Virgin Voyages’ first cruise ship, the Scarlet Lady. completes its first year in service today.
After being delivered in early 2020, the 2,770-guest vessel saw its debut season postponed by over a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
With the entire cruise industry entering a global pause over the health emergency, the ship only received its first paying guests on August 6, 2021.
At the day, the Scarlet Lady departed Portsmouth, England, for a three-night ocean getaway.
Five additional UK sailings followed before the 140,000-ton vessel crossed the Atlantic for its inaugural season in the United States.
In September, the ship docked in New York City before arriving in Miami – it’s original homeport.
Over 18 months after the initial plans, the Scarlet Lady finally kicked off its inaugural voyage from PortMiami on October 6, 2021.
The vessel then started to offer a year-round program of four- and five-night cruises to the Caribbean and the Bahamas, with visits to Costa Maya, Amber Cove, Bimini and more.
Designed to reflect the sleek 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 dining venues, in addition to many entertainment options. One of the highlights is the vessel’s theater, known as The Red Room.
Considered a transformational multi-form showroom, the area can be used with four different configurations – a traditional Proscenium stage, an alley stage used in fashion shows, a dance flat-floor configuration and a reverse stage setup.
Another unique feature is The Manor, a two-story, 1970s-style nightclub inspired by Virgin’s heritage in the music business.
Following the Scarlet Lady, a second cruise ship – the Valiant Lady – entered service for Virgin Voyages in March 2022.
Two additional vessels – the Resilient Lady and the Brilliant Lady – are also set to debut for the brand in 2023.
Source: https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/27991-virgin-s-scarlet-lady-completes-first-year-in-service.html
