After just lately making vital modifications to Resilient Woman‘s repositioning cruise from Australia to the Mediterranean, Virgin Voyages has continued to observe Center East tensions and now determined to cancel the ship’s return to Australia after her Mediterranean summer time.
As a substitute, the cruise line’s latest vessel will supply new Caribbean itineraries, and choices are nonetheless being thought of for a return to Australia and the Asia Pacific area as soon as repositioning sailings grow to be extra tenable.
Resilient Woman Not Returning to Australia
Resilient Woman – at the moment having fun with a heat welcome with Virgin Voyages’ first ever season in Australia – will sadly be unable to return to Australia as deliberate, as a result of ongoing tensions within the Center East that put up a big menace to the security of deliberate repositioning cruises.
“Based mostly on the regional and authorities recommendation we’ve got obtained, we stay very involved about potential escalations within the Crimson Sea over the following 12 months,” the cruise line stated.
“This vital and ongoing battle places unacceptable dangers for secure passage via the area for our Sailors, crew and vessel. Consequently, we’ve got been left with no selection however to cancel our 2024/25 voyage season plans for Resilient Woman, impacting the late 2024 and early 2025 repositioning voyages between Europe and Australia and a second crusing season in Australian waters.”
Because of this all Australia, New Zealand, and South Pacific itineraries after the ship completes her present season in March will likely be cancelled. The ship will go away Sydney, Australia on March 27 on the already-altered repositioning voyage to the Mediterranean, now looping round western Africa quite than crusing via the Crimson Sea and the Suez Canal.
The ship’s 2024 season within the Mediterranean will not be affected, however as a substitute of returning to Australia as initially deliberate, Resilient Woman will as a substitute undertake a transatlantic cruise to San Juan, Puerto Rico, the place she’s going to homeport for the winter within the Caribbean. Itineraries aren’t but confirmed, however will embody wonderful locations like St. Maarten, St. Vincent, Colombia, and Dominica.
“To say that we’re dissatisfied to have come to this robust conclusion is an understatement,” the assertion from Virgin Voyages stated.
The cruise line is planning a various association of Caribbean itineraries for Resilient Woman to take pleasure in with lengths starting from 7-11 nights, relying on itinerary route and crusing date.
Why Make Adjustments Now?
It’s clear that the geopolitical scenario surrounding the Crimson Sea is unstable, however modifications might occur at any time that might convey larger peace and stability to the area.
Virgin Voyages is opting to make these itinerary cancellations now – months upfront – in an effort to allow each journey brokers and friends as a lot time as attainable to regulate their very own journey plans, quite than threat last-minute modifications.
“These changes are occurring now in an effort to reduce potential future disruption to our passengers’ vacation plans understanding there’s a excessive chance that modifications would wish to occur sooner or later,” the cruise line stated.
Final-minute itinerary modifications on such a large scale typically go away vacationers scrambling with non-refundable airfare, resort reservations, or different preparations, in addition to fewer decisions for various sailings in different areas.
Learn Additionally: The Affect of Crimson Sea Tensions on Cruising
Friends on the now-cancelled cruises could have the choice to rebook on one other Virgin Voyages cruise or a full refund for his or her reservation. Particulars will likely be despatched to impacted friends and journey brokers as quickly as choices are finalized.
Vacationers who had already booked for the 2025 Australian season can even have precedence for future Down Underneath sailings ought to they grow to be out there.
Many alternative cruise strains have already adjusted itineraries in or close to the Crimson Sea. Most just lately, Norwegian Cruise Line cancelled choose late 2024 Crimson Sea regional sailings for Norwegian Daybreak and Norwegian Sky, becoming a member of related alterations by Princess Cruises, MSC Cruises, Cunard Line, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises, and different strains.
