Virgin Voyages is targeting a new type of traveler: remote workers.
In March, the Miami-based cruise line owned by Sir Richard Branson introduced a month-long cruise called the Scarlet Summer Season Pass. This is basically a packaged version of his four-week cruise, which appeals to remote workers who want to spend a month in the seas of southern Europe.
“People are really embracing flexible working, and that’s resonating with travelers,” Virgin Voyages CEO Nirmal Saverimuthu told CNBC Travel. “Many people told me it was an incredible value.”
of scarlet summer season pass It covers two people and costs $9,990. This price includes room, meals, group fitness classes, Wi-Fi, laundry service, daily coffee and tea credit, and workspace access.
According to Virgin’s website, booking a “season pass” is 30% cheaper than booking four-week cruises in a row. Saberimuthu said that in line with Virgin Voyages regulations, travelers can also swap companions on different legs of a cruise if they are over 18 years old. Adults Only Policy.
Saberimuthu said more than 2,000 people expressed interest in the season pass within 24 hours of its announcement. Once reservations opened, seats on the month-long cruise, which called in places like Cannes, Rome and Ibiza, sold out in 48 hours, a company representative told CNBC Travel.
In response, Virgin Voyages opened additional slots for remote workers on its second cruise ship this summer.
The Season Pass cruises will sail on Virgin’s Scarlet Lady and Resilient Lady, each of which can accommodate approximately 2,700 guests. The cruise is scheduled to operate from June to September of this year.
“One of Richard’s ideas”
The popularity of Virgin’s season pass cruises has been attributed to the widespread shift to remote working since the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We are in the midst of a massive transformation of how, what and where we work,” Diane Swonk, chief economist at KPMG, told CNBC Travel. “We can’t put the work-from-home genie back in the bottle. Companies that actively pursue work-from-home initiatives will significantly lose access to top talent and workforce diversity.”
Virgin Voyages cruise ship Scarlet Lady in Liverpool, England.
Anthony Devlin | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images
Saberimuthu said most of the digital workers who booked the cruise were in their mid-50s and employed full-time remotely.
He said the idea for the program came directly from Branson himself after learning that passengers were taking long trips while working remotely on the company’s ships.
He attributed the program’s rapid rise in popularity to Branson’s “magical touch” in understanding today’s consumers.
“The response has been absolutely phenomenal. We’re really surprised,” he said. “But you know, this was one of Richard’s ideas, so maybe I shouldn’t be surprised.”
