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Virgin Voyages Embarks On First Permanent On-Board Poker Room

The Scarlet Lady of Virgin Voyages is set to be the first cruise ship with a permanent poker room via a World Poker Tour partnership

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Christine Won Avatar
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A new partnership between Virgin Voyages and the World Poker Tour (WPT) means passengers aboard the cruise line’s adults-only Scarlet Lady will experience a world-class poker venue while sailing the ocean.

Tom McAlpin, CEO of Virgin Voyages, said in an April 20 press release:

“As a new brand with an innovative spirit, we’ve been fortunate to introduce many industry firsts, including our partnership with the World Poker Tour and WPT at Sea. Our adult-only, premium experience offers an incredible backdrop, not only for a great vacation, but also as an oasis for the WPT in a way never seen before.”

What will the Scarlet Lady offer for poker players?

The “WPT at Sea” Poker Room is being touted as an industry-first, standing poker venue featuring eight custom poker tables and professional dealers. The exclusive room also promises to offer cash games, training for beginners, satellites and WPT Prize Package tournaments with buy-ins ranging between $80 and $320.

Passengers on Virgin Voyages’ four- and five-night cruises departing from the brand’s homeport in Miami, Florida, will be able to take part in the exclusive casino-cruise experience. Each sailing will offer the “WPT at Sea” main attraction with a $320 buy-in.

The premium marquee event may also award a WPT prize package – a value of $5,000 – based on the number of participants that can be used at a future WPT event or voyage.

How can passengers play in the WPT at Sea Poker Room?

In another first, voyage guests will be able to take advantage of cashless playing via wearable devices in the WPT at Sea Poker Room. While passengers might not be able to access US online casino sites in international waters, the WPT at Sea does offer an option for gaming enthusiasts.

Adam Pliska, CEO of WPT, also said in the release:

“After witnessing the magic of cruise-line poker with Virgin Voyages last season, we instantly sought to establish a permanent fixture. Scarlet Lady provides the perfect residence for WPT at Sea, which will bring the WPT poker experience to the high seas.”

In March, Virgin Voyages took home top honors in the 11th annual Cruise Critic’s 2023 Cruisers’ Choice Awards, sweeping every award in the Large Ship category, from Best Overall to Best Service, Best Dining, and Best Value for Money. Scarlet Lady is its debut ship that won Cruise Critic’s 2021 Best New Ship of the Year award.

Christine Won Avatar
Written by

Christine Won is a freelance industry copywriter who hails from a journalism background. She's covered various beats, including breaking news, business, health, science, government at all levels, and more. When she's not writing, she's reading.

View all posts by Christine Won

Christine Won is a freelance industry copywriter who hails from a journalism background. She's covered various beats, including breaking news, business, health, science, government at all levels, and more. When she's not writing, she's reading.

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