Crew Members Removed From Two Cruise Ships Sailing the Great Lakes
Several international crew members working aboard two ships operated by Victory Cruise Lines were recently removed from the vessels by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents.
As many as 13 crew from the cruise line’s Victory I and Victory II, both small ships with a capacity for 180 guests, were detained and apparently deported by CBP officials during port calls at US destinations.
The ships are currently sailing summer season Great Lakes voyages between Chicago and Toronto. The removal of the crew members occurred during port calls to Detroit and perhaps in another port call as well. The removal of crew from Victory l at Detroit, where they were handcuffed and placed into vans, was witnessed by crew and passengers.
CBP has not confirmed any arrests or detainment of cruise ship crew members. The action apparently took place on July 9 and 11, 2025, according to the trade publication Travel Weekly.
“We are actively cooperating with federal authorities to clarify the circumstances, and my priority is always our crew and the experience for our guests,” John Waggoner, chairman of Victory Cruise Lines, told the media outlet.
The reasons behind the crew members’ removal are unclear but the arrests were not the work of the controversial US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, aka ICE. However, both ICE and CBP are part of the US Department of Homeland Security.
According to various unconfirmed reports, the crew members were handcuffed and removed from the two ships. Some reports indicate that at least one crew member was charged with possession of child pornography.
In fact, CBP posted on its Facebook page that nine cruise ship crew members were removed from a cruise ship in Detroit for alleged possession of child pornography, but those arrests happened on June 20, 2025, not in July 2025, adding another puzzling aspect to the report.
The removal of a cruise line’s foreign crew members at any US port would throw a wrench into cruise ship operations. Foreign workers typically obtain required documents and authority, such as a C1/D Seaman Visa, to work on cruise ships across the globe.
It would be highly problematic for a cruise line to find additional crew members to replace those arrested during a port call.
The removal and presumed deportation of the Victory Cruise Line employees has rattled international crew members across the industry, with fears rising that immigration sweeps could impact cruising on a widespread basis, although there is no indication that is happening now.
There have also been reports that federal agents have carried out similar removals of foreign staff working on other vessels operating in the Great Lakes, but these are unconfirmed.
It is uncommon for cruise ship crew members to be arrested but it does happen from time to time. One recent case that sparked headlines was the case of the male stateroom attendant aboard Royal Caribbean International’s Symphony of the Seas who was charged with hiding cameras inside guest cabins.
In that case, Arvin Joseph Mirasol, 34, a Filipino national, was arrested in Fort Lauderdale when Symphony of the Seas returned from an 8-night Southern Caribbean sailing in March 2024.
Mirasol had placed hidden cameras in a number of staterooms and hid under the beds in staterooms while guests were reportedly in the shower. In August 2024, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison.
In another case, a crew member working onboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Encore was arrested in May 2024 after allegedly attacking a ship’s security guard and a member of the medical staff.
Cruise Hive
SS Badger to Offer Another Chance at Stunning Shoreland Views
Jul 14, 2025
Local News, Steven Devine
SS Badger to Offer Another Chance at Stunning Shoreland Views
The second of four shoreland cruises on the SS Badger will take place this Saturday (July 19th).
The 2-hour sailing experience along the Lake Michigan coast allows patrons to sail on the Badger without the 4-hour trip to Ludington, Michigan.
It costs $60 a person and will include appetizers and desserts along with a cash bar and musical entertainment from Bobby Gleason.
Passengers are asked to board the ship at 1:30 p.m. before the shoreland cruise gets underway from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
More information about the shoreland cruises can be found at ssbadger.com/shoreline-cruises. Link: https://ssbadger.com/shoreline-cruises/
ISMA Grand Lodge Convention Jan. 28-Feb. 1 in Duluth
Lodge # 12 has announced that sponsorships and convention book advertising are now open. For more info about sponsoring or advertising, please visit their website at https://ismalodge12.com
Tickets On Sale for MHSD Detroit River Cruise
Join members of the Marine Historical Society of Detroit aboard the passenger vessel Diamond Belle for a three-hour cruise from 1-4 p.m. Sunday, September 14, on the Detroit River.
We will do our best to get up close to freighter traffic. Snacks and refreshments will be available on the boat, which leaves from the Cullen Plaza at the foot of Rivard Street (1340 Atwater St.) Detroit.There is parking at Cullen Plaza (which often fills up early) and there is street and garage parking nearby.
Tickets are $28.50 (at the dock $30 cash or check only if space is still available). To buy tickets by mail, send a check, payable to the Marine Historical Society of Detroit, to MHSD Cruise, 1020 Iroquois St., Detroit, MI 48214. Late orders will not be mailed; they will be held for you at the dock. To pay by credit or debit card, go to www.brownpapertickets.com/event/6672663.
No refunds after September 7. We are limiting the number to 100 passengers so there will be plenty of room to move about the boat. Reserve now!
Marine Historical Society of Detroit
