Outside the box thinking when designing its ships, targeting a younger clientele who have never cruised before and adding so many facilities onboard new to the cruise industry. For sure, this refreshing approach of Sir Richard Branson’s newest venture, Virgin Cruises wil shake up today’s cruise world which is Virgin’s goal exactly. Four ships have been ordered from Fincantieri, the first vessel Scarlet Lady’s inaugural voyage has been planned April 2020. Virgin is set to expand operations aboard its ships rapidly and to accomplish this the line is co-funded with a significant investment from Bain Capital.
Branson started in the music business with well-known Virgin Records and diversified into travel, aviation, the financial sector, telecom etc. , today his businesses comprise over 60 companies. Starting a cruise line has long been on Branson’s wish list and after a long time of planning, in 2014 Virgin Cruises was founded and construction of the first ship, Scarlet Lady started 2017, while bookings opened autumn 2019. Virgin has another three ships on order from Fincantieri, Italy. Of course, the line aims at being environmentally friendly, using modern techniques onboard its ships to ensure minimal fuel consumption, low CO2-emissions and has -like more and more cruise lines these days- banned single-use plastics like cups, straws etc. from its ships. Virgin is aiming at the millennials but also the older “rock and roll”generation, and Tom Mc Alpin, CEO of Virgin Cruises has described its style as “rebellious luxe” meaning that, departing from the concept of cruising as we know it today, passengers will experience an “urban vibe” on its ships.
Different from existing ships in the trade for example, is that Scarlet Lady will have no main dining room, as dining venues are scattered all over the vessel, so assigned tables or fixed time seatings are eliminated also. No formal nights or dress codes either on Scarlet Lady. Normally, cruise ships have main dining rooms which are complimentary and specialty restaurants which come at a surcharge, here all restaurants are complimentary. Also included in the cruise fare are WIFI, gratuities and non alcoholic beverages (water, coffee, soda). When having a closer look at Scarlet Lady’s deck plan, it becomes clear that public spaces and stateroom categories have been given hip, urban style names like Redemption (spa), The Round-about (atrium) and Gorgeous, Brilliant, Fab, Posh etc. for suite categories. So the line, to create the desired “Virgin-style”onboard its ships, needed a “Creative Collective” as it is called of interior designers who had never worked on cruise ship interiors before, but with an impressive portfolio when it comes to land-based restaurants and hotels. Teams from five companies were contracted for the job: Roman and Williams (New York), Concrete (Amsterdam), Softroom (London), Tom Dixon’s Research Design Studio (London) and Work AC (New York).
Virgin is the first cruise line that allows crew to have a visible tattoo. Onboard, a tottoo studio called Squid Ink and two full-time tattoo-artists will make it possible for passengers -or sailors as Virgin calls them- to get their own tattoo(s). However, demand for this has probably been low as Virgin has downsized the tattoo studio’s considerably lately.
Virgin’s ships will be mid-sized with a straight bow line (as is seen on more ships nowadays like Celebrity Edge, Aida Prima etc.), measure 110,000 GRT, have a length of 277 metres and 1160 crew will take care of 2770 passengers. Its hull and funnel will be red, both with the Virgin logo on it and the superstructure grey. Future passengers can choose from 1330 stateroms and 78 RockStar suites. 86 percent of the staterooms have a balcony or “Sea Terrace” as Virgin calls it with hammocks for ultimate relaxation, and 93 percent are outside staterooms. For single occupancy Sea View cabins and Solo Insiders are available, while for families or groups the Social Insiders-category with four bunk-beds can be booked.
Some cabin categories have beds that can be transformed to a lounger, encouraging passengers to socialize with fellow passengers in their cabin. Also, mood lighting which changes throughout the day has been installed. Virgin’s musical roots become obvious in the Rock Star Suites, as larger suites have an old fashioned vinyl record player. The largest suites, the Massive and Gorgeous suites, measure 2,147 sq ft, have guitars hanging on the walls and an outdoor hot tub, shower and dining table. Speaking of tables, some of these have steps, so guests can easily clamber on them to dance on the table, according to Virgin.
The Massive and Gorgeous suites, Scarlet Lady’s most impressive suites
Virgin has decided to organize entertainment onboard in a completely different way by replacing the cruise director by a group of entertainers dedicated to activities organized around the ship. Passengers can stay in the same venue, as the entertainers rotate. The Red Room, the ships main theatre will host different functions, it will transform from a traditional stage to dance floor or fashion catwalk. Other entertainment venues are The Scene near the pool area, The Den, a flexible space, The Groupie for karaoke, watching movies or gaming and Voyage Vinyl relating again to Virgins roots in (rock) music. It features live DJ’s, individual listening stations and passengers can actually buy rcords, music magazines and even equipment. Decorated in an emerald and aubergine colour scheme, The Manor is set to become ”the most celebrated night club on the seven seas”. It will span two decks, the ship’s DJ’s will perform here and (local) guest artists will do so whilst the ship is in port.
Dining on the Scarlet Lady is possible in over 20 venues and a la carte as well as casual fare are available. With no fixed seatings it will be possible to dine until late, an American style diner will be open 24 hrs. Restaurants resemble bars with minimal “old fashioned seating arrangements” for a more upbeat informal atmosphere and passengers can even have their meal at the bar. The Pizza Place, the Dock beach club (Mediterranean food here), the outdoor Sun Club Café and The Gallery for casual meals give passengers the opportunity to have a completely different eating/ dining experience each day. Razzle Dazzle offers vegetarian food and a juice bar, but an old fashioned slice of meat and an alcoholic beverage will be no problem here either. Restaurant The Wake at Deck 6 overlooking the stern and having an impressive stairway entrance is the ship’s most elegant, stylish dining option, serving seafood and stakes. The Test Kitchen finally will be part cooking school hosting cooking classes and teaching passengers how to make specialty coffees, and part restaurant. Specialty restaurants for Italian (Extra Virgin trattoria), Korean BBQ (DJ Gunbae) or Mexican (Pink Agave) food complete the endless array of eateries. Using the app, guests can even have their meal delivered outside on the open decks.
Scarlet Lady will start sailing from Miami beginning of April 2020 on 4 and 5 days cruises. Before its first cruise, which is expected to have quite a few celebrities on board, Virgin has squeezed in two 3-day preview cruises on March 26th and 29th. All cruises will call at Virgins private port and resort Bimini on the Bahama’s. You can even join Richard Branson’s birthday party which will be held onboard Scarlet Lady and be among his celebrity friends and fellow Sailors aboard a four-night Havana After Dark voyage departing July 15, 2020.
As said, Virgin has ordered four ships from Fincantieri, the so-called Lady-class ships ( with a nod to “my ladyship”) and the next ship to follow in 2021 will be the Valiant Lady, and she will be stationed in the Mediterranean and being homeported in Barcelona. Party hub on these cruises will be the Balearic party island of Ibiza.
After Scarlet Lady ended her trial runs out of Genoa in December 2019, Richard Branson toured the ship and afterwards in an interview told the press that on todays crusie ships, he was not likely to have embarked. But if cruising could be changed in a way that he and his friends would like it, a bit more vibrant, then it would be another story. He expects this approach, the Virgin approach will be embraced by all those who like what Virgin has done in the past with their existing brands, which is shaking up the existing scene.
