Virgin Voyages: Richard Branson Confident of Luxury Cruise Line Despite Coronavirus Fears

This is the Scarlet Lady, moored off the UK's south coast. It's Sir Richard Branson's new Virgin Voyages cruise line.

The $750 million USD luxury liner is visiting the UK, before setting sail on its maiden cruise around the Caribbean in April.

Virgin Voyages says there are plans for three more cruise ships by late 2023.

Branson says he's wanted to run a cruise company since he was 27-years-old, but only now is it possible.

The project has been five years in the making, the Scarlet Lady took three years to build.

There are 1,330 cabins and 78 so-called "Rockstar" suites, two of which come with their own music rooms, with guitars and amplifiers.

The experience is focused on younger passengers with over 20 eateries, concerts, nightclubs, a vinyl record shop, and even a tattoo studio.

Branson says he intends spending his 70th birthday onboard the Scarlet Lady this July. He even plans to have a tattoo on his arm but has yet to choose the design.

"What we've tried to do is think of all the things that would stop us ever wanting to go on a cruise and making sure that we create the kind of place that people who do go on cruises would love to come, but also a younger crowd would like to come," he says.

Virgin Voyages is also keen to emphasize its green credentials - single-use plastics are banned onboard. Waste heat from the engine is converted into electricity.

They're also exploring turning onboard waste into energy.

"Everybody, whatever business you're in, should take into account the environmental effects of your business," says Branson.

"And obviously, we have an advantage because we're the youngest cruise line in the world and we've been able to bring in the most innovative new measures to mitigate the costs."

The cruise line industry has boomed in the last decade. According to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), 17.8 million people went on cruise holidays in 2009.

Last year, an estimated 30 million people went on cruise trips. The bulk of cruises - 34.4 percent - were in the Caribbean.

"In terms of the youth market, they're seen as trendy, cool, funky even," says travel expert Sean Tipton, from the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA).

"They'll have clubs on board. They'll have climbing walls. Lots of things to do. So, in effect, what have you got? You've got a floating resort with thousands of people of your own age group, that's very appealing. And that's why we're seeing this really big growth in that area of 18 to 34-year-olds."

But there could be trouble ahead for the cruise industry after a ship was forced into a two-week quarantine off Japan due to the deadly virus outbreak in China.

The viral outbreak has infected more than 76,000 people globally. The World Health Organization has named the illness COVID-19, referring to its origin late last year and the coronavirus that causes it.

Over 600 cases of the new virus have been confirmed aboard the Diamond Princess, docked in Yokohama. The cruise ship has the most infections outside of China, where the illness emerged late last year. Three people have died.

Virgin Voyages CEO Tom McAlpin doesn't think the incident will damage their company's business.

"There are hundreds of ships that are sailing around the world. We have one ship that has a problem. And it's in a market that is outside of where we're operating," he says.

"So, I think that's important to put in perspective. And then beyond that, this industry has been very resilient as it has dealt with challenges in the past. And will continue because it's great value and people love to sail."

As of Friday, Japan had reported three deaths and 739 cases of the new virus, including 634 from the cruise ship.

Branson says he is not concerned about the outbreak as Virgin Voyages has no plans to operate in the region currently affected by the coronavirus.

"I'm not too worried as far as Virgin Voyage is concerned because we are going to go out of America, where this really isn't, hasn't become a problem. We will be going to the Caribbean where this is not a problem. Obviously if you have got a cruise line in Japan at the moment then obviously I think it would be uncomfortable as a owner. I think from Virgin Voyages point of view it is not something we are worried about."

The Scarlet Lady set sail from Genoa, Italy, where it was built at the Fincantieri shipyard. After leaving Dover the cruise ship will sail to Liverpool, then New York, before beginning its maiden cruise in the Caribbean.

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