As Resilient Lady sails Down Under for the first time, Virgin Voyages’ Shane Riley tells us why Virgin and Australia are such a great fit – and why agents are playing a key role in the line’s success.
There’s a good reason why Virgin Voyages calls travel agents First Mates.
“It’s not just a Virgin way of doing something, it’s because a first mate is the captain’s right-hand man or woman,” explains Shane Riley, the line’s VP of International Sales & Marketing.
“We want to make sure our First Mates realise that we can’t do it without them! They have played a significant part in our success already in Australia. We have listened to their feedback consistently – for example, we pivoted to shorter itineraries for Resilient Lady’s first season, so first-time Virgin cruisers can ‘try before they fly’ rather than jump aboard a 12-night itinerary.
“Another initiative we put in place in response to a big push from our First Mates is that next year the ship will come to Australia via the West Coast. The Perth to Melbourne voyage is already selling well and we’re offering a lot more variety of itineraries in summer 2024-25.”
We’re enjoying a free-ranging talk with Shane Riley aboard the stylishly streamlined Resilient Lady, in one of his favourite places – The Social Club. Shane has been cruising since he was five years old and has worked in the industry for 15 years, so he certainly knows his ships.
The Australian connection
Shane points out that sending a brand-new ship to Australia – Resilient Lady only entered service in May 2023 – for a cruise line’s first season in the region is “very, very rare”.
“Sir Richard is so passionate about Australia that he insisted that this season go ahead a year earlier than we planned,” he says. “I don’t think there is anywhere else in the world that is as ‘Virgin’ as Australia.
“People generally have a younger outlook here. There’s a balance of wanting to have a really great time with wanting to take care of yourself – a detox-retox mentality – and a strong, independent business mindset.”
Virgin Voyages’ recently appointed CEO, Nirmal Saverimuttu, is an Aussie and was instrumental in establishing the line with Tom McAlpin, founding CEO and now Chairman of the Board of Directors. “Australia is in our DNA,” says Shane.
So, what’s different about Virgin Voyages?
There’s a lot about cruising that Virgin does differently. For a start, because embarkation and disembarkation days can eat into valuable holiday time, Virgin is tailoring those “pain points” to ensure a smoother process.
When you embark in the afternoon, your stateroom will be ready. When you disembark, there are no notices about putting luggage out the night before and Sailors (guests) don’t have to leave the ship until 10.30 in the morning.
The deck plan is different. Spaces are designed for mixing and mingling – or doing your own thing – in a series of bars, lounges and eateries that provide a variety of moods. Instead of one big theatre, for example, entertainment (contemporary and incredibly creative) happens across the whole ship as well as in the versatile Manor nightclub and The Red Room.
Virgin Voyages are for over-18s only. That’s not to say the ships are family-unfriendly; many parents in their 50s and 60s are booking cruises with their adult children. However, there’s no “forced fun”, no “gizmos and gadgets” and no announcements.
Squid Ink tattoo parlour might not be the first tattoo parlour at sea (French Polynesia-based Aranui 5 also offers tattooing onboard), but it’s certainly proved to be a huge attention-grabber. I can’t think of another cruise line that has a vinyl record shop or second-time-around designer goods store – or even fashions and jewellery that are sustainably produced.
Many itineraries are timed differently, too. Shane says the ships often enter popular ports in places such as Ibiza and Majorca in early evening, when other ships are leaving, so Sailors have time to explore and enjoy the famed local nightlife without being surrounded by thousands of other cruisers.
Shore excursions are designed for both exploring independently and taking in must-see sites, and groups are limited to about 15 people. Virgin provides a host of destination guides on the multi-functional app. Virgin Voyages has a strong focus on sustainability, giving back to local communities and mitigating over-tourism.
What’s included and what’s not
There are more than 20 eateries on Virgin’s three – later in 2024, it will be four – Lady Ships, and there is no charge for dining or grazing at any of them. Shane says what he hears most frequently from first-time Virgin cruisers is that they are blown away by how fantastic the food is.
Fitness classes, which are arguably more fun than regular gym work-outs – think bungee, ’80s-style aerobics, ’90s boy band music, sunrise and sunset yoga – all are free.
WiFi, soft drinks – including a superb selection of imaginative mocktails – and gratuities are also included in the fare.
Coffee (from Grounds Club) and alcoholic drinks cost extra, but you can buy a US$300 ‘bar tab’ before you board that gives you an extra US$50 to spend on booze. Bar prices are reportedly lower than you’d find in most city bars and because gratuities are included, there’s no extra service charge on every drink you buy, as on most other cruise lines.
The Bridge for First Mates
Of course, there’s a lot more to discover about Virgin Voyages. Apart from getting onboard the ship as soon as you can to experience it firsthand, Shane and Luke Day (Head of International First Mate Engagement aka Global Training Manager) host a live Facebook Q&A session, The Bridge, for Australian travel agents every Tuesday morning. If you can’t make the session, you can see a recording afterwards.
In Australia, Virgin Voyages works with Travel the World – “they are an extension of the family” says Shane – and many of you will know Andrew Millmore and Sharon Hando.
A third season cruising Down Under is yet to be confirmed – keep your eye out for bookings opening for December 2025 to March 2026 – and details of Brilliant Lady’s 2024 debut are a closely guarded secret. For now.
If you missed our report on Resilient Lady’s brilliant Scarlet Night last week, check it out here.
For more information, visit virginvoyages.com