Virgin Group, the London based company of the billionaire businessman Sir Richard Branson, says it has established Virgin Cruises in Miami and that Tom McAlpin, formerly president of Disney Cruise Line has been appointed CEO of the new venture.
"The company will be based in the Miami area and plans to design and construct two new world class cruise ships. Virgin Cruises will offer guests an outstanding experience, although their launch date is strictly under wraps for the moment," Virgin Group said in a statement.
“We plan to shake up the cruise industry and deliver a holiday that customers will absolutely love,” Richard Branson, Virgin Group Founder, said. “They’ll be sailing on the latest ships offering a great quality, a real sense of fun and many exciting activities all delivered with the famed Virgin service.”
Tom McAlpin joins the Virgin Cruise management team as CEO, fresh from his position as President and CEO of The World, Residences at Sea. Previously Tom was the president of Disney Cruise Line having joined as part of the founding management team.
“Cruise guests deserve something better and different to what is being offered today, and Virgin Cruises is committed to creating breathtaking experiences for them and a new generation of guests,” he said. “Opportunities like this do not come often, so I am very excited to lead this business and introduce the Virgin brand to the cruise industry, as it has always put customers at the heart of what it does.”
To work on this new venture, Virgin has teamed up with one of the world’s leading private investment firms, Bain Capital. “We are pleased to pursue this exciting opportunity with Virgin, one of the world’s most respected and iconic brands,” Ryan Cotton, a principal with Bain Capital said. “With a small number of global players, an experience in need of refreshing, and consumers ready for something new and exciting, the industry exhibits all the characteristics of one that is ripe for a new entrant.”