Virgin Voyages’ Alex Zeitz on making waves in Richard Branson’s global ‘barefoot luxury’ brand

Chicago-born Alex Zeitz has shaken up the cruise industry with Virgin Voyages, blending bold travel experiences with a focus on inclusivity. From his formative years as a dancer to becoming a seasoned industry leader, Zeitz has played a key role in shaping guest and crew experiences, all while championing diversity, equity and inclusion.

From scouting flower-covered streets in Sardinia to collaborating with Richard Branson on ‘barefoot luxury’ in the Bahamas, his career has been packed with ‘pinch-me’ moments. Here, Zeitz shares his journey from stage to ship, and how he’s helping steer the future of cruising with Virgin’s unique vision.

Tell me about your childhood

I grew up in a suburb of Chicago, about 40 miles west. I always lovingly say it’s where the cornfields met the city. There were some kids in school with cows, and others whose parents were city executives, so it was a great blend. I am from a family of six kids, all of us adopted, so we come from a lot of different backgrounds, colours, shapes and shades. Growing up, I was in a setting of inclusion and connection in a very unique way. As a kid, I thought I was going to be a performer or entertainer. I studied dance for many years, and that’s what led me to the cruise industry.

What did you love about the cruise industry?

After I had my first contract at sea [as a performer], having those moments where you’re on the top deck and you watch it go from golden hour to the stars coming out. Even if it was a break in my day of work, it was something that just was like, ‘This is really cool.’ I think another thing for me was starting your day in one location, going to bed, and waking up in another location. As my career grew, I thought about what I would love to do and how I could be connected to the cruise industry. I had a great time working with a previous company, travelling, connecting and leading operations on the East Coast of the US as well as in Europe. Every step I took allowed me to pivot and try something new.

How did your career progress?

I started on ships as a dancer, in mainstage shows. Then I went back to land and worked for Disney Parks. That’s where I really began my leadership journey. I had a great manager, Eva Medved, who said, “Alex, I would love for you to try leadership; it seems to come naturally to you.” So, I became a stage manager and part of the production team. I realised I loved leading and setting a tone, but I missed being at sea. So, I took a job with Celebrity Cruise Line as director of sales services. I learned the nuts and bolts of hospitality and how to give customers great experiences.

How did you get involved in building Virgin Voyages?

There are very few industries where you’re encouraged to grow and evolve within one company but move between different roles and spaces. When I heard Virgin [Voyages] was coming out, I’d always admired Sir Richard Branson as an entrepreneur, even in the States. When I got the call to say, “Would you be interested in building our experience?” I thought, ‘Yes, I’m in!’, but professionally saying, “Yes, I would look forward to it.”

When Virgin Voyages launched, I joined as senior manager of sailor [what Virgin Voyages calls its passengers] experience and helped build what that experience would look like. During Covid, I focused on crew experience, and I’ve since grown into overseeing diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI) and accessibility, as well as events.

What’s it like working with Sir Richard Branson?

He’s incredibly detail-orientated and notices things no one else would. His energy for making the experience better is amazing. He loves connecting with the crew. He recently went down to where the crew eat and served lunch. The crew came in and said, “I’ll have one of these,” and then realised, “Oh my God, it’s Richard!” There’s that levity, but he’ll also then go sit with the crew and be like, “So, tell me what’s going on.” He knows our crew is the most important asset we have.

Tell me about the most memorable thing you’ve experienced in your career

When you’re scouting experiences for our sailors, you don’t know what your day is going to be like. You’re invited by tourism authorities to experience a space, and some of them are so unique and culturally rich. I’ve never had an experience like in Cagliari, Sardinia, where the women cover the streets with flower petals for a religious festival [Sagra di Sant’Efisio]. I’m getting chills thinking about it. They carry a statue through the streets and cover them in flower petals, just dozens of women with baskets of flowers. The whole city is silent, but you can smell the flowers. They’ve been doing it for hundreds of years. These moments are what make me stop and think, ‘Wow, I’m really living this life.’ And I’m thinking, ‘Yes — let’s make this happen for our sailors.’

Any more ‘pinch-me’ moments?

Being around Sir Richard Branson during launches in places like Australia, the UK, New York, or Miami has been incredible. One of the biggest moments was creating the Beach Club in the Bahamas. I remember flying in on a seaplane, landing in Bimini, and seeing this stunning island where we’d bring Richard’s vision of ‘barefoot luxury’ to life. Watching it go from planning documents to the first day it opened was incredible. Sitting in the corner and watching people experience it, I was like, ‘Do you like my baby? Isn’t my baby pretty?’ Another moment was launching our terminal in Miami. It was a massive project, and it was the first terminal to be LEED Gold certified, which aligned with Virgin’s ethos and sustainability focus.

What are the biggest misconceptions about the cruise industry, and how does Virgin Voyages address them?

I would say Virgin has done well in designing something that’s inclusive. The cruise industry is known for creating holidays where you get on board a ship, unpack once, and see many different locations. Virgin does that too, but we’ve created something more flexible and connected to an audience that was previously missed. There wasn’t a cruise brand for people who wanted more autonomy. We have 20 different eateries because you might want Korean one night, Italian the next, and then something Mexican-inspired. We include gratuities, fitness classes and not-so-basic beverages, so you’re not nickel-and-dimed. It’s about creating an experience for people who want something different, something new.

Does Virgin Voyages plan to expand on this, or is this the plan for the foreseeable future?

We’re always looking at how to create new opportunities. For example, Scarlet Lady is going into dry dock for a refresh. We’re redesigning the coffee shop for a more day-and-night vibe, and Razzle Dazzle, one of our restaurants, is getting an evening flair to introduce new cuisine. So, we’re focusing on refreshing our current fleet and evolving our entertainment and experiences.

What has been the most satisfying part of your work in DEI?

When we launched Virgin Voyages, we established our purpose: “Creating an Epic Sea Change for All”, and I love the “for all” part. It’s about creating a space where inclusion is key, from recruitment to the day-to-day experience for crew and sailors. We have crew from 95 nations, and our belonging score is around 90, which is much higher than the US corporate average. The most satisfying part is knowing that our crew feels like they can be their true, authentic selves.

Has your DEI work made a personal difference to the crew?

I’ve had crew members come up to me about their uniforms, saying they don’t feel comfortable in what they’re wearing because it doesn’t represent them as a person or their gender. We tell them to wear what feels right. As long as they’re in uniform, they can choose what makes them feel most comfortable, whether that’s uniform A today and uniform B tomorrow. It’s a simple thing, but it makes a huge difference. And if we encounter sailors who don’t agree with our authentic values, we stand by our crew. We’re proud of who they are, and we want them to feel supported and able to be themselves.

Have you ever wanted to jump back into your dancing shoes on board?

No — I haven’t performed in a long time, and I respectfully don’t miss it! I love going on our ships and seeing shows like UNTITLED DANCESHOW PARTYTHING. They remind me of the old days. I’ve been lucky because of my entertainment background — I got to be part of our shows when they started launching. My colleague, Pepper, who selects all the productions, always invites me to join in, listen to pitches, or watch a dress rehearsal before it goes on the ship. So, I still get to connect with that world without performing myself.

When you go on holiday, where do you go? Do you still enjoy cruises?

I love going to the Mediterranean in the summer. There’s nothing like it. I’ll hop on one of our ships if I can. My best friend lives in Spain, so sometimes I’ll say, “Let’s go!” and we’ll join in. I’m not over cruising at all. I love the fact that you can be in one place, have a great meal on board, see a show, and wake up somewhere new the next day. When I’m not travelling, I love relaxing at home in New York.