 |
 |
To add to The Muster Station,
join MeetMeOnBoard.com today.
Members, please sign in.
The public is welcome to add replies.
 | Richard on Am sailing on the Carnival Bre… |
 | MarkDale on Barcelona to Venice Cruise on … |
 | Bruce on Barcelona to Venice Cruise on … |
| MarkDale on Barcelona to Venice Cruise on … |
 | rogerbeto on Barcelona to Venice Cruise on … |
Now that we are well over 5,000 members, we want to find out more about you. With all of the options out there for cruising, we thought it would be interesting to find out what your favorite time of year is to cruise.
After you read this article, please see our blog that we posted only a week ago. Your comments are encouraged. Should we as gay and lesbian people travel where we are not welcomed?
————————————————
ROSEAU, Dominica (AP) — Two California men on a gay cruise of the Caribbean were arrested Wednesday in Dominica, where sex between two men is illegal.
Police Constable John George said police boarded the cruise ship and arrested the two men on suspicion of indecent exposure and “buggery,” a term equivalent to sodomy on the island. He identified the men as John Robert Hart, 41, and Dennis Jay Mayer, 43, but did not provide their hometowns.
George said the men were seen having sex on the Celebrity Summit cruise ship by someone on the dock.
The two were later charged with indecent exposure and are scheduled to appear before a magistrate Thursday morning. If found guilty, they could be fined $370 each and face up to six months in jail.
The ship carrying about 2,000 passengers departed Puerto Rico on Saturday and arrived in Dominica on Wednesday. It departed for St. Barts without the men, who are being held in a cell at police headquarters in the capital of Roseau.
The cruise was organized by Atlantis Events, a Southern California company that specializes in gay travel.
President Rich Campbell, who is aboard the cruise, said in a phone interview earlier that he thought the two men would be released. He later said in an email that the company has organized many trips to Dominica and would “happily return.”
“Many countries and municipalities that gay men visit and live in have antiquated laws on their books,” he said. “These statutes don’t pose a concern to us in planning a tourist visit.”
Campbell said he expects the two men to be released on Thursday and that they only face misdemeanor charges.
“The guests’ actions were unfortunate but minor in this case and have no bearing on our overall guest experience,” he said via email.
The pastor of Dominica’s Trinity Baptist Church, Randy Rodney, praised the police for their intervention.
“I am very pleased that the police were called in and have arrested the people in question. I have warned about gay tourism and its implications for Dominica,” said Rodney, who is a vocal critic of homosexuality and lesbianism.
The presence of gay cruises in the Caribbean has riled several conservative islands including Jamaica and Grenada, where anti-sodomy laws are enforced with strong backing from religious groups.
According to Cruisemates.com, no gay cruise lines sail to Jamaica or Barbados for fear of homophobia and possible violence. It said other places like the U.S. Virgin Islands welcome gay cruises.
In 2010, the Cayman Islands rejected the arrival of an Atlantis gay cruise amid protests from religious groups even though homosexuality is legal on the archipelago.
Don Weiner, a spokesman for Atlantic Events, referred all questions to Campbell, including why the company organized a trip to Dominica and whether it knew about the island’s anti-sodomy laws.
Elizabeth Jakeway, a spokeswoman for Celebrity Cruises, referred all questions to Atlantis.
The last time authorities in the Caribbean intervened on a gay cruise was in February 2011, when agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection arrested a California man aboard the Allure of the Seas, which had docked in St. Thomas. The man, Steven Barry Krumholz of West Hollywood, pleaded guilty to selling ecstasy, methamphetamine and ketamine to fellow passengers.
___
Associated Press writers Danica Coto and Ben Fox in San Juan, Puerto Rico contributed
Cruise lines are using two-for-one deals, onboard ship credits, discounted airfares, “free” gratuities, even chocolate-dipped strawberries to jump-start business as they cope with a tsunami of bad news this year.
When some of us go on a cruise, it’s all about the ship. Others choose by the destination. When you choose a cruise, what usually takes priority for you?
With Rio the host of the World Cup, the 2012 UN Earth Summit and the 2016 Olympics, the city is expected to be a hot destination over the next few years.
The Travel Channel just posted this guide to new cruises and ports for 2012. Take a look at the stunning photography.
We’re always curious here at MeetMeOnBoard so we like asking questions. We thought we would ask how many cruises you have been on in your life?
The Sun UK says the unnamed passenger who fell off an Atlantis all-gay cruise “intentionally went overboard”. Royal Caribbean representatives who reviewed the security tapes said the British man did not fall accidentally and was not pushed over the railings.
The 30-year-old passenger plunged from his balcony on deck 11 of luxury liner Allure of the Seas in waters off Mexico… The ship made multiple public announcements and began a complete search of the ship, in efforts to locate the guest. When the guest did not respond to the pages and was not found onboard, the captain alerted the local authorities of the situation. Our care team is providing support to the guest’s family and our thoughts and prayers are with them.”
Atlantis has had it’s share of ‘events’ recently on their cruises. What are your thoughts?
Ninety passengers and 13 crew members on the Ruby Princess cruise ship contracted the Norovirus, a contagious gastrointestinal illness that causes vomiting and diarrhea for one to three days, Julie Benson, a spokeswoman for Princess Cruises, a unit of Carnival, said in a statement.
I can’t believe the cruise lines are still having issues with this. I guess you can’t slow down a virus.
Photo: Seabourn
Condé Nast Traveler is out with their top 100 cruise ships in all categories. Find out what they have chosen as their top 100 cruise ships in the world , you might see one that you’d like to sail on next time!
Would like to see the list of 100 cruise ships
Here’s a gallery of photos previewing the new Disney Fantasy as it near completion. Gene Sloan from USA Today went on a recent tour. Check it out.
|
© 2009-12 Meet Me On Board, LLC. All rights reserved. |
|
About Us | Latest News | FAQ | Terms Of Service | Privacy Policy | Bugs | Abuse | Comments | Contact Us | Shop Our Store | Advertise With Us |
beachmonkey is discussing. 
Mdhphx is discussing. 
Shanti is discussing.
beachmonkey 11:32 am on February 28, 2012 Permalink |
This is a tough one since they go hand in hand. I may choose the destination first, but won’t book a cruise if there is not a preferred cruise line and/or ship going to that destination.