Virgin Voyages introduces Rovey, the brand’s first AI crew assistant | News

Virgin Voyages has introduced Rovey: the brand’s first AI crew assistant and the first result of Project Ruby, Virgin Voyages’ long-term AI initiative built with Google Cloud. The announcement was made earlier this week at Google Cloud Next in Las Vegas.

Built with Google Cloud, Rovey is an AI travel planning assistant for travel agencies. It navigates the decisions that shape a cruise booking, where itinerary, timing, destination mix and onboard experiences intersect. Rather than starting from a blank slate or manually navigating multiple routes, First Mates can trust Rovey to make human recommendations based on the sailor’s (guest’s) travel style, timing and preferences.

This was a role that traditionally required a call to guest services – now it gives First Mates a new tool to refine recommendations for their customers in real time.

Nirmal Saverimuttu, CEO of Virgin Voyages said: “We sail to over 150 destinations, with over 60 itineraries on offer over more than two years. It’s a complex decision, and it matters. Our advisors care about getting it right for their clients. Rovey helps with that. She highlights the most relevant options and makes it easier to tailor recommendations for clients. That’s always our goal with AI: to free up processes in favor of connections from person to person.”

Nathan Rosenberg, Chief Brand Experience, Marketing and Momentum Officer at Virgin Voyages added: “The best First Mates we work with spend their time building relationships and not answering the same basic questions every week. When a Sailor arrives who has already covered the basics, the conversation becomes about the person and less about the itinerary. That’s where trust is built. That’s what drives a Sailor to rebook and send their friends. Rovey shows up first so the First Mate knows can finish strongest.”

The broader Project Ruby is a platform developed with Google Cloud, providing the underlying AI infrastructure and modeling capabilities, while Virgin Voyages provides structured data, behavioral insights and domain expertise from one of travel’s most complex booking environments. Together, the teams designed Rovey to function as a decision support system that can guide travel agents and guests through an informed purchase with context-aware recommendations.

Sam Sebastian, VP, North American Regions, Google Cloud said, “We’re excited to partner with Virgin Voyages and leverage Google Cloud’s industry-leading AI technology to improve the cruise booking process. By equipping Rovey with our AI tools, Virgin Voyages can reduce booking friction, deliver personalized travel advice at scale, and build deeper, more valuable connections with sailors.”

First Mates will soon be able to refer sailors to Rovey for first-level planning support through VirginVoyages.com. Additional Project Ruby resources and guidance for First Mates will also be available through FirstMates.com.

Project Ruby is a multi-year initiative with seven manifestations planned for the full Sailor experience. Future releases will continue to improve the tools available to the First Mate community at every stage of a customer’s journey.