The maiden sailing of the third ship in Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Voyages' fleet has been delayed. Resilient Lady was scheduled to set sail from Athens in August, but an “unanticipated” delay means its Greek islands cruise has been postponed.
Supply chain issues, uncertainty caused by the Ukraine war, staff shortages and Covid restrictions have all been blamed for the delays and the ship will remain in Genoa until the new year for remaining work to be completed. A spokesperson said: “Virgin Voyages did not land on this decision lightly, and despite making tremendous strides alongside the cruise industry as a whole, the brand is not immune to the global challenges the world is facing.
“This includes 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.”
Virgin Voyages added it is successfully operating its first two Lady Ships and looks forward to welcoming Resilient Lady to its fleet early next year, with its fourth ship in the fleet, Brilliant Lady, soon afterwards. Tom McAlpin, chief executive of Virgin Voyages, said: “As a new brand that is just getting started, we’ve accomplished so much this past year, and the future for us is exciting. The momentum that we’re seeing with Scarlet and Valiant Lady is incredible.
"The fantastic reviews and awards our ships and crew have won are very heartening, so we thank our guests for sailing with us. That is why we remain focused on delivering brilliant vacations, and this pause will ensure we will be ready to go on Resilient."
He added: "The travel industry is recovering well, and this month, we’ve seen record bookings, a significant increase in onboard spend, and we’re currently seeking to close out our next round of funding, which sets us up for continued growth. There’s so much to be proud of, and I also send my thanks to our amazing crew for all they do every day.”
Affected passengers will be given the choice of a full refund or 200 per cent future voyage credit. Those who choose future credit will also get the option of another free voyage.
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