Virgin Voyages chief hints at Med deployment

Virgin Voyages’ second ship, due for delivery in 2021, is likely to sail its inaugural season in the Mediterranean.

The start-up line’s first ship, Scarlet Lady, will homeport year-round in Miami when it enters service in 2020, offering Caribbean itineraries, including calls to Cuba.

Virgin Voyages has already revealed that the second vessel will also spend the winter in Miami, operating sailings to the Caribbean.

But while president and chief executive Tom McAlpin would neither confirm nor deny the summer Mediterranean deployment, he said: “Connect the dots. We are taking delivery of our second ‘Lady’ ship in May 2021 and it’s currently not due to be in Miami until November.”

McAlpin, meanwhile, confirmed Virgin would bring Scarlet Lady to the UK en route from the shipyard in Genoa to launch celebrations in New York.

“Before she comes to the States, we will bring her to the UK to showcase her to the trade,” he said. “We want to open her up to lots of agents. We are a British company at heart. Our roots are here. We have the highest awareness levels anywhere right here in the UK; we think the UK folks here love us and we love them.

“Besides, Richard [Branson] wants to showcase his new baby off to all his friends, so yes, we will come to the UK. How long and where we will go, though, I am not at liberty to say, but it will be substantial. I promise you it will be a really nice visit.”

McAlpin added that future ships would all include the word ‘Lady’ in their names, but would not be called Scarlet Lady 2, 3 and 4.

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