Cruise passengers were forced to spend an extra day at sea when the Crystal Cruises’ Crystal Symphony avoided docking in Miami to dodge the U.S. Marshals. An arrest warrant has been issued for the ship over unpaid fuel bills.
According to case documents obtained by USA Today, the warrant allows the authorities to take the ship into custody if it enters U.S. waters. As a result, the ship sailed toward Bimini on Saturday. Passengers and crew are expected to disembark there on Sunday.
The news comes days after Crystal Cruises’ parent company, Genting Hong Kong, filed for bankruptcy. All other sailings have been suspended by the luxury cruise company.
According to the filing, the company owes Peninsula Petroleum Far East $4.6 million between Crystal Cruises and its sister line, Star Cruises. More than $1 million of the debt belongs to the Symphony vessel alone.
Peninsula Petroleum Far East would like to see the ship sold. “Our client is determined to recover,” said the company’s attorney, J. Stephen Simms, to Bloomberg.
Meanwhile, the passengers and crew have been forced to adapt to an ever-changing itinerary. One of the performers on the Symphony posted about his experience on Twitter. After making arrangements to disembark in Miami, everyone was then told that was no longer happening.
On Saturday, Elio Pace told USA Today that he could make new arrangements but was ready to change plans again.
“We’re supposed to get off tomorrow,” he said. But “we just never know what’s going to happen.”
