Virgin Voyages’ first cruise ship, the Scarlet Lady. completes its first year of service today.
After being delivered in early 2020, the 2,770-passenger ship had its first season postponed for more than a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As the entire cruise industry enters a global pause in the face of the health emergency, the ship only received its first paying passengers on August 6, 2021.
The same day, the Scarlet Lady left Portsmouth, England, for a three-night ocean getaway.
Five more UK crossings followed before the 140,000 tonne vessel crossed the Atlantic for her inaugural US season.
In September, the ship docked in New York before arriving in Miami, its original home port.
More than 18 months after initial plans, the Scarlet Lady finally launched her maiden voyage from PortMiami on October 6, 2021.
The ship then began offering a year-round schedule of four- and five-night Caribbean and Bahamas cruises, with visits to Costa Maya, Amber Cove, Bimini and more.
Designed to reflect the elegant luxury of a yacht, the Scarlet Lady offers, according to Virgin, the intimate and elevated experience of a boutique hotel at sea.
An adults-only ship, it has over 20 restaurants, in addition to plenty of entertainment options. One of the highlights is the ship’s theater, known as The Red Room.
Considered a transformational multifaceted showroom, the area can be used with four different layouts – a traditional Proscenium stage, an aisle stage used in fashion shows, a flat dance floor layout and a reverse stage layout .
Another unique feature is The Manor, a 1970s-style two-story nightclub inspired by Virgin’s heritage in the music business.
After the Scarlet Lady, a second cruise ship – the Valiant Lady – entered service for Virgin Voyages in March 2022.
Two additional ships – the Resilient Lady and the Brilliant Lady – are also set to debut for the brand in 2023.
