Virgin Voyages Ships Overview
A simple hub for the four Lady Ships, what is the same, what is different and what actually matters when you are choosing.
Virgin Voyages has four ships in the fleet: Scarlet Lady, Valiant Lady, Resilient Lady and Brilliant Lady. They share the same core design and onboard experience, so the biggest differences usually come down to itinerary, home port and a few ship specific details.
This page is here to make it simple.
The 3 things that matter most when choosing a ship:
- Itinerary first. Ports and sailing length shape your week more than the ship name.
- Port logistics. Your flight and transfer day can make or break how relaxed you feel on day one.
- Small ship differences. They exist, but they are usually a second order decision once the itinerary is right.
Brilliant Lady
Brilliant Lady is the newest option and she is positioned around North America focused journeys, including New England and Canada, Bermuda, the West Coast and Alaska, plus longer routes like Panama Canal style sailings depending on season. Brilliant Lady set sail in September 2025 with her MerMaiden from New York.
Brilliant matches Valiant and Resilient on the core counts with 1,330 cabins and 78 RockStar Quarters.
Why people choose Brilliant: you want the newest ship option and you like the North America style itineraries.
Resilient Lady
Resilient Lady is often the ship people land on for Mediterranean and Greek Isles style routes, and she is a great fit if you want those itineraries without compromise. She made her debut on 14 May 2023 with a MerMaiden sailing from Athens.
Resilient has 1,330 cabins and 78 RockStar Quarters.
Why people choose Resilient: the route does the talking. If the ports are right, the onboard experience will feel very consistent with the rest of the fleet.
Valiant Lady
Valiant Lady is the easy choice when the route suits you. She keeps the same Virgin DNA, but her deployment often leans into warm weather sailings and shorter Caribbean style weeks depending on season. Her Barcelona MerMaiden was 15 May 2022.
Valiant has 1,330 cabins and 78 RockStar Quarters.
Why people choose Valiant: you pick dates and ports first, then you get a ship that feels instantly familiar if you have sailed Virgin before.
Scarlet Lady
Scarlet Lady is the original blueprint. If you want the most established version of the Virgin Voyages experience, this is it. She was delivered on 14 February 2020 and her MerMaiden sailings began from the UK on 6 August 2021 and from the US on 6 October 2021.
After her glow up, Scarlet has 1,290 cabins and 102 RockStar Quarters, which is the standout count difference compared with the other ships.
Why people choose Scarlet: it is the flagship feel, the classic reference point, and a strong default for first timers when the itinerary works.
What is the same across all four ships
Lady Ship fundamentals
- All four Lady Ships are built to host 2,770 Sailors and about 1,160 Crew.
- 86% of cabins have a balcony and 93% have an ocean view.
- Cabin and suite counts follow the same blueprint across the fleet, with only minor differences by ship.
Adults only by design
- Every ship is 18+ with an adults-only onboard environment.
- The onboard flow and venues are built around adults, so you do not get family programming or child-focused facilities.
- The overall experience is designed to feel consistent across ships, so you can pick based on route and dates.
Always Included experience
- Always Included experience.
- Dining is included, with 20+ eateries and no traditional main dining room schedule.
- Wi-Fi included for all Sailors, speed depends on voyage fare chosen, also available as paid upgrade or part of sailing club benefits.
- Group fitness classes and entertainment are included across the fleet.
Myth: One ship is much better than the others
Reality: The core experience is designed to be consistent, so itinerary and dates usually matter more.
Myth: The newest ship is automatically the right choice
Reality: Newer only helps if the route and timing also suit you.
Myth: You need to decide the ship first
Reality: Pick the sailing you want first, then the ship follows.
The honest Red Wave Recommendations
- Choose your itinerary and dates first, then pick the ship that runs it.
- If you are comparing two sailings that feel similar, decide based on port and travel day before you get lost in small onboard differences.
- If suites matter to you, note that Scarlet Lady has more RockStar Quarters after her glow up compared with the other three ships.