NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity cruise liners will be sold to the highest bidder next week Tuesday, bringing to an end the Crystal Cruises saga that saw the two Bahamian-registered vessels enter Bahamian waters following a court made a federal judge in Miami in January, Eyewitness News can confirm.
According to sources close to the matter, the bank, which has taken possession of the boats will facilitate the sale.
International sources have suggested the vessels will be auctioned.
The two cruise ships have remained in detention off Freeport, Grand Bahama since the cruise liner ceased operations in January.
Up to last March, around 200 crewmembers remained on the cruise lines for safe-manning.
The cruise ships were detained in The Bahamas as the mortgage bank prepared to sell the ships to pay off the $4.6 million fuel bill that led to their arrest.
Asian cruise ship giant Genting Hong Kong, the owner of cruise lines such as Dream Cruises, Star Cruises and the luxury Crystal Cruises, filed for winding up of the company in January, setting in motion financial restructuring.
Both cruise liners, which are Bahamian-registered, diverted to Bimini, where passengers were disembarked and returned home.
A Bahamian Supreme Court order handed down in February saw the vessels arrested by local authorities.
According to reports, several potential bidders have reportedly expressed interest in the cruise company or its vessels for sale, including Manfredi Lefebvre D’Ovidio, the chairman of the investment firm, Heritage Group.
Lefebvre sold his stake in Silversea Cruises to the Royal Caribbean Group.
“We are a very credible buyer with roots in the cruise industry that stretch back to the late ’80s.” Lefebre told Seatrade.
“We are firmly convinced that with our knowledge and know-how of the ultra-luxury segment we could transform Crystal into a success story. “”
“The combination with Abercrombie & Kent could generate synergies that would facilitate the recovery and partially compensate for the deterioration of the brand exacerbated in the last few weeks.”
The Symphony entered the service in 1995, while its sister ship, the Serenity, entered service in 2003.
Officials have made clear that The Bahamas has no cost to bear in the detention or sale of the vessels.
The selected bidder, if one is selected, will be notified by June 14.
