What Crew Members Say About Color-Fantasy

On January 5, 2026, delays disrupted the schedules of the Colorline ferries 'Color Magic' and 'Color Fantasy', which are major transport vessels on the Oslo-Kiel route. Both vessels were unable to depart on time from their respective ports due to significant IT issues affecting the company's operations. Passengers faced inconvenience as the payment system malfunctioned, restricting transactions to cash only, while check-in processes were also hampered. Announcements over the loudspeakers alerted travelers to the cash-only situation as the crew worked diligently to resolve the technical difficulties. Originally set to leave Kiel and Oslo at 2:00 p.m., the 'Color Magic' remained in the Kiel port loaded with passengers and awaiting updates throughout the afternoon. The ship finally managed to set sail at 5:10 p.m., while the 'Color Fantasy' departed Oslo slightly later at 5:30 p.m. Such simultaneous delays in both ports are rarely seen, prompting speculation regarding the root cause. Investigations are currently underway to determine whether the IT failure was the result of a hacker attack or some form of sabotage.

On December 13, 2025, a distressing incident unfolded aboard the ferry 'Color Fantasy', leading to the emergency medical evacuation of a 30-year-old crew member. The vessel, which had recently departed from Kiel Fjord and was heading toward Oslo, faced an urgent situation when the crew member sustained severe injuries around 2:15 p.m. The rescue operation was swiftly initiated by the lifeboat 'Hans Hackmack', stationed in Laboe. Positioned approximately 600 meters off Laboe, the Search and Rescue (SAR) boat approached the 'Color Fantasy' to facilitate the patient transfer. Fortunately, the seas were relatively calm with wave heights of just half a meter and a moderate westerly breeze of force four, aiding the efforts. In coordination with a paramedic from Johanniter (St. John Ambulance) at the Medical Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), the Deutsche Gesellschaft zur Rettung Schiffbrüchiger (DGzRS) strategically summoned both a land-based ambulance service and a rescue helicopter. Upon reaching the port of Laboe, the sea rescuers promptly handed over the critically injured crew member to the waiting ambulance, which then transported her for immediate care before the rescue helicopter airlifted her to a specialized hospital for further treatment.