Virgin Voyages has arrived in Australian waters for the first time, with the cruise line’s Resilient Lady docking at Darwin Cruise Ship Terminal this morning.
The cruise company’s third vessel, the Resilient Lady arrived in the Northern Territory at 8am, with guests disembarking to explore the tropical capital and its surroundings.
An adults-only ship, the Resilient Lady is undertaking a 44-day repositioning voyage to its new homeport in Melbourne, having departed Athens on 22 October and stopped at Dubai, Mumbai, Phuket, Singapore and Bali along the way.
After leaving Darwin, the ship will travel down the East Coast of Australia, stopping in Cairns, Airlie Beach and Sydney before heading to the Victorian capital.
Most significantly, the NT arrival marks the start of the final countdown to the commencement of Virgin Voyages’ debut season down under.
“We’re finally in Australia!” Virgin Voyages’ CEO Nirmal Saverimuttu said.
“Today marks a historical milestone for Virgin Voyages. We’ve been dreaming about sailing in Australia and New Zealand for years, so reaching Darwin and entering Aussie water is an incredible moment for us.
“We can’t wait to see what our MerMaiden voyage from Melbourne has in store.”
A shore thing
In a typically Virgin twist, Virgin Voyages has coined the phrase ‘Shore Things’ for its shore excursions – and in Darwin, guests have been encouraged to explore the city and sights such as Darwin’s Botanical Gardens or the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT).
Other shore experiences include an cruise around Darwin’s waterways (for guests who haven’t already spent enough time on a ship), a food tour of the multi-cultural flavours of the city, and an iconic outback pub hop via helicopter.
Every Virgin Voyages trip also comes with “Michelin-inspired” dining, entertainment and wellness activities for sailors to kick relax and recharge.
Last week, Virgin Voyages unveiled a special deal just for Virgin Australia customers, offering cabins at half the normal price for all cruises on the Resilient Lady departing in January 2024.
Earlier this month, the cruise line invited the Australian public to experience the vessel in a special evening on board the ship in early December.
In September, Virgin Voyages revealed AU$850 million global expansion plans, which include 27 new itineraries and 19 debut destinations sailing around the world plus a second 2024-25 season in Australia.
For more information on Virgin Voyages, visit www.virginvoyages.com.
