Miami, FL, April 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today at Google Cloud Next in Las Vegas, Virgin Voyages – the award-winning, kid-free cruise line – introduced Rovey, the brand’s first AI Crew assistant and AI-powered travel assistant. Rovey will soon arrive on VirginVoyages.com to help Sailors navigate the complexity of cruise planning with personalized recommendations tailored to their travel style, pace and interests.
Rovey is the first expression of Project Ruby, Virgin Voyages’ AI platform co-developed with Google Cloud and designed to guide Sailors through the pre-voyage journey from inspiration to booking. It is a named Crew member with a specific job: to make the planning feel less like research and more like the beginning of something epic, which has always been the Virgin Voyages way.
Nathan Rosenberg, Chief Brand Experience, Marketing and Momentum Officer at Virgin Voyages said, “Richard always said, ‘be the reason someone smiles today’ and that comes to life in the quiet moments onboard. That means the shore excursion that caught a Sailor off guard, the ah-ha moment that happens in a morning meditation at dawn, the Crew member who remembered exactly how you take your coffee. Rovey brings that same energy to the part of the trip that happens before Sailors cross the gangway.”
Rovey is a named Crew member with a specific job: to be genuinely useful in the weeks and months before a voyage. It was built with Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform, Gemini models and BigQuery to enable Sailors exploring itineraries to get recommendations shaped around their travel style, pace and interests. Those weighing Shore Things get curated suggestions — from cooking classes to adventurous hikes to catamaran sails — based on what they love doing on land. Travelers toying with cabin categories, dining options, or what to pack for an Alaska voyage in May get answers to all of it. Rovey remembers where they left off. It knows what they are still figuring out. It doesn’t make Sailors start from scratch with every interaction.
Billy Bohan Chinique, VP Global Brand Marketing and AI Transformation at Virgin Voyages said, “Virgin Voyages has always been a brand that knows what it means to make someone feel something. Planning a sailing with Rovey should feel the same way our Crew makes Sailors feel onboard. Not like research. Like being looked after by someone who genuinely gets it. It knows this ship, knows the brand, and we are already excited for them to experience it.”
As a result of Project Ruby, seven expressions are planned across the full Sailor journey from first discovery through the voyage itself. Rovey is the first.
“We are excited to collaborate with Virgin Voyages and leverage Google Cloud’s leading AI technology to enhance the cruise booking process,” said Sam Sebastian, VP, North America Regions, Google Cloud. “By powering Rovey with our AI tools, Virgin Voyages is able to mitigate booking friction, deliver personalized travel recommendations at scale, and build deeper, more valuable connections with Sailors.”
Rovey is coming soon to VirginVoyages.com.
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About Virgin Voyages
Promising to Create an Epic Sea Change for All, Virgin Voyages is the award-winning, adults-only cruise line founded by Sir Richard Branson. Delivering unforgettable, relaxing vacations at sea, Virgin Voyages launched at the end of 2021. Inspired by superyacht design, its fleet of Lady Ships exemplify an elevated, boutique hotel at sea with contemporary spaces that strike the perfect balance of nautical chic and glamour. Currently departing from the sun-soaked cities of Miami, Barcelona, Athens and San Juan, the fleet offers more than 60 unique itineraries, sailing to 150+ incredible ports of call. On-board, 20+ eateries feature culinary experiences from Michelin-starred chefs, stylish workout spaces and group fitness classes, and a festival-like line-up of intimate and larger-than-life shows are on the agenda. Paired with modern, tech-savvy cabins, designer suites fit for a rockstar and a mermaid-inspired spa and thermal suite, the brand is taking the industry by storm. For three consecutive years – 2023, 2024 and 2025 – Virgin Voyages won best cruise line in Travel + Leisure’s highly coveted World’s Best Awards for mega-ship ocean cruise line, along with the 2023 and 2024 Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards for best large ocean cruise line.
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