Virgin Voyages' new Resilient Lady will not be launched this summer, as the company has announced in a statement its intention to postpone its launch until spring 2023.
“Despite making tremendous progress alongside the cruise industry as a whole, Virgin Voyages has been forced to make this decision due to supply chain issues, a level of regional uncertainty for international travelers in Eastern European countries, crew challenges based on government regulations and restrictive COVID entry requirements in the United States,” the company said in a statement.
Tom McAlpin, CEO of Virgin Voyages, said: “As a brand new company just getting started, we’ve achieved so much this past year, and the future is exciting for us. The momentum we’re seeing with Scarlet and Valiant Lady is incredible. The fantastic reviews and awards our ships and crew have received are very encouraging, so we thank our guests for sailing with us. That’s why we remain focused on delivering brilliant holidays, and this pause will ensure we’re ready to sail again on Resilient,” McAlpin continued. “The travel industry is recovering well, and this month we’ve seen record bookings, a significant increase in onboard spending, and we’re currently working to close our next funding round, which sets us up for continued growth. There’s so much to be proud of, and I also want to thank our amazing crew for everything they do every day.”.
Virgin said in its statement that it is successfully operating its first two ships and expects to welcome the Resilient Lady to its fleet early next year, with its fourth ship in the fleet, the Brilliant Lady, shortly thereafter.
In the coming days, all passengers and travel agents affected by these changes will be contacted directly by Virgin Voyages with compensation options, subject to applicable terms and conditions, including future travel credits or refunds with compensation.
