Georgia Woman Sues Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Co-Defendants After Alleged Sexual Assault by Massage Therapist on Seven Seas Explorer

Desirey T. Virgin, a resident of Georgia, has filed a comprehensive maritime personal injury and intentional tort lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The lawsuit, filed under Case No. 1:26-cv-23583-KMW, names Seven Seas Cruises Ltd doing business as Regent Seven Seas Cruises, One Spa World LLC, NCL Corporation Ltd, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd, and massage therapist Peter Verkin as defendants. The multi-count federal complaint alleges that Virgin was subjected to a violent and non-consensual sexual assault during an onboard spa treatment while sailing as a fare-paying passenger aboard the cruise ship Seven Seas Explorer.

Cruise Passenger Sexually Assaulted on Seven Seas Explorer Inside Isolated Onboard Serene Spa Treatment Room

According to the factual allegations in the complaint, Virgin embarked on the Seven Seas Explorer in Anchorage, Alaska, for a cruise scheduled from May 21, 2025, through May 28, 2025, which she utilized to meet with business clientele. On May 23, 2025, Virgin purchased and attended a scheduled seaweed wrap and massage service at the shipboard Serene Spa and Wellness Center. Virgin entered the spa under the reasonable belief that the treatment area was safe, professionally supervised, and controlled by the cruise operators. Once inside, she was escorted into a private treatment room where she was isolated with defendant Peter Verkin, a spa attendant and massage therapist employed aboard the vessel.

The complaint states that Virgin was provided inadequate undergarments that left her breasts exposed during substantial portions of the treatment. During the session, Verkin allegedly initiated unsolicited, offensive, and criminal sexual contact. The filing alleges that Verkin intentionally engaged in non-consensual sexual touching, breast and nipple stimulation, genital touching, and digital penetration of Virgin’s vaginal area. When Virgin repeatedly demanded that the conduct stop, Verkin allegedly laughed, refused to halt, and escalated his abusive behavior. The complaint also notes that Verkin denied Virgin the opportunity to privately shower before the massage, remaining in the room to watch her, and pressed his clothed genital area against her while she was on the treatment table.

Cruise Line Accused of Unlawful Confinement and False Imprisonment Following Reporting of Onboard Sexual Assault

Immediately after escaping the treatment room, Virgin fled the spa facility and reported the violent assault to shipboard personnel at the front desk and reception area at approximately 7:20 p.m.. The complaint asserts that despite receiving this serious report, the cruise operators failed to immediately remove Verkin from the ship or from passenger-facing duties. On May 24, 2025, when the Seven Seas Explorer docked in Skagway, Alaska, Virgin reported the sexual assault to the Skagway Police Department and local law enforcement authorities. The local police forwarded the report to the Alaska State Trooper Office, which initiated a formal criminal investigation.

The legal filing reveals a secondary conflict occurring immediately after Virgin returned to the vessel from making her criminal report to law enforcement. Upon her return, shipboard alarms were activated, and corporate personnel informed Virgin that she was strictly prohibited from leaving the cruise ship for the remainder of the voyage. Virgin alleges that she was effectively unlawfully confined, restricted, and restrained onboard the vessel without legal justification. This actions forms the basis of her false imprisonment claim, as she reasonably believed she was not free to leave the vessel, causing further emotional trauma and isolation following the initial assault.

Furthermore, the complaint alleges that Verkin was only removed from the vessel after Virgin’s father directly contacted the Alaska State Troopers, who then boarded the ship to remove the therapist. Verkin allegedly admitted to law enforcement that he touched Virgin’s breasts during the session. He was arrested, criminally charged with felony sexual assault offenses, and subsequently entered a guilty plea to Harassment First Degree Touch Genitals, Buttocks, and Breast on February 9, 2026, in the State of Alaska under Case No. 1SK-25-00004CR. Virgin also highlights that the cruise line failed to provide her with any medical support or trauma-informed care following her report.

Corporate Defendents Face Maritime Operational Negligence Claims for Failing to Vet and Monitor Onboard Spa Staff

The lawsuit raises extensive negligence claims against the collective corporate entities, arguing that Regent Seven Seas Cruises, One Spa World, NCL Corporation, and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings operated as an integrated and unified joint maritime enterprise that shared operational policies, security protocols, human resource functions, and risk management standards. Under federal maritime law, cruise lines owe passengers a duty to exercise reasonable care under the circumstances and maintain safe conditions. The plaintiff contends that the defendants breached these duties by failing to properly vet, screen, train, and supervise onboard spa personnel.

Virgin’s legal counsel argues that sexual misconduct by crew members against isolated passengers is a well-known, foreseeable risk throughout the cruise ship industry. The complaint notes that massage therapy settings, which involve isolated physical contact with partially unclothed passengers in closed rooms, present heightened security risks that demand rigid safeguards. The lawsuit alleges the defendants were directly negligent by failing to conduct background investigations or reference checks on Verkin before placing him in an unsupervised environment. Additionally, the lawsuit alleges the companies failed to implement industry-standard safety protocols, such as surveillance systems around facilities, dual-employee requirements, panic-alert systems, or proper draping rules within private treatment rooms.

Tortious Interference Claim Identifies Significant Loss of Advantageous Business Relationships and Opportunities

A unique component of this maritime complaint is Count Eleven, which alleges tortious interference with advantageous business and contractual relationships against all defendants. Virgin asserts that her travel aboard the Seven Seas Explorer was explicitly structured for professional and commercial purposes. Prior to embarking on the cruise, she had arranged pre-scheduled business meetings, networking opportunities, commercial discussions, and professional engagements with third parties at the various scheduled ports of call along the Alaskan itinerary.

The complaint alleges that the cruise operators knew or should have known that passengers frequently travel for business purposes and maintain professional expectancies during voyages. By implementing a mandatory confinement policy after she reported the sexual assault, the defendants allegedly blocked Virgin from disembarking the ship at scheduled ports. The lawsuit claims this restriction lacked any legal justification or privilege and directly caused the total disruption of her planned professional engagements. As a consequence of being forced to remain onboard, Virgin claims she suffered severe economic and professional damages, including the loss of prospective economic advantages, damaged corporate relationships, the loss of contractual benefits, and reputational harm within her industry.

Plaintiff Seeks Substantial Compensatory and Punitive Damages for Severe Emotional Distress and Permanent Psychological Harm

The lawsuit sets forth twelve distinct legal counts, including claims for civil sexual assault and battery, vicarious liability and respondeat superior, general negligence, negligent hiring and retention, negligent security, breach of non-delegable duties, maritime operational negligence, false imprisonment, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligent infliction of emotional distress. Virgin claims that as a direct and proximate result of the defendants’ collective actions and omissions, she suffered severe psychological trauma, profound emotional distress, anxiety, depression, loss of sleep, mental suffering, and permanent ongoing psychological injuries that require extensive long-term counseling and medical treatment.

The plaintiff argues that the corporate defendants are vicariously liable for the actions of their therapist under maritime principles of respondeat superior, as Verkin was acting within the course and scope of his shipboard employment when performing the massage. Virgin seeks an award of punitive damages, asserting that the defendants demonstrated a reckless disregard, conscious indifference, and wanton disregard for passenger safety by knowingly exposing passengers to risky environments and prioritizing operational convenience over security. The complaint formally requests compensatory and punitive damages in the amount of Two Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars.

Contact a Cruise Ship Crime and Assault Lawyer Today if You Were Harmed on a Cruise Vessel

Passengers who suffer harm, physical assault, or intentional misconduct by crew members while traveling aboard a commercial cruise ship have substantial protections under federal maritime law. Cruise operators have a strict legal duty to secure their vessels, protect passengers from foreseeable criminal acts by crew members, and manage reporting procedures with transparency and care. If you or a loved one experienced a serious injury, assault, or unlawful restraint during a vacation or business voyage, contact our experienced maritime legal team today to understand your rights and protect your interests.

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Disclaimer: Our firm does not represent the plaintiff in this case and is not involved in the litigation. The information provided is a summary of allegations based on publicly available court filings. We make no representations about the truth of these allegations, are not commenting on the merits of the case, and are not predicting any outcome.