Virgin Voyages Reveals Innovative Sustainability Plans for Upcoming Fleet
Already having banned single-use plastic onboard Scarlet Lady, Virgin has revealed its latest sustainable endeavour – and it’s actually pretty intriguing
Being green is a seriously hot topic in the world of travel, particularly in the fast-paced cruise industry where thousands of miles at sea are covered across the globe each day.
With that being said, Virgin Voyages is well and truly trying to earn its green stripes, by announcing a host of new sustainable plans that are helping secure its place as one of the greenest cruise lines at sea.
As part of its green mission, Virgin Voyages has already banned the use of single-plastic items onboard, including straws, bottled water, plastic bottles, condiment packages, shopping bags, food packaging, stirrers and take away hot drinks cups – and it isn’t stopping there…
Now, the line is putting to use recyclable and reusable materials on its first ship, Scarlet Lady, with plans to continue with its sustainable plans onboard its three new ships, set to launch in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
To make these plans come alive, the line has partnered with sustainable suppliers such as Intelligentsia Coffee and Emerald Brand, adding sustainable coffee to the list of complimentary beverages available onboard – along with still and sparkling water.
Intelligentsia Coffee is a US-based business focusing on sustainable farming and environmental practices in the coffee world, paying its farmers ‘well above’ Fair Trade prices.
To drink the delicious coffee, VV has also collaborated with Emerald Brand, an environmentally focused business creating plastic- and tree-free products and packaging across the globe, with Scarlet Lady kitted out with its cup, napkins and paper towels.
Sustainability at sea if a big focus for the relevantly new cruise line, with Virgin Voyages claiming that all materials and products used on board have been sourced with sustainability in mind.
This includes repurposing ocean plastic into upcycled matters in its retail section and offering reef-safe sunscreen and beauty products.
The line also works with sustainable energy corporations Climeon – a Swedish start-up turning the ship’s heat into electricity – and Scanship, a Norwegian company focusing on processing waste and reusing wastewater.
If Richard Branson’s symbolic crushing of a giant plastic water bottle with a hammer at the ship’s big reveal is anything to go by, we’ve got a feeling this won’t be Virgin Voyage’s last dabble from red into green…
