Virgin Voyages' First Ship Will Feature the Sea's Swankiest Suites
Ahoy, matey! Richard Branson's iconic Virgin brand is taking to the high seas.
Virgin Voyages is wrapping up the final touches on its first cruise ship, the Scarlet Lady, scheduled to set sail sometime in Q1 2020. As you might imagine from Virgin's previous endeavors, this won't be your average cruise ship. The Scarlet Lady's design theme is "Rebellious Luxe," designed by acclaimed interior designer Tom Dixon for cruisegoers 18 years of age or older. The common areas of the ship bear a "retro-futurism" theme, according to the Virgin Voyages website, and will include a variety of dining and beverage options from cuisines around the world.
In order to create a more intimate cruise experience, the Scarlet Lady features just 78 "RockStar Suites" in eight different design variations, with fun names such as the self-explanatory Massive Suite, as well as the Fab, Posh, Gorgeous, Brilliant, Cheeky, Sweet Aft and Seriously Suites. Some have hammocks, others have living rooms and a catamaran net for stargazing, while others yet have outdoor Jacuzzis. Regardless of details, each suite comes replete with a sea terrace. And in keeping with the "rockstar" theme, each suite also boasts a gold-plated vinyl record player and a number of classic records.
All suite occupants will also have access to a variety of VIP services, which include access to a personal assistant, private transportation to and from the cruise ship, a personal wardrobe team to help guests pack and unpack, complimentary pressing service, nightly express swimsuit drying service and exclusive early access to on board entertainment and restaurants.
Virgin's attention to detail carries over on land as well. Virgin Voyages is also building a brand new cruise terminal to house the Scarlet Lady, which will be completed sometime in late 2019. The brand hired the same design firm that brought to life the American Airlines center in Downtown Dallas as well as the Miami City Ballet in South Beach.
As of now, Virgin Voyages has released very little additional information regarding future Scarlet Lady cruises, including costs and exact launch date. However, the brand website features a cheeky FAQ as well as a small pop-up banner encouraging interested travelers to submit their email addresses for details as soon as they're revealed — as well as the chance to win a cruise for two.
All photos courtesy of Virgin Voyages.
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