Brief:

• Virgin Voyages, the adults-only cruise line that starts sailing next year, plans to offer an on-demand champagne delivery service for mobile users, per an announcement shared with Mobile Marketer.
• By shaking their smartphones while using the Virgin Voyages Sailor App, passengers can request Möet Chandon Impérial for delivery anywhere aboard the Scarlet Lady cruise ship.
• The champagne will be delivered in a Virgin-branded ice bucket along with two glasses. Virgin Voyages announced the service after revealing a look at Sip, the champagne lounge and caviar bar designed by HKS Hospitality Interiors.

Insight:

Virgin Voyages' on-demand champagne delivery aims to delight passengers with a touch of luxury as they set sail on the company's first cruise ship. Amenities like on-demand champagne may appeal to tech-savvy young adults who are seeking experiences they can share on social media. Generation Z and millennials tend to prioritize travel activities and experiences ahead of price, but budget still is a significant consideration, according to a survey by Expedia Group Media Solutions.

Using a smartphone's internal gyroscopes to detect motion and order champagne through the Virgin Voyages is a novel sales application that could entice curious passengers to test it out and celebrate vacation with a beverage purchase. However, getting people to download and install another app on their phones can be a challenge due to additional friction that newer progressive web apps and browser experiences have worked to remedy for more seamless brand engagement among consumers.

Virgin Voyages, a joint venture between Richard Branson's Virgin Group and Bain Capital, is aimed at young adults who want an alternative to Disney-style cruises for families or vacations for retirees. To appeal to this cohort, the Scarlet Lady has amenities including spas, an outdoor gym, boxing ring, fitness classes, karaoke rooms, nightclub, blow-dry bar and tattoo parlor.

Cruise lines in general are boosting their onboard revenue with apps that let passengers pay for additional services, Travel Weekly reported. Carnival Cruise Line this year upgraded its Hub app to let passengers buy shore excursions, spa treatments, specialty dining reservations and Wi-Fi packages before they board for smoother purchasing of experiences. Norwegian Cruise Line expanded its app to all 16 ships in its fleet, giving the company a "fresh wallet" boost from mobile transactions, CFO Mark Kempa said in a February conference call with investors.