Tag Archives: Atlantic

Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady Leaves Portsmouth for New York

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The Scarlet Lady has set sail from Portsmouth, England, after spending the summer in the UK. According to a press release, the 2,800-passenger Virgin Voyages ship is now heading across the Atlantic to New York.

Portsmouth International Port said that over 8,000 passengers enjoyed the Summer Soiree Series, which saw Virgin Voyages launch its world’s first commercial sailing from Portsmouth.

A pop-up terminal was created to host passengers while keeping strict COVID-19 health protocols in place after the CDC cruise restrictions in America curtailed plans for stateside launch, guests instead enjoyed a season sailing in domestic UK waters.

Portsmouth port said that the Scarlet Lady brought a “much-needed boost to the city after a challenging year.” and it felt honoured to receive an open letter of thanks from the Virgin Voyages team.

“(Y) you’ve welcomed us to your home and you will forever have a place in our heart. We couldn’t be more grateful for your support as we sailed for the first time,” the letter read. “While the Scarlet Lady is saying Bon Voyage after a brilliant Summer Soiree season, we can’t wait to see you next year when our second ship, the Valiant Lady, makes her debut, right here. She’s quite the head-turner too, and there’s nowhere else we’d rather start her off.”

Mike Sellers, Portsmouth International Port’s director said: “Seeing the Scarlet Lady in the port has been the result of years of hard work, from securing investment to extend our cruise berth to accommodate larger ships, to building confidence with the Virgin Voyages’ team that we could look after their world-first sailing … Everyone at the port stepped up, during the most challenging time, to make sure this was a success and I’m so proud of their hard work and professionalism.”

Sellers noted that it has also been impressive to see the Virgin team in operation with some spending months in the city to make sure “everything went smoothly, becoming very fond of Portsmouth in the process.”

“We want to become the port of choice for luxury, boutique cruises, and with plans for a terminal extension underway we’re on our way there … We’re looking forward to seeing Virgin’s new build Valiant Lady in the city next year, and welcoming back the team. In the meantime, the hard work continues as we continue to build our position as a major player in the cruise industry,” Sellers said.

Cruise lines alter plans because of Hurricane Joaquin

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Hurricane Joaquin, a Category 3 storm packing winds of 120 mph, has forced several cruise lines to alter itineraries. The storm was battering the Out Islands of the Bahamas on Thursday morning.

The Carnival Valor is skipping a stop in Grand Turk on Thursday and will have a sea day. The Carnival Pride is bypassing Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas and will remain at sea.

Princess Cruises’ Royal Princess is bypassing a stop at private island Princess Cays. The Norwegian Getaway will stay at sea Thursday instead of calling in Nassau.

The Disney Magic will substitute a call in Key West, Fla., and bypass Castaway Cay in the Bahamas.

American relaxed its change-fee policy for customers on flights to Nassau or Freeport through Oct. 2.

Different forecast models predict Joaquin will either veer northwest and hammer the mid-Atlantic states this weekend or track northeast over the Atlantic.

Panama expansion delays hurting cruise lines

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Delays to the expansion project underway at the Panama Canal will affect the itineraries of cruise lines that had intended to send their larger ships along the iconic waterway this year.

The canal is currently undergoing a multi-billion dollar widening some 100 years after it was first opened, which will see it able to hold ships larger than the existing locks allow for.

Currently, only vessels measuring approximately 290 metres or less in length and up to 32 metres in width can traverse the canal.

However, the consortium undertaking the work to widen the waterway – which connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans – has threatened to down tools if authorities do not compensate it for the significant cost overruns on the project, amounting to $1.6 billion (£975 million).

As a result, Cruise Critic reports that larger ships could be forced to wait until April 2015 or later before they are able to pass through the Panama Canal.

The expansion plans would see ships measuring approximately 425 metres in length, 55 metres in width and 18 metres in depth capable of traversing the canal.

That should be enough to accommodate the current largest cruise ships in the world, Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas.