Tag Archives: Richard Branson

Virgin Voyages Announces Ship 3 Name and Itineraries

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Virgin Voyages today announced its third newbuild will carry the name Resilient Lady and will set sail from Athens, Greece, embarking on two, seven-night itineraries starting in July 2022.

“Sailing in the Med is such an extraordinary experience, and we’re so excited to bring the adventure of a Virgin Voyage to this beautiful place,” said Sir Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin Group. “I’m so proud of the incredible work the team has accomplished to introduce Resilient Lady.”

Further expanding on the brand’s presence in the Mediterranean, Resilient Lady will offer two European itineraries, including:

● Greek Isles Itinerary: Sailors can immerse themselves in Greek history and culture in Athens before island hopping to Santorini, Rhodes, Crete, and Mykonos. The Greek Isles itinerary will feature an overnight stay in Mykonos, offering Sailors a premier location and tender access to the picturesque promenade.

● Adriatic (with Greek Isles) Itinerary: Sailing out of Athens, Sailors will spend their second day at sea before docking in Dubrovnik the following morning. With a 2:00 a.m. departure from Dubrovnik, Sailors will be afforded plenty of time to experience the rich history of Croatia during the day and take part in the active nightlife along the Adriatic Sea before scenic sailing to Kotor, Corfu, and Argostoli.

“Welcoming Resilient Lady to our fleet and revealing these amazing itineraries sets the tone for the most memorable summer voyage,” said Tom McAlpin, CEO, and President of Virgin Voyages. “We know the time to travel is on the horizon, and Virgin Voyages is here so that we can keep dreaming of irresistible vacations ahead.”

Branson to sell $500m space venture stake to support Virgin Atlantic

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Richard Branson to sell up to $500m-worth of Virgin Galactic ...

Sir Richard Branson aims to shore up his airline and travel interests hit by the coronavirus global travel shutdown by selling $500 million in Virgin Galactic shares.

Virgin Group told the New York Stock Exchange it planned to sell 25 million shares in the space tourism venture in a series of transactions.

The company said: “Virgin intends to use any proceeds to support its portfolio of global leisure, holiday and travel businesses that have been affected by the unprecedented impact of Covid-19.”

The freeze in global travel is affecting a host of Virgin Group companies, including Virgin Atlantic as well as its holidays, cruises and hotels businesses.

Virgin Atlantic last week announced it would cut 3,150 jobs, move it Gatwick operation to Heathrow and rebrand Virgin Holidays.

Chief executive Shai Weiss insisted at the weekend that he was “100% confident” the airline can survive the Covid-19 crisis.

The airline, in which founder Branson still holds a majority 51% stake, has been seeking emergency investment as well as some form of state aid while the majority of its fleet remains grounded.

About a dozen investment groups have been reported as showing interest in the UK long-haul carrier while talks continue with the Treasury and transport secretary Grant Shapps.

The airline was told last month that it needed to resubmit a £500 million bid for government state aid amid reports the Treasury had felt the carrier had nit exhausted other options.

Virgin Australia entered administration last month as the airline industry struggles to survive global travel restrictions imposed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Virgin Rolls Out Entertainment Program for Scarlet Lady

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Red Room

Virgin Voyages today announced that the Scarlet Lady will feature a festival of choice in entertainment made up of bespoke intimate and authentic Events & Gigs created exclusively for Virgin Voyages with the goal of providing guests with an alternative perspective on the world and play that ignites the spirit within, according to a prepared statement.

At an event in New York, Virgin said guests wouldn’t just sit and watch shows but instead may be asked to participate with the cast.

Red Room

The company will have no traditional cruise director onboard the ship, and instead it will have a dynamic group of individuals dedicated to making “Happenings” around the ship completely epic, Virgin said, in a statement.

From modern takes on classic stories to interactive dance parties and off-the-wall participatory acts, the experiences will break down the fourth wall and push the boundaries of traditional stage performances.

Virgin Voyages has created The Red Room as the first transformational multi-form theatre at sea. It will transform into four different configurations – including traditional Proscenium stage, to alley stage used in fashion shows, to a dance flat-floor configuration and finally a unique reverse stage setup.

The Scarlet Lady will feature six original shows that include a soon to be announced production by award-winning producer Randy Weiner.

Sam Pinkleton & Ani Taj have created a hype music video disguised as an absurdist style dance party, called UNTITLED DANCESHOWPARTYTHING.

Phantom Folktales is a collection of song-driven, micro plays throughout the ship, that seemingly appears out of thin air, and disappears just as quickly, created by PigPen Theatre Co.

Ships in the Night is an emotion-filled contemporary experience telling its story through the use of digital projection interwoven with the authenticity of the human condition, and Duel Reality examines the age-old tale of Romeo & Juliet with a modern twist featuring acrobatic storytelling.

Never Sleep Alone is a participatory show featuring the funny, straight-talking relationship therapist, Dr Alex Shiller, by producers Roslyn Hart and Alfredo Guenzani.

Additionally, the creative development, production and installation of “happenings” that will take place throughout the ship were created by Spark Cooperative.

To add to the overall vision, Tony Award-winning creative producer, Jenny Gersten, will serve as an artistic and production liaison between the core in house Virgin Voyages Entertainment team and other members of the Collective, the company said.