the kitty of Virgin Voyages.
2020 was the inaugural season and Virgin Voyages’ first vessel Scarlet Lady should have begun operations by April 2020. But, due to the pandemic, Virgin Voyages has delayed its official debut. Scarlet Lady will be sailing out of Miami on Oct. 6.
Incidentally, the cruise world got an insider view of this new entrant for the first time in UK’s Dover in the last week of February, 2020 and industry insiders were swept off their feet by the sheer stunning design and onboard experiences.
The business-world knows it very well that Richard Branson has that uncanny knack of doing things in his own special way – sometimes even outlandish bordering on being termed eccentric. His latest mission of plunging into the fascinating world of cruise is best revealed in his own words – “When it comes to travel & hospitality – whether planes, trains or spaceships – Virgin has always done things a little differently. And now with Virgin Voyages, we’re marrying Virgin’s unmistakable RockStar Service and reputation for the unexpected with a yacht-like experience”.
Branson the nonconformist roped in award winning designer Tom Dixon and AD100 studio Roman and Williams to replicate the ambience of a typicall boutique hotel on sea. Virgin Voyages’ ships will will be based out of Miami and will undertake journeys to select few Caribbean destinations, inclusive of Virgin’s signature beach club located at the Bahamian island of Bimini. Plans for cruising along the Mediterranean Sea is also afoot and should begin cruising by the year 2021.
Right from the incubation period, Branson wanted his cruseline to be a bit different from the standardised luxury liners. His passion of owning a cruise ship goes back to his teenage days and no wonder that he has come up with a cruiseliner that truly redifines luxury on sea. Industry insiders feel that Virgin group’s diversified businesses and its five decades long existence in multiple industry domains should help Virgin Voyages to not just enter the competitive world of cruising but also to make a legacy out of cruising, particularly on the high-end luxury cruising segment.
Virgin Voyages by virtue of its vision of harmonising the finest elements of some of the world’s most iconic destinations and integrating those rare elements onboard, attempts to recreate a cruise experience that in every way will be outstanding.
In terms of size Scarlet Lady might be small but make no mistake, it does pack a punch once you are onboard – 17 decks, out of which 13 Decks starting with Deck 5 all the way to Deck 17 are exclusively meant for “Rockstar” accommodation and public spaces that are so good damn innovative that it leaves you stupefied to say the least!
The vessel is all of 278m long and possesses a gross tonnage of 108,192. Cabins that number 1,430 can easily accommodate upto 2,800 guests. Here again, Branson’s maverick mindset is on – He wants his discerning guests to be called as “Sailors” and not “Guests” or “Passengers” as is the norm in other cruiseliners. What is more, Scarlet Lady will have Captain Wendy Williams, the first Canadian women to ever command a cruiseship.
Apart from the Carribbean, Scarlet Lady will make its Mediterranean debut from its Barcelona hub and offer three distinctive seven-night cruises stopping at iconic destinations in spots in France, Italy and Spain.
The one-of-a-kind “RockStar Suites” designed by Dixon creates an ambience whereby the mysterious sealife is brought to life through a bewildering array of themes ranging from Vinyl Record Players to maritime shades that is evocative of the fascinating maritime world. In the two Massive RockStar Suites, Dixon’s imagination is superbly reflected courtesy the exclusive Guitars.
The ensuite lighting system is Hollywood-style while the well-stocked bar that comes with mixology equipment is everybit Rockstar-like. The king-sized bed, marbled Peek-a-Boo showers and a whole lot of premium facilities invites the Rockstar in you to indulge. Indulge the Richard Branson way! And the Champagne tables are never too far either!
Guests or as Sir Branson would love to hear – “Sailors” are conferred the Rockstar status a lot earlier than you would expect! In fact it all starts from that final transfer to the ship – keys being handed over for elitest celebrations, 24/7 contact with RockStar Agents and even that wine holder in the bathroom!
Be your ownself at Richard’s Rooftop – the Deck that offers intimate outdoor spaces (for member’s only) where you can indulge in your own private lounge sipping the choicest tipple to stargazing.
Sailor’s Wellness is high on priority list of Virgin Voyages and anything ranging from a relaxing Spa to that peaceful session of Yoga is on offer onboard. The jogging track outdoors and the cycling trail all adds up to the wide variety of fitness possibilities onboard.
When it comes to onboard dining, Virgin Voyages offers 20+ eating outlets and Sir Branson’s love for exotic food has meant that he has brought onboard some of the world’s most outstandingMichelin-starred Chefs – Brad Farmerie and Shui Kim to cater to the tastebuds of Virgin’s discerning “Sailors”;I am told,the later in particular was behind the roaring success of NYC based Insa and The Good Fork.
Being an Adults Only cruise line, you will find a bar in every eating joint onboard and the International Food Mart ensures that no world cuisine is out of your reach. There is the Floating Fresh Food Market onboard – The Galley, which is conspicuous by its dramatic design pattern.
Let this be known that at Virgin Voyages, Champange is the flagship drink and Sip, the specially designed Lounge is for all those Champagne lovers onboard. To ensure quality and free flow of high quality Champagne on all Virgin Voyage ships, the world renowned Champagne brand Moet & Chandon have been roped in as partners. Once onboard, everytime is Champagne time and no matter where you are onboard, rest assuerd of your bottle of Champagne on demand.
Branson’s concern for issues like Climate Change and Sustainability are well known and Virgin Voyages will adhere to the latest sustainability standards at sea. Each of its four vessels will implement the “Climeon Technology” that ensures electricity to be generated from the ship’s residual heat. Branson and his crew can then benifit from decreased need for fuel. Cruise afficianados might recall Richard Branson’s initiative of setting up the Carbon War Room and his consistent criticism of shipping/cruiselines’ impact on the marine world.
All said and done, how much does a voyage of this magnitude cost? Well, for a standard balcony room onboard the Scarlet Lady for May 2020 sailing will cost USD $3,650 per cabin for a five-night cruise.
As Captain Branson takes on the waves, an old sailors quote by Mark Twain comes to mind – “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
