Victory’s Shutdown Leaves an Unfair Deal for Passengers With Prepaid Dining Credits

Victory Casino Cruises has canceled its remaining 2026 sailings, but its passenger notice says prepaid dining credits will be forfeited. Booking and deposit refunds are promised, with no payment timetable. I’d expect a shutdown announcement to explain that distinction, not leave customers to absorb it.

The operator’s problems now extend well beyond delayed maintenance. U.S. marshals arrested Victory I at a South Carolina shipyard on Oct. 28 over $790,666 in allegedly unpaid repair, berthing and related bills. The seizure covers the Port Canaveral-based vessel and its onboard casino equipment.

Victory’s only ship is out of service, its entire workforce has been furloughed, and no return date has been announced. That is why passengers need more than instructions to wait for a reopening announcement.

A repair bill becomes a federal court case

Detyens Shipyards filed its admiralty lawsuit on Oct. 15 in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina against the vessel and Sophlex Enterprises Inc., which does business as Victory Casino Cruises.

The North Charleston shipyard alleges it provided $940,666 in services and received only $150,000 in payments. Its verified complaint says the balance remains unpaid despite repeated requests, with additional costs continuing to accumulate.

Detyens asserts a maritime lien against Victory I and brings breach-of-contract and unjust-enrichment claims against Sophlex. Those allegations have not been adjudicated.

U.S. District Judge David C. Norton authorized the vessel’s arrest on Oct. 19. A marshal executed the warrant at the shipyard at 10:15 a.m. on Oct. 28, according to the return of service filed Oct. 29.

The warrant covers the hull, machinery, furnishings and other equipment, including slot machines and casino machines. Norton also directed the marshal to inventory equipment and any currency aboard. Detyens’ complaint asks that the gaming equipment be included in any judicial sale. The court has not ordered a sale.

The arrest order allows a prompt hearing at the vessel claimant’s request, at which Detyens would have to show cause why the arrest should not be lifted.

Norton appointed James D. Lucas Jr. as substitute custodian and approved an initial $1,000 arrest fee, daily custody charges of $1,000 through the 15th day and $750 a day afterward. Detyens must maintain $1 million in insurance while the vessel remains in custody.

As of Oct. 29, the court docket contained no response from Sophlex or Victory Casino Cruises. Sophlex received the summons on Oct. 16 and faces a Nov. 6 response deadline. Failure to respond would expose it to a default judgment in Detyens’ favor.

Passengers still lack a refund timetable

Victory I last sailed on Sept. 28 before entering dry dock for scheduled maintenance. The company initially attributed the extended suspension to additional necessary repair work.

Before the shutdown, the vessel offered five-hour cruises twice daily, Tuesday through Sunday. Once in international waters, passengers could use more than 600 slot machines, live-dealer table games, bingo and sports betting. Built at Bellinger Shipyard in Jacksonville, Victory I originally operated as a passenger ferry for New York’s Circle Line before its conversion to casino service.

Victory did not respond to media inquiries about the seizure warrant. Its website continues to describe the ship as being in dry dock and tells customers to await a reopening announcement. Dry dock describes where the ship is. It does not adequately explain the court action now affecting it.

Captain Tim Levensaler’s passenger notice said customers with bookings or deposits would receive refunds through their original payment method, without specifying when. Casino points and prepaid dining credits would be forfeited.

The two deserve separate treatment. One is a loyalty benefit. The other is described as prepaid value, and passengers deserve a clear justification for forfeiting it when Victory has canceled the sailings.

The operator does not need a confirmed reopening date to give customers a refund timetable or explain its credit policy. Whatever happens to Victory I in court, passengers should not be expected to accept that a canceled sailing makes their prepaid dining value disappear.