Virgin Voyages prepared Brilliant Lady for her inaugural deployment to the Pacific seaboard, with operations commencing in April 2026 from the ports of Los Angeles and Seattle. This marked the cruise line’s first extended West Coast seasons, arranged as two distinctive one-time “MerMaiden” voyages designed to establish new destination calls and onboard offerings within an adults-only context.
The first of these voyages, departing from Los Angeles on April 7th, 2026 and concluding on the 12th, was planned as a 5-night roundtrip calling at Santa Barbara, San Diego, and Ensenada in Mexico. In keeping with the vessel’s emphasis on experience over mere conveyance, the sailing was structured to echo elements of Southern Californian and Mexican coastal cultures through dining, entertainment, and event programming that sought to reflect local influences without the trappings of conventional mass tourism.
Subsequent to the Los Angeles sailing, Brilliant Lady was scheduled to reposition northward for her Seattle MerMaiden, slated from 21st to 28th May 2026. This 7-night roundtrip from Seattle was charted into the Inside Passage, with port visits at Ketchikan, Sitka, Tracy Arm Fjord, and Prince Rupert in British Columbia. The itinerary emphasised scenic immersion, with extended daylight hours and opportunities for shore excursions tailored specifically for the line’s clientele, framed by the expectation of less congested harbour calls and the absence of family-oriented distractions.
Both MerMaiden passages were intended to introduce new Pacific destinations, bespoke shore experiences, and refreshed shipboard spaces, menus, and observation areas, all encompassed within an inclusive fare that covered dining, communication services, fitness classes, entertainment, and selected beverages. The adults-only policy, applicable to all operations on Brilliant Lady, was reiterated as a defining characteristic of the West Coast deployment, providing an alternative to multi-generational cruising for travellers originating in California, the Pacific Northwest, and broader West Coast catchments.
These two initial West Coast voyages were presented as singular events: once capacity was reached, the opportunities they represented were understood to have passed, marking a discrete beginning to the vessel’s presence along the Pacific seaboard.