Virgin Ready for Second Ship; Bookings Up 70%

Virgin Voyages has confirmed its second ship, the Valiant Lady, will start sailing this March in the UK.

Speaking of the arrival of Valiant Lady to the UK, Tom McAlpin, CEO of Virgin Voyages, said: “Following the success of our first ladyship, Scarlet Lady, we are so excited to debut Valiant Lady this March and begin our European tour. The lifting of UK travel restrictions has already shown promising signs with 70% uplift in bookings since December – and we can’t wait to welcome Sailors onboard!”

The company is showcasing the new ship Tilbury and Liverpool, where fans are invited to wave her in before the company kicks off bookable European sailings from Portsmouth in March and a new homeport in Barcelona in May.

Sir Richard Branson added: “Virgin Voyages has been a dream in the making since my 20s, and today is a momentous day launching our second ladyship, Valiant Lady. It’s exciting to be able to celebrate our continued growth as a brand that’s on a mission to voyage like no other. In our five decades in business, Virgin has always sought to offer our customers something extra special, and Virgin Voyages has worked tirelessly to do just that.”

For a limited time, Sailors can book any voyage on any ship and get 20% off along with a $100 toward their prepaid Bar Tab, plus an extra 10% off if they pay in full.

New Virgin Cruise Ship Gets Her Colours

The Valiant Lady now has her colours, as the final touches are being put on the hull of the second cruise ship for Virgin Voyages in Palermo, Sicily.

Delivered earlier this year to start up Virgin Voyages, the 2,770-guest ship is expected to start sailing in early 2022.

The Valiant Lady will officially make her debut in the UK before heading to Barcelona to sail the Med in the summer.

With dates ranging from March 18 through May 14, 2022, the Valiant Lady will sail on a series of three new itineraries, including a mix of three-night, 11-night and 12-night voyages.

The hull art on the Valiant Lady was created by artist Hillary Wilson, where the new mermaid celebrates the strong, beautiful, friendly and modern embodiment of a black American woman, according to a press release Virgin issued over the summer. 

“Like the Scarlet Lady that came before her, the Valiant Lady will feature a glamorous new mermaid at the helm. Virgin Voyages’ leading ladies, its mermaids, are an important symbol for the brand and meant to keep guests safe on their voyage,” the cruise line said.

MHA Symposium At Sea Kicks Off On Virgin’s Scarlet Lady

The Marine Hotel Association’s (MHA) Symposium at Sea is officially underway on the Scarlet Lady from Virgin Voyages, as the event is taking place on the ship’s four-night/five-day voyage roundtrip from Miami.

MHA members, mainly composed of food and beverage and hotel supply vendors, will network with cruise line and vessel management decision-makers over the course of the next five days aboard what many consider to be the industry’s newest and most exciting ship. 

Events exclusive to MHA members include cocktail receptions, organized dinners rotating between restaurants, panel discussions and an impressive five hours of speed networking between vendors and cruise line decision makers split over two days.

Vendors will look toward the speed network sessions for key one-on-one time with the right decision-makers. 

Panel discussion topics will include a state of the business from each cruise line attendee, plus a deep dive into hotel product and food and beverage innovations, along with touching on the current state of the supply chain with issues, challenges and opportunities set to be discussed.

The four-night cruise includes a call at Nassau, a stop at Bimini, and one day at sea before returning to Miami on Sunday, October 24.