Cruise line to host 1,000 agents on ship, Samantha Mayling reports
British travel agents will be the first guests to stay overnight on Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady.
About 1,000 agents, or ‘First Mates’, who have registered with the adult-only cruise line will be invited to an overnight stay on the ship with evening entertainment in either Dover or Liverpool, with a further 500-700 joining them during the daytime at both events.
Fifty places will be awarded to prize-winners in a
Travel Weekly competition with 25 being hosted in each port.
First Mates who have been “most supportive and most engaged” will be prioritised for a place, said Shane Riley (pictured), UK sales director.
He added: “We want people to be blown away – we will wow them and they will leave excited.
“To experience it first-hand is vital for selling a product. We know that once they have experienced a product, it is better for selling.
“It is a very differentiated experience, and even one night can show what it’s like in our 20-plus eateries and our clever cabins, which redefine what you can experience at sea.”
The cabins have been designed to be a lounge during the day and then the furniture becomes a queen-sized bed for the night.
“It’s a unique cabin design and very spacious, so it’s important to experience that transformation,” added Riley.
“There are no reviews yet, so our First Mates can act as ambassadors.
“Our style is ‘Rebellious Luxe’. People ask us where we fit, but we created something that does not fit in.
“People need to understand where we sit in the market. We offer a luxury experience but with a rebellious twist.”
He said thousands of UK agents have registered as First Mates and numbers continue to grow.
The cruise line held training roadshows in seven UK cities this summer and will host more training in December, when it will reveal details about its second ship, due to start sailing in 2021. A third ship will sail from 2022 and a fourth is scheduled to arrive in 2023.
Riley said the UK is “punching above its weight” when it came to sales, and “upward momentum is growing” as more details about the cruises are revealed.
Working with Riley to support agents are UK sales managers Sarah-Jane Walker, covering the north, and Gemma Smith, responsible for the south.
Riley urged agents who are not yet First Mates to sign up and learn more about Scarlet Lady.
Could Sir Richard Branson appear?
Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson could make an appearance at the pre-inaugural events, said Shane Riley.
Branson has been promoting the latest innovation to be unveiled – an on-demand champagne delivery service called Shake for Champagne. Passengers using the Virgin Voyages Sailor app will be able to request champagne, anywhere on Scarlet Lady, with a shake of their phone.
Furthermore, ‘Sailors’ [customers] booking a cruise departing in April or May next year will find a free limited-edition bottle of Moët & Chandon champagne in their cabin.