Arrest warrant issued for Crystal Cruises ship

Florida – After not paying fuel bills, a Miami judge issued a warrant that gives authorities the ability to seize the Crystal Symphony ship on U.S. waters.

The warrant comes days after Crystal Cruises suspended all sailings following a bankruptcy filing by its owner, Genting Hong Kong.

On Jan. 8The Crystal Symphony ship left Miami for a 21-day roundtrip through the Bahamas.

The ship was due to return to South Florida on Jan. 29, but as a result of the warrant, it is currently docked in Bimini.

According to Xivi Medina, a vendor aboard the Crystal Symphony is currently aboard the ship in isolation after being tested positive for COVID-19. Before she is able to get off, she says she needs to be isolated for 10 days.

“Everything is OK,” said Medina. “We’re just waiting to see what happens.”

There are no passengers on board, and the only people left on the ship are crewmembers and vendors like herself, according to Medina.

“The company is going to take care of getting all the crewmembers back home,” said Medina. “Obviously they’re gonna do it little by little, but the company is buying the tickets to get each of the crewmembers back to their respective countries.”

Medina says the captain on board and all the other officials and crewmembers have been kind and have tried to ensure that passengers “don’t feel the effects of what is happening.”

According to Medina, passengers are being transported via ferry on a 2-hour ride to Miami Sunday.

Elio Pace, a singer performing on the Crystal Symphony said the following in an Instagram post: “As much as this is a logistical headache for me personally, I’m okay. However, the people I feel really bad for are the brilliant, beautiful, and wonderful loyal staff and crew aboard this ship for whom the Crystal Symphony is their livelihood. I wish all of these friends of mine and this beautiful ship the very best for what lies ahead on the very uncertain horizon over the coming weeks and months.”