Virgin Voyages starts again in England, here's the Summer Soiree Series
After postponing its debut for the fifth time, Virgin Voyages changes its mind and chooses Portsmouth, England, to give [...]
After postponing the debut for the fifth time, Virgin Voyages changes its mind and chooses Portsmouth, England, to kick off its venture into the world of cruising. The company has launched a limited series of trips scheduled for this summer. The offer is available only to U.K. residents and will include two-, three- and four-night itineraries with a total of six departures scheduled for August.
In this article:
Summer Soiree Series, the first journey of the Scarlet Lady
It seemed to continue the odyssey of Virgin Voyages, which was forced to initially cancel the debut of its first ship Scarlet Lady scheduled for July. The company had chosen September 17 as the official date to set sail, but after a few days, good news finally arrived. Richard Branson himself announced the news: "Virgin Voyages has been looking forward to setting sail and we are so excited to announce our plans. Our team has taken care of every detail of this experience." Scarlet Lady will sail along the south coast of England, a first real excursion dubbed the 'Summer Soiree Series.' This is the planned program and departure schedule:
- Itinerary 1 - Long Weekender (3 nights, Friday - Monday)
Aug. 6-Aug. 9
Aug. 13-Aug. 16
Aug. 20-Aug. 23
- Itinerary 2 - Summer WeekDaze (4 nights, Monday - Friday)
Aug. 9-Aug. 13
Aug. 16-Aug. 20
Aug. 23-Aug. 27
As part of the Summer Soiree Series, will be offered a first taste of sailing on Scarlet Lady that includes Michelin-inspired dining experiences, luxurious spa treatments, unlimited fitness classes, entertainment with local British talent, and an adults-only sailing experience. The decision comes just weeks after the company made its new policy official with the requirement for all prospective passengers to carry a document certifying the Covid-19 vaccination. Only residents of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be able to purchase their tickets, on sale from April 13.
Five referrals for Scarlet Lady before debut
The debut in England came just days after yet another postponement of the planned cruise departing from Miami. Virgin Voyages had thus brought to five postponements for the Scarlet Lady, which was to have start his story in March 2020. All the displacements were obviously caused by the Covid, which has effectively disrupted most cruises worldwide for the past 13 months. Virgin Voyages has also postponed the opening of its second ship, Valiant Lady. The date chosen is November 14, six months later than originally planned.
Valiant Lady will be similar in size and layout to Scarlet Lady. She was originally scheduled to debut in European waters in May before moving to the Caribbean in November. Now under the company's new plan, she will head straight to the Caribbean Sea after her construction is completed. Virgin Voyages offers customers with reservations on canceled cruises the choice of a full refund or a credit toward a future cruise. Those who choose credit receive 200% of the amount paid to apply for a future cruise. Those who chose a refund instead got a credit of 25% for a future cruise in addition to all the money already spent.
The format proposed by Virgin Voyages
The debut of Virgin Voyages is one of the most anticipated cruise industry events of 2020. Capable of carrying 2,770 passengers, Scarlet Lady is designed to bring to life cruises banned for those under 18 years of age. There are no buffets or even dress codes as well as no grand theatrical performances typical of classic cruises. For entertainment, travelers can participate in interactive dance parties, DJ sets and "microplay" as well as nightly dodgeball sessions.
In anticipation of the debut, Virgin Voyages had already unveiled. the name of the third cruise ship which will join its newest fleet. It will be called Resilient Lady and will sail from Athens, Greece, in the summer of 2022, offering seven-night cruises around the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas.
