Popular adults-only cruise line Virgin Voyages delays new ship and shuffles 2024 cruises
If you're interested in trying out popular upstart cruise line Virgin Voyages in 2024 or 2025, pay attention. The cruise line is doing the cruise ship shuffle — delaying the debut of its fourth sister ship, swapping itineraries among its trio of existing ships to fill the gap, and introducing new ports and itineraries around the world.
Virgin Voyages fans will now have 27 new itineraries to choose from through April 2025 and can visit 19 new-to-the-line ports of call, including Morocco and Amsterdam.
The downside is that Brilliant Lady will postpone its debut from December 2023 to a later date that is yet to be announced. Virgin has canceled all its existing sailings through April 2024.
Plus, with Scarlet Lady headed into dry dock in 2024 and no new sister to take its place, the line has shifted the schedules of Resilient and Valiant Lady; it canceled select departures and replaced them with new itineraries.
Confused yet? Here's the ship-by-ship breakdown of what to expect from Virgin Voyages in the next year and a half.
Brilliant Lady
Virgin Voyages cites supply chain, staffing and construction issues as the reason it will need to delay the debut of the fourth ship in its fleet, Brilliant Lady. The line "is evaluating new possible launch dates when it is able to deliver the standards the brand's Sailors have come to expect," according to a press statement.
Travelers booked on the canceled cruises between December 2023 and April 2024 can rebook on a different ship with pricing and promotions protected. They'll also receive $300 to $600 in Sailor Loot (Virgin's term for onboard spending money). Travelers can also opt instead for a full refund.
Related: The best adults-only cruises to try if you can't stand being around kids on vacation
Scarlet Lady
In mid-November 2024, Scarlet Lady will go into dry dock in Europe for routine maintenance and a few enhancements. Therefore, the ship will spend May through October 2024 in the Mediterranean, sailing Valiant Lady's seven-night "Irresistible Med" and "French Daze and Ibiza Nights" itineraries.
Unique repositioning cruises for the ship will include an 11-night sailing from Barcelona to Civitavecchia (the port for Rome) in November, stopping at the islands of Mallorca, Corsica and Sardinia; also included is a 16-night transatlantic voyage from Rome to Miami, with visits to Madeira, Portugal, and Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain.
Again channeling its sister ship, Scarlet Lady will sail Valiant Lady's six- and eight-night Western and Eastern Caribbean cruises through spring 2025.
Valiant Lady
With Scarlet Lady stealing its sister's itineraries, Valiant Lady will take over cruises originally meant for Brilliant Lady. From January through March 2024, the ship will sail from San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Southern Caribbean voyages. Passengers booked on the ship's original winter 2024 sailings will have the option to rebook on the ship's new sailings or swap to Scarlet Lady.
In April, the ship will take over Scarlet Lady's short four- and five-night cruises out of Miami.
Resilient Lady
Ignoring all the ship shuffling, Resilient Lady will venture into uncharted territory after its inaugural season in Australia and a return to Greek island and Adriatic itineraries in spring and early summer 2024.
In August, the ship will begin sailing from Portsmouth, England, to destinations such as Le Verdon (Bordeaux), France; La Coruna and Bilbao, Spain; Amsterdam; and Bruges, Belgium. The ship will then move to Barcelona with two repositioning sailings visiting a new Virgin port in Morocco. Once in the Mediterranean, the ship will sail a Barcelona-to-Athens cruise with a maiden call in Catania, Sicily.
These voyages will replace Resilient Lady's originally scheduled Greek island cruises. Booked guests can switch to Mediterranean cruises on Scarlet Lady on the same dates.
Diehard Virgin Voyages fans won't want to miss the ship's 44-night repositioning cruise from Athens to Australia, with stops in Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore and Bali. Down Under, Resilient Lady will offer 15 new itineraries, including nine new Australian ports.
How to book
The new Virgin Voyages itineraries will be available to book on Monday, Sept. 11, on the line's website or through a travel agent. The line is offering 30% off 2024 Mediterranean cruises, plus a Bar Tab worth up to $600, if you book by Sept. 28. You can find discounts of $500 off select Caribbean and repositioning cruises, as well.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.