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Virgin Voyages 2030: 5 HUGE Changes Coming (Dining, Ships & More!)
Nov 4, 2025
🚢 VIRGIN VOYAGES 2030: What's Next for the Fleet? ✨
What will Virgin Voyages look like by the end of the decade? With Brilliant Lady's launch showing us the brand is "just getting started," David from VV Insider takes a deep dive into the future of Virgin Voyages—from revolutionary dining concepts to fleet expansion, AI integration, and beyond.
In this speculative look ahead, we explore five major ways Virgin Voyages might evolve by 2030:
🍽️ Dining Evolution – From Razzle Dazzle's rotating cuisines to potential tech-infused experiences
🎭 Entertainment Upgrades – Better sightlines, expanded venues, and immersive shows
🗺️ Global Itineraries – Where might the Lady Ships sail next?
🤖 AI & Technology – How smart cabins and personalized experiences could shape your voyage
⚓ New Ships – What might a fifth ship (or beyond) look like?
We dive into what we've learned from the past four years, examine trends across the cruise industry, and make some educated guesses (plus a few wild predictions) about what's coming next. From solving the pool size debate to weather-ready outdoor spaces, expanded home ports to sustainable ship design—this is your ultimate guide to Virgin Voyages' next chapter.
What changes do YOU want to see on Virgin Voyages by 2030? Drop your predictions and wishlist in the comments—you never know who might be reading! 👀
🔗 USEFUL LINKS & RESOURCES
📚 Book your voyage with exclusive VV Insider perks → https://vvinsider.com/book/
🚕 Cruise port transfers → https://www.book-online-transfers.com/en/vvinsider-airport-taxi
🗺️ Ultimate Virgin Voyages guide → https://vvinsider.com/ultimate-guide
🍽️ Dining & restaurants → https://vvinsider.com/on-board/venues
🎭 Entertainment & shows → https://vvinsider.com/on-board/events
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0:00
If the last few months have taught us anything, it's that
0:03
Virgin Voyages is changing
0:05
with the launch of Brilliant Lady Virgin Voyages fourth ship,
0:09
and the claim from the brand
0:10
that they're just getting
0:11
started.
0:12
we thought we'd take a look into the future and see what Virgin Voyages will
0:16
look like by the end of the decade.
0:19
I'm David from VV Insider and we're gonna take a look at everything that we know
0:23
so far about the evolution of the Virgin Voyages brand And some announcements
0:28
that we've predicted are yet to come.
0:30
The whole world of cruising has had a massive uplift over the past few
0:34
years, so we can only assume that this means big and better things for
0:39
Virgin Voyages and the lady ships.
0:41
We are gonna guide you through five main ways that we see Virgin Voyages adapting.
0:46
So we're gonna first look at dining and restaurants and see what
0:50
might be changing in that area.
0:52
Then we're gonna take a look at entertainment and what the changes this
0:55
year means for the fleet moving forward.
0:58
We are then gonna take a look at some speculative itineraries
1:01
and seeing where Virgin Voyages might be going around the globe.
1:05
then a topic that gets a little bit of a mixed reception, And this is
1:09
around how technology and AI will be shaping the voyages of tomorrow.
1:13
And then finally, the big one.
1:15
What will the fleet look like in 2030?
1:18
Will we be seeing new ships or will we be seeing any big changes
1:22
to the current four lady ships?
1:24
We're gonna take a look at all of this and more
1:26
so we've got a lot to cover, so let's jump right in.
1:30
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1:33
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1:35
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1:38
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1:41
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1:46
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1:49
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1:55
it's worth saying before we kick off, we haven't been tipped off with any future
1:59
plans from the Virgin Voyages execs.
2:01
If we ever hear anything officially about plans that are coming up
2:05
in the future, you'll see that on vvinsider.com in the news section.
2:09
Right now we're extending a telescope into the future by looking at the
2:13
changes that have been made in the past mixed with the trends that are
2:17
happening around the cruise industry,
2:19
with the sprinkling of wild speculation thrown in as well.
2:23
we're gonna have a guesstimate as to what we're gonna see on board come 2030.
2:28
So with that being said, let's jump straight in to dining.
2:31
So when it comes to dining, let's look at where we've come so far.
2:36
So when Virgin Voyages launched with Scarlet Lady back in 2021,
2:40
it launched with the eateries that we're all familiar with today.
2:43
so not only do you have the fun and casual dining options around the ship, like
2:47
the hot dogs, the pizzas, the ice cream.
2:50
But of course you also have those familiar six restaurants on board.
2:54
So you have The Wake, which is the Steakhouse Extra Virgin,
2:57
which is the Italian restaurant,
2:59
Pink Agave, which is an upscale Mexican restaurant.
3:02
Razzle Dazzle as it was when it launched back in 2021, which was focused more on
3:07
vegan and vegetarian food, but now is more around American classics and comfort food.
3:12
and then you have two restaurants that are more experience based.
3:16
So first of all, you have Test Kitchen, which is an experimental
3:20
tasting menu style dining experience.
3:23
And then of course you have Gunbae, which is the Korean barbecue
3:27
where food is cooked in front of you on a Korean barbecue grill.
3:31
Now, what changes have we seen so far since launch?
3:34
Well, razzle dazzle is the restaurant of choice that gets changed when
3:38
these ships go into a dry dock.
3:40
So this all started in 2024 when Scarlet Lady went in for a two week
3:46
dry dock and then left the dry dock with Lucky Lotus by Razzle Dazzle.
3:51
so this is an Asian fusion inspired restaurant,
3:54
which was a complete remodel of the Razzle Dazzle space.
3:58
This was then followed by the Brilliant Lady Dry Dock
4:01
again, two weeks in Dry Dock.
4:03
And she left with Rojo by Razzle Dazzle, which is a Spanish themed restaurant.
4:08
So one thing we can almost say for certainty is that every time one of these
4:13
ships goes into dry dock, they come out with a brand new Razzle Dazzle and it's
4:17
inspired by a different world cuisine.
4:20
So in the near term, that means Valiant Lady is the next to receive
4:24
a new Razzle Dazzle restaurant.
4:26
She heads into dry dock next year,
4:29
and we've heard a few speculations and a few rumors about the type of cuisine
4:33
that's gonna be seen on Valiant Lady.
4:35
Now, this is becoming a little bit of a tricky thing for Virgin Voyages
4:38
because Quite a lot of the world's cuisines have already been captured
4:42
in one restaurant or the other.
4:44
There is, of course,
4:45
a few world cuisines that you wouldn't really expect to see onboard
4:49
one of the Virgin Voyages ships.
4:51
I don't expect that there'll be a bangers and mash restaurant anytime
4:54
soon with a UK dedicated space.
4:57
but if Valiant Lady comes outta dry dock with a Ruthford's by Razzle Dazzle scotch
5:02
eggs and sausage rolls, then maybe I'm wrong, but I think it's more likely that
5:06
we're gonna see something slightly more exotic and fragrant than English food.
5:10
So
5:10
a few ideas that we've seen banded around the place.
5:13
We could see a Caribbean inspired jerk restaurant.
5:17
We could see a Scandinavian and Nordic style restaurant.
5:21
or how about a Polynesian inspired barbecue and grill?
5:25
personally as a British person who loves a good curry, I'd love to
5:28
see an Indian inspired restaurant, but we just don't know yet.
5:33
we're gonna have to wait and see what these dry docks mean for Razzle Dazzle.
5:36
And as I've mentioned before, the best place to stay tuned to for
5:40
any news on that is vvinsider.com.
5:43
Make sure you are subscribed to this channel on YouTube, but also head
5:46
over to the website and sign up to the newsletter as well to get this
5:50
information as quickly as possible.
5:52
But we're looking towards 2030.
5:54
So what does that mean for dining?
5:56
well, it could mean that each of the preceding dry docks means that they're
5:59
replacing another restaurant on the ship.
6:02
Again, this is all conjecture, but you can imagine that the next
6:05
time round they might replace one of the other restaurants.
6:08
let's say Test Kitchen could become something different.
6:11
And if that's the case, that means that one of the experience
6:15
restaurants is gonna be replaced.
6:16
So we could see something a little bit more exciting where they bring in
6:20
a new experience led dining option.
6:23
And if we look at trends across different cruise lines, You'll know that there's
6:27
a push for more technology based experiences when it comes to dining.
6:31
And this can be traced all the way back to the early noughties
6:35
with the introduction of Le Petit Chef onboard Celebrity Crusies.
6:39
And of course a lot of the technology infused options that you see in
6:43
places like Disney Cruise Line.
6:45
If this was to happen, it would be a slight departure from what Virgin
6:49
Voyages offer at the moment, because the dining experiences that they offer
6:54
are generally kept quite technology free.
6:56
instead of trying to dazzle with LEDs and projections.
7:00
they focus on making the food as lovely as possible, and also making
7:04
the decor and the restaurants as plush and opulent as possible.
7:08
Something that has worked really well for Virgin Voyages so far.
7:11
So I wouldn't expect this to change very much,
7:14
but certainly technology based experiences are an interesting concept.
7:18
What would you think
7:19
if
7:19
Virgin Voyages was to introduce a technology led
7:22
experience in the dining area?
7:24
Let us know in the comments.
7:25
Have you done anything like this on celebrity cruise
7:28
lines, for example, before?
7:29
Is it something that you'd like to see Virgin Voyages adopt in the future?
7:33
One thing we would like to say with confidence, fingers crossed, is that each
7:37
of the dining experiences will remain included as part of the Voyage fare.
7:42
We've, of course, seen some Voyage fare shakeups this year, but something that
7:46
the Virgin Voyages execs seem committed to is to make sure that, everything
7:51
on board remains included, and there aren't gonna be any restaurants that
7:55
you need to pay an additional fee to go.
7:57
and our hope is that they're gonna steer clear of having a restaurant where you
8:01
need to pay to make a reservation for it.
8:03
That being said though, one thing I will mention when it comes to dining is
8:07
that there is the introduction on board.
8:09
Two vessels now of dinner shows that you have to pay for.
8:13
So this started on Resilient Lady with Another Rose and then moved across to
8:17
Brilliant Lady with Up With a Twist.
8:19
So this is a dinner experience where you are paying an additional
8:23
fee, but you are paying for alcohol to be included with that as well.
8:28
And you are also getting an incredible show thrown in as well.
8:32
So if this is the direction of travel for Virgin Voyages and this is how
8:35
they're gonna maybe upcharge for a dining experience, I don't have much
8:39
of a problem with that because you are getting a great value with it.
8:42
You're not just paying extra to get some nicer food, you are actually getting
8:46
your alcohol on a show included as well.
8:48
So that's a little bit more palatable, dare I say.
8:51
so speaking of entertainment, let's take a look at what that might
8:54
look like over the next few years.
8:56
So 2025 has seen a massive shakeup in entertainment on Virgin Voyages,
9:01
and this really kicked off with the introduction of Brilliant
9:04
Lady and she launched with brand new shows and entertainment.
9:08
And if you've missed any of the coverage on Brilliant Lady's Entertainment and
9:12
shows, where On Earth have you been?
9:14
VV Insider, have covered all of the brand new entertainment on Brilliant
9:17
Lady, both here on our YouTube channel , but also over on vvinsider.com.
9:22
We have an entire event section where you can read about all of the
9:26
events on Brilliant Lady, but also all of the events across the fleet.
9:30
If you've not been on Brilliant Lady yet, or you are planning to in the future
9:34
and you are a fan of incredible singers, be prepared, Brilliant Lady, really
9:38
shows this off really, really well.
9:40
But it begs the question of whether this is a drive for vocal led performances
9:45
to become more of a feature of Virgin Voyages entertainment in the future.
9:49
One of the indicators that we've seen that this might be the case
9:52
is that one of the large dancing troops on Scarlet Lady recently
9:56
had one of their final performances
9:58
of a show called UNTITLED DANCEPARTYSHOWTHING.
10:01
Which was a bit of a bizarre and experimental dance show.
10:05
But On Scarlet Lady, this and a musical called Ships in the Night
10:08
have been replaced by two shows.
10:10
one of those shows is a show from Resilient Lady called
10:13
Persephone, and a new show called Booked: A Lola's Library story.
10:17
So these shakeups and changes are indicating to us that Virgin Voyages
10:22
are very willing to start making bigger changes to entertainment across the fleet.
10:27
And this is interesting because Virgin Voyages are really showing
10:31
their separation between each of the ships in the entertainment.
10:35
So structurally, of course the ships are very much the same,
10:38
But the big change that you'll notice depending on which ship you board will
10:42
be the entertainment that's offered.
10:44
and this is something we're expecting to see more of as we head towards 2030.
10:49
Something that's become very apparent this year as well is that Virgin
10:53
Voyages are really listening to sailors' feedback on entertainment.
10:58
this was made really apparent when Red Hot, one of the headline shows
11:02
on board, Brilliant Lady did not Launch when the ship launched.
11:06
And they were waiting for Sailor feedback to be exactly where they wanted it
11:10
to be before they launched the show.
11:12
So this might be something that we'll see more of from Virgin Voyages where
11:16
they're gathering information and feedback from guests to make sure that
11:20
the entertainment is shaped in a way that is preferred by the majority.
11:24
Now this is an interesting topic because when Virgin Voyages launched
11:27
back in 2021, the entertainment was very different indeed.
11:31
For those that are unfamiliar with what the entertainment looked like back then.
11:35
Let me be the first to introduce you to something called Never Sleep Alone.
11:40
This was a show that was ran by the 13th Happenings Cast member called The Doctor,
11:46
and this Happenings Cast member was a sex doctor.
11:49
she actually had a role within the Happenings Cast that included
11:53
running the Never Sleep Alone Show, which was a sex positive show.
11:57
Which invited members of the audience on stage to talk about
12:01
their deepest and darkest fantasies,
12:03
as well as some fun, but perhaps eyebrow raising demonstrations on stage as well.
12:09
if any of this sounds completely bonkers and not like Virgin Voyages at all, it's
12:13
because there was a moment in time where a lot of this raunchiness was taken out
12:18
of the ships based on guest feedback.
12:20
This was around the time where Virgin Voyages were changing
12:24
their focus for which demographic they were heading towards.
12:27
so when the brand launched originally, they were heading for a demographic
12:31
that was maybe about 10 or 15 years younger than where it really is now.
12:36
and I know there are
12:36
many,
12:37
many Virgin Voyages fans, that we'd love to see the return of some of that more
12:42
risque elements of the entertainment.
12:44
But it does seem as the years go on that the entertainment onboard
12:48
the ships is becoming a little less raunchy and a little bit more safe,
12:53
which is unfortunate news for those that really liked the Virgin Voyages
12:57
experience when it first launched.
13:00
that's not to say that the entertainment now is subpar.
13:03
It's just certainly a very different proposition than
13:06
what it was when it launched.
13:07
So it's likely that as we head towards the end of this decade, that
13:11
the entertainment onboard will maybe follow more of the same theme as we've
13:15
seen this year where the shows are maybe a little bit more traditional.
13:19
And I'm not saying that that's a terrible thing.
13:21
I'm just saying it is sometimes nice to see something a little bit different and
13:25
also be challenged a little bit as well.
13:28
So fingers crossed in the future that we will see some of that old flair of
13:32
the Virgin Voyages brand come back to play when it comes to entertainment.
13:36
So let's talk now about itineraries and destinations.
13:40
Where is Virgin Voyages heading?
13:42
Well again, let's take a quick look back at where we've been so far.
13:46
So back in 2021, Scarlet Lady and Valiant Lady launched out of
13:51
Portsmouth UK and went nowhere.
13:54
Because of course, this was COVID times, it was only permitted for
13:57
Virgin Voyages to set sail into the English channel and back again.
14:01
Well, I'm glad to say in the proceeding years, they ventured a little bit further
14:05
and
14:05
the two ships made their way to
14:07
the Miami to explore Caribbean itineraries, and then of course,
14:11
made their way back to do Mediterranean itineraries as well.
14:14
it wasn't until the launch of Resilient Lady in 2023 that
14:18
Virgin Voyages went even further.
14:21
Resilient Lady launched in Athens in 2023 and started a Greek itinerary
14:27
visiting places like Turkey, and then later Istanbul
14:31
before heading off on a repositioning voyage that unfortunately
14:34
she hasn't repeated since.
14:36
So, Resilient Lady made her way through the Suez Canal.
14:39
Stopped off in Dubai in India, and then eventually ended up in Singapore where she
14:45
then made her way to Sydney, Australia.
14:48
We were fortunate enough to have been on the Singapore to Sydney leg of this
14:52
voyage and coming into Sydney Harbor on board Resilient Lady with Richard
14:57
Branson circling the ship on his speedboat was an incredible experience
15:01
that I will not forget anytime soon.
15:04
but unfortunately we weren't to know then that this was the last
15:07
time that Virgin Voyages was to visit Australia, at least for now,
15:11
Due to unrest in the Middle East, it wasn't viable for Resilient Lady
15:15
to return through the Suez Canal.
15:17
So instead she made her way around the Horn of Africa and
15:21
came back up to Portsmouth.
15:23
And from then it was deemed unsafe for Resilient Lady to return
15:27
back to Australia anytime soon.
15:29
But when it came to destinations, there were a few more announced.
15:32
When it came to Brilliant Lady, It was made clear before launch that
15:36
Brilliant Lady was gonna be able to slip through the Panama Canal
15:41
with lifeboats, built on a system where they could be brought in,
15:44
makes
15:44
Brilliant Lady narrow enough to pass through the Panama Canal, meaning she has
15:48
access to the west coast of the Americas.
15:52
so this of course means itineraries in Los Angeles and Canada and Alaska as well.
15:58
and she'll be making her first journey through the Panama Canal in 2026.
16:02
Well, this means of course, that there are new options available to itineraries
16:07
whilst avoiding the Middle East.
16:09
because of course you can head over across the Pacific from Los Angeles
16:14
and go over to the likes of New Zealand and Australia from there
16:18
while visiting Hawaii on the way.
16:20
That would be a voyage that I would be particularly interested in myself.
16:24
It sounds absolutely incredible.
16:26
But this has been bolstered a little bit by some small rumors about Virgin
16:30
Voyages returning to Australia as part of a larger Asia deployment.
16:36
now these are very small whispers at the moment, So stay tuned to vvinsider.com for
16:41
more information as soon as we have it.
16:43
But it does sound very exciting indeed.
16:45
And we of course, want an excuse to head back to Asia and Australia
16:49
ourselves, so it's something we're keeping a close eye on.
16:52
If we look towards 2030, what do we expect to see?
16:56
if we look at cruise trends and what we would expect to see up to 2030, we
17:02
might see things that you see in our other cruise lines like these once in a
17:06
lifetime, longer trips, worldwide trips,
17:09
grand voyages, grand tours, sailings that go up to 60 or 70 nights.
17:14
We know quite a few sailors who would love to do something like this, especially
17:19
those that are able to work remotely and simply just pitch up their laptop in the
17:24
Grounds Club, for example, and get some work done while they're sailing high seas.
17:29
It would also be lovely to see Virgin maybe doing some more of
17:32
these marvelous voyages or unique voyages that go at particular times.
17:37
So for example, they have the solar eclipse itineraries coming
17:41
up, which is very exciting.
17:42
but you could imagine that they might plan some itineraries
17:45
that coincide with other events.
17:47
So what if we saw things like a trip to see the carnivals in Rio?
17:51
if there was a South American deployment or perhaps cherry blossoms in Japan
17:56
as part of an Asia deployment,
17:58
These would be really unique itineraries and real bucket list
18:01
style stuff for those sailors that have seen and done it all already.
18:05
something also worth remembering is that Virgin Voyages are very
18:09
keen to do things like overnights.
18:11
So for example, overnights in Mykonos overnights in Ibiza,
18:15
we might see that extended out to more ports around the world.
18:19
So let me know in the comments which ports you would absolutely love to
18:22
do an overnight in to get a taste of the nightlife and then maybe head
18:26
back to the ship in the early hours.
18:28
Also, let's not forget the beach Club at Bimini.
18:31
This is Virgin's answer to a private island.
18:35
They don't have a private island, but they do have a private beach
18:38
club on Bimini in The Bahamas.
18:40
from what we've heard and our experience ourself, Bimini is absolutely fantastic.
18:45
but it does beg the question of does it end there?
18:48
Are there gonna be more on-land exclusive experiences for Virgin Voyages sailors?
18:53
So could we perhaps see the extension of a Bahamas destination?
18:57
Maybe a private island, just like other cruise lines have.
19:00
Or maybe just an expansion to the offerings that Bimini have themself.
19:05
but something that's also quite interesting is that Royal Caribbean
19:08
have actually launched a beach club experience in Santorini.
19:12
and as we know, Virgin Voyages for half of the year have a big
19:15
exposure to the Mediterranean market.
19:18
So perhaps something like a private beach club in the Mediterranean.
19:22
It might be nice to see as well.
19:23
Of course, selfishly, we only live a couple of hours away flight from
19:27
Barcelona, so it would be lovely to see a Virgin Voyages exclusive
19:31
experience in the Mediterranean.
19:33
are there any destinations or experiences you would like to
19:36
experience through Virgin Voyages?
19:39
Let me know in the comments if there's anything that really grabs your attention.
19:42
now, moving on to a slightly more controversial topic.
19:46
By the time we get to 2030, the world will look very different when
19:50
it comes to artificial intelligence.
19:53
Over the past couple of years alone, we've seen a massive influx of AI Across
19:59
the digital world, but it's hard not to have noticed the impact that AI has
20:04
had on the Virgin Voyages experience.
20:06
And this is something that is really core to the Virgin Voyages brand
20:10
at the minute, with the top execs, including the CEO, making a commitment,
20:15
that AI will be a core part of how Virgin Voyages operate in the future.
20:21
And what this means in practice is that AI will start to take more of
20:25
an impact on the Sailor journey.
20:27
Not only when it comes to things like customer service, but I think what
20:30
we're gonna see over the next few years is that the Sailor experience
20:34
itself will be shaped by AI.
20:37
What we might see in practice is that Virgin Voyages will use signals
20:41
and indicators about who you are as a person and maybe recommending
20:45
certain activities, dining voyages that are specific to you as a Sailor.
20:51
The amount of data that is collected on every single
20:54
Sailor when they join the ship.
20:56
Is of course quite vast from, the types of drinks that you order, the
21:00
venues that you like to hang around in the excursions that you like to
21:04
book, if you get off the ship or not.
21:07
Everything is tracked on your band.
21:09
So it's not beyond the realms of possibility that this data could all
21:13
be used to help shape your experience in the future and perhaps offer
21:17
different experiences depending on the type of Sailor that you are.
21:22
It might also be interesting to know what else they want to use the wearable for.
21:26
So right now, use it for entering your room.
21:29
You use it for paying for drinks and you use it for getting on and off the ship,
21:33
but the technology, of course, is very, very capable.
21:36
And this could start extending to other technological experiences around the ship.
21:41
When it comes to technology and AI.
21:44
Something that you might have noticed already is that AI is starting to
21:48
enter the world of entertainment.
21:50
So much of the brand new entertainment that you'll see on board the ships at
21:55
the moment, feature AI artwork heavily.
21:58
So for example, if you've Been Along to Out of Time or Red Hot or
22:02
Booked, all three of those are new headline shows that launch this year.
22:07
You'll notice that the digital screens in the background are showing off art
22:11
that is mostly generated using AI.
22:14
For the most part, this goes unnoticed, but I think over the next
22:18
few years we're gonna start to get to a point where it becomes a little
22:22
bit more noticeable simply because we see it more and more every day.
22:27
This could perhaps be quite a controversial topic because it does
22:30
mean that artists that would normally be employed to create those pieces of art are
22:36
now taken out of the picture a little bit
22:38
and it does slightly diminish the work that they do.
22:41
I do think for now the demographic of the people that are boarding those
22:45
ships and seeing those shows, are generally not exposed to AI in the
22:49
way that younger generations are.
22:50
So it may go unnoticed, but over the next few years, I think we're gonna
22:54
start to get to a point where people do start to clock and recognize
22:58
these AI artworks for what they are.
23:00
So that'll be something really interesting to keep an eye on over the
23:03
next few years and see how sailors and the community respond to such things.
23:08
Have you been along to one of these shows already and seen this type of artwork?
23:13
What are your thoughts about the AI use on these shows already?
23:16
I'd love to know your thoughts in the comments.
23:18
Now let's talk about the big topic, and this is probably the topic that
23:22
we honestly know least about, but it's something that has been talked about a
23:27
lot this year with the launch of Brilliant Lady, and that is what comes next.
23:33
Brilliant Lady, of course, is the fourth and final ship of the original
23:37
order of four ships that Virgin Voyages made when they first launched
23:41
Virgin Voyages leadership have confirmed that Brilliant Lady is the final of this
23:46
class of ship, but have strongly hinted at more vessels coming in the future.
23:52
So
23:52
how will the fleet look as we head towards 2030?
23:56
well, I think it's safe to say that Virgin Voyages have proven the concept
24:00
works, and yes, they are making changes and trying to get things completely
24:04
right, but for now it's safe to say that we will see an expansion to
24:09
the fleet over the next few years.
24:11
So, what does that new fleet look like?
24:13
Well, Virgin Voyages leadership have made it very clear that they do not
24:17
want a mega ship on their hands.
24:19
So over the past few years, we've seen a huge number of mega ships launching
24:23
from brands like Royal Caribbean and MSC,
24:26
where these are huge ships that accommodate 6,000 passengers or more.
24:31
And it's very clear that Virgin Voyages do not want to head down that route.
24:35
they want to stay committed to being an almost boutique alternative
24:39
to these huge mega ships.
24:41
The size of the ships at the moment means that you can have a variety
24:44
of dining and entertainment, but it also still feels quite intimate
24:49
without feeling too crowded.
24:51
It certainly feels like the sweet spot, and I would expect that any new
24:55
ships that are ordered from Virgin Voyages will be around the same size.
24:59
When it comes to what we'll see on board these new ships, let's
25:03
think about what's gone before.
25:05
So one of the big comments that we hear about Virgin Voyages ships all the time
25:10
and the Virgin Voyages executives are fully aware of this feedback is that the
25:14
pool is absolutely tiny, and it is true.
25:17
The pool is not very large at all,
25:19
and it's one of the bit of feedback we hear the loudest.
25:22
we would expect any new class of ship will feature a much larger
25:27
pool and perhaps multiple pools
25:30
when it comes to outdoor gimmicks.
25:31
It'll be interesting to see if there's anything like that.
25:35
there is of course already a tiny gimmick
25:37
or or two onboard the Virgin Voyages ships, so there is the net at the back
25:41
of the ship, which is kind of useless, but it is kind of fun at the same time.
25:45
And there are also the adult playground equipment, including the swings and
25:49
seasaw
25:50
as well.
25:50
Now, would we expect that to be expanded out on a new class of ship where
25:55
you have something like huge slides
25:56
or a death defying plunge or something like that?
25:59
Well,
25:59
Something tells me, I would doubt it if it's something
26:02
that's gonna be an upcharge.
26:03
It just doesn't seem very Virgin Voyages inspired to be providing some gimmick that
26:08
you have to pay extra for just to try out.
26:11
What I think we might see instead is something that makes the weather
26:15
a little bit more palatable.
26:17
One thing on the existing class of ships that is very apparent if you've
26:21
ever done any of the colder weather itineraries, is that there is nothing
26:25
to do outside when the weather is poor.
26:27
So, for example, when we were heading towards Iceland earlier
26:31
this year, the weather was very inclement, one of the sea days, and
26:35
we were all stuck inside all day.
26:38
So it would be nice to see on this new class of ship, some solarium
26:42
or some outdoor area where you can see what's going on outside and
26:46
you can feel like you're outside.
26:47
But you are protected against the elements in a way.
26:50
and I think that's gonna become especially important when we look at the expansion
26:55
of the itineraries across the globe.
26:57
It'll be nice to see these Virgin Voyages ships be a little bit more weather ready.
27:01
When it comes to dining and restaurants, I think what we might see is the
27:05
return of some old favorites.
27:07
I think for example, The Wake is such a signature experience on board.
27:11
The Virgin Voyages ships and consistently gets fantastic reviews that we might
27:17
see The Wake being transferred onto this new class of ships as well.
27:21
but certainly those more experimental type places like Gunbae and Test Kitchen might
27:27
be turned into something new entirely.
27:30
when it comes to this spa, I think what we might see is that the aesthetic
27:34
would remain very much the same, very plush, very marble, But I think the
27:38
levels of comfort will be addressed.
27:40
So something that we've heard consistently from people that use the spa is that
27:44
there is no large, warm, hot tub for you to sit in during your thermal spa
27:49
experience Presently on the current class of ship there is one warm hot tub that
27:54
is made for a maximum of two people.
27:57
And even then it's a squeeze.
27:58
It'd be nice to see a large hot tub or whirlpool that can
28:02
be used by multiple people.
28:03
The large pool that's currently in the Redemption Spa is maybe
28:07
two or three degrees Celsius lower than I think would be comfortable.
28:11
So it'd be interesting to see if there's a change there.
28:14
when it comes to entertainment and lounges, I think this is where we might
28:18
see one of the biggest changes If you've been on board the current class of
28:22
ships and you are a music lover or you want to see some live entertainment,
28:26
I think there is a little bit of a pinch point where some of the venues
28:29
are not necessarily made in the right way for there to be live performances.
28:34
If you take On The Rocks as an example, there are lots of places in On The Rocks
28:39
that are hidden away, which do provide nice, intimate areas for people to sit,
28:43
but it doesn't really give you a very good view of the stage and of the performance.
28:47
So it would be nice to see some of these bars designed in a way that really makes
28:52
the live performance experience a little bit more enhanced and not peeking through
28:57
a corner or sitting somewhere where you just can't see anything going on.
29:01
Speaking of entertainment as well, one of the big problems that's
29:04
cropping up over the past few months is that people are having to queue
29:08
and wait in line to see shows.
29:10
And sometimes when they get to see the show, they can't
29:13
find a good seat to see it.
29:15
So for example, in The Manor, there are many places in The Manor where
29:19
you cannot see what's going on.
29:21
There is tons of seating available in The Manor, but some of those seats,
29:25
you sit down and you are blocked by a wall, or you are sat upstairs
29:28
on the balcony and as soon as you sit down, you can't see a thing.
29:31
So again, when it comes to live performances, it would be really lovely
29:35
to see Virgin Voyages design these spaces in a way that make it easier for more
29:40
people to see what's going on on stage.
29:43
Now, this will not be an easy ask because to make something aesthetically
29:46
pleasing while still also having it in an auditorium style where people can see
29:51
everything going on, I'm sure it's not easy at all to build something like that,
29:55
but it's certainly something that many, many sailors would like to see fixed.
30:00
with the expansion of the fleet, I think what we'll end up seeing as well
30:03
Is the expansion of the number of home ports where the ships will be based.
30:07
Terminal V in Miami is of course a lovely place for you to start your Virgin
30:12
Voyages vacation, but it is getting to the point where if you've got four ships
30:16
heading out from there, which they will, when Resilient Lady makes her way over
30:20
the Atlantic as she's doing right now,
30:22
It does become a little bit of a bottleneck.
30:24
So it'll be interesting to see if there is a larger fleet.
30:27
Will we see an expansion of home ports around the world?
30:31
Maybe there'll be a Virgin Voyages specific terminal, somewhere else
30:35
in the world rather than just Miami.
30:37
Something that's very clear from Virgin Voyages is that they will always try
30:41
and build these new vessels in the most sustainable and innovative way possible.
30:45
Virgin Voyages, have always been very in tune with the ecological impact of their
30:50
ships, There's nothing really that's gonna make cruise ships hugely eco-friendly.
30:55
but whatever we see in the new fleet, I'm sure we'll see some efforts to
30:59
make sure that the ecological impact is minimized as much as possible.
31:03
So Virgin Voyages have doubtless learned so much over the past four years since
31:07
they launched back in Portsmouth in 2021, and they're building on that
31:11
experience now to deliver new dining, new entertainment, and eventually new ships
31:16
as
31:16
as well.
31:17
So I'd love to hear from you, what do you think might be in store for Virgin Voyages
31:22
as we head towards the end of the decade?
31:24
What surprises do you think the next four years have in store?
31:28
And crucially, what do you want to see on board Virgin Voyages?
31:32
I know Virgin Voyages are very keen on hearing Sailor feedback,
31:36
and you never know who's gonna be reading the comments of this video.
31:39
So do make sure you tell us what you think is gonna be coming up and what
31:43
you'd like to see personally in your Virgin Voyages experience when we
31:46
get towards the end of this decade.
31:48
and of course, as ever, if you want to keep up with these news and updates,
31:51
we do an update every two weeks.
31:53
We just did one last week.
31:55
Where we go through all of the news and information that you need to
31:58
know across the Virgin Voyages fleet.
32:00
But the best place to see the news firsthand is vvinsider.com.
32:05
We have a news section and we release news basically every single day about
32:09
the changes and information on Virgin Voyages as and when they happen.
32:13
And if you'd like to support the work that we do here in getting this information
32:17
across to sailors around the world, the best way to do that is to book your next
32:22
Virgin Voyage with us at vvinsider.com.
32:25
And if you do, it doesn't cost you anymore, but you'll get ad free
32:28
access to all of the information that we have on our website.
32:32
We'll also give you some exclusive perks that we'll tell you about
32:36
when you head to our booking page.
32:37
And you'll also collect a loyalty bonus that you can
32:40
spend on onboard credit as well.
32:43
There is nowhere else better to book your next Virgin voyage than
32:47
vvinsider.com, and we'd love to help you get that booking in there.
32:51
but that's everything for now.
32:52
We're looking very positively towards the future here at VV Insider so thank
32:57
you so much for coming along with us and until next time, happy sailing!
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