Key Aspects:
- During Valiant Lady’s dry dock visit, one crew member allegedly sexually assaulted another female crew member.
- The two employees involved in the altercation were in a relationship and had been sharing a cabin.
- There is no safety risk to cruise guests, and the male crew member has been fired and sent home.
During Valiant Lady’s recent visit to dry dock in Fincantieri Palermo, routine maintenance and new upgrades were not the only things to take place onboard.
According to PalermoToday, a romance between two crew members turned dangerous. A 26-year-old female crew member from Peru accused her partner, a 32-year-old man from Peru, of sexual assault.
The couple, who had been together for three years, shared a cabin with the permission of Virgin Voyages. The adults-only brand permits crew members who are in a relationship to live together, subject to rank and cabin availability.
On the night of Wednesday, May 20, 2026, going into Thursday, May 21, 2026, the boyfriend allegedly groped his girlfriend without consent and tried to hold her down in an unwanted attempt to have sexual intercourse in their shared cabin.
She managed to break away and seek refuge among some flight attendants, who helped the terrified crew member notify the police.
The Maritime Border Police, who activated “red code” protocols, interviewed the woman in a protected environment and videotaped her accusations. During the interview, she tearfully showed investigators marks on her arms that were caused by the violence.
Cruise Hive also learned that the woman was examined by a local hospital to corroborate her story and to determine what medical treatment may be necessary. It’s unclear if she has rejoined the cruise ship or has stayed on land to recover.
Offending Crew Member Removed From the Ship
Following the investigation, the male crew member was removed from the Lady ship and his employment was terminated.
He was escorted off Valiant Lady by the security team and placed on the first flight back to Peru through a coordinated effort between ship staff and Manfredi Borsellino, the Chief of Police. It’s unclear if criminal charges may still follow.
While Virgin Voyages has not commented publicly on this situation, the cruise line has a zero tolerance policy against violence and any other actions that could jeopardize the safety of its guests or crew members.
In its code of conduct, Virgin Voyages makes it clear that there will be consequences from the cruise line and local law enforcement agents will be contacted in response to any violence or potential crimes.
“Any criminal acts or allegations of such acts, including but not limited to the following, will be addressed on board through de-escalation or acting to end the apparent criminal act, and will be reported to the appropriate law enforcement agency,” the policy states.
In the following examples, uninvited physical contact, sexual misconduct, and violence or threats of violence are listed as being strictly forbidden.
The male crew member may have also broken another important rule. His female partner claimed that the assault came after a night of drinking and that he had previously behaved aggressively after drinking too much.
Virgin Voyages’ crew members are not allowed to consume alcohol within four hours prior to going on shift and their blood alcohol content must be below 0.05% at all times.
This is because crew members must be able to respond appropriately if an unexpected emergency occurs, which they cannot do if they are too intoxicated.
No Threat to Cruise Guests
While what this woman endured is awful, there was thankfully no risk to cruise guests. In this situation, the offense occurred during dry dock, when no paying passengers would be onboard. It also appears to be a conflict that did not broaden beyond the specific couple.
The 2,770-guest Valiant Lady is now leaving this situation behind her in Palermo as she resumes cruising on May 25, 2026. She was out of service for 15 days, starting on May 9.
During her time off, she gained the brand’s first Indian restaurant, Ariya, a redesigned On The Rocks bar, and upgraded outdoor spaces for guests to enjoy.
Her first cruise back is a 6-night, one-way sailing from Rome, Italy, to Barcelona, Spain. She will then homeport in Barcelona through the end of July, from where she will offer sailings to destinations throughout Italy, France, and Spain.
