Where you sail from shapes your whole Virgin Voyages trip: how far you fly, how long the cruise is, and which ports you visit. Virgin moves its four ships around with the seasons, so the departure port for the itinerary you want may change from winter to summer. Here's every port Virgin Voyages sails from, which ship is there and when, and my guide for each one.
Resilient Lady in Athens (Piraeus), one of Virgin’s summer homeports in the Mediterranean. Where you board shapes your whole trip.
Virgin Voyages Departure Ports at a Glance
Miami: Year-round Caribbean and Bahamas sailings from Terminal V
San Juan, Puerto Rico: Southern Caribbean sailings on Valiant Lady in winter
Seattle: Alaska sailings on Brilliant Lady in summer
Vancouver: Select Alaska sailings start or end here
Los Angeles: Mexican Riviera and Panama Canal sailings on Brilliant Lady between seasons
Barcelona and Athens: Mediterranean sailings in summer
Amsterdam: New for summer 2028, Scandinavia, Norwegian fjords, and Arctic Circle sailings on Valiant Lady
Ship deployments change every season, so always check the itinerary for your exact dates. If you're not sure which port makes sense for you, send me your dates and I'll lay out the options.
Miami
Miami is Virgin's home base and the busiest departure port. Ships sail from Terminal V at PortMiami, Virgin's own terminal, which makes check-in fast and easy.
Ships: Several ships sail from Miami in winter, including Scarlet Lady on short Bahamas and Caribbean trips. Valiant Lady moves to Miami in April 2027.
Sailings: Short getaways of four or five nights, plus longer Caribbean itineraries
Highlight: Most Miami sailings stop at The Beach Club at Bimini, Virgin's private beach club
Guides: Virgin Voyages Miami Port Guide, Where to Eat in Miami Before Your Cruise, and The Beach Club at Bimini.
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Valiant Lady spends winter 2026 to 2027 in San Juan, sailing six- to eight-night Southern Caribbean itineraries to islands like Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, and Aruba. These ports are hard to reach on a short trip from Florida, so San Juan is a great way to see them.
Ship: Valiant Lady, through spring 2027
Good to know: Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, so U.S. citizens don't need a passport to fly there
Bonus: Valiant Lady's new Sun Society pool party
Guide: Virgin Voyages San Juan Port Guide.
Seattle
Seattle is Virgin's Alaska homeport. Brilliant Lady sails round trip through the Inside Passage from Smith Cove Cruise Terminal at Pier 91 from late spring through early fall.
Ship: Brilliant Lady, summer
Sailings: Seven to 12 nights, with a glacier day on every sailing
Guides: Virgin Voyages Seattle Port Guide, Virgin Voyages Alaska Cruise Guide, and Virgin Voyages Alaska 2028 Cruises.
Vancouver
A few Alaska sailings start or end in Vancouver, usually at the beginning and end of the season. These one-way trips mean flying into or out of Canada, so you'll need a passport. See Do You Need a Passport for a Cruise?
Los Angeles
Brilliant Lady sails from Los Angeles between her Alaska and Caribbean seasons, with Mexican Riviera trips to spots like Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, and Mazatlán. Her Panama Canal crossings also start or end here. Ships sail from the cruise terminal in San Pedro, at the Port of Los Angeles.
Barcelona and Athens
In summer, Virgin heads to the Mediterranean. For 2027, Scarlet Lady sails Eastern Mediterranean and Greek Isles itineraries from Athens (Piraeus), and Resilient Lady sails the Western Mediterranean from Barcelona. These are a great choice if you want to combine a cruise with time in Europe.
Amsterdam (New for 2028)
Virgin is heading to Northern Europe for the first time. In summer 2028, Valiant Lady sails from Amsterdam with sailings to the Norwegian fjords, Scandinavia, and the Baltic, including Virgin's first Arctic Circle crossing.
Ship: Valiant Lady, July and August 2028
Sailings: Seven to 12 nights, including a Norwegian fjords week, Scandinavia trips with stops like Oslo, Copenhagen, and Stockholm, and an Arctic Circle sailing to Tromsø and Honningsvåg
Getting there: Valiant Lady repositions from Barcelona to Amsterdam in July and heads back to Barcelona at the end of the season, so you can also start or end your trip in Spain
These sailings are already open for booking, and with only a handful of departures, popular dates will go fast.
How to Choose a Departure Port
Short on vacation days? A four- or five-night Miami sailing is the easiest way to try Virgin.
Want islands you can't reach from Florida? Look at San Juan.
Want glaciers and wildlife? Seattle for Alaska.
Live on the West Coast? Los Angeles and Seattle can save you a cross-country flight.
Dreaming of Europe? Barcelona or Athens in summer, or Amsterdam for the fjords and Scandinavia in 2028.
Closed loop or one way? Round trips from U.S. ports are simpler for documents and airfare. One-way sailings and anything starting abroad need a passport.
Tips for Any Departure Port
Fly in the day before. A delayed flight on sail day can mean missing the ship. A night in a hotel near the port is cheap insurance.
Pick an early arrival time. You'll get onboard sooner and have more time to settle in. My Virgin Voyages for First-Timers guide covers embarkation day.
Pack your essentials in a carry-on. Checked bags can take a few hours to reach your cabin. See my packing list and dress code guide.
Where Virgin Used to Sail From
Virgin has also sailed from a few ports that aren't on the schedule anymore. If you've seen these in older articles, here's what happened.
New York (Brooklyn): Valiant Lady sailed from New York through October 19, 2026, using Brooklyn Cruise Terminal for her last season after Manhattan's Pier 90 closed for redevelopment. Nothing is scheduled from New York through at least fall 2027.
Sydney, Australia: Resilient Lady spent the 2023-24 summer season in Australia. In early 2024 Virgin cancelled her next season because of security concerns in the Red Sea, and moved her to the Caribbean. Virgin has since reopened a sales office in Australia but has no ships scheduled there.
Portsmouth, England: Scarlet Lady's first sailings were around the UK from Portsmouth in summer 2021. Valiant Lady also started her career there with a short spring 2022 season. Virgin hasn't sailed from England since.
I'll update this guide if Virgin brings any of these back.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does Virgin Voyages sail from?
Miami, San Juan, Seattle, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Barcelona, and Athens, depending on the season and the ship. Amsterdam joins the list in summer 2028.
What terminal does Virgin Voyages use in Miami?
Terminal V at PortMiami, Virgin's own terminal.
Does Virgin Voyages sail from New York?
Not right now. Valiant Lady's last New York sailing left Brooklyn on October 19, 2026, and nothing is scheduled from New York through at least fall 2027. I'll update this guide if that changes.
Which Virgin Voyages port is best for a first cruise?
Miami. The short sailings, the easy terminal, and the stop at The Beach Club at Bimini make it a great first Virgin trip.
Need Help Picking a Port?
PTO Passport is an independent cruise travel agency and Gold Tier Virgin Voyages First Mate. Tell me your dates and where you're flying from, and I'll find the port and sailing that fit, choose your exact cabin, and stack every offer you qualify for. Same price as booking direct.
