After entering service in May, the new Resilient Lady is set to mark Virgin Voyage’s debut in Australia and New Zealand. Starting in November, the ship will offer a series of itineraries in the region departing from Singapore, Melbourne, Auckland and more.
Cruise Industry News takes a closer look at the deployment of Virgin’s first season down under.
Singapore, Bali and Australia
Date: November 20,2023
Ship: Resilient Lady
Length: 15 nights
Homeports: Singapore to Sydney (Australia)
Complete Itinerary: Bali (Indonesia); Darwin, Yorkeys Knob and Airlie Beach (Australia)
To kick off its inaugural season in Australia and New Zealand, the Resilient Lady offers a 15-night repositioning cruise. Sailing from Singapore to Sydney, the one-way cruise features an overnight call in Bali, Indonesia, before continuing to Australia.
Once in the country, the ship also visits Dawn, Yorkeys Knob and Airlie Beach before arriving at Sydney – where it is also set to spend one night docked.
Melbourne to Burnie
Date: December 21, 2023
Ship: Resilient Lady
Length: Two nights
Homeport: Melbourne (Australia)
Complete Itinerary: Burnie (Australia)
After arriving in Australia in December, the Resilient Lady is offering a series of short cruises sailing roundtrip from Melbourne.
On December 21, the ship offers the shortest cruise of the entire season: a two-night sailing to Tasmania that features a full-day visit to Burnie before returning to Melbourne.
Pacific Island Holidays
Date: December 23, 2023
Ship: Resilient Lady
Length: Six nights
Homeport: Melbourne (Australia)
Complete Itinerary: Hobart and Burnie (Australia)
The Resilient Lady also offers a special week-long itinerary for the Christmas. Named “Pacific Island Holidays,” the six-night cruise sails roundtrip from Melbourne and features visits to two ports in Tasmania.
In addition to spending two full days at sea, the ship will sail to Burnie and Hobart – where its scheduled to make an overnight call.
Pacific New Year’s Ahoy
Date: December 29, 2023
Ship: Resilient Lady
Length: 14 nights
Homeports: Melbourne (Australia) to Auckland (New Zealand)
Complete Itinerary: Sydney, Burnie and Hobart (Australia); Picton, Napier and Tauranga (New Zealand)
Virgin Voyages is celebrating its first new year in the South Pacific with a unique two-week cruise to New Zealand. Sailing from Melbourne to Auckland, the cruise also marks the company’s maiden visits to Kiwi ports.
Named “Pacific New Year’s Ahoy,” the sailing features stops in three ports in Australia, in addition to four destinations in New Zealand, such as Picton, Napier and Tauranga.
Tasman Sea, Fjords and Maori Shores
Dates: January 23, 2024
Ship: Resilient Lady
Length: Ten nights
Homeports: Melbourne (Australia) to Auckland (New Zealand)
Complete Itinerary: Burnie and Hobart (Australia); Dunedin, Christchurch and Tauranga (New Zealand)
According to Virgin, this itinerary allows guests to experience some of the “most pristine passages” of the planet while cruising across New Zealand’s Fiordland region.
Cruising one-way between Melbourne and Auckland, the voyage sails to Tasmania, with stops in Burnie and Hobart, before visiting Dunedin, Christchurch and Tauranga.
