NEW ORLEANS – A Louisiana woman is suing her former cruise line employer for discrimination, alleging she was demoted and ultimately terminated in favor of a younger, inexperienced co-worker who was in a known relationship with her boss.
Plaintiff Sarah Fury filed her lawsuit last monty against defendant Victory Cruise Lines Inc., or VCL, in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
She alleges she was discriminated against not only on the basis of her sexual orientation, but also her pregnancy.
“Plaintiff alleges that Mr. Kelly/VCL, through Mr. Kelly and likely others through his direction, discriminated against Ms. Fury on the basis of her sex in violation of Title VII when he demoted Ms. Fury twice, terminated Ms. Fury, and replaced Ms. Fury with two male employees, one of which was considerably less qualified for the position,” the 12-page complaint states.
Fury claims she began working as a purser – a staff member handling money or financials – for American Queen Voyages, formerly known as American Queen Steamboat Company, in 2015.
Eventually, she was promoted to senior director of hotel operations. From 2018 to 2023, she directly reported to David William Kelly.
In February 2024, American Queen Voyages filed for bankruptcy.
In May 2024, John Waggoner, who previously owned American Queen Voyages, purchased VCL and verbally hired Fury, along with several other previous employees of American Queen Voyages, including Kelly.
In June 2024, Fury was officially hired by Waggoner to work as the vice president of guest operations.
She was responsible for onboard hotel operations and all guest-facing activities on the vessels. Her position required monthly travel to and aboard the vessels, with Fury traveling regularly for VCL from her home in the New Orleans area.
In her position as VP of guest operations for VCL, Fury again reported directly to Kelly, the VCL chief operations officer.
In November 2024, Kelly hired Andrew Felisberto to work as a marketing “intern” for VCL, assisting with some digital hotel media. Felisberto had limited hospitality experience and no cruise experience at the time of his hiring.
Fury claims that Felisberto’s only prior “hospitality job” was as a shirtless bartender for a strip establishment in Florida.
She claims that Kelly and Felisberto were dating at the time Felisberto was hired at VCL, and began living together in Florida soon after.
She notes in her lawsuit that Felisberto would attend and sit at the table with Kelly, along with other owners and executives and their significant others, at company banquets.
In early 2025, Fury learned she was pregnant and informed VCL and Kelly.
Soon after, Fury alleges Kelly began making comments to her about how she couldn’t travel because she decided to have children. However, Fury continued to travel and did not request a change in her job duties.
About a month later – less than two months after Felisberto’s internship started – Fury claims Kelly “abruptly” promoted Felisberto to manager of hotel operations.
“Mr. Kelly pressured Plaintiff to promote Mr. Felisberto because he would not need to be paid as much due to his lack of experience,” her filing states. “Knowing their unique relationship, and considering Mr. Kelly’s insistence Mr. Felisberto be promoted, Plaintiff relented.”
Then, in March 2025, Fury alleges Kelly wanted to give Felisberto a “significant” salary raise.
“Again, Plaintiff specifically objected to this raise, citing Mr. Felisberto’s lack of experience and his very short existence at VCL,” the complaint states. “Ignoring her objection, Mr. Kelly electronically signed for the raise impersonating Plaintiff without Plaintiff’s consent and submitted it to Christina Hobbs, the Chief Administrative Officer.
“When Ms. Hobbs asked Plaintiff about the forged signature, Plaintiff confirmed not authorizing it, and said she would speak to Mr. Kelly. In that conversation, Mr. Kelly accused Plaintiff of a lack of memory of the conversation about Mr. Felisberto’s raise due to ‘pregnancy brain.’”
Fury claims at Kelly’s “insistence,” she “reluctantly” agreed to sign a paper copy approving the raise in place of the previously forced signature by Kelly.
Then, in May 2025, Fury alleges Hobbs called her and reduced her job duties and time spent on the vessels due to her pregnancy.
“VCL took away Plaintiff’s responsibilities for all hotel operations, layup refurbishment projects, and other current duties,” the lawsuit states. “Plaintiff cried when she received this news, and questioned the sudden change because she did not request accommodations to the travel requirement.”
Felisberto allegedly took over all of Fury’s hotel projects alongside Kelly.
A few months later, in August 2025, as Fury prepared for maternity leave, she confided in Hobbs that she felt she was being “pushed to the side” in favor of Felisberto. She requested her old job responsibilities be given back.
“Ms. Hobbs remarked that Mr. Kelly was ‘mourning’ Plaintiff’s job change, but insisted that the demotion and adverse employment decisions were for her own benefit,” the filing states.
“There was only one explanation as to what that meant.”
Fury went on maternity leave in September 2025. As she began transitioning back to work in December 2025, Kelly and Hobbs informed her over a conference call that she was demoted to director of guest operations due to a “company restructuring.”
Kelly claimed they were not replacing vice presidents and that her performance was not an issue. However, Fury alleges she was the only person demoted.
“This demotion reduced Plaintiff’s salary by $25,000, took all current job duties away from her, and there was no standing job description for this ‘new job’ that VCL created for her,” her filing states.
Fury was later terminated on Dec. 10, 2025 following what Kelly claims was an “inappropriate conversation” about his relationship with Felisberto. However, Fury contends she simply asked at a company holiday event if the two were dating exclusively.
In January, Fury alleges Kelly announced that Felisberto was promoted to director of hotel operations – Fury’s role prior to her first demotion.
Then, in February, Fury alleges Rodney Bailey, another gay male who previously worked for American Queen Voyages, was appointed as vice president of guest experience – Fury’s role just prior to her second demotion.
Fury seeks compensatory damages, punitive damages, attorney’s fees, and general and special damages plus legal interest for her discrimination claims.
Kenneth C. Bordes Attorney at Law LLC in New Orleans is representing her in the action.
