Catamaran Owner Files to Have Scarlet Lady Seized Following Collision

The owner of the catamaran “King of Rhodes” that was struck by Scarlet Lady in Rhodes on September 30, 2026, after the cruise ship snapped mooring lines, has filed for the ship to be seized and not permitted to leave the Greek port.

According to local media, the catamaran owner filed a claim for at least €400,000 (roughly $448,000 USD) due to damage to the aft section of the vessel caused when Scarlet Lady broke free and hit the catamaran.

Cruise Hive reported on the incident that happened late on Wednesday evening, September 30, when strong winds and swells caused Scarlet Lady‘s lines to break. The cruise ship drifted briefly and contacted the catamaran and two smaller craft in the harbor, though no damage was reported at the time.

Scarlet Lady had originally been planned to depart Rhodes at 6 p.m. that evening, but instead remained in port overnight because the Port of Mykonos (next on the ship’s 7-night itinerary) had closed due to weather. It was during that extended stay that the incident occurred.

The catamaran’s owner applied to have Scarlet Lady seized and prevented from departing Rhodes on Thursday, October 1, while also calling for a full investigation of the incident.

Multiple types of damage to the catamaran were attributed to Scarlet Lady, including broken mooring caps, detached mooring pins, the loss of the vessel’s boarding and disembarkation ladder, and the destruction of the starboard platform protecting the propulsion system.

The owner is also concerned about potential hidden damage to the catamaran’s hull, stern, mooring points, and propulsion system. To fully determine the extent of any such damage, the catamaran must be lifted and inspected by technicians and other experts.

Because of the damage and the need for inspection, “King of Rhodes” cannot currently perform its daily tourist sailings, which the owner is claiming as loss of revenue. The €400,000 claim is considered an estimate of both repair needs as well as lost revenue, and that number could change as inspections are completed.

It is also possible that the catamaran’s owner may need to charter a different ship to fulfill contract obligations for their business, which would add to the claim cost.

“King of Rhodes” is listed as part of the Sea Dreams fleet and is described on the company’s website as “a modern, closed type vessel” with air conditioning and a snack bar. The catamaran has a passenger capacity of 338 guests and a speed of 33 knots (38 miles per hour). The company offers both one-way and roundtrip tourist routes from Rhodes, Symi, and Marmaris.

In addition to “King of Rhodes,” the company also operates “King Saron” and “Symi II.” “King of Rhodes” is the smallest vessel in the fleet.

Scarlet Lady Still Departed

Though the claim was filed requesting the seizure of Scarlet Lady, the Oslo-based marine insurance company Skuld delivered a “letter of guarantee” that permitted the cruise ship to depart Rhodes at 5 p.m. on October 1 as planned. The company has an office in Piraeus, Greece, as well as multiple other locations across the globe.

The letter ensures the claim will be honored if the ship is determined to be at fault, pending the thorough investigation of the incident.

It was critical that the complaint against Scarlet Lady be filed quickly, given that the ship is flagged in the Bahamas and moves between ports across the globe. The application for the complaint alleges that if the ship had left Greece without the claim filed, satisfying any claim would become more challenging and may have involved foreign jurisdictions.

The complaint will be discussed by a local court on February 23, 2027.

Cruise Hive has reached out to Virgin Voyages about the incident but had not heard back by press time.