Port Canaveral Casino Ship Seized by Federal Marshals Over $790K Unpaid Shipyard Bill

After what was supposed to be a short maintenance dry dock in Charleston, South Carolina, the casino cruise ship, Victory I, has been impounded over an alleged $790,666 billing dispute with the shipyard.

If you cruise out of Port Canaveral on a regular basis, you’ve probably noticed a small cruise ship docked nearby at Terminal 2.

Victory I, the only ship operated by Victory Casino Cruises, has been offering day trips for up to 1,200 guests for around 15 years now.

The adult-only casino vessel was in need of some basic maintenance and sailed up to Charleston, SC in late September. By now, the ship was supposed to be back in Florida, offering two sailings a day. 

Instead, the casino ship is stuck in what the cruise line is calling an “extended dry dock” after the “ship has been arrested through a civil proceeding in admiralty court”.

Where Things Went Wrong

Victory I completed its last scheduled day trip out of Port Canaveral on September 28. After that it was time for some routine dry dock work at Detyens Shipyards in North Charleston.

But now we have a federal maritime lawsuit with no apparent end in sight just yet. Of course, that can quickly change.

Detyens Shipyards filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina alleging that Victory Casino Cruises defaulted on payments. The shipyard claims the total bill for work, maintenance, and just keeping the ship berthed reached over $940,000, and Victory has only paid $150,000. This leaves an unpaid balance of $790,666.

After the filing, a federal judge signed off on a civil arrest warrant, and U.S. Marshals seized the vessel at the shipyard.

Victory Casino Cruises CEO Lester Bullock pushed back against the lawsuit, stating the company is disputing the charges directly.

“We are still disputing some of the charges from the shipyard, which has charges for services and repairs not performed,” Bullock stated.

In a social media post, the cruise line also stated:

“During this difficult time, there have been many rumors circulating about Victory, along with some hurtful and unnecessary comments. We understand that people have questions. However, it is deeply disheartening to see speculation presented as fact and comments that seem to take satisfaction in the challenges we are facing.”

Operations Paused

A big and bold header image on the Victory Casino Cruise Facebook page states “WE ARE PRESENTLY IN DRY DOCK”, saying to check back for the official date of the first cruise back.

Victory I is the only ship in the Victory Casino Cruises fleet, so this situation completely freezes the company’s ability to generate revenue or offer sailings to passengers.

Port Canaveral officials confirmed that Victory Casino Cruises has not provided them with updates about the ship’s return or operational timeline.

How Victory Casino Cruises Works

For those unfamiliar with the setup at Terminal 2, Victory runs a unique day-trip operation compared to the other cruise ships you will see in port:

• Day & Night Sailings: The ship sails twice daily, running 5 or 6-hour day trips as well as evening cruises (typically leaving at 7 PM and returning around 1 AM).
• Onboard Gaming: The ship has 4 decks, features over 600 slot machines, traditional table games (blackjack, craps, roulette, poker), a sportsbook lounge, and live bingo.
• Cost & Dining: Boarding costs $25, which includes port taxes and terminal parking. Dining at the onboard café is à la carte and featured burgers, sandwiches, salads, cheesecake, and gelato. Non-alcoholic drinks are free, while alcoholic beverages are complimentary for active casino players.
• Coastal Routes: The ship stays close along the coast during its “cruise to nowhere” runs, meaning guests usually still have cell service throughout the trip and return home the same day.