Another Crystal Cruises Ship Avoids US Waters, Diverts to Bahamas

The embattled Crystal Cruises line has been forced to cut another voyage short and divert its ship to a Caribbean island to avoid officials in the United States looking to collect unpaid fuel debt.

According to The Associated Press, the Crystal Serenity ship departed from Miami on January 17 for a 3.5-month voyage, but just days into the itinerary, the cruise line’s parent company—Genting Hong Kong—announced it would suspend operations through April.

After Crystal Serenity and its around 200 passengers were forced to cancel several port calls, the vessel was scheduled to dock in Aruba and let its passengers disembark. Officials in Aruba denied the ship entry, forcing its crew to divert to the Bahamian island of Bimini.

Once passengers were removed from Crystal Serenity in Bimini, the cruise line ferried them to Fort Lauderdale and paid for their hotel rooms. In addition, the company revealed it would reimburse any applicable airline change fees.

“There are simply no words to express our deep regret and disappointment,” Crystal Cruises spokesman Vance Gulliksen said.

The line’s other ocean ship, Crystal Symphony, skipped its January 22 final scheduled port of call in Miami and headed for Bimini instead after an arrest warrant was obtained by a fuel supplier in Florida.

A federal judge in the United States oversaw a lawsuit that accuses the cruise line of failing to pay $4.6 million for fuel issued the warrant for the Crystal Symphony. The maritime order authorized U.S. Marshals to board the vessel and take charge once it approached the U.S. coast.