Say hello to Virgin Voyages - launching in 2020

There are some awesome new cruise ships sailing now - or in the near future - but the one that I am most excited about is the brand new cruise line - Virgin Voyages.

If you know anything about Sir Richard Branson then you know he likes to do things differently. Very differently. And so it should come as no surprise that his new cruise company is not going to be your normal sailing experience. The lead designer has never cruised before and is thus approaching the design and concept as if it were a boutique hotel. So this, coupled with the usual Virgin ethos, combine to create a truly unique cruise experience. They like to call it “Rebellious Luxe” and I think that is a pretty accurate description.

Here are the things I’m most excited about:

There is no main dining room. No having to sit with strangers. And no buffets (too much food waste)! Instead there are 20 smaller eateries each with their own bar/lounge - each with their own theme (Mexican, Asian, etc). Late dining hours so you don’t have to rush back to the ship. And no specialty dining fees - all are included in your cruise cost.

Here’s a sneak-peek of a handful of their unique dining options:

The Test Kitchen - a one-of-a-kind restaurant where the menu is a shopping list of ingredients. The final dish is up to the chef so it is a surprise for the diners. During the day, the space will be used for cocktail, coffee and cooking classes.

Razzle Dazzle - a vegetarian-forward restaurant which will also cater to vegans and gluten-free eaters. Meat will be available for the carnivores (being a lifelong vegetarian, the thought of having an (almost) entirely vegetarian restaurant on a cruise ship is mind-blowing!)

Korean BBQ - diners will be encouraged by staff to play Korean drinking games during their dining experience. Not sure what that means exactly but sounds interesting!

The Galley - a “food truck” type experience (like a food court) including a 24-hour diner. This is in lieu of a traditional buffet but instead everything will be freshly made to order.

Say what?!

You can shake your phone (with their app open) and they will deliver champagne to wherever you are on the ship!!! Enjoying a sunset? Shake. Don’t want to leave your stateroom? Shake. Getting your hair done? Shake.

By the way, the ships are adults-only - 18+. No kids.

No formal wear required. Casual dress is welcome everywhere.
Gratuities included on everything. And they mean everything. Drinks. Housekeeping. Spa treatments. You don’t have to tip at the end like you do on the more traditional brands so you can budget accordingly before you set sail.

There’s a record store on board!

Why? Because the Rock Star Suites all have record players! If you stay in one of their top suites, they’ll even provide records for you to use based on your musical taste.

All stateroom balconies have hammocks.

Mega Rockstar Suites - they will live up to their name and make you feel like a mega rockstar. Hair, make-up, private transfers and more are all included! You even get guitars to play in your room.

**It’s not all about eating and drinking… There’s a focus on wellness, too**

There’s also a strong focus on wellness - group fitness classes will be included including yoga, spinning, cross-fit and more. There will be hourly classes from 7am-6pm. The yoga classes will be at the top of the ship with surrounding ocean views (sunrise and sunset classes, too!)

There’s no drink package.

This may be surprising to hear but instead, drinks have “street” pricing. What does that mean? Majority of the wines are $10 or less per glass. Beers will be $6. Cocktails will start at $9. So, no Manhattan drink prices! They don’t want it to become a “booze” cruise. Those that like to have some structure to their imbibing can n add “sailor loot” (increments of $250) to your onboard account which can then be used for drinks, shops, spa, etc. so this is their version of a drink package.

The Beach Club at Bimini

The exclusive beach club for Virgin Voyages sailors. Located on a small island in the Bahamas, the Beach Club will have a lagoon-style pool facing the ocean with live DJs (party like a rock star!) but it will also have more laid-back, quieter areas with hammocks and beach cabanas so you can choose to party or to relax - or hop from one experience to the other! My words don’t to this stunning club justice. Take a look at the video!

Celebrity DJs

Mark Ronson, the renowned DJ and music producer, is their entertainment and music curator. He will actually be performing exclusively for Virgin Voyages guests on 4 sailings. The first is on July 5th and he will do DJ sets at the Beach Club. Don’t recognize his name? Well, he has collaborated with artists such as Amy Winehouse, Lady Gaga, Adele, Miley Cyrus, Queens of the Stone Age, and Bruno Mars. So yeah. It’s a big deal. He will be handpicking other DJs to entertain the sailors - there will be 4 DJs per cruise!

What else?!

There’s also a tattoo parlor onboard. A huge spa (which turns into a mermaid grotto at night?!) And a two-story Art Deco-themed night club. And multiple pools. And beds that convert into couches to give you room to entertain in your stateroom. Two massive suites that I can’t even explain - they are just WOW.... yeah I could keep going.

Who and Where?

The first ship, Scarlet Lady, is setting sail officially in April and will be based in Miami. This beautiful ship will have a capacity of 2770 passengers and over 1100 crew. The key guest demographics are ages 30-60 years old so it isn’t a bunch of 20-year olds.

Itineraries will alternate but will include the Beach Club at Bimini on all the sailings (other ports of call might include Key West, Puerta Plata in the Dominican Republic and Costa Maya in Mexico). There are many 4- and 5-night sailings which start around $1200 per person (depending on availability).

They will be launching a brand new ship each year for the next four years. They recently announced the second ship (the Valiant Lady) will be based in the Mediterranean for its inaugural season including a stop at their private beach club in Ibiza. More details will be released soon but you know you can expect something amazing.

Want More Information?

Contact me today to book your voyage. I’m an official “First Mate” with Virgin and a member of their exclusive SeaCiety. I’d love to help you experience this ground-breaking new way to cruise - I know I’m excited!