Teri West
Season passes aren't just for ski resorts and amusement parks.
Virgin Voyages fans can book a season pass for Alaska cruises this summer, an offering the company says caters to travelers who want to take remote work to the seas. The Alaska season pass costs $26,000 per cabin for 30 consecutive days on the Brilliant Lady, which is essentially a ticket for four back-to-back week-long cruises.
The concept originated from Virgin Group founder Richard Branson's "long-held philosophy that work and play should not be at odds and that travel should feel seamless and enjoyable even for those balancing professional commitments," a spokesperson said.
Amongst the season pass' inclusions are a WiFi category that Virgin calls "Work from Sea WiFi" and laundry service.
And it isn't an experiment. The company debuted the concept in 2024 on the Mediterranean with the Scarlet Summer Season Pass, which it said sold out in 48 hours.
Interest has been strong for Alaska, the company said.
Travelers with a desire to cruise for a month -- or longer -- are nothing new. But the travel industry got creative in catering to the "digital nomad" lifestyle after the pandemic amid the widespread acceptance of remote work.
Virgin Voyages' target demographic is working professionals, since its core guests are ages 40 to 55, and its season passes demonstrate an awareness of that demographic.
It is a significant contrast from the three- and four-day cruise option that have swept the industry in recent years. Cruise lines say that millennial and Gen Z travelers are driving the demand for those, and they attribute it to a desire to maximize their weekends and time off.
That's the nuance of the travel habits of today's working adults: some want to be on a ship for as short as possible in between workdays, and others want to blend their work with vacation.