Virgin Voyages begins their very first Alaskan season with some very successful approaches.

• Different sorts of entertainment and enrichment activities on the ship.
• Shore excursions were made a little extra special by Virgin’s Shore Things teams.
• Small touches and new approaches make a big difference from other Virgin Sailings and other cruise lines in Alaska.

Could Virgin Voyages Pull Off Alaska?

The Alaskan cruise market is one of the most competitive, in demand, and saturated areas in cruising. When Virgin Voyages announced that they would be delaying the launch of their fourth ship, the Brilliant Lady, to modify it to be able to traverse the Panama Canal, they also said that they would be sailing in Alaska. Fans of the line were immediately excited, yet many remained trepidatious that Virgin, who built their ships for the balmy warmth of the Caribbean and Mediterranean, would handle the colder Alaskan climates well.

Could a line that throws a party like this, ever fit in up in Alaska?

Many pointed out that Virgin’s pools were open air, that Richard’s Rooftop (the small part of the ship reserved exclusively to suite guests) was also exposed to the elements. Virgin Voyage’s famous balcony hammocks were feared to be useless in the Alaskan weather, mostly because of the brisk temperatures. Speculation swirled around what the line could possibly do to stand out in a market swelling with other options. Is it possible to offer something no other line has offered when there are already more than 800 Alaskan sailings each year? Well, I went to find out.

One last thing before we dive in, this is a review. That means that even though we are travel agents, when we took this sailing it was at full price and there were no special benefits that we received. That means that what we experienced was the same that anyone could experience.

Expectations

I’d sailed Virgin Voyages six times before stepping onboard their inaugural Alaskan sailing, including once before on the Brilliant Lady. I’m well familiar with what the line offers. I also want to be clear about what I mean when I say inaugural, since Virgin has muddied the water somewhat. I sailed on an itinerary from Vancouver, B.C. to Seattle, WA and that itinerary was the first time Virgin Voyages sailed Alaska, it was not the “Mer-Maiden” Voyage though, that was actually the voyage after mine. Their rationale for this was because the “Mer-Maiden” was the first time they sailed from their home port of Seattle.

The Mer-Maiden was the next sailing after the one I took. So, I was on the first Alaskan voyage for the line, just not the big flashy one.

When crews have never sailed to a region before, it can be a bit of a shakedown voyage. The staff have new menus catered to the region, that means different drinks to concoct, new dishes to prep, and new suppliers and supplies to work with. The crew are also getting used to the behavior of guests in the new region, such as when sailors are leaving their rooms so the house keeping staff can clean up and what activities are popular. Virgin Voyages has a very good reputation for guest service and food quality on their ships, so there’s pressure to perform here.

All in all, my expectations were high, since I’ve had many nice voyages on Virgin, but I was prepared for some hiccups.

The Brilliant Lady Is Different

Since not everyone is up to speed on Virgin Voyages, their ships, and their reputation, it’s worth a quick rundown.

• Virgin has four ships, The Scarlet Lady, Valiant Lady, Resilient Lady, and Brilliant Lady. The Brilliant is the most recent addition.
• They’ve got a reputation for great food and drinks.
• Their ships were designed with warm weather in mind – they’ve got balcony hammocks, lots of areas to lay in the sun, and tons of open-air spaces.

The last point has been a significant concern for some sailors thinking about taking Virgin Voyages Alaska.

Virgin Voyages was either thinking ahead or listening to feedback from sailors about concerns with the ship in Alaska. When the Brilliant Lady was delayed, Virgin not only modified the lifeboat mounting to become Panama Canal compliant, they also took the time to make some changes to their outdoor areas.

At the aft on deck 7, at The Dock, the outdoor chairs on The Brilliant Lady have been improved when compared to their counterparts on the other Lady Ships. As many people have noted and commented on, the original wooden deck chairs are extremely heavy, low to the ground, and generally not very comfortable to sit in. The chairs at The Dock on the Brilliant are much more comfortable and easier to sit in. This means better viewing of the gorgeous Alaskan vistas.

On deck 15, the two pools are heated, unlike the other three Virgin ships. They weren’t what many would call warm, but they were comfortable. We, and several others we became friends with, all went in the pool and thought it was quite nice but colder than when in the Caribbean. I’d guess the water temperature was around 70-75˚F (21-24˚C). There also wasn’t anyone really using the pool, so it wasn’t crowded. The folks that we were with were quite happy with the experience. The hot tubs were still hot, just so we’re clear that they are there.

Virgin swapped out some of the towels on deck for blankets. A welcome change and something that I wasn’t expecting them to do.

There were some, online, bemoaning that the pools weren’t enclosed, which is true. Whether that matters to you isn’t for me to say, but it didn’t dissipate my enjoyment. For what it’s worth, in my experience, Alaska isn’t the kind of place you go to enjoy a pool, even on a cruise. Most excursions involve being outside, many involve hiking, and almost all the ports are inside a literal rain forest, so being wet outside isn’t exactly a novel feeling in The Last Frontier.

One deck up, on 16, at the Athletic Club, the Brilliant Lady was updated to have the day bed lounging face outward and for the outer railing to be glass. As I write, the Valiant Lady is being updated to an identical configuration of the day beds on the Brilliant, but the other two ships face inward. Appreciating Hubbard glacier from this space was very easy and relaxed.

At every outdoor area, Virgin Voyages swapped out the stacks of towels for stacks of blankets. Although having outdoor blankets is hardly unique to Virgin, Princess offers blankets for their Movies Under the Stars, it’s something that I’ve not found on some lines in Alaska. Sailing Regent Seven Seas last year in Alaska, for example, they did not offer blankets on the open-air areas. On Virgin Voyages, I spent an hour or so lying comfortably under a blanket by the pool on one of the lounge chairs, it was quite enjoyable.

Cuisine

Virgin Voyages’ eateries are all what the cruise industry has come to call “premium restaurants.” This means that Virgin’s ships have no Main Dining Room, unlike many other cruises. Instead, you’ll eat at one of these dedicated and culinarily themed establishments each night. This has led some repeat customers to complain about the mostly static menus. Fortunately, Virgin has been listening here as well.

In the last year, each of the dining establishments on the ships have added limited time specials in addition to their standard menu. I always take the kitchen up on their short-term offerings and have never been disappointed. Virgin has gone a step further for their Alaskan sailings, though, by offering specific regional dishes on some of their menus.

Of the Alaskan exclusives, my personal favorite was the venison loin at the wake. I’m from a state where our schools and communities actually shut down for the start of deer season. Venison is a staple in our diets and I’ve eaten it my whole life. I can say with certainty that Virgin’s preparation was close to the best I’ve ever tasted. If you like fish, I also wouldn’t miss the roasted cod at Rojo. When I reviewed Rojo last year, I said it was the best of Virgin’s restaurants; their cod only reinforces the skill of that kitchen.

The venison at The Wake was astounding! One of my favorite dishes that Virgin has ever made and an excellent preparation even when compared to restaurants on land.

There are also limited items at the bars. Should you be inclined to partake of some alcohol on your sailing, Virgin has brought a cask of mulled wine aboard! Okay, so I don’t know if they actually have a cask, but they are offering the spiced drink. They also added a Hot Toddy to the drink list. The classic bourbon beverage happens to be one of my favorite cold weather drinks and I thought that they made theirs quite well. Virgin has always used higher quality alcohol than other lines in their cocktails, and they continue to do so with the these beverages.

Virgin Voyages’ Alaskan sailings feature additions to the coffee bars as well. At the Grounds Clubs, the ship’s cafés, I found two limited time espresso drinks, the Salty Sea Otter and the Denali Late. The former is a salted caramel and mocha brew, and the latter is a birch syrup infused latte. Both were delicious, although if you prefer a less sweet coffee, I recommend the Sea Otter as the Denali tended to be slightly more saccharine. That being said, it’s not often you get the chance to have birch syrup, so I would suggest trying it at least once because the taste is unique.

Events and Experiences

I’ve taken quite a few cruises and Virgin Voyages offers what, I think, to be the best entertainment, activities, and events of any line. I made my feelings clear some time back now and it hasn’t changed since then. The new shows on the Brilliant Lady are very popular, including the additional paid dinner shows.

On Virgin Voyages Alaska they are offering some new events and activities as well as speakers. The Happenings Cast is hosting several new events that were very popular with the sailors. The Crack The Crab event was a game show tied into eating crab and it was a massive hit. I personally get quite nervous in games like that, despite how very low stakes it is, so I only observed, but the participants were very invested.

In the evenings while the ship sailed in the Alaska fjords, which is to say the end of port days, there was an outdoor event at The Dock at sunset. As hues of auburn dapple the gold washed sky, one of the Happenings Cast will tell a short story to the assembled crowd. It’s only about 10 minutes total, but then an interesting thing happened each time, the people stuck around. Nearly everyone who came each night, which was usually 75 or more people, gathered together with their blankets and just started talking with each other. It was a wonderful event. I can’t guarantee that will happen with any particular sailing, but it happened with mine.

Virgin Voyages Alaska had a new game for the Happenings cast to host called, Crak The Crab. It was a riot!

Virgin also had a member of the Tlingit tribe on the ship to teach guests about the traditional woodworking techniques of the tribe and share the history of the people. When we were at Hubbard glacier, Virgin brought a naturalist on the ship who spoke over the PA system about what we were seeing around us. They also had mobile drink carts serving coffee and hot chocolate (as well as more adult beverages) on deck 16 while we were at the glacier. Although those sorts of things are the expectation for any cruise that visits Alaska, they are new for Virgin, especially having someone talking on the PA. After all, the line is known for their approach to reduce announcements as much as possible. Virgin, for example, does not have the captain address the ship each morning while most other lines do.

Just like their musical performers, these two guests will change between sailings, and you’ll experience something different from me. The point of mentioning it here is to highlight that Virgin Voyages Alaska is doing things a little differently from their usual approach. There’s even a temporary Happenings Cast member, The Lumberjack. If you read my Alaskan excursion article, you’ll know how much I enjoy lumberjacks! He was only on for a couple days, until we reached Ketchikan, where he got off the ship. How much he’ll be back I don’t know, but it was fun while he was aboard (I just wish I got a picture with him, but there was considerable competition).

Successes

Virgin Voyages Alaska had some truly outstanding things that they do to make your time onboard their ship special. While every line does something a little different for Alaska, Virgin is one of the few adults only cruise lines in the world, so their clientele is slightly different.

What I haven’t mentioned yet in this article are the small touches that they put into their rooms. Each room was equipped with a very soft, plush, fleece blanket. Our Sea Terrace room had two, one each for Nichole and I. Of course they were a red color, but hued closer to maroon than Virgin’s signature scarlet. Not only were they warm enough to make for a cozy bed each night, but they also kept you toasty should you decide to spend time outside on your balcony, like enjoying the hammock, which is something I certainly did.

In the RockStar and Mega RockStar suites (which I didn’t pay for this trip but certainly have in the past), Virgin included not only the blankets but also a pair of Binoculars. The brand and model they chose is, and I swear I had no idea, the exact same ones that I recommended just a matter of weeks ago in my article on What to Pack for Alaska. I asked several suite guests what they thought of the binoculars and they had nothing but praise for them. It seems that my recommendation is a good one.

I wasn’t sure if Virgin Voyages Alaska would make an adaptation to their linens, but they did. There’s nothing amazing about these fleece blankets, but having them at all made a huge difference.

There’s other small touches that made a difference. During our time at Hubbard Glacier, Virgin had mobile hot chocolate and coffee carts on deck 16, which is where most people were observing the glacier. You could also have spiked those beverages if you wished. We also got a sneak preview of what, we confirmed with crew, Virgin is trying to do at Hubbard. They brought a small boat up to the Brilliant Lady for a film crew to get on. That was also a test to see if they could sell that as an excursion! Keep an eye out for that in the future because the camera crew said it was stunning.

Speaking of beverages, something that I hadn’t expected was the included alcohol on several different excursions we went on. It’s not that I have never had alcohol included with an excursion, there are many catamarans in the Caribbean who serve cheap rum drinks while you snorkel, it’s more that I wasn’t expecting it in Alaska and it wasn’t included in other cruise ships that booked them. The only reason that I know that is because when we went to the Lumberjack Show (which you should go to), the announcer specifically stated that guests from our ship were given drink tickets and that other lines weren’t. I can’t say if that will always be the case, but I can say that it’s a lot easier to throw in a free drink as a bonus for booking that excursion if the cruise line has no kids on it.

Some Failures

Not everything is perfect, though, not that I expect it to be but it should be mentioned regardless. Virgin Voyages Alaska had some shortcomings that did impact our trip.

At the top of the article, I mentioned Richard’s Rooftop, the suite guests’ exclusive area of the ship. People worried that it wouldn’t be used much in Alaska given that it’s an open air space and Alaska is, well, not the Caribbean. Since I wasn’t staying in a suite, I didn’t have access to this space but, I can look through the glass partition. What I saw was minimal use, which was what people predicted. I’m not sure what Virgin could do to correct that short of a complete redesign that I don’t think they want to do. The one thing that was in use in the Richard’s Rooftop area was the hot tubs, those remained popular.

The most significant shortcoming is the tender port of Juneau. For anyone who is unfamiliar with the term, a tender port is any port where you are not docked at a pier, but rather you are docked away from shore and need to board a smaller boat to get to shore. There are many places where this is the only way to visit, from small towns like Eastport Maine, to very popular places like Grand Cayman.

Juneau has quite a few shoreside docking places, but it also has many ships that come each day. If your ship is smaller or newer to the rotation, you’re likely going to experience Juneau as a tender port. Virgin’s ships are not small, nor are they particularly large for the cruise industry. They are new to Alaska, however, and that puts them fairly low in the pecking order, thus they are tendering people in.

I don’t know what Virgin Voyages Alaska has going wrong in Juneau with the tendering, but they really do need to sort that out.

The tender situation was rather chaotic for us. On every cruise, people with shore excursions will get priority to take the tender, often staged by groups, before anyone without an excursion will be taken to shore. Even with the grouping and scheduling, we didn’t get to shore until an hour after our tour was supposed to begin. This meant that we lost time on our excursion. We still went on the excursion because it was waiting for all of us from the ship, but we lost an hour. That meant that we didn’t get to whale watch and hike at Mendenhall glacier as much as we should have.

Problems with the tendering don’t seem to be limited to just our cruise either since, as I write this, there are reports coming in about similar issues happening at Juneau once again.

I can’t say for sure what the cause of the delay was, but something wasn’t right that day. Keep this in mind when booking things in Juneau. Also, to be clear, when I say people with an excursion get priority, what I mean is, people with an excursion booked through the cruise line get priority. If you booked an excursion on your own… you will have to wait in the standby line or book the first available slot once tender slot booking is opened up in the Virgin Voyages app. Realistically, if you book an excursion in the morning at Juneau and it isn’t through the cruise line, you aren’t going to make it. You shouldn’t book anything before, at the earliest, 1PM if you’re doing it on your own.

In fact, I would caution you from booking anything on your own in Juneau right now.

Most of the dishes on the Virgin Voyages Alaska sailing we did were excellent… not the Achiote Spiced Salmon from Pink Agave. Maybe skip this one.

That was the only major issue that we ran into, but there are some minor flubs that you should have a heads up about.

• The shows are very popular, so much Virgin is rumored to be bringing back ticketing for them. (That doesn’t mean that they will cost extra, it’s just to control crowd size and eliminate people just waiting in line.) We can’t confirm their plans as of writing, but this is a widespread rumor.
  
  For now, you should know that if you want to see a show, you’ll need to line up early; unless you are sailing as a RockStar, of course.
• When the Lumberjack is on, they aren’t on for very long. I can’t even say this is truly a flub, but Virgin didn’t make it completely clear that he is only on for a couple days of any cruise.
• Pink Agave’s Alaska menu item, the Achiote Spiced Salmon, isn’t great. I love salmon and cook it frequently; I’m no stranger to this fish. The approach here, with the combination of flavors and the cooking technique, just doesn’t work. I would avoid this one and get something else from the menu.

Conclusion

Many fans of Virgin Voyages worried that they would fumble Alaska. They said that the pools won’t be any good, that the ship wouldn’t be fun outside of balmy weather, that Virgin wasn’t designed as a line to sail in cold weather. I can confidently say that all those fears are overblown.

Virgin Voyages Alaska sufficiently altered their approach to sailing to meet the needs and desires of the area. There were many long time Virgins… wait… There were many returning Virgin guests we met on the ship that raved about how much fun they were having. I ended up socializing with people more than I usually do because folks were in a fantastic mood and having fun.

I love Skagway! The owners of the Red Onion put this sign out for our first visit and it’s perfect. I really do love that town.

Yes, Scarlet Night was a little more subdued given that the top deck dance party was moved inside and likely will be for much of the season. That change didn’t dampen people’s spirits, though, as all through Scarlet Night people were spotting whales off the side of the ship and it turned into a mix of dancing and nature watching. That’s not something that I’ve ever seen in the warm waters of the gulf.

I spent hours watching the scenery pass by, warmly wrapped in blankets, curled up in the hammock. There was delicious venison, cod, crab, salmon, and halibut, at every restaurant. The mood was bright and fun, as it always is, but there were opportunities to engage in culture and education that don’t typically happen on Virgin’s sailings.

At the end of the day, I’ve been to Alaska before, but I’ve never had such a good time as this.

The post Virgin Voyages First Alaska Sailing Review – Stunning And Successful appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.

“To our Guests: all flights have been cancelled, and customer service is no longer available, we are proud of the impact of our ultra-low-cost model on the industry over the last 34 years and had hoped to serve our Guests for many years to come.”

Following this message, they ceased all operations, leaving 277 flights on that day alone cancelled and the passengers stranded where they were.

Wall Street Journal first reported this turn of events was likely only the afternoon before, so the sudden shuttering caught a lot of people off guard.

In response, most major airlines have put out special offers and discounted rates to the people affected by the closure.

So now that Spirit is gone, how exactly did we get here?

Spirit Airlines Financial Issues

Spirit Airlines began its life as, believe it or not, Clipper Trucking Company in 1964. They appear to have been quite successful as by 1974, just ten years later, the company changed its name to Ground Air Transfer and then, only nine years after that, they changed their name again. In 1983, the company started flying as Charter One Airlines, which eventually changed its name, again, to Spirit Airlines in May of 1992.

Its business model was to offer very basic flights at ultra-low fares. Of course, as many people know, they would also throw in fees for any possible add-ons should you choose to buy them. This model let them undercut the larger players in the industry, even as those airlines merged and became more monopolistic in their markets.

As Spirit Airlines Shuts Down, a look back at when they started. By Aero Icarus from Zürich,

The next 28 years saw the airline grow consistently. At their peak, the carrier was the 7^th largest in the US. However, they ran into serious trouble during the COVID pandemic in 2020 when global travel ground to a halt. Although they, like their competitors in the industry, received financial aid in the Coronavirus Air, Relief and Economic Security Act, otherwise known as CARES, instability for the airline still followed the pandemic.

Beginning in February of 2022, there were several attempts by both Frontier and JetBlue to acquire Spirit Airlines. The first proposal came from Frontier Airlines, which offered a mix of cash and stock for $2.9 billion to Spirit’s shareholders. In April of the same year, JetBlue offered an all-cash deal worth $3.6 billion.

Both of these offers were initially rejected by Spirit’s shareholders. JetBlue was the first to be turned away in May of 2022, then came the rejection of Frontier in July of that year. In rejecting JetBlue, Spirit indicated that it believed that the Justice Department would reject the deal on the basis that it was anticompetitive. However, the rejection of Frontier seems to be a little more… simple. Spirit decided to reconsider JetBlue’s offer and accept it.

The warning that Spirit gave about the acquisition being challenged proved to be quite prescient, though, because it was. Over the next, nearly, two years the DOJ challenged the purchase and by March of 2024, JetBlue ended their efforts to acquire Spirit. In January of 2024, a judge blocked the takeover attempt writing in the decisions that the deal was anticompetitive. By November of that year, Spirit declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Only a few months later, in January of 2025, Frontier Airlines once again offered to purchase Spirit. The offer was for $2.1 billion in cash and stock but, unlike last time Spirit did not reject the offer. However, nothing seems to have ever come from this offer nor the negotiations.

Spirit completed their bankruptcy and restructuring that began in November 2024, in March but by August of 2025 they entered bankruptcy again.

The Final Nail

The final nail in the coffin for Spirit came in February 2026 when the United States and Israel engaged in a joint attack of Iran leading to the shutting down of the Strait of Hormuz. With the critical waterway shut down, gas and oil prices have continued to climb rapidly, affecting industries all over the world, including air travel. As you’ve likely heard, there’s a jet fuel shortage hitting Europe now, causing many airlines to cancel flights and consolidate schedules.

The shortage of fuel shot the price skyrocketing. These increases in costs pushed the flagging Spirit Airlines to the edge. In April of 2026, just last month, Spirit was seeking a government bailout to keep from collapsing. On May 1^st, those bailout negotiations with the Trump administration fell apart and less than 24 hours later they announced the complete shuttering of operations.

Spirit Airlines specifically cited the Iran War and the spiking fuel costs as the reason for its shutdown.

Conclusion

There were thousands of passengers left stranded by this closure, and I can only imagine how much luggage will forever remain lost. We are likely to see the fallout of this for years to come. There are now thousands of staff that are out of a job, and billions of dollars’ worth of equipment that is now sitting unused. There are also fewer options for consumers to choose for their travel.

I’m not sure why Spirit couldn’t come out of the pandemic with any amount of stability. There was a travel boom that sprung forth from lockdown being lifted, they just didn’t seem to be able to fully capitalize on it. By the time you’re reading this, most stranded passengers are likely already home or have sorted out their return plans.

On a personal note, to all of the staff that are now searching for what to do next, you have my empathy. I know all too well what it’s like to have your job unexpectedly taken from you. I wish you all the best in finding your next job or step in life.

*Image Credit: Acroterion – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=163002246

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TSA Staffing Issues

The Department of Homeland has been experiencing a partial shutdown for nearly 40 days now. TSA, Coast Guard, FEMA, and other agencies are all impacted by the impasse in the federal government. It’s been more than a month since TSA agents have been paid and it is affecting the staffing levels at airports.

Most of the staffing issues are being blamed on absenteeism. DHS officials have stated that recent call out rates are over 10% for security officers, compared to a typical rate of around 2%. That figure is an average and specific absenteeism rates for your airport may be higher or lower. DHS has also reported that 366 TSA officers have quit their job. I could not verify if the absentee or resignation rates are abnormally high, but not being paid does not incentivize going to work so an increase would make sense.

Reduced staffing has lead to increased wait times in airports all around the country. Screening lines in New Orleans, Atlanta, New York, and Houston, among many others, have been reported taking travelers hours to clear. Some travelers even posted to social media that they arrived more than four hours early to their New Orleans flight and still missed it.

The Trump administration has now deployed ICE agents to airports for the stated purpose of alleviating the burdens on TSA agents. The efficacy of that move is unknown at this point and the largest federal workers union has warned that ICE agents are not trained to be TSA agents and it won’t help the situation.

Airport Shutdowns

Adding to the worries is a lingering warning from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy that small airports may shut down if funding is not restored. The comments were made last week to multiple outlets.

The Secretary warned that the shortage of screeners at TSA checkpoints may lead to closing “small airports.” There have not been specific airports listed, but the theory is that larger airports could consolidate their screening lines to fewer points to deal with reduced staffing but that smaller airports may only have one screening point that may be unstaffed. If there is no security screening, then passengers cannot board planes and the airport may need to close.

With hundreds of airports throughout the country, keeping any eye on your own airport and being ready for last minute adjustments is essential for you to do.

Rising Costs

The ongoing war with Iran has disrupted global shipping and energy supply. Plane ticket costs rose dramatically in some cases and have remained fairly flat in others. As a travel agency we have a unique perspective in that we are often quoting flights and tracking their costs for clients.

As I’ve written about, some flights that we’ve observed have risen by more than 20% in price since before the war began. Other flights have remained largely flat in price, rising only slightly, by only around $20.

Unpredictability appears to be the name of the game here. Trying to plan around pricing of flights does not appear to be following typical ups and downs and, like I said in other articles, buying when you are comfortable with the cost is the best approach right now. There are a few things that are holding true; buying flights several months out (4-7 months specifically) is better than buying closer, busier seasonal flights (like spring break to popular cities) are more expensive than slower times of the year, and using price trackers is a good idea. Google flights is a good tracker for the price of tickets if you’ve never used one before.

What can you do?

The most important thing to do right now is keep an eye on your local airport status. The DHS shutdown is rapidly evolving and is very unpredictable. I continue to see reports that there are productive conversations going on in congress. However, I’ve been seeing similar statements since the start of the shutdown, and I can’t say how accurate they are.

The shutdown may continue for some time, it also might be over by the time this is published. With no way to know, keep yourself apprised of what’s happening at your local airport. Obviously, you should also give yourself a lot of time to get through security. I mean at least 3 hours, maybe 4. If there are airport shutdowns, reaching out to the airline your are booked with is the best place to start.

I truly wish that I didn’t have to relay frustrating travel information to you, but my job is to keep you informed of things in travel you need to know, even if that news isn’t great.

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New Restaurant on the Valiant Lady

Just a matter of days ago, Virgin Voyages announced that they will be making an update to the Razzle Dazzle restaurant on the Valiant Lady. The fact that they are changing the restaurant isn’t news at this point, since they announced that they would be changing it quite some time ago, but we hadn’t learned what cuisine it would be until now.

The new establishment will be called Ariya and it will feature Indian dishes “reimagined with contemporary flair.” Frankly, I’m a bit clueless as to what that last part means and I’ve worked in food service to know puffery when I see it. Don’t misconstrue this, though, I am very much looking forward to trying the new restaurant.

Virgin Voyages’ New Restaraunt – Ariya

Virgin posted some delicious sounding previews from the menu:

• Golgappa Shot: crisp pani puri, chilled spiced herb water
• Malabar Coconut Crab Cake: golden crab cake, coconut spice, green papaya slaw
• Lamb Shank Biryani: papadum, fragrant saffron basmati
• Eggplant Saag Napoleon: roasted eggplant, creamy spinach saag, crisp papadum
• Gulab Jamun Stuffed Cheesecake: cheesecake, saffron-cardamom donut bites

There will also be a complimentary jaljeera, which they describe as, “a chilled blend of tamarind, cumin, mint, and lemon.” This will be served to greet sailors as they arrive at the restaurant, similar to the beverage served when you dine at Test Kitchen.

It’s long been speculated that Virgin would announce an Indian restaurant to update Razzle Dazzle. Previously they created Lucky Lotus and Rojo, which I wrote about and had very high praise for. The roots of Razzle Dazzle, were in vegan and vegetarian forward dishes, which Indian cuisine is exceptionally good at, making Aryia a wisely chosen successor.

Pier Changes in New York

The inaugural New York season for Virgin Voyages was centered at Pier 90 in Manhattan, where the ship’s departed from and returned to. However, Pier 90 is closed to receive infrastructure updates, creating capacity issues at the Manhattan terminal. Virgin moved their 2026 operations to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal as the capacity issues forced them to move.

Passengers who had booked impacted itineraries have been notified by the cruise line of the changes, but if you’re thinking about taking a New York sailing this Spring or Fall you should know that the departing location has changed. Here’s which sailings are impacted:

April of 2026

• 5-night Sailing: The Big Apple to Bermuda – April 6, 2026
• 5-night Sailing: Virgin Voyages Comedy Fest New York – April 11, 2026
• 9-night Sailing: Bermuda Beauty to East Coast Elegance – April 16, 2026
• 14-night Sailing: New York Transatlantic Crossing to Spain – April 25, 2026

September of 2026:

• 8-night Sailing: Fall Foliage in Canada & New England – September 19, 2026
• 5-night Sailing: The Big Apple to Bermuda – September 27, 2026

October of 2026:

• 5-night Sailing: The Big Apple to Bermuda – October 2, 2026
• 6-night Sailing: New York to Bermuda (& Back) – October 7, 2026
• 6-night Sailing: New York to Bermuda (& Back) – October 13, 2026
• 12-night Sailing: NY to San Juan: Bermuda & Caribbean – October 19, 2026

The difference in leaving from Brooklyn as opposed to Manhattan isn’t that much of an impact – as long as you go to the correct pier.

The Brilliant Lady Docked at Pier 90 in New York City

Having sailed from the Manhattan Cruise Terminal, I can confidently say that, yes, it needs these updates. Literally, whatever they are updating it needs it. The staff handled everything wonderfully and boarding was incredibly smooth, but the infrastructure was obviously in need of refurbishment and replacement. The overhaul is more than replacing carpets and benches, this will be significant.

New York Sailings Disappear

What’s more concerning is that after the fall of 2026, New York appears nowhere on their deployment chart, which is a cruise line’s plan for where their ships will be deployed. That means that for 2027, Virgin Voyages will not be sailing from the Big Apple. The deployment chart that we have goes until March of 2028, so it is possible that New York may be restored in Spring and Summer of that year, but we cannot be sure.

As of writing Virgin has made no public comment on why they are abandoning one of their “home ports.” In 2024, when the Brilliant Lady was announced, Virgin proclaimed, with no small amount of fanfare, that New York would be a new East Coast home for them. The popular New York – Bahamas/Carolinas cruises make a strong seasonal market and the scarlet cruise line wanted a piece of it. It makes their backing out all the more mysterious and disappointing.

Virgin Voyages 2026-Mar 2028 Deploayment Chart

We have reached out to Virgin for comment and will update this piece if we get a response.  Until we are told otherwise, however, we can only speculate on why they are pulling out of this market – which is what I shall now do!

I suspect that this has something to do with the cruise terminal overhaul at Pier 90. When cruise companies make their schedules, they are looking 12-24 months out. The updates to Pier 90 are expected to take several years to complete and that is going to crunch the capacity of the New York market for the duration. That could mean that docking fees are rising in the area because of the reduction in capacity. It’s also possible that the availability of docks is incompatible with the other schedules that Virgin has already lined up.

It wouldn’t be the first time that Virgin has been forced to abandon a market due to forces outside their control. When the line launched, Australia and New Zeeland were very popular itineraries for them. They were selling well and people raved about the line in that market. Then, conflict broke out in Yemen and it made traversing the Red Sea quite a bit more dangerous, causing Virgin to cancel Australia and New Zeeland sailings. That conflict has not subsided and, as I’ve written about, the Middle East region hasn’t proven to be safer since then.

Hopefully we’ll see a restoration of the sailings from old New York, since I adored my time on one of them. Until then, there’s plenty of other reasons to visit the city.

The post Virgin Voyages New Restaurant and New York Changes appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.

Cancelled Cruises and Tours

There’s already been quite a bit written about the impact of cancelled flights in the Middle East due to the war against Iran, including my own. Thousands of travelers were stranded in the region with carriers working to re-route their travel plans through other airports if the airlines could fly at all. Even U.S. Embassies were telling U.S. citizens that they were unable to help get them home.

What hasn’t been covered as much (and, indeed, it is far less important) is that there have been cruise companies cancelling cruises in the region. Viking, one of the largest cruise companies in the world, cancelled Nile river cruises until the 12^th of March, which is a duration of not quite two weeks.

MSC Cruises cancelled sailings in the Arabian Gulf through the end of March and AmaWaterways made a similar move and suspended operations in Jordan and Dubai through the end of this month. Tauk land tours has also suspended their operations in multiple countries in the region, including Egypt, Jordan, and Isreal.

It is safe to assume that if you are a tour operator or cruise line working in the Middle East region, this war has stopped your business. At this time, most companies are indicating that they are resuming operations in April but, if the war continues, escalates, or expands, additional cancellations should be expected.

Spiking Fuel Costs

As drivers around the world are noting this week, fuel costs are increasing and, in some areas, the prices are skyrocketing. This is in direct response to the war on Iran and the disruptions it has caused. Since we are a travel agency, we see the cost of flights quite regularly and we’ve seen sharp increases even in a 24-hour period. Just today, we saw a $50 increase in price on a flight from the day before, which was a near 10% increase. The flight is in December.

Airlines feel the same squeeze motorists do at the pump, but the major carriers buy a lot more fuel than we do and they buy it using a lot of different mechanisms. They are, of course, passing the increased cost onto passengers right now. The price of your ticket is, at least in part, based on the current cost of fuel. Since the price of oil is increasing, we’re going to be paying more to fly.

Buying tickets now may save you money. It also may not. Given that the cause of the increase is a war, and war is unpredictable, we may see prices go back down fairly quickly or they may continue to rise. This is something that we cannot fully plan for.

Summer Delays in Europe

Not all the bad news is from the war, some of it is from new policy implementation. This summer, the European Commission is expected to fully implement their European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS). The new system requires travelers from countries that do not need visas, like from the U.S., to obtain an electronic travel authorization (ETA) before they leave on their flight.

Air travel problems are something we simply cannot avoid it seems.

The U.K. recently implemented a similar process, which I wrote about. The ETIAS system will have a fee of €20 with exemptions for under 18 and over 70. The ETA will, typically, remain valid for three years or until the passport expires.

The potential problems with this new system are the expected ones, namely ensuring that travelers register. If a passenger fails to get an ETA, they may be denied entry to the country and congest customs lines. That’s not the only thing that could go wrong, however. Systems failures, understaffing, unfamiliarity, and lack of training of agents can also contribute to delays.

This new system could cause hours of delays in entry for travelers. That could mean missed flights, tours, or hotel rooms.

What Can You Do?

Right now, I wouldn’t plan a trip this year to the Middle East. Egypt is likely safe, but everywhere east of it is going to be a problem. If the itinerary to your destination travels through airspace in the Middle East or stops at one of the airports in the region, I wouldn’t book that right now. No matter what you do, if your travels go anywhere near the region, I recommend that you get some sort of travel insurance.

If you need to book a flight, book it soon or wait it out and hope for oil prices to fall. There’s not really another option here, just choose whichever you feel best about.

Traveling to Europe likely won’t be that much of a challenge, but I would still plan for a delay. I’ve gone through European customs enough times to know that it’s not always the smoothest. I recall a customs line in Amsterdam with clerks shouting over the crowd to try and get info from passengers in an effort to triage the throngs of people awaiting entry. It… Well… It wasn’t great. We had a tight layover and they actually held the plane for us, something I’d never seen before or since.

If you leave yourself time, at least 3 hours between connections or other obligations, you should be safe.

The post More Air Travel Problems on the Horizon appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.

What Is Impacted

Over the weekend, airspace over large parts of the Middle East was closed. How long those closures will last is unknown but if past is any indication, it is likely to last for longer than a week. In June of 2025, when the last joint U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran was launched, the airspace disruption lasted for 12 days.

The only clarity to be found regarding travel disruptions is that they are happening. Airspace has already been closed in the region and passengers have already been stranded. To give a sense of scale to the disruption, the airports in Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, Qatar, Kuwait, and the UAE were just some of the countries that experienced flight cancellations.

Airlines have already advised passengers to keep a close eye on their flight status. A number of airlines have issued waivers to impacted passengers allowing rebooking their flight without paying additional fees or higher fares.

What To Expect

This is our take on the situation. If you are traveling to the region soon, definitely in the next two weeks, your flight will almost certainly be delayed or cancelled. Be ready to adjust your plans with no notice.

Travelers who are not traveling to the Middle East may not be directly impacted by the disruptions, but it is likely some knock-on effects will be felt. What those effects are remains unknown but there are a few things that could be easily imagined.

Increased security screening could be seen at all airports. The State Department indicated that this was a caution for U.S. citizens worldwide, which means here at home as well. Additional delays in TSA screening and customs is, in my opinion, likely. These delays are on top of any delays from the Department of Homeland Security’s decision last week to suspend Global Entry and TSA PreCheck (they quickly reinstated PreCheck).

The U.S. State Department’s Worldwide Travel Caution Could Herald Many Headaches.

Beyond the security delays, airlines themselves are massive machines and disrupting travel in one region can make things harder in other regions. I guarantee that you’ve had a flight delayed because a flight was delayed from another region. That could be because flight crew was needed from the other flight or it is just causing a disruption in takeoff and landing schedules.

The worldwide travel caution may also mean more crowded airports with more passengers on edge. Last-minute cancellations and delays could mean people stuck at terminals waiting hours or days. Those frustrations compound on everyone in the airport and airplane. Flight crews then have to deal with the additional pressure.

In short, be ready for tension and stress when traveling.

What Can You Do?

I give this advice to every single person who travels, regardless of the circumstances, timing, or destination: “Be aware, be prepared, and be reasonable.”

When you plan for the possibility of delays, it’s less stressful when they happen. If you get travel insurance, it can protect you from losses from disruptions. If you stay reasonable and calm, especially when dealing with employees of companies like Delta (think of gate agents and flight attendants), it will pay dividends.

The post State Department Issues Worldwide Travel Caution For All Americans appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.

England

The most important change starting February 25, 2026 is an entry fee/authorization from the United Kingdom. For many years, visitors from 85 countries have been able to enter the UK without a visa. Among that list are the United States, Canada, and France. Starting on the above date, visitors from those countries will need to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization or ETA before their visit.

A prompt to obtain an ETA will be sent by air carriers before travel and the fee will be £16. The ETA is good for two years or until passport expiration, whichever is sooner. Once the ETA has been approved, the traveler can visit as many times as they wish until expiration of the ETA. Importantly, the need to acquire an ETA applies to those simply traveling through the United Kingdom on their way to another destination.

Lest you think that this can be paid upon entry, no, it must be paid for and approved before travel. If you do not have an ETA, you will be denied entry into the UK. The British government recommends that you allow for a minimum of 3 business days before your travel to obtain an ETA. They do note that most people currently receive a decision within minutes, but I would err on the safe side and give at least those 3 business days.

Mexico’s Archeological Sites

The ancient Mayans and Aztecs constructed some of the most stunning cities in all of history. Their beauty and complexity never cease to amaze visitors and impress upon them the scale of the society they built. Each year they attract tourists from all over the world to bask in their wonder, including us. This year it will be more expensive than before if you want to visit Mayan or Aztec sites in Mexico.

Nichole at Kohunlich Mayan Ruins in Mexico. (It was very bright that day)

Reportedly, the travel fees to enter the sites are increasing from 104 pesos to 209 pesos. Exchange rates shift but, at the time of writing, this is around $12 US. The stated increase appears to be for the most popular sites, like Chichén Itzá, Tulum, or Cobá. Other sites may see different increases in their price. Typically, these fees are rolled into the booking cost of excursions to the sites. Travelers to the locations will likely see an increase in the cost of booking the excursion rather than paying any fee when arriving at the park.

Rome’s Trevi Fountain

Although hardly the oldest structure in the city, Rome’s famed Trevi Fountain has certainly made a splash with tourists since its completion in 1762. Every day, the breathtaking Baroque water feature draws in thousands of visitors. That, it seems, has become a bit of a problem for the locals.

Starting this year, Rome will assess a €2 fee to enter the fountain. Before you read into that phrasing, no, you cannot enter the waters of the fountain. This also isn’t the only site in Rome that will introduce entry fees this year. The Napoleonic Museum, the Giovanni Barracco Museum, and the Villa of Maxentius will all be assessing entry fees.

These new fees come as European nations are grappling with ever-rising complaints about over tourism. Italy, in particular, has seen tourism explode in recent years. Popular ports like Venice and Rome have seen huge increases in the number of visitors. These fees are introduced to curb mass visitation or, at the very least, generate revenue to build infrastructure to better handle the massive influx of tourism.

I doubt that we’ve seen the last of these fees and, let me reiterate, I understand why many of them are being assessed. The more people travel, the harder it becomes to maintain an area. That being said, if you’d rather travel somewhere a little more off the beaten path, you may want to check out one of my favorite places in the world.

The post New Travel Fees Around The Globe Starting 2026 appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.

The State Of Things

Starting in May of 2025, the TSA began enforcing the mandate for passengers on US flights to present Real ID compliant identification during the security screening process. However, they also allowed for some flexible enforcement. The flexibility allowed TSA agents to, for example, warn a passenger that their ID is non-compliant, rather than refusing entry altogether.

Starting last month, November 2025, the the government announced that there will now be TSA fees charged for using their alternative identity verification process, known as ConfirmID. Beginning February 1, 2026, TSA will increase the fee for using that system to $45, up from the current $18.

What Happens At The Airport

If you are flying February 1, 2026 or later and you do not have a Real ID or passport, be prepared to pay the $45.00 TSA fee before going through security at the airport. This TSA fee will allow you to use TSA Confirm.ID for a 10-day travel period. You will be able to pay this fee at the airport. TSA is developing an online link to pay this fee before arriving at the airport. However, it is not available at the time of writing.

Hopefully, paying the fee online will save you some time, when that system becomes available. However, you may still need to physically go through the TSA Confirm.ID screening prior to going through security.

Importantly, if your travel plans extend beyond 10 days, you will be required to pay another $45.00 and go through the screening again.

If you are flying in from another country and do not have a direct flight to your home airport. You will need to plan for extra time between your international and regional flight for this additional screening. Yes, that extra time is beyond the normal security screening.

Take Action

States have been issuing IDs that are Real ID compliant for a little while now. Exactly how long depends on the state), but it is possible that you do not have a Real ID. Here’s a list of some common forms of identification that count as a Real ID for boarding flights:

• Real ID compliant driver’s license.
• Enhanced driver’s license or enhanced ID (EDL or EID).
• Passport.
• DHS Trusted Traveler Card (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST).

If you’re not sure you have a Real ID, visit your state ID agency’s website or the REAL ID website. Important note, a Passport Card is acceptable ID for domestic flights but not international ones.

Our advice, avoid the TSA fee and get a passport or Real ID now. Even if it makes for a boring trip to the DMV. You might also want to rethink chasing airline status while you’re at it.

The post New Fees From The TSA appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.

This was a change that both guests and travel agents were pushing for, ourselves included. The original schedule frustrated so many travelers that they began choosing other cruise lines over Virgin. Obviously, it seems, the company took notice of the comments (read polite, if angry, urging) and made the necessary changes to the schedule.

Why Do So Many People Care?

Scheduling the eclipse day in a port may not immediately be a clear fumble, but it really is the cruise line equivalent of washing red clothes with white towels. Eclipses are amazingly beautiful astronomical events that occur with some regularity, but where they occur shifts quite broadly around the world. If you travel thousands of miles to another part of the globe, specifically to see an eclipse, only to have the weather be cloudy… well, that’s a bit frustrating. Hence, the eclipse cruise.

By viewing the eclipse from sea (if possible), you greatly reduce the chance of it being cloudy because the ship can move. The path of totality, where the complete solar eclipse is experienced, can be more than 100 miles wide. That gives lots of room for a ship to sail away from a band of clouds.

The experience of seeing an eclipse is something that cannot be adequately described with anything less than a novella. However, the land-based eclipse crowds and traffic jams are as irritating as the eclipse is magical. Why, then, would a cruise line schedule a port day for the eclipse? Nobody knows.

Second Time

The most frustrating part of this whole thing is that it’s an unforced error (apologies for my use of baseball terms to all our non-baseball fan readers).

Virgin Voyages already had two other itineraries on their schedule for the 2026 eclipse. Those cruises also had port days during the eclipse and, just like with the 2027 eclipse cruise, many of us had to push them to change the plans. In other words, we’d been through this already.

Fortunately, the plans for the Virgin Voyages eclipse cruises changed and they are now at sea for the eclipse.

If you are interested in sailing on the 2027 eclipse cruise, reach out to us for information. Space is limited, as it has been very popular, but we may be able to book you. Many 2026 solar eclipse cruises for the much shorter eclipse are already sold out.

By the way, in 2024 we were at sea off the coast of Mexico on the Emerald Princess. It was fantastic.

The post Virgin Voyages 2027 Eclipse Cruise: New Update appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.

Lock-It-In

Lock-It-In rates aren’t going anywhere. We thought this was clear when the initial changes were announced but we’ve seen online chatter than tells us otherwise. So, let’s state it plainly, Lock-It-In rates still exist. They won’t be available on every sailing, but they will still be deployed when Virgin wants to.

Cost of Premium

The Virgin Voyages updates didn’t initially have a price for the Premium fare. Now, though, we do, and the price is $45 per person per day.

Lots of people are asking if that’s worth paying and I always like to look at the math for things like this.

With the Premium fare, you get the Premium Wi-Fi (which allows you to stream media) and buying that as an addon for the voyage costs $30 per day. Also included in the Premium fare is $15 per day in Bar Tab. If you add those two together it would cost $45 per day.

The Premium fare also comes with the ability to book dining reservations 60 days before sailing and a dedicated phone support line.

That means that you’re, essentially, paying for the Wi-Fi and the Bar Tab as a package and you get some bonus time to book dining on top of it. Whether that makes it worth it for you is something only you can determine. I can say that the math works out just fine on it though.

My Next Virgin Voyage Certificates (MNVVs)

Another point of note is that the MNVVs will work with the Base fare. We’ve observed many people online worry that the much-loved booking certificate won’t work with the new Base fare, but it will.

They still won’t work with Lock-It-In rate, though.

Resident Rate Discounts

Since Base, Essential, and Premium are all categories of fare and are not promotional rates, regional resident discounts can be applied to them. That means that if you live in Florida, Georgia, the North East (New York, New Jersey, Connecticut), or Puerto Rico, then you qualify for a resident rate discount on all three fare categories.

This is also true for the first responder and military discount.

Deep Blue Extras

There’s also been some chatter about Deep Blue Extras and the Premium fare. I’m guessing that some people reading this may not know why those two things matter for each other, so let me explain before we go further.

Virgin Voyages has a loyalty program, like most major cruise lines, and the top tier of that loyalty program is called Deep Blue Extras (DBE). If you have sailed enough to have DBE, you get the following complimentary benefits on each sailing you book after that:

• Premium Wi-Fi
• $100 in Bar Tab
• A bag of laundry (a $55 value) and two pressed items
• Priority boarding

Obviously, those are some nice perks (and not the only ones you get from DBE) and they overlap slightly with the Premium fare benefits. At this time, Virgin has not indicated there will be any sort of discount for those with DBE if they purchase the Premium fare. The argument for doing so would be that those with DBE already have the Premium Wi-Fi and that the equivalent cost of $30 per day should be taken off the cost of the Premium fare.

It’s worth clarifying that even though the Premium Wi-Fi access would be duplicative, you would still receive the $15/day in Bar Tab.

The biggest benefit to booking Premium fare to someone who has Deep Blue Extras would be the 60 days dining reservation window. If that is worth $45/person/day to you, then approach it as paying the extra to help ensure you get the dining you want on the ship.

RockStar

One complaint that we’ve seen crop up is that RockStar sailors (that means you’ve booked a suite on the ship), do not get Premium Wi-Fi access and they don’t have an option to book a Premium fare. On the surface, I understand the reaction, but it’s not a reasonable complaint.

RockStar sailors can purchase Premium Wi-Fi à la carte at $30 per day for the voyage. They can also add $15 per day in Bar Tab. They also can book dining reservations 120 days out. Finally, they have their own priority support phone line to call.

That means that RockStars can literally buy the same perks (and get to book dining sooner) for the same price that Premium fare can in non-RockStar cabins.

If you want to argue that RockStar sailors should simply have Premium Wi-Fi included because they are already paying more and/or that their fare should come with some bonus Bar Tab, that’s between you and Virgin. Let them know in the post voyage feedback when you sail, they really do listen to it.

To be clear, for Mega RockStars (the most expensive suites) they get the fastest internet access available as part of their fare and all drinks under $25 are included.

Final Thoughts

Virgin is a growing cruise line and it’s gaining popularity quickly. We expect that there will be more Virgin Voyages updates in the future. There may be further changes to these packages down the road as they get sailor feedback, and we’ll keep our eyes open for it.

That’s why we’re here, though, to help break down what these changes mean and help you navigate them.

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