Inked@Sea’s tattoo-themed cruise with Virgin Voyages’ Valant Lady is about to open for registration. Tattoo fans can grab their spot on this 5-night adventure, starting with pre-sales on October 25, 2023.
All Things Tattoo Related at Sea
In partnership with Inked@Sea, Virgin Voyages will offer a unique 5-night journey — with pre-sales commencing on October 25, 2023 — scheduled to set sail in September 2024 onboard the Valiant Lady cruise ship.
Nick Kulb, a seasoned entertainment professional, has joined forces with Inked Magazine to create this tattoo-focused voyage, tailored for tattoo lovers.
“I’m excited for our partnership between Constellation Experiences and Virgin Voyages,” Kulb commented. “Inked@Sea marks the start of a long, prosperous event relationship with the cruise line and all partners associated with the event.”
Pre-sales, as mentioned, kick off on October 25, with public sales set for the first of November. Inked@Sea’s goal is to offer guests an amazing seafaring journey focused on body art aboard Valiant Lady.
Virgin Voyages received the 110,000-gross-ton Valiant Lady (the fleet’s second ship,) in July 2021. The vessel embarked on her inaugural journey from Portsmouth in March 2022. Valiant Lady shares a lineage with the Scarlet Lady, making them sister ships.
If you adore body ink and ocean cruises, mark your calendar for this tattoo voyage, currently scheduled to run from September 18, 2024, to September 23, 2024. This unique outing will feature great art, as well as renowned artists from across the globe.
The Inked@Sea voyage, embarking from Miami in Florida, will call at Key West, as well as Virgin Voyages’ exclusive Beach Club at Bimini, located in the Bahamas on North Bimini Island.
Inked@Sea’s Inaugural Voyage
Inked Magazine’s Inked@Sea will have plenty for fans of body art to discover during their time aboard Valiant Lady.
First, elegant accommodations will be on offer for guests to enjoy, along with an array of entertainment options, and a surfeit of gourmet dining. Passengers will also be able to enhance their tattoo skills by attending different workshops and lectures conducted by some of the tattoo professionals on board, such as Bob Tyrell, Durb Morrison, Sean Dowdell, and other accomplished artists.
Sean Dowdell, the proprietor of Club Tattoo — and the drummer for the American rock band Grey Daze — has worked hard with the Inked@Sea staff to help organize this inaugural event.
“Club Tattoo is very excited to be a part of something new in the tattoo industry with Inked@Sea,” Dowdell remarked. “It’s about time for large tattoo events to evolve and change, we are proud to be at the forefront of something this unique, elevated and bold.”
Passengers will have unfettered access to internationally acclaimed tattoo artists who will offer them tattooing sessions. Among the featured artists, guests will get to hobnob with people like Anthony Michaels, Jon Mesa, Mario Barth, Steve Butcher, and Yomico Moreno — along with other renowned figures in the industry.
Some of the high-energy bands, DJs, and tattoo artists scheduled to perform during the cruise include Dowdell’s Grey Daze, About Kings, DJ Scott Boy, Cervena Fox (a British tattoo performance artist), and more.
Virgin Voyages’ Tattoo Venues
Virgin Voyages has ventured into the world of tattoos before, providing onboard tattoo venues on their ships. This initiative was first introduced on Scarlet Lady and then extended to Valiant Lady. Squid Ink, renowned for its “cruelty-free, vegan tattoo inks” and designs, is one of the driving forces behind this endeavor.
Partnering with industry icons from World Famous Tattoo Ink, Virgin Voyages has curated these onboard tattoo spaces for guests and staff. Each ship hosts resident tattoo artists. Additionally, guest tattoo artists are often featured in these studios.
Squid Ink tattoos are crafted using original vegan ink, coming with excellent safety standards (without any animal-derived components or testing). Squid Ink also provides permanent makeup treatments and body piercings aboard the ships.
In a groundbreaking move within the cruise industry, Virgin Voyages encourages its crew members to show off their tattoos (if they have them, of course). The company openly embraces applicants with tattoos, which is an unusual standard, so far, in the industry.
