By the Caribbean Journal staff

The highly-anticipated Virgin Voyages just crossed a major threshold.

It’s officially open for business.

Sir Richard Branson’s new adults-only cruise line launched bookings on Thursday for its new-build Scarlet Lady ship, which will be sailing out of PortMiami beginning in 2020.

The ship’s inaugural season will run from April 1 to Oct. 25, 2020.

A rendering of the Scarlet Lady ship.

“I’ve dreamed of starting my own cruise line since I was in my 20’s, and now the launch is finally getting close,” said Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin Voyages. “We have taken the time to think about every detail and craft an experience that brings the Virgin brand to life and disrupts the travel industry.”

Virgin Voyages also announced another new destination: the island of Bimini in The Bahamas, just 50 miles from Miami, where it will run the “Beach Club at Bimini” Virgin Voyages experience.

Bimini joins three other ports of call that have already been announced: Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic, Costa Maya on the Caribbean coast of Mexico and Havana, Cuba.

Virgin is looking to change the look of cruise ships.

Virgin has designed the new Beach Club at Bimini was designed with Miami-based architects EOA, with a large lagoon-style pool overlooking the ocean.

Virgin has also announced that Grammy winner Mark Ronson has been named the “founding DJ” for the Beach Club.

A look at The Beach Club at Bimini.

Virgin Voyages is looking to disrupt the cruise industry, from colorful, inventive design to new kinds of on-ship amenities from tattoo parlors to festival-style music events by popular producers and artists.

The company also said food would be free across the 20-plus eateries onboard the ship, along with complimentary group fitness classes, no gratuities or service charges, free Wi-Fi and free “basic” beverages like soda, sparkling water and coffee.

“At Virgin Voyages we are going beyond just great design, to defy and redefine luxury to be rebellious luxe,” said Tom McAlpin, President and CEO of Virgin Voyages. “This new luxury is about knowing you are taken care of, that you’re never being nickel and dimed, and what you want, even some of the things you didn’t know you wanted, are already taken care of for you.”

For more, visit Virgin Voyages.

— CJ