Sir Richard Branson Surprises Delta Airlines Passengers with Free Virgin Voyages Cruise

There was a surprise guest with exciting news aboard a Delta Airlines flight this week. Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Voyages and the Virgin Group, delighted airline passengers on a Delta flight from Atlanta to San Juan surprising them with a cruise vacation aboard his newest ship, Resilient Lady. 

Branson boarded the flight to personally gift all SkyMiles Members on the flight (ages 18 and older) a free voyage to sail during Resilient Lady’s inaugural season in San Juan, which begins later this year.

“The Caribbean has been my home for many years, and I’m very excited to welcome Resilient Lady as she sails from San Juan to visit the region’s most beautiful destinations. My excitement clearly couldn’t be contained, so we came up with a way to celebrate with a personal invitation and surprise for some unsuspecting guests on a Delta flight to San Juan,” said Sir Richard Branson. We’re grateful for our partners at Delta who joined in on the fun and have also been long-time venture partners of our airline, Virgin Atlantic. We look forward to showing everyone what it’s like to Set Sail the Virgin Way!”

Before the flight, Virgin Voyages hosted a departure gate takeover at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Fliers were treated to choreography from Virgin Voyages’ entertainment team, Instagrammable photo opps at the gate, specialty drinks, and music. 

Sir Richard and Delta Airlines SVP and Chief Communications Officer Tim Mapes hosted a game of roulette for passersby to spin the wheel for prizes, which included Delta and Virgin Atlantic flights, Virgin Hotel stays, a Virgin Voyages cruise, a Delta Vacation package, gift cards, and other swag. 

About Resilient Lady

Resilient Lady recently was named the ‘Best New Cruise Ship’ in our 2024 Member Choice Awards, outscoring all other ships that debuted in 2023. These awards are based on data from our community members who sailed and wrote cruise reviews during the previous year. 

The ship launched last May and made its debut sailing the Mediterranean. Resilient Lady repositioned this past December to homeport for the 2023-2024 winter season from Port Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. Resilient Lady will spend this spring/summer back in the Mediterranean. 

Earlier this week, Virgin Voyages announced that it would be canceling the ship’s initially planned 2024-2025 winter season in Australia, due to escalating tensions in the Red Sea potentially impacting its repositioning voyage. 

This fall, Resilient Lady will now embark on a trans-continental journey to San Juan, Puerto Rico to offer Caribbean itineraries. The ship will sail 7, 8, 10, and 11-night cruises to St. Maarten, St. Vincent, Colombia, and Dominica. 

Explore All Resilient Lady Cruises

Best Deals for Virgin Voyages Resilient Lady