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Virgin Voyages Reroutes Resilient Lady Due to Red Sea Tensions

Virgin Voyages has announced a rerouting of its vessel, the Resilient Lady with a unique sailing. This decision comes amidst escalating tensions in the Red Sea region, resulting in the passing through the Suez Canal being unsafe.

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Resilient Lady Ship
Resilient Lady Ship © Photo by Virgin Voyages

Virgin Voyages has announced a rerouting of its vessel, the Resilient Lady. This decision comes amidst escalating tensions in the Red Sea region, resulting in the passing through the Suez Canal being unsafe. This follows a number of  other cruise lines changing course from the region including Carnival, MSC & AIDA.

Direct Communication and Rebooking Options

Affected sailors who had previously booked voyages aboard the Resilient Lady will receive direct communication from Virgin Voyages or their travel agent. They will be provided with personalized assistance to discuss generous rebooking options tailored to their preferences.

“The safety of our passengers and crew is our number one priority. Like many other cruise brands, we have been watching the current conflict in the Middle East closely, connecting regularly with global security experts to consider the impacts to the repositioning voyages planned for Resilient Lady in 2024. We remain concerned about potential escalations in this part of the world over the next 12 months and the risk that this presents for safe passage through the region. As a result, we have been left with no choice but to make changes to Resilient Lady’s repositioning voyage taking place on March 27.”

– Virgin Voyages Public Relations

Whether coordinating through their travel agent or reaching out directly to Virgin Voyages, passengers can expect dedicated support in rescheduling their travel plans.

Rebooking Options

Offer 1

Rebook on one of the new itineraries with a price guarantee – available to rebook directly with Virgin Voyages or your preferred travel advisor on 10 February. Virgin Voyages will protect their original voyage fare as long as it’s in the same cabin category. Plus, they will still honor any previous promotions they had when they first booked, including the Bar Tab bonus.

Note: If you had previously transitioned from a Brilliant Lady canceled sailing, you will be able to re-book onto any voyage currently on sale for with the same promotional offers and price as before.

Offer 2

100% refund of original voyage fare. – If you decide not to rebook at this time, you have the option to request a full refund of the total amount paid, if sailors do nothing, Virgin Voyages will automatically process a refund starting 16 February. The refund amount will go back to your original form of payment.

 

Impacted Sailings

The rerouting affects several voyages, including the 27th March, Sydney to Singapore Crossing, a 15-night journey, the 11th April, Singapore to Dubai Crossing spanning 14 nights, and the 25th April, Dubai to Athens Crossing, also a 14-night voyage. We covered the crossing from Athens to Sydney late last year when tensions were significantly lower.

The ship will now travel around Africa to head back to the Europe region with a unique once in a life time sailing. Instead of her usual repositioning voyages, she will now set sail from Sydney on a memorable journey around the African coast. This new route, consisting of three separate legs, includes stops in Eden and Fremantle (Perth), Australia; Port Louis, Mauritius Islands; Durban and Cape Town, South Africa; Walvis Bay, Namibia; Praia, Cape Verde; Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain; Casablanca, Morocco; Barcelona, Spain; Valletta, Malta; as well as Santorini and Piraeus (Athens), Greece—allowing for ample time at sea.

Passengers booked on the previous legs of the repositioning voyages are guaranteed spots on these sailings at no extra charge, with price protection measures in place. If the new dates are not suitable, passengers can opt for a Future Voyage Credit or a full refund based on their paid balance.

Resilient Lady made her first visit to Sydney on 4 December 2023 after an epic 45 day crossing from Athens, Greece in October 2023© Photo by Caleb

New Itineraries In Detail

Itinerary 1: Journey from Australia to South Africa

  • Dates: 27 March 2024 to 17 April 2024
  • Itinerary Name: “From Australia to South Africa”
  • Duration: 21 nights
  • Ports of Call: This adventurous journey will take you from the bustling city of Sydney, Australia, to the serene beauty of Eden, Australia. From there, you’ll visit Fremantle (Perth), Australia, before sailing across to Port Louis, Mauritius. The voyage continues along the African coast with stops in Durban and Cape Town, South Africa.
  • 27 Mar | Sydney, Australia (Departs 6:00PM)
  • 28 Mar | Eden, Australia (10:00AM – 6:00PM)
  • 29 Mar – 1 Apr | At Sea
  • 2 Apr | Fremantle (Perth), Australia (8:00AM – 5:00PM)
  • 3 Apri – 9 Apr | At Sea
  • 10 Apr | Port Louis, Mauritius (9:00AM – 5:00PM)
  • 11 Apr – 13 Apr | At Sea
  • 14 Apr | Durban, South Africa (9:00AM – 8:00PM)
  • 15 Apr – 16 Apr | At Sea
  • 17 Apr | Cape Town, South Africa (Arrives 7:30AM)

Itinerary 2: Voyage from Cape Town to Barcelona

  • Dates: 17 April 2024 to 4 May 2024
  • Itinerary Name: “From Cape Town to Barcelona”
  • Duration: 17 nights
  • Ports of Call: Begin your journey in Cape Town, South Africa, and set sail for the picturesque Walvis Bay, Namibia. The itinerary will take you across the Atlantic to Praia, Cape Verde, and Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain. The journey concludes with a visit to the historic city of Casablanca, Morocco, before reaching the vibrant streets of Barcelona, Spain.
  • 17 Apr | Cape Town, South Africa (Departs 5:00PM)
  • 18 Apr | At Sea
  • 19 Apr | Walvis Bay, Namibia (11:30AM – 8:00PM)
  • 20 Apr – 26 Apr | At Sea
  • 27 Apr | Praia, Cape Verde (9:00AM – 5:00PM)
  • 28 Apr – 29 Apr | At Sea
  • 30 Apr | Santa Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain (8:00AM – 6:00PM)
  • 1 May | At Sea
  • 2 May | Casablanca, Morocco (8:00AM – 5:00PM)
  • 3 May | At Sea
  • 4 May | Barcelona, Spain (Arrives 9:00AM)

Itinerary 3: Barcelona to Malta & Greece

UPDATE: This itinerary is now on sale for any sailor to book onto. Click here for more details.

  • Dates: 4 May 2024 to 9 May 2024
  • Itinerary Name: “Barcelona to Malta & Greece”
  • Duration: 5 nights
  • Ports of Call: Departing from Barcelona, Spain, this shorter voyage offers a taste of the Mediterranean’s rich history and stunning landscapes. You’ll visit the historic city of Valletta, Malta, followed by the iconic island of Santorini, Greece. The journey concludes in Piraeus (Athens), Greece, the gateway to ancient Greek civilization.
  • 4 May | Barcelona, Spain (Departs 6:00PM)
  • 5 May | At Sea
  • 6 May | Valletta, Malta (10:00AM – 8:00PM)
  • 7 May | At Sea
  • 8 May | Santorini, Greece (9:00AM – 7:00PM)
  • 9 May | Piraeus (Athens), Greece (Arrives 6:30AM)

 

Re-routed Resilient Lady Map
Re-routed Resilient Lady Map© Photo by Glenda Stirling

Future Red Sea / Suez Canal Voyages

Virgin Voyages are currently reviewing the safety of future routes over the next year that are due to sail through this area particularly the October 2024 crossing back to Australia. Virgin Voyages have confirmed that they will be in touch directly with passengers once a decision has been made by the end of February. With Resilient Lady due to head back to Australia again later in the year we expect to see further changes if necessary, at this time the sale of any Resilient Lady cruise between September 29th 2024 and May 4th 2025 has been paused.

“With the very likely continuation of this escalated regional conflict top-of-mind, and in an effort to minimize further disruptions to our passengers’ future vacation plans, Virgin Voyages is now conducting a full review of other geographically similar repositioning voyages and linked sailings. We will provide an update before the end of February on any further changes we will need to make.”

– Virgin Voyages Public Relations

Virgin Voyages has visited Athens many times, Resilient Lady has been based from Athens since May 2023© Photo by Constantinos Kollias

Conclusion

Virgin Voyages’ decision to reroute the Resilient Lady demonstrates its commitment to prioritizing passenger safety and satisfaction. Despite potential challenges, the company’s proactive approach ensures that travelers’ well-being remains a top concern. Rebooking options will be provided to affected sailors at the earliest opportunity, offering flexibility in adjusting their travel plans.

Source: Virgin Voyages

About the author

Co-Founder and Editor. An iOS developer with a passion for cruises and theme parks. Blending technical know how with a love for Virgin Voyages with over 15 sailings around the world.


36 Comments

  1. Michael Cramb says:

    I started writing to Virgin and the My Cruises in early 2024. It was bl@@dy obvious to us that the Red Sea was impassable. It took until early Feb for us to be offered a worthless alternative trip (11 land days as apposed to 23, with rubbish uninteresting stops along the way). We were given literally 72 hours to make up our minds. We approached My Cruises with alternatives but their hands were tied and there were ineffective.

    The Virgin offices (I called Australia, UK and US) were frankly useless.

    And so much for a full refund. For the pleasure of having this trip cancelled, it has cost us $3,000.

    Virgin did not move fast enough. And we certainly wont going to pay a subsidy for a less valuable voyage to enable Virgin to reposition the ship in the Med.

    Unbelievably pissed off and disappointed. And $3,000 out of pocket

  2. Mrs Helen K Redmond says:

    Really hoping they can work out all the itinerary changes by the end of February!

    1. Margaret says:

      Thee is a few ways back to Sydney
      Use the virgin ship they altered to go through the Panama Canal
      A lot of other ships are using that route and using the rout down South America and around using the islands as stop offs
      Air fares paid to Athens change and go to London

      1. VV Insider says:

        The latest update on Brilliant Lady shows it’s not ready to go unfortunately. More info here.

  3. Lou says:

    VV could do the same as Fred Oleson and go from Southhampton to Lisbon, Portugal, Spain, Cape Verde, Brazil, Uraguay, Argentina, Chile, French Polynesia, Cook Islands, Tonga and Sydney. Theirs is 49 days with no bulk sea days. They then follow a similar route as VV going back to England totalling a 110 day world cruise. That gives two sailing options for repositioning. I will be happy either way.

  4. James Clarke says:

    I appreciate Virgin Voyages were in a difficult position but the new itinerary was never going to suit everyone.
    Many people have been left with prepaid air fares that VV won’t reimburse.
    Not great customer service.

    1. Warren Goodall says:

      That’s why it’s important to have travel insurance.

      1. Sherri says:

        We are booked on an re-routed cruise, can’t take the additional 6 days Virgin will need to re-route us, always get travel insurance, and our agent is not sure the insurance company will cover it. She is fighting for us now. That’s not always a guarantee.

      2. Kerri says:

        We have travel insurance and so far we are out $8,000. The fine print says it doesn’t cover during a time of war. We are waiting to hear back to see what or if they will cover anything.

      3. Michael Cramb says:

        The Voyage was not cancelled so travel insurance did not kick in. Passengers were offered an alternative, but elected not to take it up. That is not an insurable event. It cost me $3,000.

      4. Michael Cramb says:

        Voyage was not cancelled so travel insurance did not kick in. Passengers elected not to take up the alternate route.

        That is not an insurable event. It cost me $3,000.

  5. Eric says:

    The note about former Brilliant Lady cancelees having more options is fantastic news. Thanks for finding that out for us.

  6. Ritchie says:

    We booked the trip from South Hampton to Sydney in September. We have booked our business class trip to England from Perth already. Tried to get travel insurance but once the Suez part mentioned it became impossible.
    The trip itself ticked a lot of boxes especially doing the Suez Canal. Its a shame they couldn’t leave the Resilient Lady in the Southern Hemisphere and continue trips to and from Dubai and their other ships pick up the mediterranean trips. that way we could fly to Dubai for the southern half of the cruise. But to be fair the cost and logistics may be way to much in theory. We will have to wait and see what the options are but we certainly don’t have Africa on our radar.

    1. Red says:

      Didn’t realise the ship starts in Southampton, we’ve booked to board in Dubai.

      1. VV Insider says:

        She starts in Portsmouth 29th September currently but subject to change given these new routes

  7. Lisa-Anne Brown says:

    We booked our trip from Dubai to Singapore (for November) last week. We also booked and paid for business class airfares. Why were Virgin Voyages still taking bookings when they knew there was a possibility these legs would be cancelled.

  8. Joanne Kirk says:

    Can you advise on how many days would be spent at each of the stops? We need more detailed itinerary information

    1. VV Insider says:

      Hi Joanne. When we have it we will post updates here.

    2. Karen Houston says:

      No overnights in port so all stops are just for the day.

  9. Sandra Harvey says:

    Could you please advise what options we gave as we are on the Singapore to Dubai and Dubai to Athens cruises.Flying from Syndey to Singapore 10 April.

    1. VV Insider says:

      You can move to any of the 3 legs

      1. Salina says:

        Hi, so are you saying if we are on Dubai to Athens, we can move to the leg that goes from Cape Town to Barcelona?

  10. The reason we are on this cruise from Athens to Sydney in October
    Suez Canal, (pyramids), India (tag magal ) Singapore all these are on my bucket list still could come round Africa and upto Dubai then continue at least some ticked off bucket list

    1. Kat B says:

      Taj Mahal wasn’t doable with the April itinerary- not enough time for the trip unless you wanted to visit in the dark.

      1. Karen Houston says:

        Quite a few on the ship were getting off in Goa… visit Taj Mahal and rejoin in Mumbai two days later.

  11. Mrs JANETTE MOBBS says:

    Sounds like a great plan I like the ports!

  12. Julie says:

    What happens to us that are flying from Australia to pick up the cruise in Dubai to Athens? We have flights and accommodation booked. We are then due to cruise with VV on 9th May from Athens?

    1. VV Insider says:

      We’re an independent resource and not directly connected with Virgin Voyages. They have advised that they will be in touch with affected sailors directly to help them with disrupted travel. Keep an eye on your email inbox.

    2. Jon says:

      Wait for communication about if they will cover the cost of flight changes but I expect your option is to take the new trip around Africa or get a refund.

    3. Ted Rogers says:

      That’s what your travel insurance is for isn’t it?

      1. Ryan says:

        I think they might do just that. Hopefully

      2. Sharon Harris says:

        It would be really nice if virgin voyages increased our add on’s for passengers willing to accept the new itineraries, after all, we are helping fund virgin getting their ship back to where they want to be on itineraries not of our choosing. To be honest 30 days at sea with only 13 ports going around Africa and as never on my bucket list

        1. Alison Brown says:

          Totally agree!

    4. Michael Szeitz says:

      We are on the same itinerary. I am really hoping they will change the flights to Cape Town and we can do the two legs. Extra 8 days so it will be interesting if VV do this with no extra charge due to inconvenience.

      1. Salina says:

        We are hoping the same, we are on B2B from Dubai to Athens/ Athens to Athens.

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