Virgin Voyages clarifies marketing approach and reaffirms trade support

Virgin Voyages has defended its dedication to agents after some partners expressed concerns about the line’s direct marketing practices.

A spokesperson for the adult-only cruise line insisted it “remains fully committed to the trade” and “will never undercut agent partners”.

The move comes a week after Silversea defended its own trade strategy following similar complaints.

Agents spoke to Travel Weekly anonymously, with one partner pointing out that links designed for third-party sellers display a banner at the end of the sales process giving clients an option to “opt out” of the booking being linked to their agent.

This could mean “all the hard work with the client is lost”, they said, as customers might falsely believe there are “better deals booking direct”. 

A Virgin Voyages spokesperson said the banner was “purely an informational safeguard”, adding: “The pop-up referenced is not designed to encourage Sailors [guests] to book direct, nor is there any incentive or commercial benefit offered to Sailors for opting out.”

The spokesperson said the pop-up was introduced because there were “occasions” when affiliate links were shared outside of the trade, which “caused confusion”.

They added: “We will take it on board as we review how the message is presented, so it reflects the value of booking with a First Mate [agent].”

Another agent highlighted issues regarding direct marketing with a group booking for a Mediterranean sailing secured more than a year in advance. The passengers booked six RockStar suites – each worth £6,000 – but were subsequently emailed frequent promotional offers featuring discounts of up to 30% and bonus credit for the sailing they had booked.

The partner called for “smarter marketing” to filter out booked sailings from automated communications, alongside a price-match guarantee.

In response, the spokesperson said: “We have no strategy or intention to divert bookings away from the trade, and our focus is on giving agents the tools, support and recognition they need to sell confidently.”

“Sailors who are more than 120 days away from sailing may still receive Virgin Voyages marketing communications. These are designed to keep them engaged with the brand and encourage them to book future voyages through their preferred booking channel.”