A woman from Louisiana was on a mission for payback.
Vanessa Phillips, a cruise passenger, believes she was tricked out of nearly $1,100 in what she expected would be a fun Caribbean escape. To confront the man she accuses of the scam, she tracked him down on the same cruise ship.
Originally set to embark on the MSC Seascape for a Western Caribbean trip leaving Galveston, Texas, from August 30 to September 6, Phillips made plans with Armonte Domious Wilson, someone she had met on a previous cruise in December 2025.
According to Phillips, Wilson requested $1,100 to secure her place on the ship. As the sailing date approached, however, he ceased all communication. She later discovered that Wilson had booked a trip for himself for just $524, while excluding her from his reservation.
In an attempt to confront Wilson, Phillips purchased a ticket of her own, hoping he would admit to what he had done.
“You thought I wasn’t going to get on here? You took my $1,100. You thought I wasn’t going to make it? Where’s my money?” Phillips confronted him, a moment she captured in a Facebook video posted on September 5.
When found lounging in a jacuzzi, Wilson initially claimed to have her money. But when asked if he had it on him, he quickly answered no.
“You think it’s fine to take my $1,100 while you’re enjoying a cruise? Where’s my money?” Phillips pressed further.
Wilson denied that he had taken her money, asserting that he hadn’t removed her from the reservation. Following this exchange, he called for security while Phillips continued to trail behind him.
In her Facebook post, Phillips described that Wilson had been looking for a travel companion when she reached out about the cruise.
“We made plans that involved a FAKE itinerary, FAKE AGENT BOOKING NUMBERS, invoices, and payments totaling around $1,100,” she explained.
The MSC Seascape offers a seven-day cruise package through the Western Caribbean, traveling from Texas to destinations in Mexico and Honduras, before returning to Texas.
This particular cruise experience, noted for being family-friendly by Forbes, has future rates starting at $524 per person—significantly less than what Phillips alleges she paid Wilson.
Wilson later defended himself against the accusations, stating that he removed Phillips from the booking after she disputed some Venmo payments she had sent him.
“Please look at the facts and the documentation instead of focusing solely on parts of our conversation,” Wilson wrote in an Instagram post. “The financial transactions have been contested through Venmo, and I’m aware they could potentially rule in her favor because I didn’t respond in time.”
“Now, I’m just waiting to see how that gets resolved,” he added.
