Virgin Voyages' Valiant Lady debuts Friday and TPG is on board

The second ship for newish cruise line Virgin Voyages, the brainchild of business mogul Richard Branson, will embark on its first revenue voyage Friday – a three-night sailing from the UK's Portsmouth port with two days in Zeebrugge. I'll be on board, bringing you content on behalf of The Points Guy.

Curious about what's to come? At 17 decks and with 2,770 passengers at capacity, adults-only Valiant Lady is nearly identical to sister ship Scarlet Lady. Because the ships are so similar, I plan to ferret out the few differences between the two vessels and share what I like and what I don't about the ship.

Are you a fitness freak or like to work out on vacation? The ship's fitness classes are free – along with Wi-Fi and food, which sets Virgin apart from other cruise lines, particularly for active passengers. I've signed up to do four classes in two days, and will let you know how the workouts stack up.

Given that Virgin has already made some tweaks to its cabins based on cruiser feedback, I'm eager to report on what works and what doesn't in terms of onboard accommodations. I'm particularly curious about the line's "seabeds," which serve as sofas during the day and convert to beds at night.

In the meantime, to familiarize yourself with the line before I set sail, check out these stories:

• An expert's first impressions of Scarlet Lady
• A newbie's first impressions of Scarlet Lady
• Why Scarlet Lady isn't just for millennials
• I got a tattoo on a cruise ship; here's why you should, too
• Is Virgin Voyages really too cool for buffets?
• Virgin Voyages lets you order Champagne by shaking your phone -- we tried it
• 18 notable features on Virgin Voyages' Scarlet Lady
• Why you shouldn't order steak at the vegan restaurant on Virgin Voyages' new ship
• How fast is the Wi-Fi on Virgin Voyages' Scarlet Lady?

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Now that you're up to speed, be sure to check out my author page for updates from Valiant Lady. If there's anything you'd like to know or want me to check out during my sailing, feel free to shoot me an email: ashley.kosciolek@thepointsguy.com.

Valiant Lady's scheduled cruises have the ship departing from Portsmouth before it relocates to its new Barcelona homeport. Calls include visits to Spain, Portugal, Belgium and the Canary Islands. Bookings are currently open for voyages through October 2023.

Featured photo by Virgin Voyages.