Victory Casino Cruises’ Victory I remains out of service after a federal court issued a seizure warrant in a dispute over nearly $800,000 in unpaid shipyard charges.
Detyens Shipyards Inc. filed a complaint on October 15 in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina, alleging that Victory owes $790,666 for repairs, storage and other services.
The shipyard says it provided $940,666 worth of work in September and has not received the remaining balance. It is seeking to enforce a maritime lien and recover the amount it claims is due.
A deputy clerk approved the seizure warrant on October 19. A federal marshal served the vessel on October 28 at Detyens Shipyard in Charleston, South Carolina, while a substitute custodian has been appointed to maintain it during the case.
Victory disputes part of the bill.
“We are still disputing some of the charges from the shipyard which has charges for services and repairs not performed,” CEO Lester Bullock said.
Victory I Has Been Sidelined Since September
The ship had already been out of service before the court action.
Victory I entered dry dock after its late-September sailings, and the company later extended the shutdown after additional work was identified.
“We understand how disappointing this may be, and we sincerely appreciate your patience, understanding and continued support during this unexpected delay,” Captain Tim Levensaler said.
Victory stopped taking reservations without announcing a return date.
The company later clarified the meaning of the court action in an October 29 social media post.
“As part of this dispute, the ship has been arrested through a civil proceeding in admiralty court. The term ‘arrest’ in this context refers to a legal process involving the vessel. It is a civil matter, not a criminal matter,” the company said.
Victory I has operated from Port Canaveral for about 15 years after relocating from Jacksonville in 2011.
The vessel is around 300 feet long, weighs nearly 3,000 tons and can carry about 1,200 passengers. Its casino area covers roughly 40,000 square feet and includes more than 600 slot machines and table games.
Before the suspension, Victory offered five- to six-hour gambling cruises into international waters. The ship also has two restaurants, five bars and an entertainment lounge.
Shutdown Leaves 310 Employees Furloughed
The extended closure has affected the company’s workforce.
Bullock said 310 employees have been furloughed while the vessel remains unavailable.
He did not provide an estimate for when operations might resume and said the final repair cost has yet to be determined.
Customers are also unable to book future trips.
“It was something to do for a couple hours. Get something to eat, you know, lose some money,” customer Ken Gilsdorf said, as reported by WKMG.
“We were thinking about scheduling again for next year,” he added.
Port Canaveral said Victory notified officials before entering dry dock but has provided no further timetable.
“Victory’s move to dry dock was communicated to the port in September before the vessel left. Since then, they have not communicated anything relative to the status of their vessel or its return to service.”
Federal Case Will Determine What Happens Next
Detyens maintains that Victory continues to incur additional costs while the vessel remains at the shipyard.
The case is listed as Detyens Shipyards, Inc. v. M/V Victory I et al. in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina, with Judge David Norton assigned to the matter.
Victory has said it is working to resolve the dispute and will post updates through its website and social media channels.
The vessel’s return to Port Canaveral remains uncertain while the billing dispute and repair work continue.