MIAMI, Florida - May 1, 2026 - Virgin Voyages is dedicating the entire month of May to First Mates in North America with the return of its annual First Mate Appreciation Month. The brand is rolling out a program that spans a 16-session virtual learning festival, a California-to-Washington roadshow tapping 600 travel advisors, ship visits for more than 500 First Mates across the fleet and weekly social competitions on SeaCiety, the online community with more than 64,000 members.
Virgin Voyages has always built its trade model with genuine rewards for First Mates, marked by no non-commissionable fees, competitive commissions, dedicated training and certifications through Seacademy, and an award-winning experience that sees 30% rebooking rates. This May, Virgin Voyages is recognizing its advisor community once again and celebrating the advisors who continue to champion the kid-free brand before travelers have ever stepped onboard.
VV Fest: A Month-Long Virtual Learning Festival
Running May 4 through May 29, “VV Fest” is a 16-session virtual program spanning four weekly chapters including Welcome Aboard, The Virgin Edge, The Long Game and Go for Gold. The sessions will take First Mates from brand fundamentals to live Q&A with senior leadership, ending in their Gold Seacademy certification by the final week.
Signature sessions include:
- The Red Hot Drop: Fifteen-minute lightning rounds on the latest voyage offers, designed to help First Mates turn fresh drops into quick wins for their clients.
- Seacademy Gold Tier Blitz: A high-speed, three-hour certification marathon that, on completion, unlocks elite benefits including bonus commissions, First Mate rates and Sailor Loot.
- The Soundtrack of VV: An exploration of the brand's musical identity and how First Mates can use the onboard atmosphere as a genuine sales tool with clients.
- Shaken, Not Sailored: A deep dive into Virgin Voyages' beverage philosophy and how elevated cocktail culture shapes the Sailor experience onboard.
- Sea Change with Jill: Jill Stoneberg, Sr. Director of Social Impact and Sustainability, gives First Mates clear, confident talking points on Virgin Voyages' sustainability commitments and ocean stewardship, equipping them with the language to bring that story into every client conversation.
- The Red Table Talk: A no-judgment live session where First Mates can engage in real talk directly with the Directors of Sales, tackling booking hurdles and building commercial confidence.
Directors of Sales will be present on SeaCiety throughout May, making sure the people who shape Virgin Voyages' commercial strategy are accessible to the advisors driving it.
On the Road: Brilliant Lady West Coast Roadshow
The Virgin Voyages Sales Crew will take the brand on the road for the Brilliant Lady West Coast Roadshow, a series of First Mate events across California, Washington and Oregon. With stops in San Diego, Bellevue, Portland and Tacoma, the roadshow will reach more than 600 First Mates. Hosted by Business Development Managers and Koreen McNutt, Vice President of Agency and Business Development, each event is kept intentionally intimate to give the brand room to come to life in the market and keep conversations meaningful.
Ship Visits: More Than 500 First Mates Welcomed Aboard
No training session sells Virgin Voyages like a visit to the ship itself. Throughout May, more than 500 First Mates will be welcomed aboard Resilient Lady and Brilliant Lady for day visits in Miami and Seattle - walking the spaces, tasting the food, feeling the energy and leaving with the kind of firsthand conviction that no webinar can replicate.
SeaCiety Share and Wins
With more than 64,000 members, SeaCiety is where Virgin Voyages' trade community lives -- and throughout May, it becomes the engine of First Mate Appreciation Month. Weekly “Share and Win” competitions will reward First Mates who bring voyage offers to their own audiences, while a SeaCiety Live broadcast with CEO Nirmal Saverimuttu and Chief Brand Experience, Marketing and Momentum Officer Nathan Rosenberg opens the month and kicks off VV Fest.
"One day was never going to cut it," said John Lovell, Board Member and Senior Advisor at Virgin Voyages. “Our First Mates have built real businesses championing this brand, and that deserves to be celebrated properly. A whole month of learning, access, ship visits and genuine face time with our Sales Crew and leadership team – we could not be more grateful for every single one of them."
First Mates can access the full VV Fest schedule and register for ship visits through FirstMates.com.
About Virgin Voyages
Promising to Create an Epic Sea Change for All, Virgin Voyages is the award-winning, exclusively adult cruise line founded by Sir Richard Branson. Delivering unforgettable, relaxing vacations at sea, Virgin Voyages launched at the end of 2021. Inspired by superyacht design, its fleet of Lady Ships exemplify an elevated, boutique hotel at sea with contemporary spaces that strike the perfect balance of nautical chic and glamour. Currently departing from the sun-soaked cities of Miami, Barcelona, Athens and San Juan, the fleet offers more than 60 unique itineraries, sailing to 150+ incredible ports of call. On-board, 20+ eateries feature culinary experiences from Michelin-star chefs, stylish workout spaces and group fitness classes are offered daily, and a festival-like line-up of intimate and larger-than-life shows are on the agenda. Paired with modern, tech-savvy cabins, designer suites fit for a rockstar and a mermaid-inspired spa and thermal suite, the brand is taking the industry by storm. For three consecutive years – 2023, 2024 and 2025 – Virgin Voyages won best cruise line in Travel + Leisure’s highly coveted World’s Best Awards for mega-ship ocean cruise line, along with the 2023 and 2024 Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards for best large ocean cruise line.
