MIAMI – We’re onboard Virgin Voyage’s Scarlett Girl with the boss, billionaire enterprise mogul Richard Branson. She’s the mid-size ship, of his cruise line that first sailed out of the Port of Miami again in October of 2021.
We first met him, on the eve of the ship’s maiden voyage smack in the midst of Covid.
He, in Branson charming type, was popping champagne for CBS Information Miami’s Lisa Petrillo again then. She even helped him clear the bubbles that spilled on the ground.
However now, he admits the strain was on.
“It was a really unsure time, masks, not understanding if the cruise trade was going to return again. How does it really feel now?” requested Petrillo.
“A terrific aid as a result of launching a cruise firm the week that Covid broke out wasn’t very intelligent,” Branson mentioned laughing. “However Virgin Voyages has just about received each award they’ll: Finest crew, Finest ship, Finest meals. We’re seeing increasingly more folks utilizing the ships and the suggestions has been nice. “
“What does it imply to you and to Virgin Voyages to be part of the South Florida neighborhood?” requested Petrillo.
“Effectively, it goes again fairly a good distance for me. I began Virgin Atlantic flying from London to Miami 38 years in the past,” he mentioned.
“I believe we deliver extra holidaymakers to Florida than another airline and clearly now we will join Virgin Voyages with a cruise firm. We’re additionally taking a look at constructing a lodge in Miami. So, Miami is a spot that we love and love coming to.”
On this present day, Virgin Voyages was launching their first ever 4-day Limitless Voyage, a partnership he and Jennifer Lopez, who’s now Virgin’s Chief Leisure and Life-style Officer got here collectively on. It is a one-of-a-kind collaboration on the excessive seas centered on ladies and entrepreneurship.
“It is nice to offer ladies a platform to debate all the kinds of points that ladies are literally extra outfitted than us guys to speak about,” he mentioned.
As founder and creator of The Virgin Group, which incorporates greater than 40 worldwide corporations throughout 5 enterprise sectors, at age 72, Branson is sort of the lively man. However not simply in enterprise.
He is had daredevil sizzling air balloon adventures, kitesurfed throughout the English Channel and in 2021, he undertook his biggest journey of all, flew to house with Virgin Galactic.
Petrillo requested him the place his sense of marvel and curiosity come from.
“I believe it almost certainly comes from my mother’s insatiable curiosity and I’ve inherited it from her,” he mentioned.
“I’ve climbed Mount Kenya this 12 months. I really like an journey. I did it with my youngsters. I really like excessive adventures, after which I like the marginally extra severe aspect of life which is the inspiration work, which is making an attempt to type out a number of the issues of the world.”
His recommendation to younger folks beginning out?
“My slogan is screw it, simply do it,” he mentioned. “When you have an thought, folks all the time will let you know why you should not do it. Screw it, simply do it and good luck!”
And identical to final time when he shocked Petrillo with champagne, the high-profile enterprise mogul mentioned he had one other shock for her as we speak, taking into the ship’s tattoo parlor, however,it was not meant to be.
“This arm was going to have probably the most lovely tattoos on it,” he mentioned holding up Petrillo’s arm. “I’ve the needle prepared, nevertheless it appears the tattoo artist has gone out to lunch. What a pity.”
“Oh, that is Okay. however thanks,” mentioned Petrillo.
“I believe I like cleansing up the champagne higher off the ground.”
Branson says the objective of the Limitless Voyages, which showcase ladies entrepreneurs, is to have them roll out on his cruise ships all around the world sooner or later.
