Page 44 - Dreamscapes Magazine | Winter/Spring 2025

valiant lady and the
rebel billionaire
Ilona Kauremszky finds her sea legs and discovers how
Virgin Voyages is shattering the mould of cruising, as she
uncovers some of her own greatest hits along the way.
step aboard Virgin Voyages’ Valiant
There’s a certain thrill in the air as you
Lady. Maybe it’s the electric energy of
Miami’s skyline shrinking behind the
dazzling crimson ship, or perhaps it’s the
sense of freedom that comes with a cruise
designed for adults only. Either way, you
quickly realize this is no ordinary voyage.
Gone are the days of splash-happy kids,
predictable buffet lines and tired clichés about
cruising. Virgin Voyages is rewriting the rules
with its adults-only philosophy, and my five-
day Celebration Cruise last summer proved to
be a playlist of epic hits, from wellness to
sustainability to rock-star glamour.
Oh, and did I mention Sir Richard Branson
himself? Yes, the rebel billionaire was on-
board, sprinkling stardust over the entire
experience. True to form, the Virgin Group
founder of megahits Virgin Records and the
airline company Virgin Atlantic included some
Galactic astronaut crew from his latest
venture, Virgin Galactic, along for the
celebratory sail. And while I’m dishing on
guests, ’80s music legend Boy George (a Virgin
record label talent and friend of Sir Richard)
was there to celebrate too.
Aptly dubbed “Celebration Voyage,” the sail
was Branson’s way of saying, “Thank you” to
staff, guests, friends and fellow adventurers
who have supported the bold visionary on his
50 epic years in the business. Indeed. Valiant
Lady, the second ship in Virgin Voyages’ fleet of
four, was totally decked out for the occasion.