On Wednesday, Peninsular Petroleum for East filed a lawsuit against Crystal Cruise in federal court in South Florida, accusing it of paying more than $ 4.6 million in unpaid fuel bills – $ 1.2 million specifically for Crystal Symphony.
On Thursday, a U.S. judge issued an arrest warrant before the ship arrived in Miami on Saturday, meaning the ship would be seized by a U.S. marshal and a court-appointed bodyguard.
“This decision of the trip was not the end of our guest vacation that we had originally planned,” Cruise Line said in a statement.
The ship can accommodate up to 848 guests, although the total number of passengers on board is unknown.
On Wednesday, the day the lawsuit was filed, Crystal Cruise announced it would suspend operations for its cruises until late April and suspend its river voyages until May.
“The suspension will provide an opportunity for Crystal’s management to evaluate their current business position and explore various options for moving forward,” Cruise Line said in a statement.
Two ships of the company currently in operation – one bound for Aruba and the other bound for Argentina – will complete their voyages. Guests who have booked future trips will receive Full cash back.
“It’s a very difficult decision, but it’s a sensible decision considering the current business environment and the recent developments in our parent company, Genting Hong Kong,” said Crystal President Jack Anderson.