The bow design of the Valiant Lady, Virgin Voyages' second ship, features a glamorous Black mermaid.
Created by artist Hillary Wilson, the mermaid "celebrates the strong, beautiful, friendly and modern embodiment of a Black American woman," Virgin Voyages said.
"With diversity at the core of Virgin Voyages' brand ideology, it was a natural move to want to honor and represent different races and nationalities by telling those stories through the mermaids," Virgin Voyages said.
Photo Credit: Virgin Voyages
The cruise line's first ship, Scarlet Lady, also features a mermaid design on the bow. Virgin Voyages calls its mermaids "leading ladies" who are an important symbol of the brand, meant to keep passengers safe on their voyage.
Bookings for the Valiant Lady's inaugural voyages have opened. The ship will enter service in March 2022.
From March 18 through May 14, the Valiant Lady will sail three itineraries from Portsmouth, England. Cruises will visit Zeebrugge, Belgium (3-day cruise), the Canary Islands, Spain and Portugal (11-day) and Portugal and Spain (12-day).
There will be late-night and overnight stays in Málaga, Palma de Mallorca, the Canary Islands, Lisbon and Belgium.
The Valiant Lady will then head to Barcelona for a summer season in the Mediterranean.