Crystal Cruises’ “Crystal Serenity” cruise ship.
NASSAU, The Bahamas--Star Cruises and Crystal Cruises have been sued by their fuel supplier, which is asking for damages of almost US $3.3 million to be awarded, prompting a Florida court to also issue an arrest warrant for the Crystal Symphony, according to court documents.
The cruise ship is docked in Bimini, where its passengers offloaded and were to be shuttled back to Florida by ferry on Sunday, according to a WPLG local 10 news article online.
The fuel supplier, Peninsula Petroleum Far East Pte. Ltd., also has a “claim in rem” against the Crystal Symphony of $1.2 million.
The ship was completing its final cruise and was on its way to Florida before it diverted to Bimini. It was to be the ship’s final cruise before an indefinite sailing pause caused by the bankruptcy of its parent company Genting Hong Kong.
Just as the news of the bankruptcy went global, Star Cruises’ and Crystal Cruises’ fuel supplier Peninsula sued the company.
The court documents list 13 invoices for fuel to Crystal and Star ships with payments totalling almost $3.4 million, due to Peninsula between August 11 and January 17.
The complaint filed by Peninsula explained: “In accordance with supplemental Rule C for certain admiralty and maritime claims of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Local Admiralty Rule C, you are directed to arrest the defendant vessel (Crystal Symphony), her boats, tackle, apparel and furniture, engines and appurtenances and to detain the same in your custody pending further order of the court.”
Genting’s cruise companies have cancelled all cruises through April 29, 2022, while its river cruises are suspended through the end of May 2022.
Crystal Cruises made headlines in The Bahamas last year after it announced that it would carry out an all-Bahamas cruise beginning in Nassau.
Crystal was the first cruise line to announce that it would home port in The Bahamas.
Its announcement was followed by Royal Caribbean International’s move to home port in Nassau to begin sailing again, while US ports remained closed due to COVID-19.
Crystal Cruises also made big investments in several Family Islands to accommodate its home-porting initiative.
Crystal Cruises announced in August that it planned to keep far-flung Bahamian islands on its itineraries into 2022.
The cruise line’s itinerary was to begin out of New York for an all-Bahamas cruise with stops in San Salvador, Great Exuma and Bimini.
Its cruise departing from Miami, Florida, was also expected to have an all-Bahamas itinerary with stops in Bimini, Nassau, San Salvador, Great Exuma and Long Island. ~ The Nassau Guardian ~
