The Richard Branson-created cruise line wants to disrupt the industry and it’s trying to do that with its bold new loyalty program.
Every aspect of billionaire Richard Branson’s Virgin Voyages looks to disrupt the business model that powers Royal Caribbean Internations (RCL) and Norwegian Cruise Line (NCLH) . Those two companies go after families by catering to mom and dad by offering them onboard “clubs” to entertain their kids, allowing for a family vacation that also includes adult alone time.
Virgin does away with that whole concept by getting rid of kids altogether. Doing that has allowed the company to tailor every aspect of its sailings to an over-18 (really a 21-and-over) crowd. That means there’s no buffet full of chicken fingers and kid-friendly fare, in fact there’s no buffet at all, and the onboard entertainment does not have to factor in any kids in the crowd, because there aren’t any.
Branson’s company has tried to reimagine every aspect of cruising to make the experience better. This has included simple things like making trips nearly all-inclusive (minus alcoholic beverages and some fancy coffees/juices mostly) and making most of the rooms onboard balconies (or sea terraces in Virgin parlay).
Now, the cruise line, which had the unfortunate problem of beginning its life during the pandemic, has a new take on a loyalty program. It’s different than what Royal Caribbean and Norwegian offer, but it has to be because how many frequent “sailors” (another piece of Virgin speak) could a company that completed its first sailing in August 2021 have?
Virgin’s New Program Has Two 2022 Promotions
Virgin Voyages’ new loyalty program is called “The Sailing Club,” and it will launch fully in 2023, with a sort of preview version of the program operating this year. The company is still working on the specific perks and tiers that plan will include, and has asked sailing fans for their suggestions for what they would like to see, as well as to participate in surveys and focus groups. Sailing fans can e-mail the company at loyalty@virginvoyages.com.
Now, the cruise line, which had the unfortunate problem of beginning its life during the pandemic, has a new take on a loyalty program. It’s different than what Royal Caribbean and Norwegian offer, but it has to be because how many frequent “sailors” (another piece of Virgin speak) could a company that completed its first sailing in August 2021 have?
