What's not to like about Virgin's entry into the cruise business?
If you're a fan of Virgin Group or any of its associated enterprises, you'll like the idea right off the bat. And even if you're agnostic about the wonderfulness of the Virgin brand, you have to admit that it has some unique attributes that should make the cruise business even more interesting than it is.
Virgin's entry also serves as a nice counterpoint to the latest act of consolidation: the acquisition of Prestige Cruise Holdings by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. If every merger were followed by the entry of a strong new brand, the history of the airline industry might have some happier chapters.
The cruise industry needs no validation that it's on an attractive course, but Virgin's interest and Bain Capital's involvement provide it anyway.
All in all, a good sign.