Tag Archives: Rhodes

Virgin Voyages’ Resilient Lady Ready for Debut

Posted on by
Reply

Virgin Voyages’ third ship, the Resilient Lady, will make its debut on May 14, 2023, when it embarks on its inaugural Greek Islands Glow voyage.

The ship will sail a roundtrip from Athens with stops in Santorini, Rhodes, Bodrum and an overnight call in Mykonos.

“Virgin Voyages’ delivers an amazing experience and has been recognized by hundreds of thousands of happy Sailors with the awards we’ve won for our service, food, design, entertainment and more,” said founder Richard Branson.

“We have shown the world all that we have to offer when it comes to having the holiday of your dreams, and I can’t wait to show off our lovely new Resilient Lady in one of the most magical places in the world as she sails around the Greek Isles, Croatia, Turkey and more.”

The ship will offer seven-night cruises to Greek Islands from May through October 2023. Upon completion of its inaugural season in Greece, the Resilient Lady will offer transcontinental voyages from Melbourne, Australia.

“I’m thrilled this day is finally here and that Resilient Lady has officially joined our award-winning fleet,” said Tom McAlpin, CEO of Virgin Voyages. “Since our launch just a few years ago, we have received the travel industry’s top awards and have experienced a very high rate of return with up to 40 per cent of our Sailors rebooking their next cruise while they’re still onboard with us. I know people are going to love voyaging with Resilient Lady as much as they have with Scarlet and Valiant Lady, and I look forward to sharing this five-star experience with even more Sailors this summer.”

Virgin Voyages Welcomes Resilient Lady to Growing Cruise Fleet

Posted on by
Reply

Virgin Voyages has taken delivery of the brand’s third vessel: the Resilient Lady.

Built by Fincantieri, the Resilient Lady is a mid-size ship weighing 110,000 gross tons like her sister ships in the fleet: Scarlet Lady and Valiant Lady, according to a press release.

On May 14, 2023, Resilient Lady will embark on her MerMaiden voyage around the Greek Isles, making stops in Santorini, Rhodes, Bodrum and Mykonos before returning to her homeport in Piraeus, Athens. The ship will sail two, eight-night itineraries including the “Greek Island Glow” with the aforementioned route, and the “Adriatic Sea and Greek Gems,” complete with calls in the beautiful cities of Split, Dubrovnik, Kotor and Corfu.

After her inaugural season in the Med, Resilient Lady will embark on a 44-night repositioning voyage, heading Down Under for a winter season in Australia and New Zealand. Starting Oct. 22, 2023, the ship will depart Athens before stopping in some of the most exotic locales the brand has yet to introduce including Cairo, Dubai, Bali, Mumbai, Phuket and Singapore. She’ll finally arrive in Sydney on Dec. 4, 2023, for a series of celebrations, media sneak peeks and more.

Costa Venezia Set to Sail New Program from Istanbul

Posted on by
Reply

Costa Venezia’s new cruises to Turkey and Greece will make their debut from Istanbul on May 1.

Costa said the new deployment marks the collaboration between itself, Turkish Airlines, the Turkish National Tourist Board and Galataport Istanbul.

The proposed formula is the “flight+cruise” package, available from all the main European countries, with scheduled Turkish Airlines flights, which will make it possible to reach Istanbul easily, and then embark on board Costa Venezia from the new Galataport cruise terminal, equipped with all the comforts and services for the next generation of ships.

“Our restart program ahead of summer is strengthened by a truly unique offer. The main new feature of Costa Venezia cruises is the possibility of visiting the best of Turkey in a single holiday, starting from Istanbul, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. We believe Turkey has great potential for cruises, and we are trying to be the first to develop it. Istanbul can be reached from the main European countries in just a few hours’ flight time, it has good air connections and modern ports, as well as a mild climate that makes it possible to operate all year round, and above all, it offers an incredible variety of experiences and attractions,” said Mario Zanetti, President of Costa Cruises.

The Costa Venezia’s program in Turkey includes three different itineraries, all with embarkation and disembarkation in Istanbul, designed to include longer calls in the ports to enjoy the destinations with plenty of time, among cities rich in history, splendid archaeological and UNESCO World Heritage sites and clear seas.

From May 1 to November 13 2022, the Costa Venezia will offer two one-week itineraries dedicated to Turkey and Greece, interchanging with each other, which can be combined into a single 15-day “super tour”, with eight calls in port longer than 10 hours.

The first itinerary is ideal for those who want to explore the best of Turkey and Greece in one holiday. It includes a two-day, one-night call in Istanbul, the Turkish destinations of Izmir and Bodrum, the island of Mykonos and Athens in Greece.

The second itinerary allows exploring some of Greece’s out-of-the-ordinary locations and the best of Turkey. It includes two two-day, one-night calls in Istanbul and Kusadasi, Turkey, before heading off to explore Rhodes and Heraklion, Greece.

In winter 2022-23, the Costa Venezia will be offering a third 12-day itinerary to Turkey, Egypt, Israel and Cyprus, visiting Istanbul (with a two-day, one-night call), Bodrum, Limassol, Haifa (also with a two-day, one-night call), Alexandria and Kusadasi. From spring 2023, the two itineraries in Turkey and Greece will resume.