Virgin Voyages Drops Select Longer Cruises for Valiant Lady
As major cruise lines are making shorter Caribbean getaways a priority (think Royal Caribbean, which created one of the world’s biggest vessels just for 3- and 4-day voyages), Sir Richard Branson’s cruise line looks to be following suit.
Although no official announcement has been made, eagle-eyed passengers – or Sailors – have spotted Virgin Voyages swapping Valiant Lady’s 10-plus-night cruises with shorter, 6-, 7-, and 8-night journeys.
And the transition has not been well received by all, with guests booked on 2025 and 2026 Caribbean sailings sharing their frustrations on social media and calling out the cruise line for cancelling their long journeys in favor of shorter options.
“Here I am again, forced to choose between lesser sailings with ports I’m not interested in or losing a large sum and my MNVV [My Next Virgin Voyage] deposit if I choose a refund,” lamented one guest.
“My 10-day Thanksgiving week cruise out of San Juan was just cancelled as Virgin is changing to shorter sailings,” he posted.
“Same thing for us,” wrote another. “It looks like they are getting rid of the 10-day cruise and replacing it with a 7-day cruise.”
“Just got an email our trip was cancelled (no explanation)! Guessing this is why,” added an additional Sailor.
It appears there are four cancelled itineraries for the 110,000-gross-ton, 2,770-passenger Valiant Lady.
They begin with the Thanksgiving 10-night “Sun-Soaked Seas & Saint Isles” cruise, departing from Valiant Lady‘s San Juan, Puerto Rico, homeport on November 22, 2025.
Additionally, two 10-night voyages departing on December 2, 2025, and January 31, 2026, and an 11-night cruise departing on February 10, 2026, have been affected.
The vessel’s new itineraries have not been released, but at press time, Virgin Voyages teased a big announcement that will be revealed on March 12, 2025.
Options for Virgin Voyages Sailors
Although not all passengers receiving cancellation notices were given options, Virgin Voyages is, in fact, offering them to anyone sailing on one of its cancelled cruises.
One guest said the cruise line offered her party the choice to transfer to an 11- or 12-night adventure on the brand-new Brilliant Lady, making her debut as Virgin Voyages’ newest and final vessel on September 5, 2025.
Departing from the vessel’s homeport in Miami, itineraries include a 12-night journey to Curacao and the Cayman Islands on November 8, 2025, and three 11-night options departing December 7, 2025, and January 4 and February 1, 2026.
Those sailings will visit Willemstad, Curacao; Oranjestad, Aruba; Cartagena, Colombia; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; and George Town, Grand Cayman.
While many of the calls were featured on some of the cancelled cruises, none of them feature previously scheduled stops in the Virgin Islands, St. Kitts, Antigua, Martinique, Barbados, St. Lucia, or St. Maarten.
As a gesture of goodwill, passengers who opt for a Brilliant Lady sailing also receive $100 in Sailor Loot per cabin. (Not per person, however.)
Read Also: I Spent 7 Days on My First Adults-Only Virgin Voyages Cruise
Those not interested in rescheduling to the new ship, currently under construction at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Italy, have 60 days to rebook one of six shorter sailings on Valiant Lady.
The cruises will sail from San Juan between November 22, 2025, and February 14, 2026. Guests will also receive $100 in Sailor Loot per cabin.
There is no mention of receiving any price differential back as a refund, nor any mention of compensation for flight changes. The final option for affected Sailors is to accept the cancellation and receive either a Future Voyage Credit (FVC) or cash.