Virgin Voyages has become the latest cruise line to divert tonnage away from the Red Sea due to the threat posed to commercial shipping.

The Richard Branson-led UK cruise operator’s 110,000-gt Resilient Lady (built 2022) will now sail around the Cape of Good Hope on its 27 March repositioning voyage from Australia to Europe.

“Like many other cruise brands, we have been watching the conflict in the Middle East closely, connecting regularly with global security experts to consider the impacts to the repositioning voyages planned for Resilient Lady in 2024,” the shipowner said in a travel update.