Ahead of his 15th cruise with Virgin Voyages, Kieran Miller admits that he “loves the product just as much as I love selling it”.

As the owner of Magical Traveller, Kieran has been booking with Virgin Voyages since 2021, explaining: “We got onboard early, and it snowballed. I fell in love from day one, and really understood it once I’d done the Seacademy training, and then I went on a Mediterranean cruise.”

Kieran says “a big chunk” of his cruise sales are now with Virgin Voyages, and he books around 100 cabins a year with the line. Last year business peaked in July, when Kieran was making a Virgin Voyages sale every day.

The Bring on Bimini fam 

Kieran Miller

Having enjoyed both personal and fam trips with Virgin Voyages in recent years, in May Kieran explored Alaska, and in August he’ll notch up his 15th cruise, on the Comedy Fest sailing from Portsmouth.

In April he also joined the seven-night Bring on Bimini fam, which saw a group of UK top-selling agents sail on a Western Caribbean itinerary onboard Resilient Lady. They departed from Miami, calling at George Town, Grand Cayman; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; and The Beach Club at Bimini in The Bahamas.  

“It was amazing, and the best fam trip I’ve been on,” he says. “A lot of that was down to the people, as Virgin attracts a very fun, easy-going and outgoing bunch, so the vibe and atmosphere were great.”

Virgin Voyages describes its sailings as “the Caribbean reinvented for adults”, thanks to its adult-only cruises that call at more than 30 Caribbean ports, onboard four ships. With no buffets and no formal dress codes, customers – known onboard as Sailors – have the choice of more than 20 eateries included in their fare.

Kieran Miller

Visiting The Beach Club at Bimini was a highlight for Kieran. The private beach club boasts a lagoon-style pool, a private beach, gourmet dining and drinks, and free tram rides to and from the ship.

Kieran explains: “There's a lot of competition at the moment in the Caribbean for [cruise lines'] private islands, but Virgin Voyages’ is unique. You get the full ship-to-shore experience, so your Bar Tab follows you, and the happenings cast keep the vibes going with dancing and live entertainment by the main pool, often dressed up in mermaid costumes. 

"I loved the ‘float out’, where they put a ton of inflatables into the pool. Of course, there’s the sandy beach, and a giant DJ stack, so it’s a really relaxed, chilled vibe.”

Client matching in the Caribbean 

Virgin Voyages

Kieran believes Virgin Voyages is an ideal option for agents who are already booking clients on all-inclusive Caribbean resorts, mainstream Caribbean cruises and Florida fly-and-flop holidays.

“Definitely suggest a cruise with Virgin Voyages to them,” he suggests. “If you’ve got the type of customers who love that kind of Miami vibe, with a bougie, fun, slightly indulgent experience, then that’s where Virgin Voyages really shines.”

Kieran’s typical Virgin Voyages customers are in their late 30s and their 40s. “They’re the millennial-plus group,” he explains. “They are either empty nesters or they’re dual income, no kids. We attract a lot of gay travellers and foodies too, as we showcase a lot of the food and cocktail culture onboard.

“And what Virgin Voyages does really well is new-to-cruise. I pitch it as the cruise for people who don’t think they’ll like cruise. So for people who love a city break, boutique design and premium dining.”

For agents who may assume a sailing is beyond the budget of some Caribbean customers, Kieran says: “The key thing is to look at the value proposition. So premium, all-inclusive dining and soft drinks are included, and group fitness classes. Standard WiFi is included as well – and that’s a big one, as that could be £300 for a week with other cruise lines. There are lots of other little fun extras too, such as an hour of unlimited sparkling wine at sail away, and a drinking game when you go to [Korean restaurant] Gunbae.”

A choice of Caribbean itineraries 

Virgin Voyages

Virgin Voyages offers a range of Eastern, Western and Southern Caribbean sailings. Four-to-five-night sailings depart from Miami, while five-to-eight-night Southern Caribbean itineraries sail from San Juan. Sailors can also opt for various six-to-nine-night Caribbean cruises from Miami, alongside ten-night and longer options.

“If someone is interested but not sure if it’s right for them, you could suggest the four or five-night sailings, which you can easily pair with the theme parks,” Kieran proposes.

After trying a shorter Caribbean sailing, many of Kieran’s clients then re-book a voyage of seven nights or longer, or combine a week-long cruise with several nights in Miami. He adds: “I’ve also had customers who have done New York or Las Vegas first, and then flown across for a seven-night Caribbean voyages. So there are a lot of options for pairing a land and sea break in North America.”  

For high-value, discretionary spenders, look to the 10-night Eastern Caribbean and Bimini Beach Club round-trip sailings from Miami.

Highlight the line’s unique offering

Virgin Voyages

“I've always sold Virgin Voyages on what they do differently, rather than saying they're an alternative to other cruise lines,” Kieran explains. “So if I talk about the group fitness classes, I talk about joining an 80s boy band themed workout. Or I talk about the premium dining, as my clients don’t want to deal with a main dining room and a buffet. It’s like an adult playground, so if you find the right customer who loves boutique design, premium dining and doesn't want to do a cruise, I think they would be very tempted by a Virgin Voyages cruise.”

While Kieran has high praise for the onboard parties – which include the PJ Party and Scarlet Party – he stresses “it’s not just about parties onboard”, explaining: “In my opinion Virgin Voyages holds the best parties at sea, but equally you can relax and unwind. You get chill out days where people are relaxing by the pool, and the Shore Things excursion programmes are amazing.”

Trade support 

Virgin Voyages

To help sell Virgin Voyages with confidence, Kieran directs fellow agents to the line’s Seacademy training platform, explaining: “It’s two-hours’ worth of training and teaches you about selling Virgin Voyages, what’s included, what the vibe is like and what the unique selling points are. I also use the First Mates Canto marketing platform, which includes lots of information and marketing support.”  

Agents can access guides, itineraries, deals, offers and more at firstmates.com, and log their bookings at firstmateloot.com – Virgin Voyages' incentive programme. The dedicated UK trade sales team is also on hand to support partners with sales.

“There’s a lot of earning potential,” Kieran says. “They are generous with commission, with 16% if you book through Voyage Store. And this client type tends to be loyal, so I’m not investing as heavily in repeat marketing. Around 20% of my Sailors rebook or secure a placeholder onboard, and that business comes back to me."