British billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson confirmed that his Virgin Group also has its sights set on the sea.
The Branson family’s investment group is partnering with investment firm Bain Capital to form Virgin Cruises, a South Florida-based company that plans to operate two ships.
"We plan to shake up the cruise industry and deliver a holiday that customers will absolutely love," Branson said.
Virgin Group encompasses more than 400 companies in sectors as varied as trains, wines, music labels, mobile phones, airlines and banking.
The group has typically entered new markets by promoting itself as a fresh, upstart rival offering better customer service.
Nick Fox, Virgin Group director of external relations, elaborated in an email: “I think it's best to presume that we will be bringing the Virgin sense of style, fun and adventure to the market. We will be looking to deliver real quality, in a more modern setting with more choice for the customer. We will also be trying to attract a broader market than traditionally goes cruising over time.”
