If there is such a thing as a good way to be kidnapped, this just might be it. A cruise ship supposed to dock in Miami changed course to the Bahamas after an order to seize the vessel was granted by a U.S. judge.
The Crystal Symphony was ordered to be seized as part of a lawsuit over unpaid fuel debts. But according to cruise trackers, the ship is now in the Bahamian island of Bimini instead of where it was supposed to go, CBS News reported.
The ship was carrying an unspecified number of passengers — the vessel is said to carry up to 848 — when it changed course, effectively taking them hostage.
"We all feel we were abducted by luxurious pirates!" Stephen Heard Fales, a passenger on the ship, posted on Facebook.
A federal judge in Miami issued the arrest warrant for the ship on Thursday that was supposed to arrive in the city on Saturday. The warrant was part of a maritime practice where a U.S. Marshal goes aboard the vessel, taking charge of it when it enters U.S. waters.
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Peninsula Petroleum Far East filed the suit against the vessel under maritime procedure allowing action against it for not paying its debts, CBS News reported.
The complaint alleges that Crystal Symphony was chartered or managed by Crystal Cruises and Star Cruises, both of which are sued for breach of contract due to unpaid debts totaling $4.6 million in fuel.
The news of the legal case came as a shock to passengers on board, that quickly became hostages. Cruise-goers and entertainers on board took to social media sharing their surprise over the situation.
Crystal Cruises also sent a letter to passengers explaining the change in the itinerary as a "non-technical operational issues caused an," one social media post said, CBS News reported.
If you are thinking of booking a cruise with Crystal Cruises, you won't be able to any time soon as they announced a suspension in operations through late April.
"Suspending operations will provide Crystal's management team with an opportunity to evaluate the current state of business and examine various options moving forward," the company said in a statement.
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