Virgin Voyages is one of the newest cruise lines at sea. However, it’s also one of the most exclusive.
Unlike mainstream lines like Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Norwegian, Virgin Voyages caters exclusively to adults. That means you have to be 18 or older to sail on one of its striking scarlet-red funneled ships.
Adult-only cruises aren’t a new idea, but Virgin Voyages has taken the concept to a whole new level, combining bold entertainment, upscale dining, and boutique-style accommodations.
But who’s behind this bold approach to cruising? Here’s everything you need to know about the ownership, vision, and leadership driving Virgin Voyages.
The adults-only Virgin Voyages cruise line is co-owned by the Virgin Group, founded by Sir Richard Branson, and Bain Capital
Sir Richard Branson might be the public face of the Virgin Voyages brand, but he isn’t the sole owner of the cruise line. Rather, Virgin Group, which Branson founded in 1970, holds a significant stake in the venture.
The other major owner is Bain Capital, a private investment firm based in Boston, Massachusetts, that is the cruise line’s primary financial backer.
This partnership allows Virgin Voyages to combine Branson’s vision for a fun and unconventional cruise experience with Bain’s strategic business guidance and capital.
For example, Virgin Group supplies the brand’s trademark creativity and disruptive hospitality approach, while Bain Capital’s investments have allowed the cruise line to build a fleet of state-of-the-art ships.
As of November 2025, Virgin Voyages has four ships sailing around the world:
- Scarlet Lady (2021)
- Valiant Lady (2022)
- Resilient Lady (2023)
- Brilliant Lady (2025)
Departure ports include Miami, Florida; New York, New York; Athens (Piraeus), Greece; Portsmouth, United Kingdom; Vancouver, British Columbia; Barcelona, Spain; Seattle, Washington; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Los Angeles, California.
What other companies are part of the Virgin Group?
Virgin Voyages is just one piece of the Virgin Group puzzle. Over the decades, Sir Richard Branson has expanded the company into a global empire.
Today, the Virgin brand operates through subsidiaries and joint ventures spread across over 40 businesses.
Some of the most well-known Virgin Group brands include Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Galactic, Virgin Hotels, Virgin Mobile, Virgin Radio, Virgin Rail Group, and, of course, Virgin Voyages.
Although brands like Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Hotels, and Virgin Voyages are all part of Virgin Group’s portfolio, each company operates as its own separate business with its own leadership team, investors, and goals.
Virgin Group’s role, in addition to being either a majority owner or minority partner, is to lend its branding and innovative approach to each venture, whether on land, in the air, or at sea.
How did Virgin Voyages start?
The concept for an adult-only cruise line began in 2011, when Nirmal Saverimuttu, a Virgin Group executive, and Tom McAlpin, then-CEO of The World, discussed the idea of creating a new kind of cruise experience housed under the Virgin Group umbrella.
Saverimuttu secured Bain Capital as an investor, and over the next three years, the team worked to raise $700 million in funding for the venture, as well as borrowing another $1 - $1.5 billion.
Once the financial backing was secured, Virgin Group announced the establishment of Virgin Cruises on December 4, 2014.
Construction on the first ship, Scarlet Lady, began in 2017 at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy. Shortly thereafter, the brand adopted the name “Virgin Voyages.”
Before the line’s first-ever ship even launched, Virgin announced its plans to build a new $150 million, 100,000 square-foot terminal at PortMiami, as well as design a new private destination on the Bahamian island of Bimini.
Although the pandemic delayed Scarlet Lady’s inaugural debut, she finally set sail in 2021 and quickly distinguished herself through her bold entertainment, adults-only policy, and elevated dining approach.
How is Virgin Voyages different from other cruise lines?
After over 30 cruises, I sailed with Virgin Voyages aboard the line’s newest ship, Brilliant Lady, on a 5-night cruise out of New York City to Bermuda.
From the moment I arrived at the terminal, it was clear that it wasn’t going to be a traditional cruise experience.
For example, instead of cruise cards, Virgin Voyages gives each guest a wearable bracelet that serves as their room key, payment method, and ID — aligning with the company’s firm position on banning unnecessary single-use plastics from its ships.
Read more: I took my first Virgin Voyages cruise on its newest ship. Here are my brutally honest thoughts
Dining is another area where Virgin Voyages sets itself apart. Rather than have massive all-you-can-eat buffets or main dining rooms, each ship offers a variety of specialty restaurants included in the fare, ranging from classy steakhouses to Korean BBQ.
Moreover, The Galley is a casual, food-hall-style dining venue with multiple stations serving diverse, made-to-order cuisine. I loved the tacos from Let’s Taco Bout It, as well as the spicy ramen from Noodle Around.
Beyond food, the onboard entertainment and activities differ from what you’ll find on lines like Royal Caribbean and Carnival — think drag shows, ship-wide celebrations, and late-night parties.
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Having sailed on over 30 cruises across different lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, Margaritaville at Sea, and Princess, she loves sharing her insight and expertise on all things cruising!
In addition to writing for Cruise.Blog, Elizabeth has bylines in Business Insider, Royal Caribbean Blog, and Cruiseshipfood.com.
