Virgin Voyages has cancelled its 2024/25 voyage season plans for Resilient Lady, impacting the vessel’s second sailing season in Australian waters due to the ongoing conflict in the Red Sea

The line has also been forced to withdraw the vessel’s late 2024 and early 2025 repositioning voyages between Europe and Australia due to “unacceptable risks” in sailing through the region over the next 12 months.

It said it was “left with no choice” to make the changes after it recently altered the course of Resilient Lady’s early 2024 repositioning sailing from Australia to the Mediterranean.

“On the heels of these recent changes and based on the regional and government advice we have received, we remain very concerned about potential escalations in the Red Sea over the next 12 months,” Virgin Voyages said in a statement.

Resilient Lady will now complete its Mediterranean sailing season on 20 October 2024 and divert course sailing to San Juan, Puerto Rico for a new Caribbean season offering seven-, eight-, 10- and 11-night voyages visiting Saint Maarten, Saint Vincent, Colombia, and Dominica.

‘Disappointed is an understatement,’ says Virgin Voyages

The company is currently reviewing the ship’s repositioning routes from Athens to San Juan, and will share updates imminently.

“To say that we are disappointed to have come to this tough conclusion is an understatement,” the line continued. “These adjustments are happening now in order to minimise potential future disruption to our passengers’ holiday plans knowing there is a high likelihood that changes would need to happen in the future.

“Our customers and travel agent partners asked us to ensure we give them as much time as possible to make alternative plans. We appreciate the time and energy that goes into planning a holiday, and we are focused on your safety as well as giving you certainty.”

Virgin Voyages is currently working through options to return to Australia and the Asia Pacific region once regional repositioning opportunities become “more tenable”.

Updates on future itineraries across the fleet will be shared as soon as possible, and in the event the line returns for the 2025 season, existing booked customers will have priority to move onto these sailings.

Impacted guests will have the option to rebook another voyage or opt for a full refund given the change in plans.