Weather 
How do you entice new customers onto a cruise ship? That often-maligned holiday experience of tiny crowded pools, average entertainment, long buffet lines, smoky casinos and bingo (not to mention bingo wings)?
How about with a bit of rock ’n’ roll? Or rap? Or disco?
Virgin Voyages, a cruise line with a unique music heritage, is already aimed squarely at hipsters, with its rave-at-sea atmosphere, onboard features like a tattoo parlor and Instagram photo-op spaces. (Heck, the sail-away safety brief even advises on how to avoid going overboard when taking a selfie.)
Thus, their cruises already entice anyone who wants to dance the night away. They’re open only to adults (18-plus), so obviously there are no kids club spaces, only, well, club spaces instead. Be aware though that their “sailors” are not all Gen X, Y or Z — there’s a fair helping of “not going quietly” boomers who remember the Virgin birth in 1972.
To up the ante, Virgin Voyages has been adding specially curated theme cruises to the lineup. Recent specials saw Melanie C of Spice Girls fame come aboard, while last October, singer (and chef) Kelis headlined the launch of the line’s newest ship, Brilliant Lady.
In December, Latin fusion star Nicky Jam took over a Caribbean cruise dubbed Olas de Fuego (“waves of fire.”) And in March, sailors got their groove on with Nile Rodgers and Chic.
It’s not just music, either. Jack Whitehall (“Bad Education”) headed up a comedy fest, and a special celebration cruise featured Virgin Galactic astronauts and Richard Branson himself.
Last October also saw another first, a five-day “True Crime” voyage in collaboration with iHeart podcasters.
This included lively onboard presentations of “Buried Bones,” a show where journalist Kate Winkler Dawson and retired detective Paul Holes investigate and attempt to solve cold cases (in this case, the “Black Dahila”).
Also on board, “Betrayal”, with Jennifer Faison, offering explorations of the deception family members can inflict upon each other, and “Stuff They Don’t Want You to Know” with Ben Bowlin, Matt Frederick and Noel Brown, a trio uncovering conspiracy theories and ongoing mysteries.
The specialty cruise collaborations evolved because Virgin Voyages has found itself with a good problem to have — a “high repeat rate of sailors,” as per Jamie Douglas, fleet experience director for product innovation and immersive experiences.
“It’s also a runway to attract a new demographic who’ve never cruised before — turn their heads,” he added.
According to Virtuoso, a global network of luxury travel advisors, cruise lines generally are “turning heads.” They report that 60% of their surveyed advisors are seeing an increase in first-time cruisers. According to a recent survey by Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), 27% of cruisers over the past two years are new to cruising.
If the stars align for your first foray, there are two upcoming solar eclipse specials that might tick the box, on Aug. 5 for 15 nights in Iceland and Aug. 10 for 12 nights in the Med, which come complete with astronauts, astronomers and special “cosmic cuisine.” Prices start at $10,472 per cabin.
See VirginVoyages.com for details.
