Fury among passengers as Virgin’s first ever cruise ship Scarlet Lady skips New York and heads for Miami amid coronavirus fears
- Scarlet Lady was due to dock in New York for promotional event this weekend
- Virgin Voyages said today it was diverting to Miami over ‘global health concerns’
- Virgin said its decision not to dock in NY was to do with branding not health
- Irate passengers say they now have to organize travel from Florida to Big Apple
Furious passengers on board Virgin’s first ever cruise ship have lashed out after being told the vessel will skip its planned stop in New York and divert to Miami amid coronavirus fears.
After setting sail from Liverpool the Scarlet Lady was due to dock in the Big Apple this weekend to give media and travel experts a chance to look at the luxurious cruise liner.
But Virgin said Monday it had cancelled the promotional events in New York, citing branding concerns rather than any health risks. In addition, Virgin was keen to say it had absolutely no health issues on board and had made the decision itself.
It comes as New York recorded its first case of coronavirus on Sunday, adding to total of 77 nationwide, including two deaths in Washington state.
In a statement to passengers obtained by The Sun, Virgin Voyages CEO Tom McAlpin said today: ‘In light of growing media focus on global health concerns, we do not feel that it is the right time to showcase our brand in New York.
he Virgin Voyages cruise ship Scarlet Lady is seen on the River Mersey in Liverpool last week before setting sail for New York
Live tracking data captured this morning showing the current position of the vessel after it set sail from Liverpool
‘We have absolutely no health concerns or issues on board, but the elevated health protocols and processes we put in place when we took the delivery of Scarlet Lady have kept our crew and their family and friends well and happy.’
Some of those on board the vessel have expressed fury at the news they will be landed in Florida, hundreds of miles from their intended destination.
One told the Sun: ‘One member of staff let slip that they found out three days ago that we weren’t going to be docking in New York but it’s only now they’ve told us — it’s a joke.
‘We’ll be docking in Miami on March 7 and I, like hundreds of others, will be clamoring to get to New York or have new flights booked from Miami to home.
‘Virgin should be putting on flights to get their passengers home safely — it’s disgusting.’
The irate passenger claimed he was to be left hundreds of pounds out of pocket by the diversion and said he had thought it was a joke when the announcement was first made.
Those on board the colossal vessel are family and friends of those who work for Virgin, as well as crew. Its true maiden voyage when it will be open to the public is scheduled for next month when it will sail from Miami around the Caribbean.
The Virgin Voyages cruise ship Scarlet Lady is seen on the River Mersey in Liverpool on February 26
In a statement to passengers Virgin Voyages CEO Tom McAlpin (pictured) said today: ‘In light of growing media focus on global health concerns, we do not feel that it is the right time to showcase our brand in New York’
In a statement today, Virgin said that the vessel ‘will instead sail to her new home in Miami, where we will continue with our plans for launch and welcome our Sailors for the first time.’
The weekend’s events in New York had been set to include a Drag Brunch and a dinner at the ship’s Razzle Dazzle venue.
Tickets, which quickly sold out, were offered to both media representatives and members of the public for a two-night stay on the vessel while it was to be docked.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo confirmed the first coronavirus patient in New York over the weekend with reports a woman is currently in Manhattan and has isolated herself at home.
The central atrium is seen on the Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady cruise liner at Dover Port in Dover, Britain, February 21, 2020
Chairs sit at a bar area on the Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady cruise liner at Dover Port before its transatlantic voyage
A man walks through the central atrium on the Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady cruise liner at Dover Port
A statement from the Cuomo’s office revealed the patient, an unidentified woman in her late 30s, contracted COVID-19 while traveling in Iran.
At least 77 patients in the US have now been confirmed to have coronavirus, after one was reported in Rhode Island and a fifth ‘unknown’ origin case was found in Chicago on Sunday.
Gov. Cuomo admitted that the deadly virus’ entrance into New York’s population of 19million was a ‘matter of when, not if.’