Virgin Voyages CEO Tom McAlpin has reported a strong swing in bookings for the launch deployment from the UK of the cruise line’s second ship, Valiant Lady.
Valiant Lady will operate a series of short-duration sailings from London International Cruise Terminal (Tilbury) and Liverpool ahead of her “MerMaiden” cruise from Portsmouth, prior to positioning to her European homeport of Barcelona. The three-night UK MerMaiden sailing is scheduled to depart on 18 March 2022, followed by a series of “Long Weekender” sailings to Zeebrugge in April. Valiant Lady‘s Mediterranean MerMaiden cruise from Barcelona is set for 15 May.
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“Following the success of our first lady ship, Scarlet Lady, we are so excited to debut Valiant Lady to the UK this March and begin our European tour,” McAlpin said.
“The lifting of UK travel restrictions has already shown promising signs with 70% uplift in bookings since December – and we can’t wait to welcome Sailors on board!”
McAlpin continued, saying “Our epic sailings have curated itineraries that are unbelievably accessible for those in the UK wanting to cruise differently, and we look forward to hitting the high seas and showing both budding and avid sailors how to voyage the Virgin way.”
Valiant Lady features 1,330 cabins and 78 RockStar Quarters, plus two Massive Suites. Valiant Lady’s cabins feature a new, elevated design, as flagged in LATTE Cruise last week, “to bring warmer energy and a more sophisticated feel,” Virgin Voyages said.
Virgin Voyages has an initial four ships in its fleet, with the third vessel, Resilient Lady, currently under construction in Italy.