Scarlet Lady: Virgin Voyages’ Past, Present & Future

Virgin Voyages’ inaugural cruise ship, the Scarlet Lady, was delivered by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri five years ago. Constructed at the Genoa Sestri Ponente facility, this 110,000-ton vessel officially joined the Virgin fleet on February 13, 2020.

Initially, the Scarlet Lady was set to participate in a series of launch events before beginning revenue service from Miami in mid-March 2020. While some events did take place in Europe, the ship’s debut season was ultimately canceled due to the pandemic.

It wasn’t until over a year later that the Scarlet Lady welcomed its first paying guests, starting a series of staycation cruises in England. Sailing from Portsmouth, its brief inaugural season spanned from August to September 2021 with six sailings across the UK.

In early October 2021, the vessel then arrived in Miami and began operating four- and five-night cruises to the Caribbean and the Bahamas, with itineraries featuring visits to Costa Maya, Amber Cove, and Virgin’s private Beach Club on Bimini.

After debuting in the Mediterranean in 2024, the Scarlet Lady is scheduled to return to Europe in 2025, offering itineraries ranging from five to 13 nights from ports in Spain, Italy, England, and Iceland. These voyages will cover a diverse array of destinations including the Western Mediterranean, the British Isles, Iceland, and Morocco.

In late November, the 2,770-guest vessel is set to return to Miami for short cruises to the Caribbean, Florida, and the Bahamas, featuring four- and five-night itineraries that include stops at Bimini, Key West, Cozumel, Grand Turk, Amber Cove, and more.

Following the Scarlet Lady, Virgin Voyages has taken delivery of three additional ships—the Valiant Lady, the Resilient Lady, and the Brilliant Lady—which are scheduled to sail to destinations around the world later this year, including routes along the East Coast, Alaska, and through the Panama Canal.