Cruise Has Surprise Ending After Judge Orders Ship Seized Over Debts

The Crystal Symphony left Miami on January 8th for a two week cruise. Things took a turn on the way back.

A US federal judge ordered the cruise ship to be seized during its trip to Miami because of a fuel bill dispute. According to a cruise tracker, the ship changed course for Bimini, instead of heading to federal authorities.

Crystal Cruises said in a statement that the passengers were taken by ferry to Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., after an extra night of accommodations. The weather made the ferry ride uncomfortable.

The company said that the end of the cruise was not the end of the vacation they originally planned for.

Steven Fales, an actor and playwright, was on a cruise with a couple of friends hoping that the Pandemic would end. The adventure came to an end when they learned the cruise was being changed.

Mr. Fales said it was sad to see the disease kill it like a Broadway show.

After arriving in Fort Lauderdale, Mr. Fales took a ride-share service to a hotel in Miami, where he will stay before flying to Los Angeles and then returning to Palm Springs. Mr. Fales sympathized with the crew of the ship who were uncertain about their future.

He said that the crew treated them like royalty after they lost their jobs. They are all devastated, and it was devastating.

A spokesman for the cruise line said that about 300 people were transferred. The ship can hold up to 848 guests, with one staff member for every 1.7 guests, according to the cruise line.

The course changed after the judge ordered the ship seized. A lawsuit was filed on Wednesday in a federal court in South Florida against Crystal Cruises and Star Cruises for over four million dollars.

Crystal Cruises said it couldn't comment on pending legal matters. A lawyer for Peninsula Petroleum Far East didn't respond to a request for comment on Sunday.

Crystal announced last week that it was suspending river cruises through the end of May.

Crystal Cruises said in a statement that suspending operations will give the management team an opportunity to evaluate the current state of business and examine various options moving forward.

One of the cruise line's ships will end its voyage in Aruba on January 30 and another will complete its trip in Argentina on February 4.

Jack Anderson, Crystal's president, said in a statement that it was an extremely difficult decision, but a prudent one given the current business environment and recent developments with their parent company.

Crystal has been synonymous with luxury cruising for more than 30 years and we look forward to welcoming back our valued guests when we resume operations. We would like to thank our guests and travel advisers for their support during these challenging times.