Virgin Voyages Raises $550 Million in Ares Management-led Fundraise
Virgin Voyages, the cruise brand from Richard Branson's Virgin Group, said on Friday it has raised $550 million in fresh capital to expand into new international markets.The funding was led by Ares Management with participation from existing investors, including British conglomerate Virgin Group and venture capital firm Bain Capital.Launched at the end of 2021, Virgin Voyages operates three ships servicing the Caribbean and the Mediterranean. It plans to operate in Australia and…
Virgin Voyages Announces Biofuels Push
Richard Branson’s cruise line Virgin Voyages announced it has partnered with independent sustainability experts, the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB), along with three waste-based sustainable fuel providers to deliver low carbon fuels to the marine industry. Argent Energy, GoodFuels and Twelve are collaborating with the cruise line to further advance Virgin Voyages’ commitment of reaching net zero by 2050.Recognizing there is currently no one-size-fits-all, low-carbon fuel solution…
Branson: Virgin Cruise Line Will Overcome Coronavirus Fears
British entrepreneur Richard Branson heralded his first cruise ship "Scarlet Lady" on Friday as targeting a younger generation of holidaymakers with a range of attractions that he believes will outweigh any fears around coronavirus.Despite the unfortunate timing, with passengers on one ship quarantined in Japan after hundreds caught the virus and another turned away by five countries over fears someone on board may be ill, Branson sees cruises as a growth area.In an event at Dover…
Scarlet Lady Floats Out
“Scarlet Lady”, the first of four ships which Virgin Voyages ordered to Fincantieri, touched the water for the first time for Virgin Voyages on Friday at the shipyard in Genoa Sestri Ponente.The first ship from the new cruise brand of Virgin Group starts revenue service from the Port of Miami in April 2020.Interior fittings will now begin, leading the ship to its delivery, scheduled at the beginning of 2020, said a press release from the shipyard.The event was attended, among others, for the ship owner by Tom McAlpin, Virgin Voyages President and CEO, while Fincantieri was represented by Luigi Matarazzo, Senior Executive Vice President Merchant Ships Business Unit and Paolo Capobianco, director of the shipyard.
Virgin Voyages to Build a Massive Terminal at PortMiami
Virgin Voyages, formerly Virgin Cruises, has unveiled its plans for a new terminal at PortMiami.Sir Richard Branson's cruise line said in a press release that the new Virgin Voyages Terminal will be located on the northwest side of the port in Miami, giving it incredible views of the city’s skyline. Construction is due to start next year and will be completed by November 2021, the beginning of the year’s cruise season.“Miami is an incredible city and one of my favourite places to work and play,” Richard Branson said. “From our headquarters for Hotels, Voyages and now Trains USA, South Florida has quickly become another home for Virgin brands in the leisure travel sector.”The new 10…
Fincantieri Starts on Second Ship for Virgin Voyages
A steel cutting ceremony held today at Fincantieri’s Sestri Ponente (Genoa) shipyard marked the official start of construction for the second of three cruise ships on order for Virgin Voyages (part of Virgin Group). During the event, Virgin Group Founder Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Voyages President and CEO Tom McAlpin, welcomed by Giampiero Massolo and Giuseppe Bono, Chairman and CEO of Fincantieri, also revealed the name of the series’ first ship, which is currently under construction at the yard: Scarlet Lady…
Keel Laid for First Virgin Voyages Ship
A keel laying ceremony was held at Fincantieri’s Sestri Ponente shipyard in Genoa, Italy for the first of three new cruise ships to be built for the Virgin Group’s new cruise line arm Virgin Voyages. The ceremony was attended by Richard Branson, founder of Virgin; Tom McAlpin, President and CEO of Virgin Voyages; Alberto Maestrini, Fincantieri General Manager; Giovanni Toti, President of the Liguria Region; Marco Bucci, the mayor of Genoa; and other authorities. Each of the new ships will weigh about 110…
Steel Cut for First Virgin Voyages Cruise Ship
A steel cutting ceremony has signaled the start of construction for the first of three new cruise ships for the Virgin Group’s new cruise line, Virgin Voyages. The three new ships are being built by Fincantieri at its shipyard in Genoa, Italy for scheduled deliveries in 2020, 2021 and 2022 respectively. The combined order value is about 2 billion euros. Each ship will weigh about 110,000 gross tons, be 278 meters long and 38 wide. The ships will feature over 1,400 guest cabins that can host more than 2,700 passengers, accompanied by 1,150 crew members on board.
Disney Taps Meyer Werft for New Ships
The Walt Disney Company is expanding its cruise business by adding two new ocean liners, President and CEO Bob Iger said. Scheduled to launch in 2011 and 2012, the ships will more than double the passenger capacity for Disney Cruise Line. The company signed a letter of intent with Meyer Werft shipyard, based in Papenburg, Germany, to negotiate a contract to build the 122,000-ton new cruise liners, which will be two decks taller than the existing 83,000-ton ships, the Disney Magic and the Disney Wonder. Each ship will have 1,250 staterooms. Specific design plans and itineraries for the yet-unnamed ships are still in development and will be unveiled at a later date.
