Valiant Lady ends Virgin Voyages’ five-year Portsmouth run
The cruise line has no plans to return to its UK home port within the next two years, although an executive left open the possibility of a future comeback.
Virgin Voyages’ Valiant Lady has made its final departure from Portsmouth International Port, ending the cruise line’s five-year use of the city as its UK home port. The departure was marked with celebrations at Southsea Castle.
According to figures issued about the partnership, 15,000 Virgin Voyages passengers passed through Portsmouth during the year, bringing the total across the five-year relationship to 72,000.
Portsmouth also became the only port to welcome all four named ships in the Virgin Voyages fleet: Scarlet Lady, Valiant Lady, Resilient Lady and Brilliant Lady.
Valiant Lady was the first commercial cruise ship to connect to Portsmouth International Port’s high-voltage shore-power system. The connection also marked the first use of shore power by a Virgin Voyages ship in Europe, allowing the vessel to switch off its engines while docked.
Virgin Voyages operations executive Alex Zeitz said the company was relocating the ship to test a new city. While there are no plans to return to Portsmouth during the next two years, Zeitz said the port remained under consideration for the future.
