Tag Archives: Virgin Voyages

Virgin Voyages to Launch Tattoo Studio at Sea

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Squid Ink

Virgin Voyages announced today that the Scarlet Lady will have a tattoo studio aboard, Squid Ink. The venue will also offer body piercing.

Virgin Voyages teamed up with the ink industry gurus from World Famous Tattoo Ink, according to a statement.

“Tattooing is a time-honoured seafaring tradition, and we’re continuing that legacy with rock and roll style by bringing some of the best ink artists to sea,” said Tom McAlpin, president and chief executive officer for Virgin Voyages. “Our sailors are looking to make lifelong memories, and we think there’s no better way to commemorate their first voyage with us than with a souvenir they’ll never lose track of.”

When Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady sets sail in 2020 from Miami, she will have two full-time resident tattoo artists on board, handpicked by ink industry guru Lou Rubino Jr., the company said.

Squid Ink will also feature a line-up of guest artists including the “tattoo industry’s most sought-after trendsetters and celebrity artists,” Virgin said.

All tattoos will be created with original vegan ink, according to Virgin.

In addition to tattoos, Squid Ink will also offer body piercings as well as permanent makeup treatments using vegan-friendly Perma Blend pigments.

“The World Famous Tattoo Ink family has been working with sailors, pirates and rock stars for more than 50 years,” said  Lou Rubino Jr., owner of World Famous Tattoo Ink. “As global acceptance of tattoos and body art continues to grow, partnering with Virgin Voyages gives us the unique opportunity to bring colour to places people might have never thought possible before. We couldn’t be more excited to leave our mark on the sea travel industry.”

Virgin will optimise maintenance through remote monitoring

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Virgin will optimise maintenance through remote monitoring

A new cruise ship owner has appointed Wärtsilä to provide remote operational support for a fleet of new builds, which involves real-time performance monitoring.

Virgin Voyages has assigned responsibility for the maintenance of three cruise ships to propulsion supplier, Wärtsilä. Under a 10-year optimised maintenance agreement, Wärtsilä will maintain the vessels through dynamic planning and remote monitoring in real-time.

To achieve this, Wärtsilä will monitor engine room systems to decide on maintenance schedules, aiming to extend service intervals when the equipment does not require maintenance.

Overhauls can be scheduled to fit the operations of the vessel, improving availability and minimising unnecessary downtime.

This agreement covers remote operational support services, specific fuel oil consumption meters and calibration, spare parts and technical advisory services for the engines. It also includes technical support and training for Virgin Voyages’ personnel.

Virgin Voyages’ three new buildings are scheduled to begin operations in 2020, 2021 and 2022. All three will be equipped with Wärtsilä 46F engines, Wärtsilä’s hybrid scrubber system and selective catalytic reduction systems for exhaust gas cleaning. They will also be outfitted with Wärtsilä’s Nacos Platinum integrated bridge systems.

Virgin Voyages is a joint venture between Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group and Bain Capital.

Branson: ‘Cruise lines will copy Virgin Voyages’

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Image result for virgin scarlet lady

Sir Richard Branson predicted other cruise lines will copy Virgin Voyages in “five to six years” time.

Asked how he thought Virgin would be viewed by competitors, he referenced BA’s “dirty tricks” campaign against Virgin Atlantic in the 1990s when competition between the two airlines was at its most heated.

“Competition is always good in any industry,” he said. “It takes years to build new ships. So I think we will have five to six years then people will start copying us but by then we will have reinvented what we have.”

The first of three adult-only Virgin Voyages ships is due in 2020.

More details about what will be on board were unveiled in Genoa today at the Fincantieri shipyard where it is being built and include outdoor yoga, a wellness pool and sea-facing cabanas.

The ship, to be named Scarlet Lady, will also aim to convert all waste on board into clean re-usable energy.

Chief executive and president Tom McAlpin said: “As the (cruise sector) got bigger it had to appeal to a lot of segments but we have an opportunity to create something different and very special. The power of the Virgin brand is very important and we think we can attract people who have never cruised before.”