Renderings of Virgin Voyages are shared to Public

Inside Travel Report  James Shillinglaw,  May 18, 2018

Virgin Voyages unveiled its new concepts at NYCxDESIGN, an annual celebration of design, where the new company revealed its Creative Collective developed by some of the world’s leading interior design firms, none of which have ever designed for the cruise industry before. Designs from Tom Dixon of London, Roman and Williams of New York and Concrete Amsterdam were given their first public viewing, with the architects on hand to reveal the thought process behind their work. all of which feed into the brand’s design concept of the Modern Romance of Sailing. Joining Tom Dixon, as well as Lisa Hassanzadeh and Rob Wagemans of Concrete Amsterdam for a panel discussion was Dee Cooper, senior vice president of product design for Virgin Voyages, while Robin Standefer and Stephen Alesch of Roman and Williams shared their insights via video link.

It’s one of the most eagerly awaited new cruise ships since it promises to be revolutionary and groundbreaking product. Beyond a keel laying, however, and a full-ship rendering, little has been seen from Virgin Voyages. Now the fledgling line being launched by Sir Richard Branson has revealed what life on its first ship will look like, including a selection of designs for the vessel’s exterior and interior public spaces yesterday. Tom Dixon, who is behind the ship’s upscale modern Mexican restaurant and Richard’s Rooftop area, stressed how this will be a cruise like no other. "It seems risky to use designers who have never been on a cruise before, but it makes complete sense," he said. "The glamour of going on a cruise seems to have vanished, I like the idea of bringing that back but in a modern way."

While Rob Wagemans of Concrete Amsterdam, which has designed the Athletic Club, an outdoor lounge that celebrates traditional nautical elements, relaxation and adult play, explained why he believed it was so important to have such a broad range of different architects and designers involved in the project. "This ship should let you live the lifestyle that you want while you’re on it, not one which has been dictated to you by a brand," he said. "There are so many different areas to explore that offer real difference."

This was also a point of view shared by Dee Cooper, who explained just how central the element of choice was when selecting members for the Creative Collective. "Giving the passengers diversity of choice has been key when deciding who to work with. Let’s take New York as an example, you can go Uptown for some sophistication or you can head over to the West Village for more of a relaxed night - people value that choice, so why shouldn’t you be able to have that option on a ship?" Also on hand was Tom McAlpin, president and CEO of Virgin Voyages, who said he was excited to see how all the design work was helping the business to achieve its central mission statement. "At the core of our Epic Sea Change For All is ensuring that the spaces on our ships are well-styled, distinct and reflective of the dynamic experience we want to bring to our sailors," he said. "Our design partners together with our internal design team have dreamed up eye-catching, intimate and alluring spaces that we can’t wait to see come to life."

Virgin Voyages currently has three ships on order due for delivery in 2020, 2021 and 2022. The first of these vessels will be “Adult by Design,” offering an incredible yacht-like vacation experience for those 18 and older. For more details, itineraries and bookings please contact J Camps Travel - Travel the World, We're here for You!