Brilliant Lady Has Arrived: 5 Reasons to Book Virgin Voyages’ Shiny New Ship This Season

This September, Virgin Voyages’ Brilliant Lady took the Big Apple by storm as she made her official debut to society in NYC. Now, she’s a ship on the move as she sails her inaugural season in style, painting ports red from Manhattan to Miami and from tropical Bimini to the glacial blue waters of Alaska (for the first time ever!).

Distinguished by a stunning new mermaid on her hull, designed by Toronto-based artist Janice Sung, Brilliant Lady has so much to offer Sailors as she makes her way from the East Coast to the West Coast and beyond to the Last Frontier. Meanwhile, the vibes onboard are immaculate as ever, with Virgin’s signature flair for chic dining, entertainment and hospitality.

If your clients could possibly need any more convincing, here are five solid reasons to book them onboard Brilliant Lady ASAP.

1. She’s Going Places (Like New York, Miami, LA and Alaska)

Brilliant Lady is a Lady Ship who can’t sit still and is making milestones as she goes. For the first time ever, a Virgin Voyages ship will sail the enchanting coastal communities of Canada/New England on a handful of fall foliage itineraries through September. This includes calls on Canadian beauties like Quebec City and Montreal alongside quaint New England charmers including Boston and Eastport, Maine.

Come mid-October, Brilliant Lady will migrate south — as all good snowbirds do — for a series of island escapes from Miami’s Terminal V. Following an epic, eight-night MerMaiden voyage on October 17, Brilliant Lady will rotate between short and sweet four-night getaways to the Bahamas and Bimini Beach Club and extended, nine- to 12-night Southern Caribbean sailings featuring stops in Aruba, Curacao, Colombia, Grand Cayman and more.

Following New Year’s under the San Juan sun, she’ll make her way out to LA in April 2026 for Virgin’s first-ever West Coast voyage. A stint along the Pacific, calling on Santa Barbera and San Diego, is followed up by a reposition to none other than Seattle for Alaska season. From May through September 2026, Virgin will sail a brilliant inaugural season of seven- to 12-night Alaska voyages, calling on Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka, Icy Strait Point, Prince Rupert, Victoria…the list goes on.

2. She Has a Lot Going On Right Now — Including New Shows

Sure, there’s the gorgeous views and the whale watching and the hammock swinging and the cocktail sipping, but Brilliant Lady wants to dazzle you in new ways as well. She’s bringing major main character energy with all-new shows including an interactive dinner theater experience and a reimagined edition of Virgin’s original fleetwide event, Scarlet Night. Sailors will want to give a standing O for this showstopping lineup:

• Up With a Twist: Attend a 1920s Supper Club to see what happens next
• Disco Reimagined: A boogie-woogie disco meets high-flying circus
• Red Hot: A tribute to 50 years of innovative music from Virgin Records
• Out of Time: A time-tripping comedic adventure
• Murder in the Manor: A macabre whodunnit with an ‘80s New Wave flair
• Duets: A tribute to exemplary musical duos
• Electric: A glow party to remember
• Scarlet Night: Get out of your comfort zone with this fresh, indoor version of Virgin’s at-sea fete

3. She Keeps It Spicy With a Fresh, Spanish Tapas Concept

Brilliant Lady knows how to bring on the Razzle Dazzle, and this popular, fleetwide eatery known for bottomless brunch still shines onboard. But customized for this Lady Ship, Razzle Dazzle becomes “Rojo” by night, turning the heat up as the sun goes down. Joining more than a dozen other dining concepts (free of charge!) across the ship, Rojo by Razzle Dazzle is the latest offering aiming to satisfy with shareable, Spanish delights. The menu pairs traditional tapas and pintxos with elevated, Mediterranean-inspired cocktails like a vermouth spritz or herbaceous gin and tonic. So, pin Spain to the map where Brilliant Lady pulls culinary inspiration and influence, joining the ranks of South Korea (Gunbae), Italy (Extra Virgin), Mexico (Pink Agave) and many more.

4. She Is Rocking a Shipwide Glow Up

She’s had work done…can you tell? But when it comes to this Lady Ship, we’re talking about impressive feats of engineering like a sleek new frame and modified lifeboat system to squeeze those hips, er beams, through the epic Panama Canal and along the jaw-dropping waterways of Alaska. In addition to the bodywork, Brilliant Lady has also undergone cosmetic lifts, like a redesigned Roundabout, expanded Athletic Club and an enhanced experience at The Dock.

Nestled in the heart of the ship, the Roundabout is more than just an atrium or passageway, it’s a place to come together over a drink and a laugh, encouraged by flowing cocktails at a new full-service bar and plush lounge seating. Keeping the iconic scenery in mind, the Athletic Club space now features views for days with open-glass panels scanning the skyline and more day beds and shaded zones from which to enjoy those viral vistas. Back at The Dock, a social space overlooking the wake, Sailors will find a new stage for live music as well as an upgraded menu at JuiceSea, featuring adaptogen drinks, superfood smoothies and more.

5. She Rolls With the Best Crew. Period.

Brilliant Lady is a people pleaser, and she has all the best people onboard to please each and every guest. (We’re talking about the crew!) Virgin Voyages has employed a crew who make every trip personal, going out of the way to accommodate every Sailor without going overboard (pun intended). Sailing solo? A host might create a custom message thread so you and other single Sailors can keep in touch. The talent onboard is sourced from around the globe, across industries and encouraged to bring their personality to sea — including visible piercings and tattoos. With best labor practices behind the scenes, the crew onboard Brilliant Lady — and every Virgin ship — are motivated to give you their very best on every voyage, and it shows with a genuine enthusiasm that is hard to resist.

From the Sponsor

Send your Sailors on a truly gorgeous getaway worth writing home about. Our dreamy itineraries put 150+ destinations across four continents at their fingertips — to explore, to savor, and to capture for the people who make their lives brighter back home.

Our fleet of lady ships travels across Europe, North America, and the Caribbean in peak style. We’ve been honored as Travel + Leisure World’s Best #1 Mega-Ship Ocean Cruise Line — three years in a row. A back-to-back (-to-back) win that proves how much travelers (and industry insiders) love setting sail with us. Add Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice #1 Best Large Cruise Ship, plus Cruise Critic’s Best Dining Large Ship Category Award (another two back-to-back wins) and you’ve got a sailing experience as celebrated as it is unforgettable.

Our incredible onboard experience and are admired for the “thoughtful touches” in our cabin design, food and beverage program, and entertainment. And once they leave the superyacht-inspired luxury of our award-winning ships, we curate an array of land excursions (Shore Things) that will enhance their appreciation of the culture in every dynamic port city we call home for the day. (Or for the late night. Or even for an overnight, in ports like Cartagena, Mykonos, and more.)

With our Always Included Luxury, their voyage fare includes Wi-Fi, dining in restaurants with menus curated by Michelin-starred chefs, soda and water, fitness classes and more. The only thing we don’t cover is the postage… for their inevitable postcard home.