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The Crystal Symphony departing Charleston Harbor last Friday
Photo: Bruce Smith/AP
A cruise ship scheduled to dock in Miami went to the Bahamas instead after a US judge ordered the ship's confiscation as part of a lawsuit over unpaid fuel.
This is reported by the AP news agency.
According to cruise data, the "Crystal Symphony" is currently on the Bahamas island of Bimini.
Passengers report they will be taken by ferry to a port in South Florida later Sunday.
It was unclear how many passengers were on board, with one news source saying 300 and another 700.
According to the company's website, the ship can carry up to 848 passengers.
The ship should have landed in Miami on Saturday.
However, a federal judge in Miami on Thursday issued a seizure of the ship, a maritime practice in which a U.S. Marshal boards the ship and assumes control once it enters U.S. waters.
Crystal Cruises plans to cease operations
The lawsuit was filed by Peninsula Petroleum Far East against the ship in federal court in Miami and relies on a process that allows ships to sue for unpaid debts.
The lawsuit alleges that the Crystal Symphony was chartered or managed by Crystal Cruises and Star Cruises, both of which are being sued for breach of contract, alleging that they owe $4.6 million in fuel.
Crystal Cruises announced earlier this week that it would suspend operations by the end of April.
In addition to the »Crystal Symphony«, two other ships are on cruise, ending their voyages in Aruba on January 30th and in Argentina on February 4th.
"The suspension of operations gives Crystal's management team the opportunity to assess the current business situation and to consider various options for the future," the company said in a statement earlier this week.
mamk/AP