Virgin Voyages Delays Launch of Fourth Ship, Brilliant Lady

Brilliant Lady Delivery Delayed

Virgin Voyages announced on 7 September 2024, that the anticipated launch of its newest ship, the Brilliant Lady, originally slated to set sail on December 24th, will be postponed. This marks the fourth delay in the MerMaiden voyage series from the company’s fleet of four ships.

Valiant Lady Takes Over Brilliant’s Planned Itineraries

In a bid to prevent cancellations and to continue with the planned itineraries, the cruise line has rescheduled its alternative ship, Valiant Lady, to fill in for the Brilliant Lady from January 2024. While this may disappoint those eager to experience the latest ship, Virgin Voyages emphasized that all its ships maintain a high standard of luxury and the difference between them are minimal, bar a few minor distinctions.

Affected Itineraries

This postponement affects several itineraries including the ‘Miami MerMaiden to San Juan’ schedule and all subsequent sailings from the San Juan, Puerto Rico cruise port, which includes the April 2024 Transatlantic Crossing. The specifics of when the Brilliant Lady will embark on its inaugural voyage remains undisclosed as of now.

Sailors That Have Booked Valiant Lady Sailings in 2024

As Valiant Lady is being used to cover the affected Brilliant Lady sailings it means that some previously planned and booked itineraries will need to be cancelled or rescheduled. Sailors booked onto these voyages will be contacted by email in the next few days to make alternative plans or move their booking to other ships in the fleet.

Flexible Rebooking Options

As some sailings already booked will be affected, Virgin Voyages are offering flexible rebooking options. For customers impacted by this reshuffling the options available are as follows:

• Full refund: Customers can opt for a full refund to their original payment method.
• Change of sailing: Passengers have the liberty to choose any other sailing in the same cabin category without worrying about the price difference. In cases where the new sailing is priced lower, the difference will be refunded.
• Bonus Sailor Loot: Upon moving their booking, customers will receive an additional $300 in sailor loot for a standard booking. Moreover, those booked on either Mermaiden will receive an extra $500 in onboard credit.
• Double Sailor Loot: Make your booking by October 11th and receive double the sailor loot!
• Airfare Reimbursement: To accommodate the changes in the sailing schedule, up to $500 will be reimbursed for any necessary amendments to airfare bookings.

Re-booking opens September 11th, further information can be found on Virgin Voyages website.

Cancelled Sailings

With the new schedule comes a series of cancelled sailings:

Brilliant Lady

• MerMaiden voyages
  • 24 December 2023
  • 30 December 2023
• 7-night Sunsets in the Lesser Antilles
  • 6 January 2024
  • 30 March 2024
  • 13 April 2024
• 7-night Southeastern Caribbean Isles
  • 23 March 2024
  • 6 April 2024
• 11-night Transatlantic Puerto Rico to Portugal
  • 20 April 2024

Valiant Lady

• 6-night Western Caribbean Charm
  • From 7 January 2024 to 17 March 2024 (weekly departures)
• 8-night Eastern Caribbean Antilles
  • From 13 January 2024 to 23 March 2024 (weekly departures)

Resilient Lady

• 7-night Adriatic Sea & Greek Gems
  • From 28 July 2024 to 29 September 2024 (weekly departures)
• 7-night Greek Island Glow
  • From 4 August 2024 to 13 October 2024 (weekly departures)

Company Statement

The company said: “Despite careful planning, Virgin Voyages is facing unexpected construction, supply chain and staffing challenges that have delayed the introduction into service of its new ship, Brilliant Lady

“Virgin Voyages is evaluating new possible launch dates when it is able to deliver the standard the brand’s sailors have come to expect.”

Shane Riley, vice-president of UK and international sales, said: “We are sorry that our sailors who were excited about Brilliant Lady will have to wait a little bit longer, but we know they’ll love the itineraries as much as we do.
“We’re also looking forward to sailing out of Portsmouth again on Resilient Lady and welcoming sailors on board to explore the world in true Virgin style.”

Virgin Voyages has insisted they maintain their commitment to offering exceptional service and assures that the updated schedule for Brilliant Lady will be communicated in the coming period. Customers are urged to stay tuned for further updates as the company navigates these unforeseen challenges, with a priority on safety and passenger satisfaction.