Exceptional landing this morning in Cagliari. The Valiant Lady , flagship of the new cruise company Virgin Voyages , docked in the Sardinian capital, the second Italian port after Marina di Carrara, as part of the first Mediterranean tour "The Irresistible Med" , which started from Barcelona and also stops in Toulon, Ajaccio and Ibiza.
The ship of the English tycoon Richard Branson , launched in 2020 in the Sestri Ponente shipyards of the Italian Fincantieri, moored at 9 at the Rinascita pier with a stop until 6 in the afternoon.
Just under 278 meters in length, 1408 “smart” cabins with services that can be managed directly from the mobile phone, the Valiant Lady accommodates about a thousand passengers , mainly English , all strictly adults , as per the owner's group's handbook.
For the first Sardinian stop on the island, a walking tour in the city, a visit to the Roman ruins, kayaking in the waters in front of the Sella del Diavolo, cycling in the Molentargius park and Poetto and food and wine tastings.
THE GREETING - The President of the AdSP, Massimo Deiana , the Marketing Manager, Valeria Mangiarotti , greeted the ship for the inaugural call in the Cagliari port, who delivered the Commemorative crest of the Authority to the ship's commander, during a ceremony organized in port from Cagliari Cruise Port in the presence of the Municipal Tourism Councilor Alessandro Sorgia .
Today's is the first of 17 landings of the Valiant Lady in Sardinia, the last of which is scheduled for 13 October.
Of these, 11 will touch the port of Cagliari, while another 6, starting next May 26, are scheduled in Olbia , the only Italian port of call for the "French daze & Ibiza nights" tour, departing from Barcelona and stops in Marseille, Cannes, Ibiza and return to the Catalan port.
Double programming in Sardinia, that of the English company, which confirms the potential of system ports on a cruise market in strong recovery and, as in the case of Virgin Voyages, in search of destinations with a high level of infrastructural and excursion offer, key elements on which the AdSP del Mare di Sardegna has concentrated its promotional activity.
"We are honored to be part of the main ports of Virgin Voyages' exclusive offer for tours in the Mediterranean - explains Massimo Deiana , President of the AdSP of the Sea of Sardinia - Today's port of Valiant Lady is the confirmation of the exponential growth of the appeal of the Sardinian system in the cruise market. Cagliari and Olbia are two of the three Italian ports that will host the ships of Sir Richard Branson, a choice that stems from a long underground work started at the Seatrade in Miami in 2019 and continued in the pandemic period, with inspections in our ports by the management of the group shipowners and Italian general agents. An excellent result that confirms the strategic role of the AdSP in the systemic enhancement of our ports of competence on the market ".
Satisfaction, for the result achieved, also by Cagliari Cruise Port, concessionaire of the Rinascita pier terminal.
"We welcome this first port of Valiant Lady in Cagliari with great enthusiasm and satisfaction - says Stephen Xuereb , President of Cagliari Cruise Port -. The inclusion of our terminal in the Virgin Voyages itinerary represents the achievement of an important path of construction, promotion and enhancement of the destination carried out by our company in synergy with the Authorities, as well as the award for the operational excellence of our Sardinian port. The scheduled stopovers for the current season will bring about twenty thousand passengers of American nationality to the capital: a new target that , we are sure, he will be enchanted by the richness of the island's cultural heritage ”.
(Unioneonline / vl)