Virgin Voyages passenger dies after falling from balcony, hitting another traveller

Virgin Voyages passenger dies after falling from balcony, hitting another traveller

A passenger on board a Virgin Voyages cruise died earlier in the week after falling from a balcony onto another cruise-goer.

The struck passenger was not seriously injured and the ship, Valiant Lady, returned to its port in Miami on Sunday, despite originally being en route to Roatán, Honduras, according to a Virgin Voyages spokesperson.

“This passenger went over their balcony onto a lower deck, and despite receiving immediate medical attention, has passed away,” read the Virgin Voyages statement.

“We are deeply saddened by this loss of life and our hearts and thoughts are with this person’s loved ones.”

Travellers onboard were informed of the death by the captain and were informed of the ship being redirected the following day.

Valiant Lady has set sail again, but under a revised itinerary. The ship will venture to Cozumel, Mexico and no longer stop in Roatán. The cruise line’s spokesperson said the change in itinerary has to do with weather, not the passing away of the passenger.

Valiant Lady (Virgin Voyages)

J. Alexander, a cruise YouTuber who runs the page The Shiplife, was onboard the ship during the incident and included footage where the captain made an announcement regarding the death of a passenger in his vlog.

Alexander said cruise-goers were “shaky” following the news of the passenger’s death and disembarked once reaching Miami.

The YouTuber reported that passengers were given a “100 per cent future cruise credit” as compensation from Virgin Voyages.


Featured Image: Valiant Lady in the port of Barcelona, Spain (iStock/zkorla)

Latest News

  • Aviation

Top four airports report return to profit after post-Covid period comes to an end

The aeronautical operations of Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney airports returned to profit in 2022-23, the first full financial year since the end of COVID-19 travel restrictions, the ACCC’s latest Airport Monitoring Report shows. In contrast, all four monitored airports reported losses on their aeronautical operations in 2021-22. A return to profit was helped by […]

  • Luxury

COMO launches new family-sized farmhouse in the heart of Tuscany

COMO Hotels and Resorts has launched its new farmhouse apartments in the heart of Tuscany, just in time for Australians to escape our wet winter. And it’s also an ideal time for Aussies of Italian ancestry to explore their home country as 2024 has been declared the year of Roots and Heritage Tourism by the […]

  • Aviation

Green light, green fuel for Townsville Airport as passenger numbers set to double to 3.7m

The Townsville Airport Master Plan, including the expansion of the airport terminal and development of the surrounding precinct, has been given the green light by the Federal Government. The 2023 plan outlined Townsville Airport’s strategic vision and growth objectives over the next two decades, with a detailed focus on the initial eight years. Townsville Airport […]

  • Destinations
  • News

New Caledonia in lockdown and airport closed after violent riots rock Noumea

New Caledonia officials have announced a 6pm-6am curfew, a liquor ban and have closed the country’s main airport after overnight riots in which vehicles were torched and roads blocked in the wake of proposed constitutional reforms. Australian Government website Smartraveller has issued an alert informing visitors to exercise a high degree of caution in metropolitan […]