It’s now confirmed that Valiant Lady will head into dry dock in May 2026. We had already speculated this would be the case last month, based on a noticeable gap between her Transatlantic crossing and the start of her European sailings.

Since early 2023, Valiant Lady has been running her regular 4- and 5-night Caribbean itineraries from Miami. But in 2026, she returns to Europe for the first time in three years—and a visit to dry dock has been built into her schedule.

What is a Dry Dock?

A dry dock is a planned maintenance period, typically scheduled every five years. The ship is taken out of the water so that important work can be carried out, ranging from technical inspections to upgrades and enhancements across public areas and cabins.

For Virgin Voyages, this will be a return to Palermo’s Fincantieri shipyard, which hosted Scarlet Lady’s dry dock in November 2024. The same facility was also involved in the original build of all three ships in the fleet.

Valiant Lady will arrive in Barcelona on May 9, 2026, following her 14-night Transatlantic from New York. From there, she’ll head straight into dry dock from May 9 to 25, 2026.

What Changes Could Be Coming?

While Virgin Voyages has yet to officially confirm any changes, it’s likely Valiant Lady will see similar updates to those introduced on Scarlet Lady. These could include:

• A new dining concept for Razzle Dazzle like Rojo & Lucky Lotus
• A new mermaid like Scarlet Lady had painted
• Updated entertainment, Scarlet Lady launched with new parties and shows
• Added VIP Cabanas on Deck 16
• More Seriously Suite cabins on Deck 11
• General updates and possible new features across the ship

We also know a new venue or dining space is likely, with a different cuisine hinted at—though the full details are still under wraps.

First Sailing After Dry Dock

Valiant Lady’s first sailing after dry dock is also now confirmed: a 6-night itinerary the Amalfi Coast, Cannes & Ibiza voyage, departing from Rome on May 25, 2026. This voyage includes calls in Salerno, Cannes, and two days in Ibiza before finishing in Barcelona.

Additional New York Routes

While full dates and details are still to come,  it was also confirmed that Valiant Lady is set to sail to New York after her Iceland, Greenland & Canada Transatlantic. She’ll spend a short fall season there in September and October 2026 before moving on to San Juan — stay tuned for more updates.

More Details to Be Revealed

Virgin Voyages hasn’t officially confirmed the dry dock plans yet and likely won’t for several months. However, we can expect details to be shared in the second half of the year. For context, Scarlet Lady’s dry dock was confirmed around two months before it took place.

Source: Virgin Voyages Lady Ship Deployment Schedule PDF