In the latest sign of the times, Virgin Voyages and Google Cloud have announced a strategic partnership to embed generative AI across the cruise line’s business, with more than 50 specialized AI “agents” on Gemini Enterprise now deployed company-wide. “Email Ellie,” the first agent from this collaboration, has already driven significant business impact, contributing to a record-breaking sales month and validating the company’s ambitious AI strategy, says the cruise line.
Built on Gemini Enterprise, an agentic platform designed to bring the full power of Google’s AI to every employee, Virgin Voyage’s new AI agents are designed to support various business needs and can be created easily without technical experience. For example, “Email Ellie” was developed by Virgin Voyages’ creative team and generates hyper-personalized marketing outreach, helping the cruise line reach more travellers.
Trained on internal brand frameworks and immersed in Virgin Voyages’ cheeky, clever tone, Ellie moves beyond automation to solve one of marketing’s toughest challenges: growing reach without losing authenticity.
Since introducing “Email Ellie,” the brand’s AI-powered marketing assistant, the company says its marketing team has reduced time spent on campaign copy creation by an estimated 40%, freeing up marketers to focus on higher-value initiatives, like spotlighting new itineraries and destinations – as well as advancing personalization efforts that tailor guest communications and elevate brand storytelling. These AI-generated campaigns, Virgin ads, have delivered measurable results, driving a 28% year-over-year increase in July sales.
“What excites me most about this partnership with Google Cloud is how it gives our teams back time to do what they do best – create joy, build connections, and bring our brand to life,” said Nirmal Saverimuttu, CEO of Virgin Voyages. “‘Email Ellie’ is just the beginning. It’s already helped deliver record-breaking sales, and she’s proof that AI agents scale our impact and amplify our human touches.”
“Virgin Voyages proves that when you combine a powerful platform like Gemini Enterprise with clear direction from domain experts, any company can create AI agents that help them succeed and grow,”
“This is a pivotal shift,” said Matt Renner, president, Global Revenue, Google Cloud. “With Gemini Enterprise, we are empowering employees across organizations to build their own agents and drive business impact far beyond simple task automation.”
The partnership between Virgin Voyages and Google Cloud is already underway, developing the next series of AI agents aimed at further enhancing guest experience – both pre-voyage and while on board.
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