Cruise & Ferry
Virgin’s Brilliant Lady Enters Drydock Ahead of Maiden Cruise – Cruise Industry News
Virgin Voyages’ newest cruise ship, the Brilliant Lady, is getting ready to welcome its first guests later this year.
The vessel recently underwent a drydock at the Fincantieri shipyard in Palermo, Italy, as the company prepares for the ship’s first cruise which is scheduled in early September.
The 110,000-ton ship is currently undergoing final touches ahead of its inaugural cruise: a five-night voyage to Bermuda.
Sailing roundtrip from New York City, the itinerary will mark Virgin’s debut in the U.S. Northeast and is set to be followed by additional sailings from the Big Apple. .
As the fourth ship in the company’s fleet, the Brilliant Lady was delivered to Virgin Voyages in early 2024.
With its maiden cruise pushed to late 2025, the ship spent over two years laid up in different ports in Europe, including Civitavecchia and Málaga.
Joining the Scarlet Lady, the Valiant Lady and the Resilient Lady, the vessel will now bring Virgin’s product to new markets and destinations.
Following its initial sailing in Canada and New England, the Brilliant Lady will offer itineraries in the Caribbean during the 2025-26 season.
The 2,770-guest ship then repositions to the West Coast for cruises to the Mexican Riviera, as well as a summer deployment in Alaska and Canada.
Marking Virgin’s debut in the region, the season includes a series of seven- to 12-night cruises sailing roundtrip from Seattle.
The Brilliant Lady is also set to offer repositioning cruises via the Panama Canal and Central America, as well as itineraries to Mexico and California departing from Vancouver and Los Angeles.
With a slightly modified design, the ship will introduce new features to Virgin’s fleet, including Rojo by Razzle Dazzle, a Spanish-inspired restaurant.
Other highlights of the vessel include an expanded entertainment lineup inspired by traveler and travel advisor feedback that features new shows, parties and interactive plays.
Multiple federal agencies are investigating a death on board a Texas-based Carnival Dream cruise ship, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
An unidentified person died on the Galveston-based Dream on Wednesday, the FBI Houston office confirmed to the Post.
The incident is being investigated by an FBI Maritime Liaison Agent based out of the Texas City Resident Agency, the US Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection, authorities said.
Officials haven’t said if the death appeared to be criminal in nature.
“Due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, I am not able to provide additional details at this time,” a spokesperson for the FBI’s Houston office said in a statement.
Passengers aboard the ship, which travels to Costa Maya, Belize, and Cozumel, woke up to sirens around 3 a.m. on the day of the incident, News 4 San Antonio reported.
One man reportedly heard an announcement requesting medical attention on the Serenity Deck, the outlet said.
Carnival Cruise Line has since dismissed that there is any investigation regarding a “suspicious death,” the outlet reported.
“There is no investigation about a suspicious death on Carnival Dream, and it’s disappointing to learn that any guests might be spreading rumors about something they know nothing about,” the company said in a statement to the outlet.
Carnival Cruise Line did not immediately respond to a request from The Post for comment.
GALVESTON, Texas — The Carnival Dream cruise ship, based out of Galveston, is currently the focus of a death investigation. However, law enforcement sources have not confirmed if the incident is criminal in nature.
A spokesperson for the FBI’s Houston office stated, “I can confirm FBI Houston is aware of an incident that occurred around July 23, 2025, on the Carnival Dream cruise ship. An FBI maritime liaison agent, based out of the Texas City resident agency, is coordinating with the U.S. Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection, and the cruise line regarding this incident.”
Passengers aboard the ship, which travels to Costa Maya, Belize, and Cozumel, reported waking up to the sound of sirens around 3 or 4 a.m. on the day of the incident. One passenger, speaking off-camera, mentioned hearing an announcement requesting medical assistance at the Serenity Deck.
In response to circulating theories about the incident, Carnival Cruise Line issued a statement saying, “There is no investigation about a suspicious death on Carnival Dream and it’s disappointing to learn that any guests might be spreading rumors about something they know nothing about.”
The FBI is the primary federal agency authorized to investigate potential crimes on the high seas. Their ability to investigate depends on several factors, including the ship’s location, points of embarkation and debarkation, and the nationality of the potential suspect or victim. Additionally, other countries may also seek to investigate certain incidents.
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