Sir Richard Branson has joined Valiant Lady’s crew of over 80 different nationalities to celebrate both the launch of the cruise line’s second ship and the importance of diversity in the business.
Sir Richard Branson has been having what looks to be a very good time onboard Virgin Voyages’ second ship, Valiant Lady.
He joined the crew in Toulon, France to celebrate the launch of the ship, as well as diversity within the team ahead of UNESCO’s World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development on Saturday 21 May.
“It was great fun celebrating with the team and getting onboard for the Mermaiden voyage – sailing to some of the best spots in the Mediterranean including the French Riviera, Tuscany and Ibiza,” Sir Richard Branson penned in his blog.
“I’d never really wanted to go on a cruise – but that’s exactly why we created Virgin Voyages.”
“We wanted to create something special, unlike anything ever seen before in the cruising world. We got a team together who had never worked on cruise ships before to design a brand new experience.”
In the blog, Sir Richard highlighted that what makes Virgin different from any other company is the people who work for the company.
“There’s more than 80 different nationalities working onboard – that’s almost half the world’s countries represented on our ships, all working together and bringing the experience to life with a smile.”
“It’s really heart-warming to see young Ukrainians standing next to and hugging young Russians– our ships are a place where we want everyone to feel welcome and included, no matter where you are from,” he wrote.
The 2,770-passenger ship arrived in Barcelona on Saturday to begin its first summer season in the Mediterranean, offering seven-night itineraries.
Last month Virgin Voyages announced that it was setting its sights on Australia and New Zealand, with plans to make its new homeport in Melbourne in 2023.
Resilient Lady will make her way on a 44-night trans-continental voyage, giving Aussies the chance to sail the high seas from Athens to Sydney in style.
After this epic journey home, the ship will arrive at Station Pier in Port Melbourne, Victoria.
“Australia and New Zealand are without question the most beautiful countries in the world, and we knew that these destinations, paired with the Virgin Voyages experience, will make it the most incredible holiday for our Sailors,” said Nirmal Saverimuttu, Virgin Voyages’ President and Chief Experience Officer.
For more information head to www.virginvoyages.com