One of the newest cruise lines on the market, Virgin Voyages ships splashed onto the scene when the first vessel, Scarlet Lady, began sailing in 2021. Building onto the Virgin brand, Virgin Voyages set out to be a unique adults-only cruise line that turned the concept of cruising on its head. Indeed, the line nixed the usual way of doing dining at sea, has more inclusions than mainstream lines, included hammocks on nearly all of its cabin balconies, and introduced the world’s first tattoo shop on a cruise ship.
If you’re considering a cruise on Virgin Voyages or are just looking to learn more about this unique brand, here’s our guide to Virgin Voyages ships from newest to oldest.
Complete Guide to Virgin Voyages Ships
Who owns Virgin Voyages?
Virgin Voyages is a joint venture between the Virgin Group and Bain Capital. Virgin Group is a venture capital company founded by Richard Branson and Nik Powell; the current owner of the company is Richard Branson. The company is headquartered in Plantation, Florida.
How many Virgin Voyages cruise ships are there?
There are currently three Virgin Voyages ships in service: Scarlet, Valiant, and Resilient Lady. The first ship, Scarlet Lady, set sail on her maiden voyage in fall 2021. A fourth ship, Brilliant Lady, is set to begin sailing in summer 2025.
How big are the Virgin Voyages ships?
All of the Virgin Voyages ships are the same size, coming in at 110,000 gross tons. By modern standards, they are considered medium to large sized cruise ships. The vessels are about 900 feet long, have 17 decks, and hold 2,770 guests and 1,160 crew members.
What is the newest Virgin Voyages ship?
The newest Virgin Voyages cruise ship that’s currently sailing with guests is Resilient Lady, which operated its maiden voyage in May 2023. The next ship in the fleet to debut will be Brilliant Lady in 2025.
Virgin Voyages Cruise Ships By Age: Newest to Oldest
- Resilient Lady — 2023
- Valiant Lady — 2022
- Scarlet Lady — 2021
How are the Virgin Voyages ships the same?
All three ships in the Virgin Voyages fleet are nearly identical, with minimal differences between them. For example, the ships all offer the same restaurants, including The Wake steakhouse, Razzle Dazzle, modern Mexican fare at Pink Agave, casual fare at The Galley, a pizzeria open from morning to late at night, and more. Menus may vary slightly between ships, especially if new menus are being rolled out for a particular venue, but they will largely be the same.
One thing that’s different is that each ship has its own signature dessert, so be sure to keep an eye out for it (or ask a crew member about it!).
Bars on the ships are also the same, with watering holes including the Mediterranean inspired Dock House, The Loose Cannon inspired by seaside bars in Brighton, Sip champagne lounge, and On the Rocks right in the middle of the action in the evenings — among several others. You’ll also find The Grounds Club, Virgin Voyages’ café serving Intelligentsia coffee and baked goods.
The gym, fitness equipment, and spa are other areas where the Virgin Voyages ships are all essentially the same. They all offer a traditional indoor fitness center; outdoor Training Camp equipment like a boxing ring, punching bags, and monkey bars; and a running track at the top of the ship. The spa features a thermal suite as well as a beauty salon, barber shop, and many treatment options.
All three Virgin Voyages ships also feature the line’s popular Scarlet Night celebration that culminates in a high-energy deck party as well as the evening pajama party towards the beginning of the cruise.
RELATED POST: What You Need to Know Before Cruising on Virgin Voyages
How are the Virgin Voyages ships different?
The two main ways that Virgin Voyages’ ships are different is in their entertainment offerings and their cabins. They also operate different itineraries.
Is the entertainment the same on Virgin Voyages ships?
While some shows cross over between vessels, the entertainment offerings are perhaps the area where Virgin Voyages’ ships differ the most. Scarlet and Valiant Lady both feature Duel Reality — a retelling of Romeo and Juliet with a circus twist — as well as Untitled DanceShowPartyThing, a music-video-meets-club-scene dance party.
Scarlet Lady has a unique show called Ships in the Night. This technology and dance-infused production explores the significance of incidental connection in our lives. Valiant Lady has a unique show called It’s a Ship Show! Where The Manor turns into a supper club in an old-school variety hour meets late-night talk show experience.
Resilient Lady has the most unique entertainment of the fleet, debuting several shows that are brand-new to Virgin Voyages. Lola’s Library is part cocktail soirée and part immersive cabaret; Persephone is classic Greek history meets modern theater; Another Rose is an acrobatic love story; and Miss Behave is a never-the-same-show-twice game show.
Are the cabins the same on Virgin Voyages cruise ships?
One of the most obvious ways that the Virgin Voyages ships are different — specifically Resilient Lady vs. Scarlet and Valiant Lady — is in the staterooms.
While the same categories are available, the décor on Resilient Lady boasts a more Mediterranean, organic type of feel than the first two ships. For example, instead of having an ombré curtain that’s red and blue, the curtain in front of the windows on Resilient Lady is a natural rattan. Instead of having a sleek, shiny white lamp on the desk, the lampshade is wicker. Functionally, though, the cabins are essentially the same across all three ships.
Other Differences Between the Virgin Voyages Vessels
The Roundabout (Virgin Voyages’ word for the ship’s central atrium) is a bit different on each ship. You will find slightly different shops or venues in different locations, including the popular tattoo parlor Squid Ink. There are also very slight interior design differences, like in décor around the ship, or the fact that under the Roundabout stairs on Scarlet Lady there’s a bench, but it contains a statue on Valiant and Resilient Lady.
On one of the main walkways next to The Grounds Club on Scarlet Lady, you’ll find small swings in front of fake portholes for a photo op. On Valiant and Resilient Lady, the swings have been replaced with carousel animals that you can pose on for a photo instead.
The Social Club and Social Club Diner is a spot where you can grab a casual bite to eat at the counter, play board games, and participate in activities throughout the cruise. This space is largely the same on Scarlet and Valiant Lady, but has been expanded on Resilient Lady.
The furniture setup is also a bit different. On Scarlet Lady, there’s a tabletop shuffleboard game located in the walkway next to the venue. On Resilient Lady, shuffleboard is located in the main dining area and tables for playing board games are located in the through-way.
2024 Scarlet Lady Itineraries
In summer 2024 and into the fall, Scarlet Lady is operating seven-night western Mediterranean voyages out of Barcelona, Spain. There are two main itineraries; the first calls on Marseille, Cannes, Palma de Mallorca, and Ibiza. The second calls on Toulon, Carrara, Civitavecchia (Rome), and Ibiza. In November, the ship will head across the Atlantic to Miami. Here, she’ll offer six-day western Caribbean and eight-day eastern Caribbean itineraries for the winter.
2024 Valiant Lady Itineraries
Valiant Lady is currently operating a year-round schedule of mostly four and five-night cruises to the Caribbean and Bahamas from Miami. There are several itineraries to choose from, with some being the four-night Fire & Sunset Soirées with calls to Key West and Bimini, which is where Virgin Voyages’ beach club is located. Five-night itineraries with calls to Amber Cove and Bimini or Cozumel and Bimini are also available.
2024 Resilient Lady Itineraries
Through July 2024, Resilient Lady is operating seven-night Greek Islands cruises roundtrip from Piraeus, which is the port for Athens. There are two itineraries to choose from. The first, Greek Island Glow, visits Santorini, Rhodes, and Mykonos in Greece, as well as Bodrum, Turkey. The second, Adriatic Sea Greek Gems, visits Dubrovnik, Split, Kotor, and Corfu.
In August, Resilient Lady will operate four to six-day northern Europe cruises out of Portsmouth, England. After a short stint of Caribbean sailings from Miami in November, the ship will settle in San Juan, Puerto Rico for the winter. Here, she’ll offer mostly seven-night southern Caribbean cruises.
Brilliant Lady Itineraries
When Brilliant Lady debuts in September 2025, she will set off on an epic sea trip. Starting in New York City, her inaugural season will include voyages from NYC, Miami, a Panama Canal crossing, Los Angeles, and Seattle with limited Alaska itineraries.
A “Brilliant 4 You Pass” gives sailors access to all of Brilliant Lady’s MerMaiden voyages.
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