The Premiere of Virgin Voyages cruises in the Canary Islands It will be shorter than the vacation company had anticipated. The firm backed by Richard Branson has canceled the two trips to the Archipelago scheduled for April and instead will allocate the Valiant Lady to a private charter, as has been communicated in recent days to the passengers who had reserved a seat. Even so, the company maintains the inaugural voyage this week, in which its new ship will touch the ports of Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
Virgin’s announcement marks the cancellation of the scales that the ‘brave lady’ had to make in the two capital islands on the weekend of April 9 and 10, as well as those of the 23rd and 24th of the same month. The voyages, as well as a three-day voyage between the UK and Belgium, were part of a series of inaugural cruises for the Valiant Lady before its repositioning in Barcelona, from where it will sail during the summer for its premiere in Mediterranean waters.
The company has contacted travelers to announce the cancellation due to a “private charter” and offer them compensation on future trips. Virgin, a brand focused on the customer experience, has proposed to its sailors – this is how it designates its guests in commercial communications – to opt for another cruise in the summer or get their money back, in addition to 50% in bonuses for future vacations of the amount that they had paid.
scales this weekend
The cancellation of these cruises does not affect the maiden voyage that the ship begins this Tuesday from the British port of Portsmouth. The red wake of Valiant Lady It will first touch A Coruña and then pass through Lisbon and Funchal before arriving in the Canary Islands, where it has Bergé Marítima as consignee. The stopover in Santa Cruz de Tenerife will take place on Saturday and the one in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, on Sunday with the traditional acts of delivery of metope.
Virgin aims to capture a public usually away from the cruise industry offering a product informal or even rebellious luxury, in line with Branson’s own image as an eclectic tycoon emerged from the world of rock, and seeks to gain a foothold in a market, the British, dominated by long-distance companies such as P&O Cruises and Royal Caribbean. For this, he has sought to distinguish himself from the competition by offering unique services on board.
Passengers can sunbathe, enjoy the sea or have a drink as they would on any cruise ship, but also they can get a tattoo on board, practice gymnastics in the open air or swing in the hanging hammock that is on the terrace of each cabin. Bedroom controls can be regulated from a mobile application and other services, such as meals, have a different approach than other companies.
small restaurants
Instead of large communal self-service restaurants, Virgin Voyages has opted for a model of small gastronomic establishments on board – up to 20 restaurants are spread over the decks of the Valiant Lady– with varied offers that range from a Korean-inspired grill to experimental gastronomy, passing through the inevitable hamburgers –here, in a bar open 24 hours a day– or tacos and burritos.
The shipping company follows the same formula that Richard Branson has used to support all kinds of businesses, from gyms to suborbital flights to telephone companies – in Spain, Euskaltel obtained the license to create Virgin Telco – or railways. In this case, Virgin Voyages is a joint venture with Bain Capital, an investment fund that has supported businesses such as Toys «R» Us, Burger King or Dunkin Donuts in recent decades.
