Virgin Voyages’ Brilliant Lady Sets Sail in September 2025
Virgin Voyages is launching Brilliant Lady in September 2025! The ship will offer longer itineraries up to 14 nights across various destinations, including New York City, Bermuda, Los Angeles, Mexico, Miami, the ABC Islands, Seattle, and Alaska, as well as a voyage through the Panama Canal.
Brilliant Lady, the final addition to Virgin Voyages’ Lady Ships fleet, will feature the signature elements that Sailors love, including thoughtfully designed spaces, red balcony hammocks, award-winning dining options, a Happenings Cast instead of a traditional cruise director, and upscale wellness areas. Its modified design sets Brilliant Lady apart, allowing it to navigate the Panama Canal and explore rugged landscapes like Alaska’s glaciers and fjords.
“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,” said Sir Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin Group. “This ship is going to be brilliant in every possible way, and that includes the incredible new places we can travel to. Alaska, LA, New York – here we come!”
MORE ABOUT BRILLIANT LADY
Just like her predecessors, Brilliant Lady will showcase a stunning new mermaid designed by Toronto-based illustrator Janice Sung. This mermaid draws inspiration from historic Renaissance paintings and traditional Japanese and Chinese art, fashion, and beauty. Virgin Voyages will gradually unveil updates on the dining and entertainment offerings of Brilliant Lady, along with the introduction of this captivating new guardian.
Virgin Voyages’ CEO Nirmal Saverimuttu said, “The world has been waiting for us to announce Brilliant Lady’s debut, and she’s almost here. At Virgin Voyages, we’re constantly innovating and looking for opportunities to provide even better value for our Sailors with greater choice. 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 and First Mates what they wanted: fresh itineraries spanning North America from 5- 14 nights in length with new experiences that they will remember forever. As the fourth and final ship in our fleet for now, Brilliant Lady will not disappoint.”
Brilliant Lady will launch its inaugural season in September 2025, starting from New York City, with voyages ranging from 5 to 13 nights. The ship will sail to Bermuda, Quebec City, Maine, Charleston, Boston, Halifax, and New Brunswick. Following that, from October 2025 to April 2026, Brilliant Lady will offer 7 to 12-night voyages from Miami to destinations such as the ABC islands, Cartagena, Turks & Caicos, Antigua, Grand Cayman, and Ocho Rios, Jamaica.
In March 2026, there will be a special 16-night Panama Canal crossing voyage from Miami to Los Angeles. The ship will stop in Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Antigua, and Los Cabos.
From April to May 2026, Brilliant Lady will have four voyages ranging from 5 to 8 nights departing from Los Angeles. The itineraries will include ports in Baja California, Puerto Vallarta, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Catalina Island.
In the summer of 2026, the ship will sail to Alaska from Seattle, offering various itineraries from May through September. “Front(ier) of the Line Pass” and “Brilliant 4 You Pass” options are available for early booking and exclusive access to Alaskan voyages and other amenities.
Head to the Virgin Voyages website to learn more!
Will you be sailing aboard Brilliant Lady? Let us know in the comments!
Julie Bouchner
Julie Bouchner is the Digital & Social Media Manager for Porthole Cruise and Travel. She has a Master’s Degree in Journalism from Syracuse University. When she is not writing, she enjoys traveling, spending time with family, baking, and playing with her Siberian Husky named Ellie.
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