The first Virgin Voyages vessel will be named Scarlet Lady.
The news was revealed by Virgin Group founder Richard Branson during a ceremony at the Fincantieri shipyard in Genoa earlier.
The ship, the first of a proposed three, is set for launch in 2020, sailing out Miami.
Virgin Voyages will offer mid-sized ships, carrying around 2,800 passengers in 1,400 staterooms.
The ships are also expected to be adults only,
Speaking ahead of the launch, Branson said: “Sailing should feel transformative.
“Yet after listening to some avid sailors, we wondered if things could be different.
“At Virgin Voyages we think the time to epicly change sea travel is upon us.
“Welcome to our own, fresh take on cruising.
“Here, curiosity is more important than an itinerary.
“Interactions matter more than transactions.”
Virgin Voyages will feature exciting ideas in entertainment and music to provide what the company are branding ‘sailors’ (rather than passengers or cruisers) with a strong variety of programming options.
The Fincantieri ceremony also saw the cutting of the first pieces of steel for Virgin Voyages’ second ship, which is due for delivery in 2021.