Virgin Voyages officially opened its first dedicated cruise terminal at its homeport of Miami, Florida yesterday .On hand for the ribbon-cutting and festivities was Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson, Virgin Voyages CEO Tom McAlpin and Chief Commercial & Experience Officer Nirmal Saverimuttu, accompanied by Miami-Dade County Mayor, Daniella Levine Cava.Subscribe to LATTE Cruise’s free eNewsletter to keep up to date with everything in the luxury cruise space.With a street address of 718 N Cruise Boulevard – which happens to be Richard Branson’s birthday of 18 July – the opening of three-storey Terminal V is a major milestone for the brand and the first time Scarlet Lady sailed from her new home.
“Coming to this beautiful new terminal and seeing Scarlet Lady in her home port here in Miami has been such an incredible experience. The team at Virgin Voyages has created a stunning building that delivers on our commitment to being better stewards of the earth with its LEED Gold Certification,” Branson remarked.Tom McAlpin, CEO Virgin Voyages said: “We’ve always strived to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary, and Terminal V gives us greater opportunity to elevate the Sailor experience from the moment you see the AHOY sign to the time you disembark. Scarlet Lady deserves a home as beautiful as she is, and we cannot wait for our Sailors to begin their voyage at Terminal V.”The geometric design, a palm grove where land meets sea, was inspired by Miami’s palm trees and the area’s history as a place where coconuts were once harvested.
With Virgin Voyages, every Sailor is treated like a RockStar, but Sailors who have booked suite accommodation will get access to Terminal V’s VIP entrance, expedited security screening and an exclusive pre-boarding lounge. The new cruise terminal also features a special crew-only lounge where the Virgin Voyages team can unwind.Scarlet Lady will call Terminal V her home year-round, with her sister ship Valiant Lady joining in the winter of 2022. Both ships will sail on a mix of multi-night itineraries to the Caribbean.To view the interior of Virgin Voyages’ Terminal V, CruiseHabit offers a great preview of the facility on the link below.
