Virgin Voyages has announced that it will set sail from Portsmouth, England in August 2021 with a limited series of voyages, branded the ‘Summer Soiree Series’.
The program will include six sailings available to fully-vaccinated UK adults, with the duration of two, three and four nights to choose from.
“Virgin Voyages has been looking forward to sailing, and we’re so excited to announce our plans to sail from the UK,” said the founder of Virgin Group, Richard Branson. “Our team has curated such a fantastic experience for our Sailors and know this is a holiday they will love.”
Sailing the southern coast of England, the Sneak-a-Peek sailings will offer a taste of the Virgin Voyages experience as its first foray with new Sailors at sea.
The ‘Summer Soiree Series’ includes:
Itinerary 1 – Long Weekender (three-night, Friday – Monday)
Aug. 6 – Aug. 9
Aug. 13 – Aug. 16
Aug. 20 – Aug. 23
Itinerary 2 – Summer WeekDaze (four-night, Monday – Friday)
Aug. 9 – Aug. 13
Aug. 16 – Aug. 20
Aug. 23 – Aug. 27
“After more than a year of waiting and a major emphasis on a safe return, we’re ecstatic to announce these new sailings and bring Sailors onboard to experience what it’s like to set sail the Virgin Way,” said Tom McAlpin, CEO and president of Virgin Voyages.
We look at our UK summer voyages as a homecoming to pay homage to our British roots, and what an excellent way to kick-off our sailing season before heading back to PortMiami.”
According to a press release, as part of the Summer Soiree Series, this select group of Sailors will be offered a first taste of sailing on Scarlet Lady, which includes, Michelin-inspired dining experiences, luxurious spa treatments, unlimited fitness classes, entertainment featuring local British talent, and an adult-only sailing experience.
The cruise line said that as operations in the U.S. remain uncertain, before heading home to PortMiami, Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady is taking this opportunity to do a homecoming tour, heading “back to where the Virgin brand began.”
Virgin Voyages said that sailing safely remains its top priority, and it is continuing its Voyage Well initiatives. At this time, only residents of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be able to sail on the Summer Soirée Series – with Sailors aged 18+ vaccinated against COVID-19. Additional testing and protocols will be confirmed closer to sailing, all in line with the most up-to-date recommendations from the UK government. Virgin Voyages is committed to a healthy and safe start at sea and would never set sail without the proper precautions and considerations in place. This includes capacity limitations for this initial phased restart.
The Summer Soirée Series will go on sale on Apr. 13.
