Virgin Voyages was built on the idea of shaking up how cruises work.
The cruise line has made many changes to what people expect on a cruise. It does not, for example, offer a main dining room. Instead, the cruise line’s “specialty” restaurants are part of your basic fare.
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Virgin Voyages has also replaced the traditional self-serve buffet with a food hall that offers a collection of different restaurants. The cruise line also includes most non-alcoholic beverages, with the exception of specialty coffee, as part of your fare.
In its effort to reshape the cruise industry, Virgin Voyages also only serves passengers 18 and older. That means that not only are there no kids on its ships, but the cruise line also does not have to dedicate space for younger cruisers.
It’s a work in progress and Virgin Voyages has shared plans to continue to remake the industry, this time by changing where some of its ships will go while offering new programming on some of those ships.
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Virgin Voyages will be offering what it calls “Ast
Image source: Virgin Voyages.
Virgin Voyages reaches for the stars
In addition to its onboard changes, Virgin Voyages wants to offer a different type of cruising that leans into an emerging trend.
“Virgin Voyages is looking up towards the stars (and sun) as inspiration for the brand’s future voyages. Astrotourism – wondrous travel escapes for the sole purpose of stargazing – has been taking off in recent years, National Geographic reports. With the next few years expected to deliver some of the most awe-inspiring auroras, solar eclipses, constellations, and comets,” the cruise line shared.
Richard Branson, who owns the cruise line, also owns Virgin Galactic, a company that takes passengers into space. The two companies are not affiliated, but Virgin Voyages will also be looking to the stars with its first-ever Eclipse Voyages as part of its newest series: the Marvelous Voyages.
“A total solar eclipse is one of the most spectacular astronomical phenomena to witness, right up there with the aurora. There’s a reason eclipse chasers travel the world to see them! During the 2026 total solar eclipse, much of the path of totality is over the sea, which makes cruising one of the best ways to catch the show,” said space and travel journalist Stefanie Waldek in a comment shared by the cruise line.
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The Eclipse Voyages are set for August 2026, giving Sailors (Virgin Voyage’s term for passengers) the opportunity to cruise towards the path of totality.
“While these epic 12- and 15-night itineraries are incredible in their own right – stops include Dublin, Glasgow and Reykjavik aboard Valiant Lady, and Amalfi Coast, Mallorca, and Cannes on Scarlet Lady – Virgin Voyages is upping the ante with special onboard events and appearances to mark the spirit of the trip,” the cruise line added.
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