Virgin Voyages delays next cruise ship launch by nearly a year
Virgin Voyages will be a two-ship cruise line for nearly a year longer than expected.
The start-up cruise brand backed by Richard Branson's Virgin Group said on Wednesday it was pushing back the debut of its next ship, Resilient Lady, from mid-August of this year to May 2023.
The Florida-based line cited a mix of challenges affecting its business for the decision, including supply chain and staffing issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic. It also hinted at demand issues related to the war in Ukraine.
"Despite making tremendous strides alongside the cruise industry as a whole, the brand is not immune to the global challenges the world is facing," the line said in a statement sent to TPG. "This includes supply chain obstacles, a level of regional uncertainty for international travelers in countries in East Europe, crewing challenges based on government regulations and restrictive [COVID-19] entry requirements back into the U.S."
Virgin Voyages debuted in late 2021 with a single ship, Scarlet Lady, and added a second ship, Valient Lady, in March of this year. The two vessels currently sail in the Caribbean and the Mediterranean, respectively.
Resilient Lady was scheduled to join Valiant Lady in the Mediterranean in August with sailings out of Athens.
All three ships are sister vessels that can carry 2,770 passengers at double occupancy.
The debut of Virgin Voyages in 2021 was one of the most anticipated cruise industry events of the past decade. Since plans for Virgin Voyages (initially called Virgin Cruises) were first announced in 2014, the brand had promised to shake things up in the cruise world with a lively, adult-focused onboard experience it said would be unlike anything else in cruising.
Related: Why you've got it wrong if you think Virgin Voyages is just for millennials
But the line's arrival came at a tough time for cruising and the travel businesses in general. Originally scheduled for early 2020, the initial debut of the line was pushed back by more than a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced all major cruise lines to shut down operations for months. Like many lines, Virgin Voyages has struggled to build demand over the past year as cruise lines and cruisers have only slowly returned to the high seas.
Still, in a statement accompanying Wednesday's announcement, Virgin Voyages president Tom McAlpin suggested things were looking up for the new line.
"We've accomplished so much this past year, and the future for us is exciting," he said. "The momentum that we’re seeing with Scarlet and Valiant Lady is incredible."
McAlpin suggested bookings had been strong of late, a good sign for the line and the cruise industry in general.
"The travel industry is recovering well, and this month, we’ve seen record bookings, a significant increase in onboard spend, and we’re currently seeking to close out our next round of funding, which sets us up for continued growth," he said.
Virgin Voyages was just one of two cruise lines to push back the debut of a new ship on Wednesday. Luxury line Seabourn on Wednesday also announced that it had delayed the unveiling of a new ship, the 264-passenger Seabourn Venture — albeit by just a few days. Seabourn said Seabourn Venture will now debut on July 27 — 13 days later than planned. It's the third delay for Seabourn Venture, which originally was scheduled to begin sailing in 2021.
Several other lines have also postponed the debuts of new ships in recent months. Startup luxury cruise operator The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection recently delayed the unveiling of its much-awaited first vessel, the 298-passenger Evrima, from May to August (the sixth delay for the ship over the past two years). Another relative newcomer to cruising, "luxe adventure" brand Atlas Ocean Voyages, recently pushed back the debut of a new vessel from July to October.
This summer's unveiling of the first new Disney Cruise Line vessel in a decade, Disney Wish, has also been delayed slightly.
The brands cited a mix of issues including shipyard delays.
Virgin Voyages on Wednesday said Resilient Lady would remain at the Fincantieri shipyard in Genoa, Italy, where it had been under construction over the past year.
A fourth ship for Virgin Voyages on order from Fincantieri, Brilliant Lady, still is scheduled to debut soon after the arrival of Resilient Lady, the line said.
As a result of the delay, all Resilient Lady voyages scheduled between mid-August and early May 2023 have been canceled.
Virgin Voyages said passengers booked on the canceled sailings could choose between a full refund plus a future cruise credit in the amount of 25% of what they had paid, or a bigger future cruise credit in the amount of 200% of what they had paid.
Passengers who choose the 200% credit option and rebook in 2022 will also be offered a second, complimentary voyage (excluding taxes and fees).
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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.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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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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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
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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.