The new Brilliant Lady marks Virgin Voyages' first-ever visit to Vancouver | Daily Hive

The new Brilliant Lady marks Virgin Voyages' first-ever visit to Vancouver's Canada Place cruise ship terminal

Virgin Voyages' Brilliant Lady at the Canada Place cruise ship terminal in Downtown Vancouver. (Vancouver Fraser Port Authority)

Virgin Voyages’ newest ship officially arrived at the Port of Vancouver earlier this week, marking the cruise line’s first-ever visit at Downtown Vancouver’s Canada Place cruise ship terminal as it launched a new Alaska sailing itinerary from Vancouver.

The cruise line’s ship, the 2025-built Brilliant Lady, arrived as part of its inaugural annual Alaska itinerary.

The vessel, which carries approximately 2,700 passengers and has a gross tonnage of 108,232 GT, embarked and disembarked travellers at Canada Place before departing through the Inside Passage on its way to Alaska.

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The next time Virgin Voyages will visit Vancouver is Sept. 11, when the same vessel makes an overnight stop at Canada Place. Brilliant Lady will make a total of two calls at Canada Place this year, and she is also currently scheduled to make two calls in Vancouver in 2027.

Although Brilliant Lady will have a very limited presence this year and in 2027, its arrival adds another major operator to Vancouver’s long-established Alaska cruise business, which has grown into one of the city’s largest tourism sectors.

“We are delighted to welcome Virgin Voyages to the Port of Vancouver as the newest member of our thriving cruise sector,” said Jane Banham, director of trade development at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, in a statement.

“Virgin’s innovative cruise experience, and strong commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainable tourism are an excellent fit with our vision for a vibrant, sustainable Vancouver cruise sector. We look forward to working closely with Virgin Voyages to showcase our unique destination, support our local business community and create memorable experiences for their Sailors.”

Virgin Voyages, founded by Virgin Group founder Richard Branson, has positioned itself as a more modern and design-focused alternative in the cruise industry, emphasizing adult-only travel, upscale dining, and entertainment-driven experiences.

This is a new cruise line that made its inaugural sailing with its first vessel in Fall 2020. Brilliant Lady is the cruise line’s fourth vessel.

According to the company, passengers aboard Brilliant Lady can expect several new onboard concepts, including a Spanish-inspired restaurant, original live productions and spaces designed to balance social activity with relaxation.

Vancouver departures also give travellers immediate access to the Pacific Northwest coastline and the Inside Passage route through British Columbia.

“Vancouver is one of those rare places where city and nature come together, but what really makes it stand out is the energy of the city itself and the people who shape it,” said Natasha Salzedo, senior director of itineraries and destinations for Virgin Voyages.

This year, Canada Place is also commemorating its 40th anniversary of cruise ship operations. It was built in time for its use as the Canada Pavilion for the Expo ’86 World’s Fair — serving as a hotel, office space, the city’s first and only space for Vancouver Convention Centre for decades, and a cruise ship terminal.

It has served as a key homeport for Alaska cruises ever since Holland America Line made the inaugural cruise ship arrival just before the start of the World’s Fair.

Nearly 360 cruise ship visits are scheduled for Canada Place this year, according to the port authority. This year’s passenger volumes are expected to reach over 1.4 million, surpassing the previous record of 1.32 million set in 2024.

Moreover, it is anticipated Canada Place will see staggering volumes of 40,000 to 50,000 passengers each weekend during the peak season, reaching up to 56,000 for one weekend in mid-September.

It is estimated that each ship call contributes roughly $3 million to the local economy through spending by passengers on local restaurants, shops, hotels, attractions, entertainment, transportation, and other services, as well as ship resupply purchases during each homeport call and the major employment generated.

However, the biggest new addition this season is the Disney Magic, which homeported at Canada Place earlier this month for the very first time — joining the local mainstay Disney Wonder, which has been serving Alaska itineraries from Vancouver each season for over a decade.

Disney Magic was built in 1997 and was the very first vessel of Disney Cruise Line. Disney Magic and Disney Wonder represent the Magic-class ships in Disney Cruise Line’s fleet, with Disney Wonder entering service in 1998.

Disney Cruise Line debuted its seasonal Alaska cruises from Canada Place in 2011 with Disney Wonder. Although the ship temporarily relocated to Seattle in 2012, it returned to Vancouver in 2013, drawn by Canada Place’s far superior passenger ratings.

With Disney Wonder and Disney Magic combined, Disney Cruise Line has effectively doubled its Vancouver capacity for the season. Disney Wonder will make 21 sailings from Canada Place this season, while Disney Magic will make 20 sailings. Disney Magic’s first-ever sailing from Vancouver will be on May 1.

Both the Disney Wonder and Disney Magic have also been confirmed to return in 2027.

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