Virgin Voyages takes tentative step back into the Australian market – but no ships yet

• Virgin Voyages, billionaire Richard Branson’s foray into cruising which quit Australia two years ago, is back.
• But only, at this stage, with a sales office.
• David Clark, a 20-year experience in the travel and cruise sectors, will join Virgin Voyages on 6 July.

Virgin Voyages, the adults-only cruise line with a fleet of four, is returning to the Australian market with a sales head to “drive greater awareness of the brand among Australian and New Zealand travellers.

David Clark, who joined Virgin after working with Tauck, Disney, Helloworld Travel and Carnival, is an experienced cruise executive and the appointment signals a renewed appetite by the Sir Richard Branson brand to engage with Australian cruisers.

The announcement spoke of Virgin Voyages’ long-term commitment to the Australian and NZ markets. And Australians remain the line’s third largest market – a testimony to its continued appeal.

Would there be homeported ships? No one was saying.

The line, which was started by British tycoon Richard Branson in 2014, who claimed it was for people who didn’t like cruises, sailed its first distinctive Virgin red ship, the Scarlet Lady, in 2021.

Virgin Voyages’ Resilient Lady sailed in Australian waters in 2023 but abruptly pulled out of the local region in 2024.

The line cancelled the second summer deployment of Resilient Lady for the 2024/25 season because of geopolitical reasons rather than market performance. There were security problems in the Red Sea, particularly attacks linked to Houthi militants, which forced a redeployment rethink.

Virgin Voyages is an adults-only (18+) cruise line. The four identical mid-sized, “Lady Ships”— each carrying around 2,700 passengers – emphasize included dining, sustainability and entertainment.

Virgin set out to change cruise norms by removing traditional buffets, set dining times, and tipping—replacing them with 20+ specialty eateries, app-based tech, and wearable bands.

The Ships

• Scarlet Lady (2021): The flagship of the fleet. Originally designed for European and Caribbean itineraries, she departed on her inaugural voyage from the UK before making PortMiami her primary homeport.
• Valiant Lady (2022): The second ship in the fleet. She sailed her inaugural voyage from Barcelona and operates in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean.
• Resilient Lady (2023): The third ship launched in May 2023, expanding the brand’s reach into the Mediterranean, the Greek Isles, and eventually Australia.
• Brilliant Lady (2025): The newest addition to the fleet. She made her debut in New York City and expanded Virgin’s offerings to include destinations like Alaska.

Clark has more than 20 years’ experience in the cruise and travel sector. He was most recently Managing Director, Australia of luxury US travel company Tauck.

Matt Lebbern, director of sales, Europe, Australia & NZ said: “Australia and New Zealand have embraced Virgin Voyages from day one and continue to be among our strongest international source markets globally. That speaks to the strength of the brand, the appetite for a different kind of cruise experience and the incredible support of our First Mate community.

“David knows the market, understands the trade and has built an understanding reputation across the industry. He will play a key role in strengthening our First Mate partnerships, leading our commercial strategy and accelerating the next phase of growth across Australia and New Zealand,” said

Clark added that Virgin Voyages has built a reputation for doing things differently.

“The brand has personality and delivers an experience that sailors genuinely rave about. This is an incredible opportunity professionally, but it’s also exciting to be part of a brand that challenges convention,” Clark said.

He starts his new role on 6 July.