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How Virgin Voyages will support its First Mates in 2025

Virgin Voyages Resilient Lady sailing

Virgin Voyages is kickstarting 2025 with a raft of new offers for its First Mates and their Sailors. Will Payne reports

As cruise companies continue to vie for space in an increasingly crowded market, there’s one firm that continues to cut through the noise with deals so good, you’ll want to sail yourself.

Virgin Voyages is on a mission to make 2025 the year of the First Mate [travel agent] with a raft of new incentives.

The company is acutely aware of the importance of both consumer-focussed and trade-facing incentives. The former to help drive footfall to agencies and boosting new-to-cruise sales, and the latter to reward First Mates for their unwavering dedication to the brand.

Here, we outline three of Virgin Voyages’ wave season offers to help First Mates make the most of the turn-of-year bookings rush.

Riding the wave

Virgin Voyages’ wave season offer, which runs until 27 March, will help you score your Sailors [customers] a postcard-perfect holiday with 80 per cent off a second Sailor and up to $300 USD in free drinks.

With more than 150 destinations and four ships to choose from, book their new gorgeous getaway worth writing home about all without breaking the bank – the perfect remedy to chilling mornings and long evenings.

The offer applies to all vessels – including the line’s newest Lady ship Brilliant Lady – and regions including the Caribbean, North America and the Mediterranean, as well as transatlantic and repositioning cruises.

What’s more, all itineraries include Virgin Voyages’ Always Included Luxuries: WiFi, tips and gratuities, all dining, soda and water, fitness classes, and entertainment.

First Mates appreciation

For Virgin Voyages, a new year means new opportunities for its First Mates to boost their businesses and secure new customers.

To help with this mission, the line is offering 5x more First Mate Loot on select bookings made through to the end of February as part of its agent reward programme. This equates to £25 per booking for European departures – up from the previous £5.

Furthermore, between 1 January-28 February, agents can sell their way to winning a seven-night voyage aboard Scarlet Lady in a Sea Terrace cabin plus a $300 Bar Tab, as part of the line’s Bring on Ibiza incentive. The more voyages they sell and log with First Mate Loot, the more chances they’ll have to win – it’s that simple.

Virgin Voyages
Virgin Voyages is offering agents 5x more First Mate Loot on select bookings made through to the end of February

It’s no surprise the line is rewarding its First Mates, given the line’s 2025 wave season, so far, has delivered the strongest future bookings and revenue growth in the company’s history.

The brand recorded a 60 per cent revenue lift year-on-year and a 40 per cent jump in new bookings, with available inventory nearly sold out through the first quarter of the year.

The company also reported stronger than anticipated future bookings for its upcoming ship Brilliant Lady, which will launch in autumn 2025 with US itineraries from New York City, Miami, LA and Seattle to Alaska.

If you have Sailors on the fence about their 2025 travel plans, offer a Virgin Voyages itinerary to set them off on a sailing of a lifetime.

To find out more, visit Virgin Voyages trade platform, First Mate Loot and firstmates.com. 

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