Oh How I Wish Virgin Would Sail From the US West Coast!

[CruiseLoverFromNorCal]

I would give anything to be able to board a Virgin ship from California. Does anyone think this will be possible at some point? 

[Freelancer3]

I was on a call with top management and investors. They said it was not in the plans at this point. 

Edited August 29, 2023 by Freelancer3

[CruiseLoverFromNorCal]

5 minutes ago, Freelancer3 said:

I was on a call with top management and investors. They said it was not in the plans at this point. 

Thank you for this information. Very unfortunate. 

[Freelancer3]

Alaska was possible in the future.

[CruisingWalter]

2 hours ago, CruiseLoverFromNorCal said:

I would give anything to be able to board a Virgin ship from California. Does anyone think this will be possible at some point? 

 

They will be coming to LA sooner than later.

 

Brilliant Lady was modified to go through the Panama Canal. The lifeboats are configured differently and they modified the aft of the ship so she can go through.  You only make those modifications if you're going to send the ship through the Panama Canal to the West Coast. I expect the BL to go to LA either late 2024 or in 2025. Most likely offering their own version of a Mexican Riviera with at least one overnight stop. And a version of LA to Hawaii roundtrips, again with at least one overnight stop.

 

As for Alaska, that will probably never happen. There's honestly no reason for it because it's such a crowded market already, upwards of 60 ships this year and last, and more coming in 2025. As a VV rep said on a recent YouTube livestream, "Other cruise lines have been doing Alaska for a long time and they do it really well." Basically implying VV would have no reason to go to Alaska. When you only have four ships, you don't have the flexibility of the other cruise lines.

 

If you're going to Alaska, Princess and Holland America are the two premier cruise lines. For LA, there's a lot that VV can bring to the party, it's just a matter of when, not if Brilliant Lady comes to the west coast. 

Edited August 29, 2023 by CruisingWalter

[Fogcityca13]

I agree that we’ll see Virgin make some stops in the pacific. They have the perfect ship for the Mexican Riviera. With an overnight or late departure in Puerto Vallarta, it would be really appealing. I really wish we had better options.

[Jamespaton]

Same here!

 

I live in SF and flying to Miami is a huge barrier for a lot of my friends (and to be fair, I understand why - it’s a horrible flight!)

[drewdawg199]

5 minutes ago, Jamespaton said:

Same here!

 

I live in SF and flying to Miami is a huge barrier for a lot of my friends (and to be fair, I understand why - it’s a horrible flight!)

agree it's annoying, but we've done 12 VV cruises from Miami based out of LA, highly recommend the American Airlines premium economy seats on the widebody planes! 

[Wildcatllamas]

I so agree on VV going out of the West coast. If they did Hawaii it wouldn't take much to force me to do that cruise. And as to the Mexican Riviera there are other options. My parents lived in San Carlos which is located there at the port of Guaymas. They have beautiful beaches and years ago there was a Club Med there. VV could possibly do what they have done at Bimini in an area like that.

[cantgetin]

THey'll come to the west coast when we move......,

 

[singleflyer]

As someone based in Seattle, I would love to see this.

 

Yesterday I did a 24 hour hold on a good deal on the Brilliant Lady Mermaiden Voyage out of Miami.  Only problem is airfare adds another $1k.  Suddenly it is much harder to justify.  

[cantgetin]

22 minutes ago, singleflyer said:

As someone based in Seattle, I would love to see this.

Only problem is airfare adds another $1k.  Suddenly it is much harder to justify.  

Ouch!  We make a point of buying tickets to or from Miami as soon as the dates are released.  We paid $450 each direction last time, got them  on release date for $275 for our next cruise (LA to MIA).  The flight we have booked has gone up to over $700.  It is usually a lot cheaper flying TO MIA as we come in at least a day early.  Those flights home are pricey.  It is really irritating to look at the prices for the day before or after what I need--prices are about half of the day the cruise ships come in.

[LibratPDX]

16 hours ago, singleflyer said:

As someone based in Seattle, I would love to see this.

 

Yesterday I did a 24 hour hold on a good deal on the Brilliant Lady Mermaiden Voyage out of Miami.  Only problem is airfare adds another $1k.  Suddenly it is much harder to justify.  

I feel your pain!  My flights from Portland OR to Miami then from San Juan to Portland OR for the non-closed loop Mermaiden are going to cost me more than the cruise 😞 

[HBCcruiser]

On 8/29/2023 at 5:33 AM, CruisingWalter said:

Most likely offering their own version of a Mexican Riviera with at least one overnight stop. And a version of LA to Hawaii roundtrips, again with at least one overnight stop.

I would love to see them do a long overnight (or 2) in Cabo! That's be a fun cruise! 

[CruisingWalter]

One thing I will amend from my previous statement. There is a possibility VV could do Alaska as part of a repositioning itinerary. Those always have unique ports that they don't otherwise visit as part of the enticement to book. They very well could do LA to Alaska to Hawaii. Then from Hawaii down to the south Pacific. The Carnival Luminosa and NCL Spirit make similar journeys. That NCL Spirit Hawaii/Alaska itinerary is amazing.  Or possibly LA to Alaska and then through the Panama Canal back to the Caribbean. So Alaska could be a possibility as part of a repositioning cruise. 

[chengkp75]

On 8/31/2023 at 7:37 AM, CruisingWalter said:

They very well could do LA to Alaska to Hawaii.

They would have to break this in Vancouver, and booking the two halves together would not be allowed.

[ceilidh1]

Anyone else get a survey from VV asking about West Coast sailings and how likely you would be to book, etc? PLEASE say it's true!!!! I would be so happy to not have to fly to Miami...

[redransom]

I just completed a Virgin Voyages survey which gave options for future cruise destinations. It included Alaska (out of Seattle) and Southern California/Mexico out of LA or San Diego.

[cantgetin]

17 hours ago, ceilidh1 said:

Anyone else get a survey from VV asking about West Coast sailings and how likely you would be to book, etc? PLEASE say it's true!!!! I would be so happy to not have to fly to Miami...

It can be.a long time from an interest survey till something happens.....

[Wildcatllamas]

I didn't get one recently. At least they are continuing to check interest.

[c-boy]

shoot !...  I might have deleted and emptied my trash 😦

[rj59]

The problem is that there is already so much competition for Mexico sailing, with two Princess ships, NCL, HAL, RC, Disney, and soon to be 4 Carnival ones, once Firenzia starts. There's simply very limited dock space in San Pedro, too, with only room for 2 ships a day (with a backup distant dock for a third ship). Virgin also tends to do shorter cruises, which Carnival and RC already cover with Catalina/Ensenada cruises, and Catalina can only accept one ship per day, and Ensenada is kind of dull and gross. Cabo requires 5 days, and the sea days from LA tend to be cooler than from Florida and can also get overcrowded, since I see 3 ships there at a time with tendering required. Celebrity has a similar clientele and vibe to Virgin, and they're leaving for good on Dec 8, due to low demand. The Princess, HAL, and NCL Mexico ships also do Alaska during the summer, which Virgin wouldn't do. What would be pretty cool for a future ship would be to flag it as US and do 7-night Hawaiian island cruises, as NCL does. 

[Wildcatllamas]

2 hours ago, rj59 said:

. What would be pretty cool for a future ship would be to flag it as US and do 7-night Hawaiian island cruises, as NCL does. 

A ship to do that cruise it has to be built in the US. There were exemptions given for Pride of America and Pride of Aloha. Pride of America was about 50% completed at a US shipyard before NCL purchased and moved it to Germany to be finished. A ship could do from US to Hawaii and back with a stop somewhere to meet the foreign port requirement. Another option would be to do complete passages through the Panama Canal doing a back and forth. 

[cantgetin]

7 hours ago, Wildcatllamas said:

A ship to do that cruise it has to be built in the US. There were exemptions given for Pride of America and Pride of Aloha. Pride of America was about 50% completed at a US shipyard before NCL purchased and moved it to Germany to be finished. A ship could do from US to Hawaii and back with a stop somewhere to meet the foreign port requirement. Another option would be to do complete passages through the Panama Canal doing a back and forth. 

Built in the US or FLAGGED in the US?

[rebeccac]

29 minutes ago, cantgetin said:

Built in the US or FLAGGED in the US?

From a google search:

 

To be classified as a U.S.-flagged ship, and therefore be able to travel between any U.S. ports, there is certain criterion: The cruise ship must have been built, or born, in a U.S. shipyard. The cruise ship must be staffed by U.S. crewmembers and paid based on U.S. minimum wage laws.