Virgin Voyages Ship Makes Another Milestone Visit in the Caribbean

Virgin Voyages’ second ship has made her inaugural visit to St. Kitts, one of several first-time port calls for the vessel to Caribbean destinations in recent weeks.

Valiant Lady Makes First Call on St. Kitts During Caribbean Voyage

Valiant Lady, the second vessel in the Virgin Voyages fleet, made her first call to the island of St. Kitts in the West Indies on Friday, January 26, 2024.

“This historic inaugural cruise call marks a significant milestone for both Virgin Voyages and our beloved island,” said Marsha T. Henderson, minister of tourism for St. Kitts. “Our enchanting destination offers a tapestry of natural beauty, vibrant culture, and warm hospitality, perfectly complementing the exceptional experiences onboard Valiant Lady.” 

Valiant Lady‘s call in Basseterre, St. Kitts, was part of a 7-night Southern Caribbean itinerary from San Juan that also visited Oranjestad (Aruba), Willemstad (Curacao), and Fort de France (Martinique). 

She is due to return to San Juan on Saturday, January 27, before heading out again on a 7-night voyage to Tortola (British Virgin Islands), Pointe A Pitre (Guadeloupe), Bridgetown (Barbados), Castries (St. Lucia), and St. Johns (Antigua).

Valiant Lady‘s recent voyages also included first-time stops to Bridgetown in Barbados, Tortola in the British Virgin Islands, and the Antigua Cruise Port. 

Earlier in January, she made her maiden visit to Nassau in the Bahamas. 

Miami is Next Homeport for Valiant Lady

The 60,000-ton Valiant Lady entered service in March 2022 and originally began service with a series of UK promotional cruises before repositioning to Barcelona in May 2022 for 7-day Mediterranean voyages. 

In March, Valiant Lady is scheduled to reposition to Miami to take over the 4- to 5-night Caribbean voyages from her sister ship Scarlet Lady, which is due for some upgrades and maintenance in dry dock.

Valiant Lady can host 2,770 passengers across its 16 decks. Virgin Voyages cruises are adults-only and boast 20-plus restaurants on each vessel while eschewing the buffets and dining halls that are more common on other cruise lines. Other amenities include free WiFi and group fitness classes. 

Resilient Lady, the third and newest ship in the Virgin fleet, was delivered in 2023 and is currently serving the Australian market. She is scheduled to return to Europe this summer and sail from Greece. A fourth ship, Brilliant Lady, is under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard in Genoa, Italy. Originally scheduled for delivery in 2023, supply chain and staffing challenges have delayed her completion until later in 2024. 

St. Kitts a Popular Stop for Winter Cruises

Officially named the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis, St. Kitts is one of the two islands that form the smallest sovereign state in the Western Hemisphere. It’s a popular cruise destination in the fall and winter months thanks to a year-round moderate climate. 

The cruise port in St. Kitts is in the capital city of Basseterre on the south shore of the island within walking distance of the historic district. Cruise passenger traffic to St. Kitts peaked at 1.1 million in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, about 450,000 passengers visited the port.

Read Also: Virgin Voyages Announces 27 New Itineraries

Another cruise ship making her inaugural stop at St. Kitts in January 2024 is Royal Caribbean International’s Icon of the Seas, currently the world’s largest cruise ship. Newly arrived in Miami in January, Icon of the Seas is sailing Eastern and Western Caribbean voyages with a stop in St. Kitts scheduled for January 30.

Other cruise lines calling on St. Kitts in January 2024 include P&O Cruises, Seabourn Cruise Line, Silversea Cruises, Princess Cruises, Tui Cruises, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Star Clippers Cruises.