Key Aspects:
- Scarlet Lady broke free of her mooring lines while visiting Rhodes on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, briefly contacting three smaller boats.
- The ship was in port later than anticipated due to poor weather that caused an itinerary adjustment for the 7-night sailing.
- No guest or crew member injuries were reported and Scarlet Lady was able to move back into position under her own power.
It was a night for seeing red aboard Scarlet Lady on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, but not because of Virgin Voyages’ signature Scarlet Night. Wednesday evening, strong waves and heavy swells caused the 110,000-gross-ton ship to break free of her mooring lines at the Port of Rhodes.
According to Pontos News, several lines broke and Scarlet Lady moved away from the dock and toward the edge of the harbor. At that point, the cruise ship came into contact with a catamaran and two smaller boats.
The exact timing of the incident is unclear, as some local reports note the lines breaking just after 8:15 p.m. while others state 9:15 p.m.
Local reports noted that no damage was immediately reported to either the smaller craft or the cruise ship. The port’s tugboats were put on immediate standby in case their assistance was needed, but Scarlet Lady was able to move back into her mooring position under her own power.
There were no reports of injuries to either guests or crew members related to the incident.
Itinerary Change Kept Ship in Port
Scarlet Lady had departed Piraeus (Athens) on Sunday, September 27, 2026 for a 7-night Greek Isles itinerary. The 2,770-guest ship was originally scheduled to visit Bodrum, Turkey on Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Rhodes on Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Mykonos for an overnight from 9 a.m. on Thursday, October 1 until 2 p.m. on Friday, October 2; and Santorini from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, October 3.
Guests were notified about a weather-related update, however, that required an itinerary change.
“Due to high winds, the Port of Mykonos has closed so we’ve had to adjust our itinerary,” the notification confirmed on Tuesday, September 29. “Instead of calling in Mykonos on Thursday and Friday, we’re extending our stay in Rhodes with an overnight.”
The updated schedule estimated that Scarlet Lady would arrive in Rhodes at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, September 30, and would remain until Thursday, October 1 at 5 p.m. A new visit to Chania was added to the ship’s itinerary for Friday, October 2.
The itinerary change explains why Scarlet Lady was still in Rhodes that evening. Under the original schedule, she would have departed at 6 p.m.
AIS tracking confirms that Scarlet Lady completed the impromptu visit to Chania on Friday and has already departed that port destination on her way to Santorini.
Broken Lines Not Rare in Rough Weather
While not a normal occurrence on every cruise, broken mooring lines are not entirely rare. Cruise Hive has reported on broken rope and drifting incidents from many different cruise lines, including when a sudden burst of strong winds broke the lines on Norwegian Prima in Port Canaveral on January 18, 2026.
Similarly, MSC Seaside broke free from the pier at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve in the Bahamas on February 5, 2026.
While most such incidents do not cause significant damage, other occasions do have more severe consequences. On September 8, 2026, AIDAperla broke free in Le Havre, France due to strong winds, and the ship made contact with the nearby quay.
The incident caused a temporary closure of the port and a two-hour delay to another cruise ship in port as well as the cancellation of the next port (Zeebrugge) for AIDAperla while the ship was inspected. Fortunately, there were no guest or crew member injuries reported.
