Crystal Cruises, the luxury cruise arm of Genting Hong Kong, is in the process of terminating staff and shutting down its office in Miami, according to a report by Bloomberg.
The news comes just days after authorities seized two cruise ships belonging to Crystal Cruises in the Bahamas in relation to a lawsuit over US$4.6 million in unpaid fuel bills.
While no official statement has been forthcoming from the company itself, Bloomberg said employees were let go last Wednesday 9 February with vessel management company V.Ships set to take temporary control of the seized vessels.
Crystal Cruises announced in January that it was suspending operations until at least 29 April 2022 after its parent company, Genting Hong Kong, filed for liquidation amid debts totaling almost US$2.8 billion. However, it said three cruise ships already at sea – Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony sailing in the Caribbean and Crystal Endeavor in Antarctica – would complete their voyages before going on hiatus.
Genting Hong Kong had claimed it would continue operating cruises out of Asia via Dream Cruises in order to protect core assets and maintain value but the subsidiary recently filed for the winding up of the company and ceased cruising.
All directors of Genting Hong, Kong, including its Chairman, CEO and Executive Director Lim Kok Thay, have since stepped down from the Board.
