#epic sea change – Cruise Ship Profiles

Ship is happening – Virgin Voyages takes delivery of Scarlet Lady

VIRGIN VOYAGES CELEBRATES DELIVERY OF SCARLET LADY, WITH LOVE

Virgin Voyages Welcomes Scarlet Lady, the Inaugural Ship in Her Fleet as Carbon-Neutral from the First Day of Commercial Operation

IMG-SHIP-Scarlet-Lady-Front-Left-Side-Wave-1600x700 — Scarlet Lady at Sea Image: Virgin Voyages

Virgin Voyages, the new lifestyle and travel brand delivering irresistible vacations in cruising, announced today that the Scarlet Lady has officially reached completion. Nearly three years in the making, Virgin Voyages formally welcomes its first ‘Lady Ship,’ Scarlet Lady, in its fleet of four to the open waters, departing the shipyard in Genoa, Italy. In just 46 days, Sailors will embark on the Maiden Voyage, departing from her home port in Miami.

On the heels of this celebratory occasion, Virgin Voyages welcomes Scarlet Lady with an industry-leading approach that takes immediate action to address climate change. Not only has the brand designed its fleet of ships to the latest energy-efficiency standards with state-of-the art equipment, Virgin Voyages is offsetting its direct climate change emissions through the purchase of carbon offsets. This commitment makes the brand the first cruise line to become carbon-neutral for its direct emissions footprint from its first day of commercial operation. The projects that will be supported by Scarlet Lady will meet high-quality, internationally-recognized verification standards, including The Gold Standard and the Verified Carbon Standard.

“It’s wonderful to welcome Scarlet Lady today,” says Virgin Group Founder Sir Richard Branson. “I’m so proud that as we start this exciting journey, we also bring to life Virgin Voyages’ commitment to preserving the ocean and the first of many steps towards a net zero carbon future.”

The brand has recognized that climate change is an urgent, global issue for every industry and business. Like others, Virgin Voyages’ long-term ambition is a net-zero carbon future. This will require significant advancements in technology and infrastructure, and access to solutions that remain in development. And, Virgin Voyages is committed to working with the industry to support the necessary research and development to advance carbon-free fuels and to scale commercially viable solutions.

“The ocean is our home, and we are on a mission to protect it. The single-biggest threat facing our ocean is climate change, and we want to be part of the solution,” said Tom McAlpin, CEO and President of Virgin Voyages. “We are committed to pioneering new technologies onboard and working with our industry peers to advance research and development for zero-carbon fuels.”

Virgin Voyages is one of first cruise lines to use Climeon, a technology that utilizes heat generated from the ship’s engines to generate electricity, thereby decreasing the demand for fuel. While the industry continues to improve on the journey for readily available and commercially viable solutions, purchasing high-quality carbon offsets allows us to take immediate action, while also supporting a long-term strategy that secures a net-zero future for the cruise industry.

Scarlet Lady Bow — Image: Virgin Voyages

Her ladyship sailed from the Fincantieri shipyard in Genoa late in the afternoon today and is now enroute to Dover where she is due to arrive next Friday. She will spend 3 days in Dover, before heading to Liverpool for the final part of her UK showcase. During the events Virgin Voyages aims to showcase whats onboard their first ship to over 1000 agents or first mates! According to Shane Riley, Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson could make an appearance at the pre-inaugural events.

Virgin Voyages have invited me to visit her ladyship in Dover next weekend, I cant wait to step onboard and get a dose of vitamin sea and find out just what the epic sea change is all about. I intend to share everything on my social media channels during the visit so be sure to follow me on twitter and instagram.

ABOUT VIRGIN VOYAGES
Virgin Voyages is a global lifestyle brand committed to creating the world’s most irresistible holiday. With operations in the US, UK, and Europe, Virgin Voyages currently has four ships on order with master shipbuilder Fincantieri.

With its inaugural season scheduled for 2020, Virgin Voyages’ first ship the Scarlet Lady was designed to reflect a yacht’s sleek luxury. Featuring spaces designed by some of the top names in contemporary design, the Scarlet Lady will be Adult-by-Design, a sanctuary at sea for the 18+ traveller.

A dose of ‘Vitamin Sea’ will be naturally intertwined across the entire ship, with well-being activated through a mix of high-energy moments coupled with relaxation and rejuvenation. The Scarlet Lady will also feature alluring entertainment and 20+ world-class intimate eateries on board. Putting a twist on luxury, which the company refers to as Rebellious Luxe, Virgin Voyages will offer incredible value for its Sailors with all restaurants, group fitness classes, soft drinks, and many more Virgin surprises included within the voyage fare.

Thank you for reading my latest blog post

Virgin Voyages announces two sneak-a-peek sailings as Scarlet Lady heads out for sea trials

Celebrity-packed maiden voyage

Virgin Voyages have announced exciting additions to the Scarlet Lady’s Maiden Voyage on April 1, 2020. To mark the celebration in a very Virgin way, this first celebratory sailing will be packed full of currently unnamed celebrity-guest appearances, special events, exclusive surprises and an overall enhanced Virgin Voyages experience for sailors to revel in, but as yet specific details have not been released.

Sneak-a-Peek sailings

Accompanying the announcement of the extra experiences for the Maiden Voyage, Virgin Voyages also announced that will open bookings for two Sneak-a-Peek sailings ahead of the April 1, 2020 sailing. Both sailings are a unique opportunity to experience a taste of Virgin Voyages before the inaugural season begins.

People who book the Sneak-a-Peek sailings beginning March 26, 2020 will get a selected highlights version of the full Virgin Voyages experience before Scarlet Lady officially sets sail on its Maiden Voyage April 1st. The three night Sneak-a-Peek Scarlet Lady sailings will feature the ship’s marquee experiences including a stunning day at the Beach Club at Bimini, a Scarlet Night Party, access to all restaurants and complete versions of entertainment offered on board. Short preview cruises like these are open to only media and selected travel partners. Virgin’s decision to make these pre-inaugural sailings open to the general public is a relatively new concept.

The announcements come on the same day Scarlet Lady left the Fincantieri shipyard in Genoa to set sail for her first series of sea trials which are due to last for three days.

Bookings for Sneak-a-Peak sailings open on VirginVoyages.com Friday, November 15^th. The first sailing will run from Thursday, March 26 – Sunday, March 29. The second sailing will run Sunday, March 29 – Wednesday, April 1.

Scarlet Lady is now in Marseille as fitting out work continues.

Take a look at this great video of Scarlet lady setting off on her sea trials shared with the kind permission of Claire Aitken 3rd officer on board.

Be sure to take a look at the first of my “stray the course” series looking at what we know and Scarlet Lady so far:

http://www.cruiseshipprofiles.com/2019/05/21/stray-the-course-with-virgin-voyages-part-1/

As always thank you for taking the time to read my latest post

Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady to feature “Shake for champagne” an on- demand champagne delivery service

Scarlet Lady also unveils Sip, A Luxuriously Effervescent Champagne Lounge

and Caviar Bar

7AM EST- MIAMI, Fla. October 9, 2019 – Virgin Voyages, the new lifestyle brand set to disrupt the travel industry, today announced its exclusive on-demand champagne delivery service, Shake for Champagne. Continuing to create the most irresistible experiences at sea, Virgin Voyages is enabling Sailors to request champagne, anywhere on board Scarlet Lady, with a simple shake of their phone.

VV_Shake For Champagne-App Screen(1) — Virgin Voyages App soon to be on your mobile

Those looking to take indulgence to the next level, can also treat themselves in the newly revealed luxurious champagne lounge and caviar bar, Sip.

“It is never too early for champagne and there is always something to toast to while aboard Scarlet Lady. We want our Sailors to enjoy a glamorous holiday and what better way to feel like a RockStar than a sip of bubbly whenever and wherever you want it,” said Tom Mcalpin, president and CEO of Virgin Voyages.

SHAKE FOR CHAMPAGNE

Virgin Voyages is giving its Sailors one more reason to celebrate all of life’s moments with its on-demand delivery service, Shake for Champagne. When the Virgin Voyages Sailor App is shaken, a secret Virgin Voyages Champagne button is revealed and, with just one press, a bottle of Möet Chandon Impérial will be delivered to the Sailor.

“There’s nothing more luxurious than having champagne at your beck and call or even a shake. We are committed to creating the world’s most irresistible travel brand, so we thought long and hard about how to help our Sailors effortlessly get a sip of bubbly during their voyage, and presto Shake for Champagne was conjured up!” said Nathan Rosenberg, CMO for Virgin Voyages.

Delivered in an eye-catching, gleaming Virgin red champagne bucket, which is sure to make everyone around envious, the service includes a 750ml bottle of Möet Chandon Imperial with two glasses. Möet Chandon Imperial is a blend of over 200 crus, mingling the full body of pinot noir with the suppleness of Meunier and the finesse of chardonnay – the perfect pairing for a day or evening sailing in the warm Caribbean sea.

SIP

Sip is a decadent lounge designed to be enjoyed with a chilled glass of bubbles. Featuring a diverse curation of champagne labels, including Moët Chandon – Virgin Voyages’ featured champagne house. Sailors can opt for a glass of bubbles priced from $9 or splash out on a $1,000 vintage bottle. In a nod to Virgin’s quintessential British heritage and eccentricity, Sip will offer a signature afternoon high tea, which will delight the eyes as well as the taste buds, while celebrating oceanic elements.

Designed by the Virgin Voyages design team, with spatial design by HKS Hospitality Interiors, the lounge was inspired by the glamour and effervescence of champagne. Featuring a long marble bar with rose-gold inlay, Sip encourages Sailors to indulge in one of the most luxurious pairings of them all, champagne and caviar. Gold and rose-pink hues echo the color of the champagnes that will be served, and are beautifully offset by deep watery blues and carrara white marble bars and tables. The deep ocean blue banquette wall and carpet that wraps through the space, will create a chance to revel or relax at all times of day as the ship sails through the ocean’s blue waves.

be sure to check out this great video….. Shake for champagne ……….

LIMITED-TIME BOOKING OFFER

Sailors can toast to Virgin Voyages’ inaugural season now through November 30, as those who book April or May sailings will receive a complimentary special Virgin Voyages limited-edition bottle of Möet Chandon Imperial in their cabin upon their arrival. In addition, Sailors who book now can snag their voyage with half off their deposit. Future Sailors and First Mates are invited to check out Virgin Voyages by visiting www.virginvoyages.com.

Are you booked on Scarlet Lady next year? I am loving the look of the interior spaces and SIP champagne bar looks stunning.

As always thank you for taking the time to read my blog.