'It put Portsmouth on the map' - Virgin Voyages sails out of the city after five years with no return date set
“Portsmouth is definitely on our mind still for the future”
A cruise company that “put Portsmouth on the map” has sailed out of the city after five years.
Virgin Voyages’ Valiant Lady has left Portsmouth International Port for the final time, with celebrations taking place at Southsea Castle over the cruises have had on the city. While there are currently no plans to return to where it has called home since 2021, the company has said Portsmouth is “definitely on our mind” for the future.
With 15,000 passengers passing through Portsmouth for the global brand’s cruises in this year alone, and 72,000 overall, it has been a relationship that has had a “huge impact” on the city - with port managers praising the impact that Virgin has had on the city.
Andrew Williamson, head of cruise and ferry at Portsmouth International Port, said: “It has been a phenomenal journey. The first ever Virgin Voyage took place in Portsmouth back in 2021 and five years later we welcomed all four Virgin ships to Portsmouth for the first time. It is a great partnership between us.
“It has had a huge impact. Historically, Portsmouth has had more of the UK and European market so as soon as Virgin came to the city, suddenly we were on the international stage. It really put Portsmouth on the map as a genuine cruise port.”
It all began with Scarlet Lady, which was Virgin’s world-first passenger sailings from the city, which initially operated at sea journeys due to Covid restrictions at the time. It was soon followed by Valiant, Resilient and Brilliant Lady as Portsmouth became the only port in the world to have welcomed the complete fleet to its docks.
Alex Zeitz, global director of operations, experience, and belonging at Virgin Voyages, said: “Portsmouth has been a port that has welcomed us and been a part of it. It is all about the people, they have been here to help us, they saw what we wanted to do, they heard us out and it has been one of those places we have a connection with.”
Over recent years, Portsmouth International Port has experienced exponential growth, contributing an estimated £400m annually to the national economy. A new cruise terminal extension was opened in 2023 enabling it to welcome an increased number of cruise passengers all the while being net carbon neutral. The innovative building generates more energy than it consumes, featuring sea water to heat and cool the building, wind and solar technology, and internal and external living walls to help purify the air.
The port also boasts the UK's first high-voltage, multi-berth, multi-user shore power system which went live last month (July), and welcomed Valiant Lady as the first commercial cruise ship connection. This also marked the first time any Virgin Voyages ship had connected to shore power in Europe, switching off their engines while in port and reducing emissions.
Jill Stoneberg, senior director of social impact and sustainability at Virgin Voyages, said: "Progress happens when the infrastructure on land and the technology at sea come together, which is exactly what this moment represented. Seeing Valiant Lady connected in Portsmouth turns that ambition into something tangible.
“Shore power is one piece of a much bigger decarbonisation journey and partnerships with forward-thinking ports like Portsmouth are essential to moving that work forward."
The relationship between the city and Virgin Voyages has showcased how Portsmouth can create unique experiences for global brands and their customer, according to Cllr Steve Pitt.
The leader of Portsmouth City Council said: "This year we have celebrated 100 years of Portsmouth being made a city, 50 years of the city council operating the international port, and five years of Virgin Voyages calling Portsmouth its UK home port. Portsmouth International Port has demonstrated time and time again that we can work with global brands to create a unique experience for their guests.
"The benefits of cruise tourism can be felt across the city, with each call generating up to £1.5m to the local economy and profit from the port going straight back in to funding vital council services."
While there is no current plans for Virgin Voyages to return to the city, all sides of the partnership are confident that this is not the end with Andrew Williamson saying “this is not a goodbye, it is a see you soon”.
Schedules and itinerary are mapped out around two years in advance.
Alex Zeitz said: “We always look at our ports, we always look at itineraries. The best part about a cruise ship is it is a floating resort so we can take them to every destination we need to. We have been here for five great seasons and I think there could opportunity in the future (to come back). We are moving the ship to try something new in a new city but Portsmouth is definitely on our mind still for the future.”
Prior to Valiant Lady leaving the city, Virgin Voyages released an open letter to Portsmouth thanking it for the past five years:
Dear Portsmouth,
Well, here we are. Today is Valiant Lady's final call of the season, and after everything we've packed into our time together, “thanks for having us” doesn't quite cover it.
What a summer it's been!
We chased a total solar eclipse out to sea and watched the sky casually steal the show. Day turning to night in the middle of the ocean? Bit of a show-off, if you ask us.
We brought Comedy Fest onboard, filled the ship with some seriously funny people, and learned an important lesson: never make eye contact with a comedian when you're sitting in the front row. You've been warned.
We sailed off in search of sunshine, stayed out late, ate extremely well, danced even later, and came home with camera rolls doing most of the remembering for us.
And through it all, Portsmouth was where the adventure began.
There's something special about seeing Valiant Lady docked at your waterfront. Whether you were about to step aboard or spotting her from the top of Spinnaker Tower, she certainly knows how to make an entrance. (And an exit, for that matter.)
A home port is about more than where the ship docks. It's the buzz before sailaway, the waves from shore, the warm welcomes back, and the port Crew who helped send thousands of Sailors off on their next adventure.
So, before Valiant Lady sails away from Portsmouth one last time this season, consider this our love letter from sea to shore.
To everyone in Portsmouth who welcomed us and waved us off, and to the Sailors who came along for the ride: thank you for being part of one very memorable chapter.
We came. We sailed. We laughed. We stared directly at the sun.(With the proper eclipse glasses, obviously. Even rebels read the safety briefing.)
And somewhere along the way, Portsmouth became part of the story. Until next time.
With love from, Virgin Voyages