After a TKO in the early rounds of the pandemic, many luxury cruise lines are making a comeback. Except one. Crystal Cruises may be down for the count, but was it the pandemic that dealt the final blow?

No doubt that the cruise shipping sector suffered greatly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and its devastating impact on passenger operations. But when operations re-commenced, Crystal Cruises was dealt a fatal blow when two of their ships had run up millions of dollars in unpaid fuel bills. Such debt under maritime law triggers a maritime lien which triggers an arrest of the ship, often spelling the end for that ship.