Virgin Voyages is winning over travel advisors at a record rate.
The award-winning adults-only cruise line recently celebrated its "First Mates" with a 17-city North American roadshow culminating in Los Angeles, in addition to an inaugural Ultimate First Mate Appreciation Voyage on the heels of an iconic Celebration Voyage.
According to Virgin, post-event surveys found that 96 percent of attendees believe the roadshow will directly boost their sales, while 85 percent reported immediate booking intent following the events.
More importantly, confidence in selling Virgin Voyages increased from 74 percent to 95 percent, and the brand saw a surge in First Mate sign-ups, adding hundreds of new advisors to its growing distribution network, the cruise line said.
Virgin Voyages' 17-city roadshow featured a grand finale in Los Angeles. (Photo Credit: Virgin Voyages)
Virgin's newest ship, Brilliant Lady, is also poised to benefit as advisors noted a significant spike in sales confidence after gaining early access to the ship's exclusive features, including as many as seven all-new shows.
Meanwhile, Virgin plans to add longer itineraries to help advisors sell more cruises.
According to Bonita Stewart of Archer Travel Service, the "L.A. event and seeing Richard Branson in person gave me the feeling I can sell out an entire ship. I¡¯m still flying high from the experience. Brilliant Lady is a game-changer for my business in Los Angeles."
First Mate Appreciation Month culminated with a special show in Los Angeles. (Photo Credit: Virgin Voyages)
"This month has shown us what happens when you invest meaningfully in your community," Virgin Voyages CEO Nirmal Saverimuttu said in a statement. "Our First Mates are more than just partners in sales. With 95 percent feeling more confident in selling our brand, they are creating momentum and market reach. We¡¯re here because of our advisors, and we¡¯ll keep growing with them by our side."
"This isn¡¯t just a thank-you tour; It¡¯s about the energy, the connections, the inspiration. Our First Mates showed up in full force, and we showed them what it means to be part of the Virgin Voyages family," he added. "There¡¯s nothing transactional about this. It¡¯s personal and it¡¯s powerful¡ªa reflection of what we¡¯ve built together and the future we¡¯re shaping, side by side, with the advisors who¡¯ve championed us from day one."
"First Mates are at the core of our go-to-market strategy," said Virgin's CMO Nathan Rosenberg. "From day one, we knew that building something truly different meant building it with our First Mates. This roadshow was our way of saying thank you ¨C but also of saying: the best is still to come."
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