Alaska cruise rush: Here's where this trendy cruise line will visit in the Last Frontier
Add one more cruise line to the growing list of brands that will offer Alaska sailings in 2026. Following brief stints sailing from New York and Los Angeles, new 2,770-passenger ship Brilliant Lady — the fourth in Virgin Voyages' fleet, set to debut in late 2025 — will offer cruises to the Last Frontier as part of its spring and summer 2026 schedule.
The vessel, which has been delayed since 2023, will operate seven- to 12-night itineraries from Seattle and Vancouver. The ship's first voyage, sailing round-trip from Seattle May 21–28, 2026, is set to call on ports that include Ketchikan, Sitka and Prince Rupert. It will also feature scenic sailing through Tracy Arm Fjord.
The ship's 12-night cruises include the same ports as the seven-night ones but with Skagway, Icy Strait Point and Haines added, as well as additional scenic sailing by Hubbard Glacier.
Excursions — known as "Shore Things" in Virgin lingo — include whale-watching, salmon fishing, glacier trekking, lumberjack shows and dogsledding, among other options.
Although passengers will pay extra for shore tours, they won't shell out additional money for much else. Unlike most mainstream cruise lines, Virgin Voyages includes basic Wi-Fi, gratuities and nearly all specialty dining in its cruise fares. (Passengers will pay extra for alcohol and some specialty food items.)
Virgin Voyages will join MSC Cruises in sailing to Alaska for the first time in 2026. Other lines have also recently announced news related to the 49th State. That includes Royal Caribbean, which will assign mega-ship Ovation of the Seas to do one-way cruises between Vancouver and Seward (the port for Anchorage) beginning in 2026, complete with pre- and post-cruise land tour options. (Virgin is offering cruises only; there are currently no cruisetour land extensions available through the line.)
As for Brilliant Lady's other itineraries, travelers can expect to see the ship running Bermuda and Canada/New England voyages from New York's Manhattan Cruise Terminal, Caribbean cruises from Miami, and Mexico and California coastal sailings from Los Angeles in 2025 before repositioning to the Pacific Northwest.
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- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month
Rewards Rate
| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
| 5X miles | 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel |
| 10X miles | 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel |
Intro Offer
Earn 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200K miles when you spend $150K in the first 6 monthsLIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus milesAnnual Fee
$395Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.740-850Excellent
Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
- The Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month