VIRGIN Make Ship Happen

You have to agree Richard Branson has got balls!

From Virgin Records to Virgin Megastores  to Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Holidays and now  a huge leap into Cruise Ship design and the World of Cruising

News originally broke in 2014,  Virgin’s founder said the ambition of this initiative was “to see whether we can attract people like myself who’ve never been on a cruise ship  and provide “the most irresistible vacation at sea” and a “transformational experience”

in 2016 ‘Virgin Cruises’  announced more details of their upcoming cruise line and changed their name entirely to ‘Virgin Voyages’

Richard Branson led a press conference to explain his vision for his new line set to launch three ships between 2020 and 2022 and will be based in the US as North America has the biggest cruise market throughout the globe

In March the ceremonial steel-cutting for the much-anticipated first vessel in the Virgin Voyages fleet took place in Genoa – Sir Richard Branson himself led the countdown to “Make ship happen!”. A flash of fireworks and the churning of blades on steel signified the beginning of this long-awaited journey.

Explaining his vision for the brand he said: “The only reason we ever go into a new industry is if we feel it’s lacking in something and I think the cruise industry, there is a lot of people who just would never go on a cruise ship. We basically decided, ‘Let’s have a blank sheet of paper, let’s create the kind of voyage company that we would like to go on,’ and that’s what we’ve done.”

The CEO of Virgin Voyages Tom McAplin former president and chief executive of Disney Cruise Line also said that their cruises would be “a departure from the ordinary getaway.”

“Something better and different to what is being offered today”.

“Better and different”.

Promising a pared-down experience, an “escape from the chaos” previously attributed to the casinos and kid-filled creches of cruise experiences

With the statement – ”We’re on a mission to build a bold new cruise line just for you. One that makes sailing the ocean blue exhilarating. After all, that’s how travel should feel. It should be a departure from an ordinary getaway — audacious, romantic and always about you. It should never be just about getting from point A to point B. Virgin Voyages will be the place where irresistible style has finally found its sea legs.”

McAlpin continued: ‘The design collective includes some of the world’s most stylish firms who are creators of design trends, not followers. Together they are imagining a vessel unlike anything sailors have experienced before that will be a complete departure from the ordinary.

‘With this group, we have a depth in creativity that brings a different perspective to space design at sea that will change cruising for good’.

Virgin Voyages’ first ship will weigh in at 110,000 gross tons and will arrive at Port Miami in 2020. The ship will host more than 2,700 sailors and 1,150 spirited crew members. The first ship in the fleet will offer a range of Caribbean itineraries to ports that deliver Virgin styled and deeply social experience

Interior design details won’t be released until November but it is clear that Virgin Voyages intends to fly firmly in the face of cruise convention. Its “creative collective” includes New York design firm Roman and Williams – of Ace Hotel notoriety, and Design Research Studio, headed up by trailblazer in lighting and interior design, Tom Dixon.

Also on board are London-based Softroom – which previously redesigned the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at Heathrow, and Pearson Lloyd, the team behind the recently updated Lufthansa economy cabins.

Branson himself stated that the guests of Virgin Voyages will be known as ‘sailors’, rather than passengers and back at a press conference in 2016 he explained his vision for the brand: ‘The only reason we ever go into a new industry is if we feel it’s lacking in something and I think the cruise industry, there is a lot of people who just would never go on a cruise ship.

‘We basically decided, ‘Let’s have a blank sheet of paper, let’s create the kind of voyage company that we would like to go on,’ and that’s what we’ve done.’

I would love to know what you expect from the Mega brand that is Virgin !! Will You be a Virgin Cruiser?