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Any NEWS on VV? Please post it here...

wwcruisers

By wwcruisers,
in Virgin Voyages

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Tarwood3

Tarwood3

Posted
Posted
On 2/9/2019 at 12:53 PM, eroller said:

 

 

I think it’s very unlikely to be their own private island.  It takes an enormous amount of time to acquire one of these islands, obtain the necessary approvals, permits, and public support, then develop it.  MSC, Carnival, and Disney are all in the process of developing new private beach experiences, and it’s taken years just to get where they are.  MSC’s has already been delayed over a year.  Also these developments tend to be very public as they require government approval, and often times there is a backlash from local citizens.  It’s very difficult to keep them a secret.  

 

Richard Branson announced this morning that he indeed purchased a private island in the Bahamas as the secret destination!!!

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eroller Great Review Rare

eroller

Posted
Posted
8 minutes ago, Tarwood3 said:

 

Richard Branson announced this morning that he indeed purchased a private island in the Bahamas as the secret destination!!!

 

 

Wow thats awesome and I’m glad to be proven wrong!   Still it takes a long time to develop.  I’ll be very surprised if it’s ready in time for the first cruises.   

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Biker19

Biker19

Posted
Posted (edited)
5 minutes ago, eroller said:

  Still it takes a long time to develop.  I’ll be very surprised if it’s ready in time for the first cruises.   

A few porta-pottys and a few tenders is all you need to start.

Edited by Biker19
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Tarwood3

Tarwood3

Posted
Posted
6 minutes ago, eroller said:

 

 

Wow thats awesome and I’m glad to be proven wrong!   Still it takes a long time to develop.  I’ll be very surprised if it’s ready in time for the first cruises.   

Agreed. I’m on the inaugural so I may not get to see the private island. I will just hope for the best ...

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eroller Great Review Rare

eroller

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Posted

It's interesting that it's being developed in a partnership with Resorts World (Genting).  They seem to have a lock on Bimini and operated the BIMINI SUPERFAST ferry for a while, and developed a resort/casino there with the Hilton name.  Genting also owns Crystal Cruises, Star Cruises, and Dream Cruises.  I wonder if we will see Crystal ships call at this Beach Club as well?  

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eneq

eneq

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Posted (edited)

Some thoughts I have:

1.) It seems like the "well-being" zone and spa are very close to the main pool. Are they not worried about sound bleeding over from the main pool into a designated relaxation area?

2.) Many different places on the website mention the in room mini-bars are "on us." Does that mean the mini bars will be free game? I would assume alcohol would not be in the minibars if that was the case.

3.) The lack of beverage packages is a big deal. It makes sense because VV is trying to cut back on all the added fees, add-ons, and packages associated with other cruise lines. However, I think this is a crucial option to have because I haven't met a single cruiser who prefers paying per drink. On the other hand, Virgin does have a track record of not overcharging on products such as alcohol or minibars in their other ventures (i.e. Virgin Hotels).

 

Nevertheless, I am still excited about VV, and I'm very eager to go sailing with them next year. 

Edited by eneq
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Biker19

Biker19

Posted
Posted (edited)
2 hours ago, eneq said:

 However, I think this is a crucial option to have because I haven't met a single cruiser who prefers paying per drink.

Kinda hard to get an unbiased answer to that when you only talk to people at bars. Packages mostly makes sense when the drinks are fairly expensive and it seems like getting an unlimited package is "worth it". As mentioned in another thread, VV may want to not turn these short sailings into booze cruises.

Edited by Biker19
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Nightrythm

Nightrythm

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, eneq said:

3.) The lack of beverage packages is a big deal. It makes sense because VV is trying to cut back on all the added fees, add-ons, and packages associated with other cruise lines. However, I think this is a crucial option to have because I haven't met a single cruiser who prefers paying per drink. On the other hand, Virgin does have a track record of not overcharging on products such as alcohol or minibars in their other ventures (i.e. Virgin Hotels).

Hi! Nice to meet you. Now I admit, I'm primarily a Carnival cruiser, but my spouse and I pay per drink rather than using the drink package. The day we each average $50 worth of booze a day, is when I'll start using the drink package. Until then...

 

I too am very interested in what Virgin voyages is offering. It has potential to be really amazing.

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eroller Great Review Rare

eroller

Posted
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36 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Kinda hard to get an unbiased answer to that when you only talk to people at bars. Packages mostly makes sense when the drinks are fairly expensive and it seems like getting an unlimited package is "worth it". As mentioned in another thread, VV may want to not turn these short sailings into booze cruises.

 

 

Packages also only make sense if you drink 5-6 drinks per day, and both of you in the cabin drink since most cruise lines require the package purchased by everyone in the cabin.  There are many many people that only want maybe one or two drinks a day, if that, so the package would be a huge waste of money.  Also in my case my husband does not drink alcohol, so again the package is worthless.  

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kgelner

kgelner

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, eneq said:

Some thoughts I have:

1.) It seems like the "well-being" zone and spa are very close to the main pool. Are they not worried about sound bleeding over from the main pool into a designated relaxation area?

With no kids on board, I'd think pool sound would be diminished from what we are used to on other cruise lines.
 

3 hours ago, eneq said:

2.) Many different places on the website mention the in room mini-bars are "on us." Does that mean the mini bars will be free game? I would assume alcohol would not be in the minibars if that was the case.

After reading the FAQ, it seems like there is some alcohol in the mini bars, and it's all free.  They did for sure mention a starting bottle of something.

 

3 hours ago, eneq said:

3.) The lack of beverage packages is a big deal. It makes sense because VV is trying to cut back on all the added fees, add-ons, and packages associated with other cruise lines. However, I think this is a crucial option to have because I haven't met a single cruiser who prefers paying per drink. On the other hand, Virgin does have a track record of not overcharging on products such as alcohol or minibars in their other ventures (i.e. Virgin Hotels).

 

Like others have said, I am really happy about this choice for a shorter cruise as it prevents people from getting crazy drunk trying to extract value from an unlimited drinks package.

The other way I look at this is - for most other cruise lines, I find anything that is unlimited to be pretty mediocre (like paying more for specialty restaurants usually gets much better food than the main dining room).  So I would think if you really enjoy a good drink, you would be able to get better quality drinks onboard VV than you would on ships with an unlimited drinks package, and like you say the drink prices will probably be pretty decent exactly because they are not trying to entice people to buy a drink package.

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eneq

eneq

Posted
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14 minutes ago, kgelner said:

With no kids on board, I'd think pool sound would be diminished from what we are used to on other cruise lines.
 

After reading the FAQ, it seems like there is some alcohol in the mini bars, and it's all free.  They did for sure mention a starting bottle of something.

 

 

Like others have said, I am really happy about this choice for a shorter cruise as it prevents people from getting crazy drunk trying to extract value from an unlimited drinks package.

The other way I look at this is - for most other cruise lines, I find anything that is unlimited to be pretty mediocre (like paying more for specialty restaurants usually gets much better food than the main dining room).  So I would think if you really enjoy a good drink, you would be able to get better quality drinks onboard VV than you would on ships with an unlimited drinks package, and like you say the drink prices will probably be pretty decent exactly because they are not trying to entice people to buy a drink package.

 

With sound bleed, I was referring more to the loud music/bass normally played at cruise pools. It would really only be an issue during the afternoons, when the pool would most likely have the highest traffic. 

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Biker19

Biker19

Posted
Posted (edited)

Virgin Voyages today announced that the Scarlet Lady will feature a festival of choice in entertainment made up of bespoke intimate and authentic Events & Gigs created exclusively for Virgin Voyages with the goal of providing guests with an alternative perspective on the world and play that ignites the spirit within, according to a prepared statement.

 

At an event in New York, Virgin said guests wouldn't just sit and watch shows, but instead may be asked to participate with the cast.

Red Room

The company will have no traditional cruise director onboard the ship, and instead it will have a dynamic group of individuals dedicated to making “Happenings” around the ship completely epic, Virgin said, in a statement. 

 

From modern takes on classic stories, to interactive dance parties and off-the wall participatory acts, the experiences will break down the fourth wall and push the boundaries of traditional stage performances. 

Virgin Voyages has created The Red Room as the first transformational multi-form theater at sea. It will transform into four different configurations - including traditional Proscenium stage, to alley stage used in fashion shows, to a dance flat-floor configuration and finally a unique reverse stage setup. 

The Scarlet Lady will feature six original shows that include a soon to be announced production by award-winning producer Randy Weiner.

 

Sam Pinkleton & Ani Taj have created a hype music video disguised as an absurdist style dance party, called UNTITLED DANCESHOWPARTYTHING.

Phantom Folktales is a collection of song driven, micro plays throughout the ship, that seemingly appear out of thin air, and disappear just as quickly, created by PigPen Theatre Co.

 

Ships in the Night is an emotion-filled contemporary experience telling its story through the use of digital projection interwoven with the authenticity of the human condition, and Duel Reality examines the age-old tale of Romeo & Juliet with a modern twist featuring acrobatic storytelling. 

Never Sleep Alone is a participatory show featuring the funny, straight-talking relationship therapist, Dr. Alex Shiller, by producers Roslyn Hart and Alfredo Guenzani.

 

Additionally the creative development, production and installation of “happenings” that will take place throughout the ship were created by Spark Cooperative.

 

To add to the overall vision, Tony Award winning creative producer, Jenny Gersten, will serve as an artistic and production liaison between the core in house Virgin Voyages Entertainment team and other members of the Collective, the company said. 

Edited by Biker19
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eneq

eneq

Posted
Posted
52 minutes ago, AdoraBelle said:

 

So, "Mr Sexy Legs", group trivia, newlywed game, deal or no deal, lip sync competitions, etc?

 

It will be interesting to see if they at least keep the newlywed game. Its a cruise tradition/almost necessity.

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eroller Great Review Rare

eroller

Posted
Posted

The main theater looks fairly small and not very impressive.  I think my high school auditorium was probably more grand.  Anyway hard to tell in the rendering.  It will be very adaptive, as I believe all the seats can be removed, or at least that is what it sounds like in the description.  I'm not a big fan of being dragged into audience participation.  

Screen Shot 2019-02-15 at 10.01.52 AM.png

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bobhosk

bobhosk

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, eroller said:

The main theater looks fairly small and not very impressive.  I think my high school auditorium was probably more grand.  Anyway hard to tell in the rendering.  It will be very adaptive, as I believe all the seats can be removed, or at least that is what it sounds like in the description.  I'm not a big fan of being dragged into audience participation.  

Screen Shot 2019-02-15 at 10.01.52 AM.png

 

Looks like a TV set.

 

And the previous description makes it sound awful. Some of the stuff screams like a company overly trying to be hip and cool.

 

I think the design, food offering, inclusive pricing, free wifi, casting to your TV etc are all big ticks but the rest of it is only going to apply to a subset of us younger folk (tattooing etc).

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