Virgin Voyages charts new course, Dubai trips affected

Friday, February 9, 2024

Numerous Dubai excursions aboard the Virgin Voyages’ vessel ‘Resilient Lady’ have been canceled for the season due to the company’s decision to redirect its cruise liner, citing concerns in the Red Sea region.

This alteration has impacted various journeys, such as the 14-night Singapore-to-Dubai Crossing scheduled for April 11, and the Dubai-to-Athens Crossing set for April 25, also spanning 14 nights.

Virgin Voyages announced that following consultations with global security experts, the company has maintained its stance ‘concerned about potential escalations in this part of the world over the next 12 months and the risk that this presents for safe passage through the region’ and opted to implement alterations to the cruise ship’s repositioning voyage starting March 27th.

The ship’s departure will now originate from Sydney, embarking on a revised itinerary featuring an extended duration at sea, including stops in Eden and Fremantle (Perth), Australia, before proceeding directly to Africa. Along the way, it will make ports of call in Mauritius, South Africa, Namibia, Morocco, Malta, and Greece.

Virgin Voyages, based in Florida, joins the list of companies compelled to alter their cruise routes due to the recent surge in Houthi attacks on commercial ships traversing the Red Sea, prompted by Israel’s conflict with Gaza. Consequently, numerous passenger cruises departing from Dubai and Abu Dhabi have been affected, with operators opting to either cancel or modify their routes in the Middle East.

Likewise, numerous shipping companies have either suspended operations in the region or redirected their vessels away from the Cape of Good Hope in Africa. This shift has caused substantial delays in shipping schedules and a surge in transportation costs.

Responding to the attacks, a coalition led by the United States has initiated targeted strikes against the Houthi militia in Yemen over the past few weeks.

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