Virgin Voyages Makes Inaugural Stop in Cartagena

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Marking its first-ever call in Colombia, Virgin Voyagesโ€™ Resilient Lady arrived in Cartagena on January 24, 2025, for the cruise lineโ€™s inaugural visit to the South American nation nestled on the Caribbean Sea.

The call was the first stop during Resilient Ladyโ€™s 11-night Caribbean cruise from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Carrying 2,469 passengers, the vessel arrived at 8 a.m. and didnโ€™t depart until midnight, providing guests with 16 hours to explore the vibrant city.

โ€œThis is a key moment for Colombia,โ€ said Carmen Caballero, president of ProColombia, the countryโ€™s tourism promotion agency. โ€œIt is the result of years of collaboration with Virgin Voyages and other industry stakeholders.โ€

โ€œAt ProColombia, we have tirelessly promoted the countryโ€™s maritime connectivity with the goal of solidifying Colombia as an attractive destination for cruise tourism,โ€ she continued. โ€œThis achievement reinforces our position as a regional leader and is a victory for all Colombians.โ€

Read Also: I Spent 7 Days on My First Adults-Only Virgin Voyages Cruise

The visit is the first of two for the 110,000-gross-ton vessel, which will return on a similar itinerary on April 4, 2025. Both sailings continue in the Caribbean to Curacao, Aruba, St. Lucia, Antigua, and St. Maarten ports.

Later in the year, Virgin Voyages will return with Valiant Lady and its brand-new vessel, Brilliant Lady, following construction competition in the Fincantieri shipyard in Genoa, Italy, in September.

Brilliant Lady, sailing from Miami, will first arrive in Cartagena on November 14, revisit on December 12, and return on two more sailings in winter 2026.

Valiant Lady, which will journey from San Juan, will make her inaugural call on December 5, 2025.

Cartagena Strengthening Role as Cruise Hub

Colonized in 1533, Cartagena has long been a critical port of South America. Its walled city and forts, built to protect the city from pirates in the 16th and 17th centuries, are now hoping to foster a relationship with cruise lines.

On the day of Resilient Ladyโ€™s arrival, the city also welcomed three additional vessels, including Cunard Lineโ€™s 2,996-passenger Queen Anne and Norwegian Cruise Lineโ€™s 2,394-guest Norwegian Pearl and 3,804-guest Norwegian Joy.

Said Liliana Rodrรญguez, executive president of Corpoturismo, the tourism board of Cartagena, โ€œToday, with four ships from three major cruise lines docked in our port and hosting nearly 23,000 tourists, Cartagena reaffirms its capacity, administrative commitment, and the synergy that defines our tourism ecosystem.โ€

Four ships in Cartagena
Four ships spend a day in Cartagena on January 24, 2025. (Photo Courtesy: Cartagena Port)

Overall, Colombiaโ€™s cruise and tourism sectors have seen significant growth. In 2024, the country welcomed 6.6 million international visitors, an 8.5 percent increase over the previous year.

Over 1.4 million annual visitors are American, with Colombian Ambassador to the US, Daniel Garcรญa-Peรฑa, adding, โ€œYear on year, Colombia stands out as a top destination for American travelers.โ€

โ€œThis milestone also highlights the confidence of US and global tour operators in Colombiaโ€™s diverse offerings, further strengthening the connections that drive our economic and cultural exchange.โ€

The 2024-2025 cruise season, which began in September and ends on June 30, 2025, is fully underway, with Cartagena hoping to best its 327,283 passenger arrivals witnessed during the 2023-2024 season.

Additional cruise lines arriving during the season include AIDA Cruisesโ€™ AIDAluna on January 29, Princess Cruisesโ€™ Coral Princess on February 2, Oceania Cruisesโ€™ February 5 arrival of Vista, Seabournโ€™s Seabourn Ovation on February 7, and P&O Cruises, arriving on February 9 with Aurora.

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Lissa Poirot
Lissa Poirot
Lissa Poirot has been covering travel for more than a decade, including sites such as TripAdvisor, CruiseCritic, The Points Guy, Family Vacation Critic, and Family Traveller. Her love of travel has led Lissa to visit more than 43 countries and has her on a mission to see every state in the U.S. (only 4 states to go!). When she's not traveling, she's exploring new attractions and events on the weekends, be it in New York City or Philadelphia, as Lissa lives between both fabulous cities.

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