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Virgin Voyages Delays Launch Canceling All November Sailings

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Virgin Voyages has delayed the official launch of their cruise line onboard the Scarlet Lady canceling all November cruises. 

An official statement was sent in a letter to travel agents stating “As we continue to navigate what's going on in the world, we've made the decision to cancel our November sailings.”

Scarlet Lady cruise ship - Virgin Voyages
Scarlet Lady cruise ship - Virgin Voyages

Virgin delayed its first inaugural sailing back in March when it was supposed to host media personnel at a New York City event that revealed the cruise line.

They stated at the time that they were keeping “a watchful eye on the news,” 6 Months later after the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the entire cruising industry, Virgin Voyages announced once again that they would further be delaying their launch until at least December. 

Virgin Voyages - Scarlet Lady Stateroom (Image Courtesy of Virgin Voyages)

The letter said that everyone involved with Virgin Voyages stands behind the brand.

“It has never been a matter of if we sail, but rather when. We're fortunate to have such an incredible group of people backing us who believe deeply in what we've built and where we're going – not just at sea, but as a business and brand.”

Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady at night (Image: Virgin Voyages – Instagram)

According to the Virgin Voyages website, their first sailing is tentatively scheduled for December 2nd departing from Miami for a 4 night cruise with port stops in Key West and the Beach Club at Bimini.

Virgin Voyages has also announced their new “Voyage Well” program designed to help travelers safe and healthy while on board. 

“We've outlined our Voyage Well plan for tackling COVID 19 — from our ambitious goals for redefining health measures at sea, to our new industry-leading partnerships with EcoLab and AtmosAir Solutions, we’ve outlined all the key points for what you can expect before, during, and after your voyage.”

Cruise Industry Waits For CDC Announcement

With the CDC no sail order set to expire on September 30th and the Cruise Lines International Association voluntary suspension of cruising ending on October 30th, Virgin Voyages cancelation of November sailings comes as a surprise. 

The cruise line could be waiting for the perfect time to launch their brand as a COVID-19 outbreak on their inaugural sailing would be catastrophic.  

Cruising has already returned to the Mediterranean and other parts of the world. 10 cruise lines have since relaunched with MSC setting the standard having already successfully completed 5 large ship sailings without a single case of COVID-19 onboard. 

See Tentative Relaunch Dates For All Cruise Lines

MSC Cruise Ship

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