Brilliant Lady to launch from New York in September 2025
Virgin Voyage’ fourth ship will spend its inaugural season sailing itineraries of up to 14 nights from New York, as well as Los Angeles and Seattle
Brilliant Lady will sail five voyages, ranging from five to 13 nights in length, from New York’s Manhattan Cruise Terminal. The ship will visit Canada’s Quebec City, Maine, Charleston, Boston, Halifax and New Brunswick.
From October 2025 to April 2026, the 2,770-passenger will be based in Miami, offering 17 Caribbean sailings of between seven to 12 nights to ports including Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao.
Following its Miami deployment, Brilliant Lady will reposition to Los Angeles where it will offer four cruises calling at Baja California, Puerto Vallarta and San Diego.
The ship will then sail four cruises out of LA in April and May 2026 – ports of call include Baja California, Puerto Vallarta and San Diego.
From May to September 2026, Brilliant Lady will homeport in Seattle and offer cruises to Alaska affording passengers the chance to see wildlife, including bald eagles, orca, seals, bears and humpback whales.
Brilliant Lady’s inaugural season will also feature a 16-night Panama Canal crossing. Departing on March 21, 2026, the cruise also visits Costa Rica, Antigua, Guatemala, and Los Cabos.
Nirmal Saverimuttu, Virgin Voyages’ chief executive, said: “Virgin fans have been asking for years if we’d consider sailing from places like New York, Los Angeles or Alaska, so it’s wonderful to give our Sailors [passengers] and First Mates [travel agents] what they wanted: fresh itineraries spanning North America from five to 14 nights in length with new experiences that they will remember forever.
“We’re fortunate to see some of the highest repeat rates in the industry, proving that our Sailors truly fall in love with the on-board experience and understand the intrinsic value we offer.”
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Like its sister ships, the adults-only Brilliant Lady will feature Virgin Voyages’ signature red balcony hammocks; more than 20 restaurants; and a collection of wellness spaces ranging from a yoga perch to a mermaid-inspired spa. There will also be a new mermaid on its hull, designed by Toronto-based illustrator Janice Sung.
Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group, said: “Virgin Voyages started as a simple idea for me and has blossomed into the world’s top cruise line with a full fleet of ships.
“This ship [Brilliant Lady] is going to be brilliant in every possible way, and that includes the incredible new places we can travel to. Alaska, Los Angeles, New York – here we come!”
Considering booking a cruise onboard Brilliant Lady? Then you need to know about Virgin Voyages’ loyalty programme – step forward The Sailing Club.
OFFER DETAILS:
- • Complete one eligible voyage and you’re enrolled
- • Receive members-only offers
- • Sail twice to unlock Blue Extras
- • Sail 3-4 times with Blue Extras
- • Sail more than five times with top-tier Deep Blue Extras
So, the more you sail, the more you earn. To find out more, please click here
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About Kaye Holland
Kaye is a London-based wordsmith who has written for a range of publications including The Times, The Independent, The I, Culture Trip, The Sun, and ABTA among others. In June 2022, Kaye joined the Real Response Media where she looks – together with Lucy Abbott – after the World of Cruising website. Want to get in touch? Kaye can be reached at: [email protected]
