Think that P&O is going downmarket? Try Virgin!

[Selbourne]

I am a great fan of all things Branson. Having had a dreadful experience on a BA flight (and as a protest to them scrapping Concorde) I flew Virgin a few times. Much better. So, when I heard that Virgin was entering the cruise market I thought....maybe. 

 

Any thoughts of a cruise on their new ships was dashed however, when I received an email this week highlighting that the new ships will feature.....wait for it....a tattoo parlour. I kid you not!

[Britboys]

I saw an article about this a while back actually.  I thought it was funny that it was portrayed as a Naval Tradition to get a Tattoo...  They are certainly going for a very different style of cruise.

[bobhosk]

They appear to be aiming at millennial hipsters.

[DamianG]

The tattoo industry appears to be booming so presumably they think this will be a money spinner for them. Whatever next?

[Eglesbrech]

Well of all the things you could put on a cruise ship this is the last one I would have thought of. I also wonder how many people who have one done while in the holiday spirit (figurative or literal) will regret this once back at home.

[terrierjohn]

I don't think that Virgin is looking to attract P&O customers, I think they are looking to create their own niche clientele, probably younger couples yet to start a family with totally different ideas about cruising holidays, perhaps a junior version of the luxury cruise lines.

[showingdiva]

3 hours ago, Eglesbrech said:

Well of all the things you could put on a cruise ship this is the last one I would have thought of. I also wonder how many people who have one done while in the holiday spirit (figurative or literal) will regret this once back at home.

 

I'm more curious how this would work at sea.  Needs a steady hand and all that .. surely only done when the ship is docked in a port 

[Host Sharon]

They are openly aiming at the 21-35 market, according to some of their publicity.

[Prefdavid]

15 hours ago, Host Sharon said:

They are openly aiming at the 21-35 market, according to some of their publicity.

So you'll have booked then Sharon 😉

[SquishTheWhale]

Virgin Voyages massively appeals to me I have to say from the concept art and details released! We are a married couple 33 with no kids so I guess we are the target market. However I'm pretty sure there is no way we will be able to afford it!

 

Even though I have a couple of tattoos there's no way I'd be getting one on any kind of holiday- the aftercare means you can't swim or be in the sun and you are constantly washing and creaming it. No thanks!

[Tom Baker]

Isn't it P&O policy not to employ waiters / staff with tattoos? Maybe this is an opportunity for those folks with tattoos to work on a cruise line.

[Highpeaklad]

From what I’ve seen Virgin looks massively more upmarket compared to P&O. Even the new P&O ships don’t have much of a wow factor eg. The Britannia atrium feels like sitting in a shopping mall. 

[Britboys]

17 hours ago, Tom Baker said:

Isn't it P&O policy not to employ waiters / staff with tattoos? Maybe this is an opportunity for those folks with tattoos to work on a cruise line.

 

Many of the P&O waiters have a visible - but small - tattoo on their hands.  I think it may be related to their Faith?

[Britboys]

27 minutes ago, Highpeaklad said:

From what I’ve seen Virgin looks massively more upmarket compared to P&O. Even the new P&O ships don’t have much of a wow factor eg. The Britannia atrium feels like sitting in a shopping mall. 

 

I haven't been on Britannia but always thought the Atrium looked quite nice - unlike the renderings for the "Grand Atrium" on the new Iona.  That to me is very reminiscent of the atrium at Brent Cross Shopping Centre in North London!

[Highpeaklad]

14 minutes ago, Britboys said:

 

I haven't been on Britannia but always thought the Atrium looked quite nice - unlike the renderings for the "Grand Atrium" on the new Iona.  That to me is very reminiscent of the atrium at Brent Cross Shopping Centre in North London!

 

[Britboys]

Point taken .  Sadly, one of the things that is increasingly common on all the major cruise lines are the horrible 'sales' held in various venues on board.  Shopping is the last thing on my mind when I am on a cruise!

[Selbourne]

16 minutes ago, Britboys said:

Point taken .  Sadly, one of the things that is increasingly common on all the major cruise lines are the horrible 'sales' held in various venues on board.  Shopping is the last thing on my mind when I am on a cruise!

 

Agreed and made all the worse when table 'tat sales' migrate out into the already congested atriums. This is one of the few things that we find irritating about Aurora. The atrium is small and has pinch points and when crowds gather around the latest market stall (sorry, high quality offerings) it is nigh on impossible to get a wheelchair through.

[Tom Baker]

3 hours ago, Britboys said:

 

Many of the P&O waiters have a visible - but small - tattoo on their hands.  I think it may be related to their Faith?

Looks a little like ♀️a sign of the Christian faith usually on the thumb or the wrist

[terrierjohn]

4 hours ago, Highpeaklad said:

From what I’ve seen Virgin looks massively more upmarket compared to P&O. Even the new P&O ships don’t have much of a wow factor eg. The Britannia atrium feels like sitting in a shopping mall. 

Hey that's my line.

[jeanlyon]

On 2/14/2019 at 10:31 AM, Britboys said:

Point taken .  Sadly, one of the things that is increasingly common on all the major cruise lines are the horrible 'sales' held in various venues on board.  Shopping is the last thing on my mind when I am on a cruise!

Ha ha Andrew.  I think I once bought some cough mixture - does that count?  I find most things in the shops are either very naff or ridiculously expensive!

[the english lady]

Set sail on an epic journey from vibrant Miami to Cuba’s capital, by way of a day (8 am to 6:30 pm) spent at a the hotly announced destination Bimini, Bahamas. Arriving in Havana at 9:30 am and leaving the next day, you'll have plenty of time to bike the unexplored streets and savour a mojito at the local bars after the sun sets.

Miami > Bimini, Bahamas > Havana, Cuba > Miami

Price from £1,609pp

 

• Departure Dates: April-October 2020
• Cruise Type: Fly Cruise & Stay
• Cruise Line: Virgin Voyages
• Cruise Ship: Scarlet Lady

• 4 and 5-night itineraries available

   

• Gratuities included

   

• All-inclusive dining

   

• Adult-only

• I am

[the english lady]

I give up I tried being clever and it didn't work. Well by the time you have added flights, hotels, this is probably cheapest cabin on the ship and its only a 5 day holiday I think, ill pass, and I'm way passed their target market.

 

[Britboys]

On 2/14/2019 at 10:50 AM, Selbourne said:

 

Agreed and made all the worse when table 'tat sales' migrate out into the already congested atriums. This is one of the few things that we find irritating about Aurora. The atrium is small and has pinch points and when crowds gather around the latest market stall (sorry, high quality offerings) it is nigh on impossible to get a wheelchair through.

 

Indeed!  I would ban all table-top sales in walk-way areas.  Keep them in the shops or a 'closed' venue that those who are not interested can ignore/bypass.

[Britboys]

3 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

Ha ha Andrew.  I think I once bought some cough mixture - does that count?  I find most things in the shops are either very naff or ridiculously expensive!

 

Here here Jean!  I think you can be forgiven the cough mixture - just make sure you take your own next time 😁

[emam]

Theres a video taken by Ben & David showing the inside of the ship under construction and photos of how it will look. Very nice, but I'm well out of age range. 

All speciality venues included in price.

I cant copy the link from my phone. I will do so later