TAKE IT ONBOARD
Inside Richard Branson’s first Virgin Voyages cruise ship – that is ONLY for the young at heart
The Scarlet Lady will feature an oversized gaming area, a nightclub with 'killer DJs' and sunrise yoga
Virgin's very first cruise ship has been revealed - and it's not for the old at heart (or kids for that matter).
Virgin Voyages, Sir Richard Branson's newest venture, unveiled the name of the first of its trio of very modern liners, coming to our oceans from 2020.
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The Scarlet Lady is capable of holding 2,700 passengers – or sailors as they're called on Virgin Voyages - and 1,150 crew members.
The aim of Virgin Voyages is to entice people onto the ships who would not normally think of cruising, and it isn't intended for the OAP market either.
Sir Richard said: “It's for the young at heart. If you're going on and don't want to have a good time don't come.”
First coming up with the idea of a cruise liner when he was 27, he had initially wanted it to be “a cruise ship for under 30.”
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There's no upper age limit, but the features speak to a younger crowd, with a state-of-the-art nightclub with "killer DJs", boxing ring, running track and an oversized gaming area with giant jenga and pool tables.
Not too young a crowd though, as none of those aboard will be over 18 because the cruise will operate a strict adults-only policy.
But that's not to say children won't be welcome at a later date, with Sir Richard saying: “In a few years we'll have a lot of fun designing the best kids' spaces.
“Virgin Kids will be born.”
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The liners will sail from Port Miami around the Caribbean, with the next two ships due to set sail in 2021 and 2022 respectively.
Currently being built at the Fincantieri dock in Genoa, the shipyard is due to make all three ships which could one day come home, with Richard not ruling out “the Med or the Balkans” as possible future destinations.
Those in the UK may even get a glimpse of one of the liners, with Richard indicating he would entertain “hopping up the Thames” to show off the boat, but admitted: “Most people in the UK would rather get out of the UK and go somewhere warm.”
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Possibly a struggle to navigate past Kent, the ship itself isn't designed like a regular cruise ship, with wellbeing at the forefront of the vision for Virgin Voyages, dubbed Vitamin Sea.
A Venice Beach-esque 'artistic adult playground' will feature a trendy Gym and Tonic Bar, cold-pressed juices and a wellbeing pool.
The B-Complex hosts 'Build, Burn, Bike and Balance rooms', and free exercise classes will be on offer, as well as sunrise and sunset yoga.
Meanwhile, a spa called Redemption, inspired by an underwater cave, with serve up massages, mud baths and a salt room.
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Self maintenance isn't just for the ladies these days either, for the modern man there be also male grooming packages offered at the Stubble & Groom barbership, as well as mani-pedis on offer at the Dry Dock salon.
Branson also has strong ideas about who'll be manning his ships, with plans to launch the 'Scarlet Squad' programme, aimed at getting more women into leadership roles in the field.
As Richard put it: “If there's a female captain and a male captain, we will take the female captain.”
Not just sailing under the Scarlet Lady name, a mermaid adorns the side of the ship – a throwback to the icons which adorned the mastheads of vessels - said to be the 'powerful spirit guide' for the new liner.
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Virgin Voyages is also making waves in another important area: the environment.
With the ethos of bringing 'an epic sea change for all', they're banning single-use plastics.
Plastic bottles, straws, food packaging, stirrers, coffee cups, condiment packets, shopping bags and beverage bottles have all been shunned in favour of green alternatives.
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And a host of clean initiatives will see waste water recycled and turned into energy where possible, with part of it going towards fuelling the ship.
Prices and cabins have yet to be revealed, but it's thought it will fall above budget, but below luxury.
As Richard put it: “Everything will be five star but fun, and not five star prices.”