Virgin Voyages is to defer the launch of the Resilient Lady (IMO 9805348) for nine months.
The announcement came just two months before the scheduled maiden voyage of what will eventually be the company’s third cruise ship.
Virgin Voyages said that it would use the time to prepare and complete its next round of funding.
The Resilient Lady would follow Scarlet Lady (IMO 9804801) which began cruising in August 2021 from the UK and now the Caribbean, and Valiant Lady (IMO 9805336), which began cruising in Europe in March 2022.
The Resilient Lady is nearing completion at Fincantieri’s Sestri Ponente near Genoa, Italy. In April Virgin Voyages reported that the ship had completed sea trials achieving 23 knots and testing her safety systems, automation, power generation, and propulsion systems.
However, a cruise line spokesperson has now said that “after very careful and deliberate consideration, Virgin Voyages has decided to defer the launch of our third ship, Resilient Lady, until Q2 of 2023”.
“While we’ve successfully launched two ships in the span of less than a year, the fact remains that there are challenges facing the industry as a whole, and we’re not immune to those. It was a tough decision, but we want to ensure that when Resilient Lady does hit the water, she’ll be ready to execute brilliantly”, the spokesperson continued.
The cruise ship had been scheduled to start sailing for Greece in mid-August, repositioning to San Juan, Puerto Rico later in the year for a programme of winter cruises in the southern Caribbean.
Virgin Voyages said that the Resilient Lady would remain in Genoa getting on-board work completed before entering service in May 2023. The line’s fourth cruise ship, the Brilliant
Lady, is also due to enter service in 2023.
Tom McAlpin, CEO of Virgin Voyages said the brand was not immune to the global challenges, which included supply chain obstacles, a level of regional uncertainty for international travellers in countries in East Europe, crewing challenges based on government regulations, and restrictive Covid entry requirements back into the US.
2022-built, Bahamas-flagged, 110,000 gt Resilient Lady is owned by VC Ship Three Ltd care of V Cruises US LLC of Plantation, Florida,USA.
2020-built, Bahamas-flagged, 108,192 gt Scarlet Lady is owned by VC Ship One Ltd care of V Cruises USA of Plantation, Florida, USA. It is entered with Skuld (Business Unit Skuld Oslo 1) on behalf of Virgin Cruises Intermediate Ltd.
2021-built, Bahamas-flagged, 108,192 gt Valiant Lady is owned by VC Ship Two Ltd care of V Cruises USA of Plantation, Florida, USA. It is entered with Skuld (Business Unit Skuld Oslo 1) on behalf of Virgin Cruises Intermediate Ltd.
