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Cruise ship changes course after US judge orders seizure

A cruise ship that was supposed to dock in Miami has instead sailed to the Bahamas, after a US judge granted an order to seize the vessel as part of a lawsuit over millions of dollars in unpaid fuel.

Cruise trackers show Crystal Symphony currently docked in the Bahamian island of Bimini.

“We all feel we were abducted by luxurious pirates!” passenger Stephen Heard Fales posted on Facebook.

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Scheduled to arrive in Miami on January 22, the ship, with hundreds of passengers aboard, was diverted to the Bahamas.

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Some passengers were taken by ferry to Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale on Sunday (local time).

The ferry ride was apparently “uncomfortable due to inclement weather,” according to a statement from a Crystal Cruises spokesperson.

The company said guests were also taken to local airports, but wouldn't comment on any “pending legal matters.”

It was unclear how many passengers were aboard, with one news outlet reporting 300 and another, 700.

According to the company website, the vessel can carry up to 848 passengers.

The ship was scheduled to arrive in Miami on Saturday.

But a federal judge in Miami issued an arrest warrant for the ship on Thursday, a maritime practice where a US Marshal goes aboard a vessel and takes charge of it once it enters US waters.

Passengers and entertainers said on social media they were surprised to find out about the legal case.

One guest posted a letter on Facebook from Crystal Cruises Management that said the change in itinerary was due to “non-technical operational issues.”

The lawsuit was filed in a Miami federal court by Peninsula Petroleum Far East against the ship under a maritime procedure that allows actions against vessels for unpaid debts.

The complaint says Crystal Symphony was chartered or managed by Crystal Cruises and Star Cruises, which are both sued for breach of contract for allegedly owing $6.4 million in fuel.

Crystal Cruises announced earlier this week that it was suspending operations through late April.

Besides Crystal Symphony, it has two other ships currently cruising, which end their voyages on January 30 in Aruba and on February 4 in Argentina.

“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 earlier this week.

With Associated Press

headline

NIB postpones fee hike as Aussies hit by COVID-19 hardship

Health insurer nib has announced it will postpone increasing its health insurance premiums until September to provide financial relief to Aussies struggling with the economic impact of COVID-19.

Announcing its decision to the market this morning, nib said it would defer the fee hike until September 1, 2022.

Originally health insurance premiums were approved to change from April 1, where they would increase by 2.66 per cent on average.

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After September 1, when the premiums take affect, it is estimated that the annual average premium per single unit would be $2,484.

Managing Director Mark Fitzgibbon said postponing the fee hike "was the right thing to do" given that many healthcare services were currently suspended to avoid the spread of COVID-19.

"It's a highly stressful time and I don't want to downplay the financial toll it's having on our members," Mr Fitzgibbon said.

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"We also recognise that many healthcare services have been suspended or delayed which has impacted our claims experience and risk equalisation commitment.

"By deferring premium increases we're making good on our commitment to returning any permanent savings to our members."

Members of nib will be notified of the premium postponement and the changes will be automatically applied to their health cover policy.

The nib Group is one of the largest health insurance providers in the country, providing cover to 1.4 million members across Australia and New Zealand.

The information provided on this website is general in nature only and does not constitute personal financial advice. The information has been prepared without taking into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on any information on this website you should consider the appropriateness of the information having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs.