Virgin Voyages' Valiant Lady debuts Friday and TPG is on board
Ashley Kosciolek has spent more than a decade writing about travel, with particular emphasis on cruises. Her favorite cities include London; Amsterdam; Krakow, Poland; Phnom Penh, Cambodia; Dawson City, Yukon; and anywhere known for outstanding pizza and theater. You can follow her daily exploits, both at sea and on land, on Instagram or Twitter @slyjabroni.
March 18, 2022
•
3 min read
Virgin Voyages' Valiant Lady debuts Friday and TPG is on board
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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.
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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?
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.
Featured image by Valiant Lady (Photo courtesy of Virgin Voyages)
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
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Go to reviewCard Rating is based on the opinion of TPG‘s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
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| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and at U.S. supermarkets. |
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Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.Earn 90,000 Bonus Miles50,000 Bonus MilesAnnual Fee
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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.670-850Excellent/Good
Why We Chose It
Build your loyalty to Delta by applying for the carrier's mid-tier card option, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card. The annual fee is quickly recouped by the card's travel perks, such as an application credit to Global Entry or TSA Precheck, annual companion certificate and so much more. Plus you can fast-track to elite status simply through card spend.Pros
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- Statement credit for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry fee (up to $100)
- First checked bag free
Cons
- Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta
- SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency
- Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
- New: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees