It's never pretty when a travel company runs out of cash while still hosting guests.
That has been made clear once again after Crystal Cruises parent company Genting Hong Kong filed for liquidation just over a week ago.
Last weekend, Crystal Symphony was scheduled to dock in Miami, but sailed to Bimini in the Bahamas instead, after a U.S. judge granted an order to seize the vessel as part of a lawsuit over unpaid fuel.
The Symphony docked at Bimini and passengers were taken by ferry to Fort Lauderdale's Port Everglades last Sunday, the day after their expected arrival.
A similar scenario took place this weekend, when Crystal Serenity was denied entry to Aruba, where she had been scheduled to disembark her passengers. Once again, Bimini was selected as the alternative disembarkation point.
On January 17, Crystal Serenity sailed away on a world cruise that promised more than 80 port calls in four months. Following the parent company's bankruptcy, the cruise had to be terminated shortly after departure, and Crystal arranged to offload all passengers in Aruba.
In a statement Saturday evening, the line said that it had been engaged in discussions with local authorities in Aruba about the vessel's finances and the possibility of any liens against it before docking. However, permission to dock was denied.
"Since receiving this most unfortunate news, we have spent hours conferring with Aruba officials toward a positive resolution - with even our humanitarian please falling on deaf ears - but to no avail," Crystal Cruises said in a message to the vessel's passengers, as reported by CruiseHive.
"Although Crystal Serenity was cleared to arrive in Aruba today with all services paid for in advance and even though there are no reasonable risks or claims made against the vessel, local officials informed us on Friday at 4:30 p.m. that the ship will not be permitted to dock in Aruba as scheduled."
Instead, Crystal Serenity will follow her sister ship's path to Bimini, where most passengers will disembark today and be taken by ferry to Fort Lauderdale. Travel Weekly is reporting that dozens of passengers currently on the Serenity will transfer to Regent Seven Seas Cruises ship the Seven Seas Mariner.
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