Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Voyages president and CEO Tom McAlpin have announced plans to build a new cruise terminal at PortMiami for Virgin Voyages. With this new terminal and a long-term commitment to PortMiami, Virgin Voyages also announced that its first ship, the Scarlet Lady, will continue to sail to the Caribbean from Miami throughout 2021. The company’s second ship will sail from Miami during the winter cruise season of 2021/22.
“Miami is an incredible city and one of my favorite places to work and play,” said Branson in press material. “From our headquarters for Hotels, Voyages and now Trains USA, South Florida has quickly become another home for Virgin brands in the leisure travel sector.”
Branson also announced that bookings for Virgin Voyages’ inaugural season will open for sale on Feb. 14 for the general public and Feb. 5 for those currently holding pre-sale deposits.
The new Virgin Voyages Terminal will be located on the northwest side of the port. Pending the Board of County Commission’s approval of the MOU for construction of a new cruise facility, along with the subsequent berthing agreement, this project will start next year and is slated for completion by November 2021, the beginning of the year’s cruise season.
The 100,000-sq.-ft. terminal will be a palm grove-inspired design concept encompassing a design that builds on Virgin Voyages’ design ethos of the “Modern Romance of Sailing.”
“South Florida is our home, and with our fleet now growing to four ships, we’re humbled and thankful to soon have a gorgeous new terminal overlooking the Miami skyline, an incredible view that will set the stage for the alluring journey that we will take our sailors on,” said McAlpin in press material.
For more information, visit virginvoyages.com.
