How do you attract new customers on a cruise ship? That often-clichéd vacation experience that involves small, crowded pools, mediocre entertainment, long buffet lines, smoke-filled casinos and bingo (not to mention bingo suites)?
How about a little rock and roll? Or rap? Or disco?
Virgin Voyages, a cruise line with a unique musical heritage, is already aimed squarely at hipsters, with its edgy atmosphere at sea, and onboard features like a tattoo parlor and Instagram photo spaces. (Well, the Sailing Safety Brief advises how to avoid going overboard when taking a selfie.)
Therefore, their cruises really attract anyone who wants to dance the night away. It’s only open to adults (over 18), so obviously there are no kids club spaces, just club spaces instead. Be aware that their “sailors” are not all Generation
To raise the bar, Virgin Voyages has added themed cruises to the range. Recent specials have seen Melanie C of Spice Girls fame appear, while last October singer (and chef) Kelis headlined the launch of the line’s newest ship, Brilliant Lady.
In December, Latin fusion star Nicky Jam took the helm of a Caribbean cruise dubbed “Fire Waves.” In March, the Sailors had fun with Nile Rodgers and Shake.
It’s not just music either. Jack Whitehall (“Bad Education”) headlined a comedy festival, and a special celebratory cruise featured Virgin Galactic astronauts and Richard Branson himself.
Last October also saw another five-day true crime maiden outing in collaboration with iHeart podcasters.
This included live on-board performances of “Buried Bones”, a show in which journalist Kate Winkler Dawson and retired detective Paul Holz investigate and try to solve cold cases (in this case, “Black Dahila”).
Also on board are “Betrayal” with Jennifer Faison, which offers explorations of the deceptions family members can do to each other, and “Things They Don’t Want You to Know” with Ben Bullen, Matt Frederick and Noel Brown, a trio that uncovers conspiracy theories and ongoing mysteries.
The specialty cruise collaborations developed because Virgin Voyages found itself with a good problem — “a high repeat rate for sailors,” according to Jamie Douglas, fleet experience manager for product innovation and immersive experiences.
“It’s also an amphitheater to attract a new demographic that has never traveled before – turn their heads,” he added.
According to Virtuoso, a global network of luxury travel advisors, cruise lines in general are “eye-catching.” They reported that 60% of their surveyed advisors are seeing an increase in the number of cruisers for the first time. According to a recent survey by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), 27% of cruisers in the past two years are new to cruising.
If the stars align for your first trip, there are two upcoming solar eclipse specials that might be in order, on August 5 for 15 nights in Iceland and August 10 for 12 nights in the Mediterranean, which come complete with astronauts, astronomers and a special “cosmic kitchen.” Prices start at $10,472 per cabin.
See VirginVoyages.com For details.