Sir Richard Branson Surprises Guests in Bimini

Photo: Carlos Pita/Virgin Voyages

Guests on board Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady this week had a very special event to enjoy while cruising! This week was Sir Richard Branson’s special Birthday Voyage and while in Bimini, Sir Richard made a surprise appearance at a three-day Small Business Bootcamp and shared his own entrepreneurial tips, collected from more than 50 years in business.

“Don’t be afraid to fail. The key to entrepreneurship is persistence – it’s important to never give up. Lean on the network of people around you – including those beside you in this room today,” Sir Richard told the room. 

Virgin Voyages worked with the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Resorts World Bimini to host the event. Working in together, the goal was to equip small businesses for growth and success in Bimini, said Jill Stoneberg, Virgin Voyages’ Senior Director of Sustainability and Social Impact. 

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“This three-day training event is the latest demonstration of our commitment to the incredible island of Bimini. We want to ensure that the local economy benefits from increased tourism to the island and the community gets excited when they see our ships in port,” she said.

Sea Change Fund

The cruise line also teamed up with Virgin Unite – the independent foundation of the Virgin Group – to create a “Sea Change Fund” to support mangrove forest restoration projects in the Caribbean. During the Birthday Voyage, Sailors were invited to donate to help support and scale partners working to protect this vital ecosystem. Mangrove forests support coastal resilience against natural disasters. They also play a vital role in mitigating the effects of climate change while supporting biodiversity by providing essential habitat for birds, fish and other animals. 

Have you sailed with Virgin Voyages yet? Let us know in the comments!