VIRGIN CRUISES is now VIRGIN VOYAGES

Sir Richard Branson changed the new cruise brand to VIRGIN VOYAGES

by Earl of Cruise

A new logo and a new brand name: VIRGIN VOYAGES - courtesy VIRGIN VOYAGES

"We are on a mission to change crusing for good." it sounds from the off in the VIRGIN VOYAGES promotion video. And looking at VIRGIN ATLANTIC, that will come. It is better flying Eco or Business Class with VIRGIN than most of the airlines. And with their First Class they have set once a bench mark. And I do remember well the Bondesque VIRGIN advert.

A rendering of the VIRGIN VOYAGES new cruise ship(s), with the brand name on the bowsides - courtesy VIRGIN VOYAGES

Having this in mind, the new cruise brand of Sir Richard Branson´s VIRGIN Group, VIRGIN VOYAGES will rattle the cruise industry. And more so, if the ships will be like the renderings of the vessels show ...

Sir Richard Branson promises to change the face of the cruise industry with the line´s vessels which will "not be your average cruise ships." Although it may seem a life a millenium away. Construction will actually proceed from 2017. We soon will be able to see the cruise ships of the future. And by the way, FINCANTIERI confirmed the contracts.

VIRGIN VOYAGES promotion - courtesy VIRGIN VOYAGES

I am a lover of vintage artwork, and applaud VIRGIN for going for the ART DECO styled retro look.

VIRGIN VOYAGES announced three vessels for 2020 till 2022 to come of 110,000 GT for 2,700 passengers, which will be named ´sailors´ according to the promotions, served by 1,150 crew, which is not much crew. The three new vessels will be build at FINCANTIERI, Italy - officially signed.

Tom McAlpin, VIRGIN VOYAGES CEO and VIRGIN GROUP owner Sir Richard Branson courtesy VIRGIN VOYAGES/TWITTER

The same year will see the new P&O CRUISES 180,000 GT vessel with more than 8,000 people on board ...

Surprisingly the ship’s passengers capacity will not be one of the biggest, with just 2,700 onboard `sailors´.

Is the run for the bigger necessarily better?

Smaller cruise ships can be much more relaxed, with fewer passengers and shorter queues at the buffet, on decks and when embarkation takes palce!

Other lines in the mass market offer in the same space beds for more guests - the next MEIN SCHIFF 1, 111,500 GT, of TUI CRUISES, under construction at MEYER Turku, offers ~2,900 beds (double occupancy) with only 1,000 crew, "slightly larger" and for the luxury market CELEBRITY REFLECTION (SOLSTICE Class) with 126,000 GT with a basic capacity of 3,030 passengers in 1,515 cabins, the CELEBRITY EDGE Class with 117.000 GT for 2,900 passengers and KONINGSDAM at "smaller" 99,500 GT, as CELEBRITY and VIRGIN VOYAGES, for 2,650 passengers but for the luxury market. The amount of crew on board of the named vessels is similar and only slightly different to VIRGIN VOYAGES.

But in my opinion, anything above 500 guests is not luxury, but mass market. And those luxury ships should in minimum of the same amount of crew as paddengers.

VIRGIN VOYAGES cruise promotion - courtesy VIRGIN VOYAGES

"I'm often asked what it is that makes Virgin different. The simple answer is - our people"

Sir Richard Branson

Sir Richard Branson used in his presentation of VIRGIN VOYAGES never the words `cruise´, ´passenger´ or `guests´, instead `voyages´ and `sailors´, when he announced the vessel to be sailing out of Miami.

If the crew on board of VIRGIN VOYAGES cruise vessels will look only half this way ... they would sell only for the looks - courtesy VIRGIN VOYAGES

Sir Richard Branson behind the towels? Presentation of the new cruise brand VIRGIN VOYAGES - courtesy VIRGIN VOYAGES

"Thousands of future sailors and travel proffesionals shared their thoughts with us and tasked us with delivering the most irresistable vacation at sea and that our name alone should leave them dizzy with anticipation," Sir Richard Branson said. "I´m excited to reveal we are now VIRGIN VOYAGES, and while we have lots of work ahead to build out three ships, we can´t wait to welcome you onboard the ship of things to come."

Tom McAlpin, CEO, added: "Our world class partners like BAIN CAPITAL PRIVATE EQUITY, VIRGIN GROUP and FINCANTIERI as well as financial powerhouses, like CASSA DEPOSITI E PRESTITI, UNICREDIT, SACE and SIMSET, showcase VIRGIN VOYAGES´ strong backing and commitmentto developing an incredible product. This is anything but just another cruise or holiday, it will be a transformational experience delivering a very `VIRGIN STYLE´ of adventure."

VIRGIN VOYAGES is the first major cruise line to partner with Swedish CLIMEON, a world-renowned clean energy innovator. VIRGIN will install CLIMEON OCEAN as a first contractor for CLIMEON from the cruise industry.

The CLIMEON OCEAN is a system that will transfor low-grade energy into clean electricity on all three ships of VIRGIN VOYAGES.

The resulting impact will be an estimated 5,400 tons of carbon dioxide saving annually per ship - an amount that would take 180,000 trees 30 years to absorb.

TIER III is implemented 200 sm offshore the North American continent, the Baltic Sea, the North Sea and will come 2017 in the Mediterranean. And TIER IV is right in front of the doors to be implemented in the next years.

ECA map - Source: Wikipedia (original seize)

There is a move to really clean and fuel efficient engines and propulsion systems to be seen. TIER IV is knocking at the doors ... it could have been earlier.

"The CLIMEON heat power system is an enviromental breakthrough, and working with VIRGIN is of major importance to us," CLIMEON founder and CEO, Thomas Østrøm said. "We are excited that Sir Richard Branson and VIRGIN, with their focus on sustainability, have decided to become a pioneer of this technology. Transforming hot water to electricity will be a major source of energy production going forward."

Sometime outsiders of a business, which is brewing in it conservaty, and with love for what they do, can move things.

VIRGIN VOYAGES will change the cruise industry.

Our people are the heart and soul of our business. We are a passionate lot, united in our desire to create something really special for our sailors - Careers

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