Portsmouth International Port wrapped up its summer 2024 cruise season with Virgin Voyages’ Resilient Lady departing for the last time on September 29, 2024.
In a fond farewell, the 110,000-gross-ton Resilient Lady set off for Barcelona, Spain, with the last of Portsmouth, England’s total of 25,000 passengers to sail this summer season.
The ship showed its gratitude to its homeport with the city’s blue “Pompey” nickname illuminated as she sailed past the city’s Victorious Festival, one of the largest music festivals in the U.K., held annually in the southern coastal city.
The ship’s farewell concluded Portsmouth’s busiest summer cruise season to date. The city welcomed over 25,000 passengers and hosted its largest-ever number of turnaround calls, fitting for the port as it marked the first anniversary of its carbon-neutral terminal extension.
The extension allowed the port to manage both large cruise volumes and regular ferry operations and helped Portsmouth serve as Resilient Lady’s homeport.
Dubbed Virgin’s “U.K. home port” now that it has hosted all three of the company’s brands since it launched in 2021, Portsmouth estimates Resilient Lady generated £1.5 million from passenger spending during each visit.
In addition to Resilient Lady’s regular voyages, the summer season also featured special events, including Virgin’s 50th anniversary with founder Richard Branson, and a comedy-themed cruise headlined by Russell Howard.
The high-profile events helped further highlight Portsmouth’s role as a key destination for Virgin Voyages.
“Every cruise call to the port is highly valued and a great boost to the city,” said Cllr Steve Pitt, leader of Portsmouth City Council.
“I know a lot of our residents have been lucky enough to enjoy Resilient Lady’s voyages from Portsmouth to Europe this summer, and her sailings are always an impressive sight in the harbor,” he said.
Looking ahead, Portsmouth is set to continue its partnership with Virgin Voyages, with Scarlet Lady scheduled to return in 2025.
The port is also preparing to provide shoreside electrical power for future Virgin ships, supporting the city’s efforts to enhance its environmental credentials and continue its growth.
Thanks to the U.K. government-funded Sea Change project, the port will become the country’s first zero-emission port by spring 2025.
Cruises Continue as Port Prepares for Green Transformation
While celebrating a strong summer, the port, located 20 miles southeast of larger sister port Southampton, will still see activity into the end of 2024 as the homeport to the English-based Saga Cruise’s Spirit of Adventure and Spirit of Discovery, both of which can accommodate 999 passengers.
The 58,250-gross-ton ships are remaining to offer fall and early winter voyages from Portsmouth to the Canary Islands.
The British-owned Fred Olsen Cruise Line is also utilizing the port for its Northern Lights cruises. The cruise line’s 61,849-gross-ton, 1,360-passenger Borealis is offering several roundtrip voyages from Portsmouth to Norwegian destinations.
Read Also: Things New Cruisers Should Always Do on a Cruise
The port is also preparing to provide shoreside electrical power for future cruise ships, supporting the city’s efforts to enhance its environmental credentials and continue its growth.
The port is set to become the U.K.’s first zero-emission port by spring 2025, thanks to the U.K. government-funded Sea Change project. Securing £19.8 million in grants, the port will allow docked ships to switch off their engines and rely on renewable energy, significantly reducing emissions.
