The third lady-ship for Virgin Voyages has reached an important and almost final milestone in the build period. Resilient Lady completed her sea trials, sailing out of Genoa, Italy. During the trials, the builders tested everything from safety systems to top speed and maneuverability.
There has been more good news comes as the CDC lifted its Cruise Travel Health Notice, and the cruise line recorded its strongest day of bookings ever.
Third Virgin Voyages Ship Completes Sea Trials
Sea trials are one of the last steps a shipbuilder needs to complete before the vessel can be handed over to its owner. As she set sail from the Fincantieri shipyard in Genoa, Italy, Resilient Lady showed her true potential on her final sea trial.
The onboard teams with the shipyard generally inspect every area of the ship before sea trials, while the time at sea is used to make sure the vessel complies with the aspects agreed in the contract. A critical part of that is the speed trial.
In a press release, a spokesperson for the cruise company said the following: “We wanted to share that our third lady ship, Resilient Lady, has successfully completed her final sea trial, returning safely to Sestri Shipyard in Genoa, Italy. During the speed trial, she reached an impressive speed of 23 knots (26.5 mph or 42.6 km/h).”
Other aspects checked during the sea trials are her safety systems, automation, power generation, and propulsion systems.
Virgin Voyages will now be working with Fincantieri to ensure the ship is 100% ready for her debut this August from Athens, Greece. This would mean the final outfitting, testing, and training of the team members to welcome guests onboard.
Earlier this week, the company revealed the newest Mermaid, a guardian for the vessel. A Latina mermaid with a fiery red tail, designed by prominent oil painter and muralist Jodie Herrera
Resilient Lady Debut August 2022
With four months to go before she sets sail with guests for the first time, Fincantieri has made good time on the build of Resilient Lady. This is good news for the thousands of guests booked on the first cruise on August 14.
The maiden voyage will sail from Piraeus on a cruise to the Greek Islands, with calls to Santorini Rhodes, Crete, and Mykonos before returning to Piraeus. Other trips include an Adriatic and Greek Gems voyage that calls in Dubrovnik, Kotor, Corfu, and Argostoli, before returning to Piraeus.
On November 1, Resilient Lady will be setting sail on her maiden transatlantic voyage from Lisbon to her new homeport, San Juan, Puerto Rico. On the way, the ship will call in Funchal, Gran Canaria, and Tenerife.
From San Juan, Resilient Lady will be exploring the Southern and Eastern Caribbean with calls to Barbados, Tortola, Aruba, Curacao, and much more.
Resilient Lady is the third out of four cruise ships currently planned for Virgin Voyages, the cruise company that started as an offshoot of Richard Branson’s Virgin brand. She will have space for 2,770 passengers and, like her two sisters, Scarlet Lady and Valiant Lady, will be 110,000 gross tons.
All three Virgin Voyages vessels have proven incredibly popular amongst experienced cruisers and those that have never set foot on board a cruise ship. As the CDC recently let go of its cruise travel advice, Virgin Voyages saw booking sky-rocket as it recorded its strongest single day of bookings.
