Virgin Voyages’ Guests Booted by Charters on Two Sailings
The allure of a new ship is irresistible for many cruisers, and charter groups are not immune. This is why learning that your reservation to experience a brand new cruise ship has been cancelled for a charter group may sting just a bit more.
Unfortunately for cruisers looking forward to embarking on Virgin Voyages’ upcoming Brilliant Lady in January of 2026, two sailings have been cancelled in favor of a private charter that booked the entire 110,000-gross ton ship for their event.
The first impacted voyage is an 8-night sailing from Miami, Florida, to Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos; Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. It was scheduled to set sail on January 15, 2026.
The following sailing, which is a 9-night voyage embarking from Miami on January 23, 2026, has also been scratched in favor of the charter. This itinerary called for stops at Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos; St. Johns, Antigua; Basseterre, St. Kitts; and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Naturally, booted passengers who were already counting down the days to their cruise were disappointed.
“Brilliant Lady cruise Shanghai’d!!!!! Ok, not shanghai’d but booked right out from under us! Let me elaborate. We booked our first Virgin Cruise, (Rockstar status on the Brilliant Lady out of Miami, 8 days leaving Jan 15, 2026). We were booked and ready to cruise,” one disgruntled guest shared.
Their statement references the term “shanghai,” which is likely an exaggeration speaking to their frustration. The term doesn’t really fit, as it means to kidnap someone and trick them into working for you, usually onboard a ship.
The cancelled guest continued: “Last Thursday, we were notified that the entire ship was booked for a private event and that our reservations had to be changed or cancelled all together!!!!”
“We were stunned. We assumed that reservations made meant reservations kept. But apparently, if you have enough $$$, you can take the entire ship and make everyone already booked, move,” they added.
So, who is behind the inconvenience? Early reports show that the charter was booked by Atlantis Events, which hosts cruises catered to the LGBT+ community.
The company has previously hosted sailings onboard other Virgin Voyages ships, and has multiple sailings with the adults only cruise line scheduled for 2025 – including a Halloween sailing onboard Brilliant Lady that lasts from October 25 to November 1, 2025.
Why Do Cruise Lines Accept Charters?
At the end of the day, cruise lines are running a business. While a huge component of that business is keeping their guests happy – and hopefully getting return customers – sometimes accepting a charter is more profitable, even when it inconveniences booked guests.
A full-ship charter means the event company or organizer is required to pay for the sailing as if the ship was at capacity, whether it is or not. This guarantees maximum revenue for the cruise line, while the charter company handles all marketing, pre-cruise communication, and bookings to make back their expenditures.
This also isn’t the first time Virgin Voyages has cancelled reservations in favor of a charter sailing. In fact, four separate cruises operated by Valiant Lady in March, May, and October of 2025 were cancelled to accommodate the charters.
One of those voyages, which embarks from Miami on May 23, 2025, has also been booked by Atlantis Events for an “all-gay cruise.”
Read Also: 10 Worst Cruise Fails You Can Prepare For
Thankfully, impacted passengers will get another chance to experience the all-new Brilliant Lady, which will enter service with her maiden voyage on September 5, 2025.
Even the angry passenger who expressed their outrage confirmed that they were able to switch to a later itinerary at no extra cost and received a $100 onboard credit for their inconvenience – although they still wanted more compensation.
“We contacted our personal Virgin travel agent and was able to switch our cruise to the same ship, same itinerary, same ports…just a month later in February. The only thing they offered us for our trouble was a 100.00 in cruise cash,” the rebooked guest wrote.
That said, the 2,770-guest ship will likely be worth the wait – as she is expected to be more innovative than her Lady sisters and will debut with brand new shows, dining options, itineraries, and more.