‘We made some mistakes’: Why ‘sex sells’ failed for Virgin’s cruise line

This month marks the 10-year anniversary of Richard Branson’s cruise line, Virgin Voyages. If it doesn’t feel like it’s been a decade since the company was founded, that’s because its first ship didn’t set sail until August 2021, initially with “staycation” itineraries off the British coastline that required all passengers to be double-vaccinated against COVID. It certainly wasn’t an optimal time to debut; but in the three years since, the brand has certainly made a splash.

The first Virgin Voyages cruise set sail in August 2021.

Ever since the British entrepreneur established his Virgin brand in 1970 under “Virgin Mail Order”, which then became Virgin Records (one of his student co-founders suggested they call it Virgin because they were all virgins), every iteration of his travel spin-offs have had a certain “cheekiness” to them.

Back in 2010, I was part of a Virgin Atlantic press trip to Las Vegas celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the London route to Sin City. When we touched down, Branson did a wing walk carrying burlesque artist Dita von Teese, and later rode a jet ski around the Bellagio fountain with a female member of the cabin crew clinging on to his back.

When Virgin Voyages launched as a strict “adults-only” proposition, it was no surprise that this cruise industry disruptor was using sex to sell. On Scarlet Lady’s maiden voyage, passengers discovered that every cabin was equipped with a “cheekily illustrated box of sex toys” containing a vibrator, condoms and $US30 ($27) vegan lube.

I myself boarded the second ship, Valiant Lady, in March 2022. I wrote: “Virgin Voyages appears to be making a conscious effort to appeal to a younger generation by ticking as many millennial trend boxes as possible – from tattoo parlours, drag acts and ’80s-inspired workouts to an in-house sex and dating expert.”

It didn’t take long for word to get out that Virgin Voyages was a place for hedonism. One passenger who wanted to remain anonymous told us: “The last cruise I did was pretty crazy. The ‘upside-down pineapple gang’ were literally in full swing at the pool party and there was a lot of partner swapping going on around. I spoke to some swingers, who were very open about it all. There were lots of people wearing pineapples on their clothes.” For those innocently oblivious to this secret code, the upside-down pineapple is a symbol for casual non-monogamy, and is sometimes placed on cabin doors by open-minded cruisers.

By the time Resilient Lady took to the waves in spring 2023, the sex kits were gone, and the “participatory” show Never Sleep Alone, which featured couples’ counselling and simulated blow jobs, was canned. (Today, it’s Dual Reality – an acrobatic retelling of Romeo and Juliet – that is being heavily touted.) So, are pineapples (metaphorically) off the menu?

Virgin Voyages cruises quickly gained a reputation for hedonism.

For Virgin Voyages CEO Nirmal Saverimuttu, the association with sex is something the cruise line is trying to leave behind, and although Virgin Voyages definitely won’t be letting children on board any time soon, the package is becoming more “PG”.

“I’d be the first to admit that when we launched the brand we made some mistakes,” he said.

Funky interiors are a key element of the Virgin Voyages brand.

“Our biggest challenge has been the misperceptions about us. But we probably didn’t do ourselves any favours in not allowing those misperceptions to build. We were not thoughtful about certain choices we were making around some of the on-board programming and small details that ended up getting so much amplification that they ended up defining what the product was.

“I think the issue with the adult entertainment was that it fed a narrative that this was a very narrow product with a very risqué kind of feel to it. And paired with the fact that we didn’t have kids on board, it painted a picture of something that was very exclusionary, rather than being inclusive.”

He adds: “As we have matured our marketing, we have tried to be more thoughtful. But Richard’s ethos is, ‘Sometimes things don’t work out and it’s OK’.”

Canvassing other Virgin Voyages “sailors”, praise for the cruise line is effusive, so it must be doing something right. Repeat customer Karen, 49, from Devon in the UK says: “It’s certainly rather quirky and there is an ‘anything goes attitude’ throughout the ship, but there is always a quieter area to be found if you don’t want to join the party. The first time I went on board there was a couple in their ’70s having an absolute ball. People come from all walks of life.”

A focus on world cuisines, such as Korean BBQ, sought to attract a millennial clientele.

Another passenger, Alexandra, adds: “The diversity of programming that goes around the clock is really impressive. They have sunrise yoga but also a thumping nightclub that goes on until 4am.” Detox-retox is still central to the proposition.

Another sailor, Ashley Boorman, 42, a personal trainer and life coach, took a summer 2024 cruise around Greece and Turkey. He says: “A highlight for me was the Scarlet Nights party where everyone was encouraged to wear red. Lots of people ended up in the pool.

“There was definitely a higher percentage of LGBTQ+ people to other holidays I’ve had, which was great to see. I saw some guys naked in the Jacuzzi much later in the night but it didn’t get any juicier than that.”

He adds: “The ship had style and didn’t impose dress codes or boring etiquette. It was definitely about being relaxed in your own body and celebrating that – no judgement.”

So confident is Virgin Voyages in the dedication of its hardcore fans that it has this month launched an “all-you-can-cruise” Annual Pass costing a whopping $US120,000 ($188,000), with the option to bring a plus-one. (In 2023, its month-long “work from helm” Season Passes sold out in 48 hours.)

Currently moored off the coast of Rome, Virgin Voyages’ fourth ship Brilliant Lady will debut in September 2025. The ship will feature itineraries ranging from five to 16 nights, and take in places such as Bermuda, Quebec City and Boston, as well as Alaska, for the first time.

But Australia remains off the itinerary for the cruise line. After basing Resilient Lady in Melbourne last summer, Virgin Voyages announced the ship would not be returning, citing attacks in the Red Sea which made it dangerous for ships to take that route to return (and the alternative, travelling around the Horn of Africa, is deemed economically unviable).

Still, could the best be yet to come? Saverimuttu is bullish. He says: “The company is up 50 per cent in revenue year-on-year, and we’re on track to be up 50 per cent again next year. The brand is really finding its footing now. People understand it.”

The Telegraph, London