Marking its first-ever call in Colombia, Virgin Voyages’ Resilient Lady arrived in Cartagena on January 24, 2025, for the cruise line’s inaugural visit to the South American nation nestled on the Caribbean Sea.
The call was the first stop during Resilient Lady’s 11-night Caribbean cruise from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Carrying 2,469 passengers, the vessel arrived at 8 a.m. and didn’t depart until midnight, providing guests with 16 hours to explore the vibrant city.
“This is a key moment for Colombia,” said Carmen Caballero, president of ProColombia, the country’s tourism promotion agency. “It is the result of years of collaboration with Virgin Voyages and other industry stakeholders.”
“At ProColombia, we have tirelessly promoted the country’s maritime connectivity with the goal of solidifying Colombia as an attractive destination for cruise tourism,” she continued. “This achievement reinforces our position as a regional leader and is a victory for all Colombians.”
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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.
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On the day of Resilient Lady’s arrival, the city also welcomed three additional vessels, including Cunard Line’s 2,996-passenger Queen Anne and Norwegian Cruise Line’s 2,394-guest Norwegian Pearl and 3,804-guest Norwegian Joy.
Said Liliana Rodríguez, executive president of Corpoturismo, the tourism board of Cartagena, “Today, 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.”
Overall, Colombia’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 García-Peña, adding, “Year on year, Colombia stands out as a top destination for American travelers.”
“This milestone also highlights the confidence of US and global tour operators in Colombia’s diverse offerings, further strengthening the connections that drive our economic and cultural exchange.”
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 Cruises’ AIDAluna on January 29, Princess Cruises’ Coral Princess on February 2, Oceania Cruises’ February 5 arrival of Vista, Seabourn’s Seabourn Ovation on February 7, and P&O Cruises, arriving on February 9 with Aurora.
