It’s been years in the making, and it’s finally here: Virgin Voyages’ triumphant arrival in Australia. The country’s stunning scale and natural diversity make it a dream to experience by cruise, and our voyages kick off with the Aussie MerMaiden voyage, sailing from Melbourne on 11 December. Join us for A Taste of Virgin Voyages if you want a sneak peek of the Virgin experience in advance of our first sailing — and Sailors taking our MerMaiden voyage, be ready for some surprises we’ve cooked up specially for the occasion 😉
We’re arriving in Australia with a bang, but that’s nothing new for us. When we sailed our way into the cruise industry, we turned heads and shook things up. Since then, Sailors and industry publications alike can’t stop praising the quality and luxuriousness of our on board restaurants, our shows and entertainment offerings, and our ships in general. (This year, we took home the award for Best Large Cruise Ship in Conde Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards).
Always Included Luxury
The principle that Virgin Voyages far ahead of the pack is something we call Always Included Luxury — to us, it means our Sailors should not be lured on board only to be tricked into costly upgrades, or charged for things that should be free at sea. All meals during your voyage — in our 20+ eateries, which have won awards for the inventiveness of their menus — are included in the cost of your voyage. So are gratuities, so you don’t have to stress about tipping at the end of the meal. And so are group fitness classes, essential beverages (water, soda, juice, drip coffee, tea), our award-winning on board shows, and WiFi — over $1,000 in luxuries on every single voyage.
You can have full nights on board that feel exactly like (an elevated version of) the things you’d do with friends on land. Go to dinner at a Korean BBQ restaurant, see a Broadway-quality show, go dancing at our on board club The Manor, and then unwind with a nightcap in our spirit-forward bar On the Rocks. Start the next morning with a spin class and a mud bath at Redemption Spa. Then relax by the pool and do it all over again.
Make a difference with the Great Reef Census
Something special we’re doing on our MerMaiden, in hopes of being a force for positive change in our new home of Australia, is partnering with the incredible Great Reef Census project. The Great Barrier Reef is the largest reef system in the world, and an absolute treasure of the Australian continent. On board the Aussie MerMaiden voyage, we’re offering Sailors a chance to help protect it, led by our resident scientists. The Great Reef Census is a campaign to survey the Great Barrier Reef’s health, using 75,000 images that span its 2,300km length. Information sessions hosted every 30 minutes on board will train you how to use your eyes to identify problem spots in the reef — and flag them to the ecologists who can help nurse those areas back to good health by planting new coral. It only takes a few minutes of observation to make a difference, but Sailors are free to stay and enjoy some special incentives along the way.
We’re excited to be here, Australia. If you want to wait out on the dock blowing kisses until Resilient Lady arrives in Melbourne, we won’t be mad 😘
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