Warning About the Potential for LGBT Members to Be Removed from Celebrity Cruises

Really? Someone MADE someone physically assault someone else? Is that like a woman "asking to be raped?" Blame the victim of unwanted physical contact? If the "straight" man was bothering these guys, they should have left or gotten security.

 

The title of this thread really is most unfortunate. I don't think my sexual orientation makes me any more likely to be thrown off a Celebrity ship than any other decently behaving passenger.

Thanks for your support of homophobic straight men annoying gay men during the posted LGBT "friendly" gatherings on Celebrity.

 

I give up on both Celebrity and CC.

 

The End for my posting on both CC and sailing on Celebrity. I can insure that I am not the only gay man on that cruise who will not be sailing with them again.

 

edit

No wonder the people involved did not post here.

Your original post said the incident happened around 1:30 AM, which is certainly not the time when "the posted LGBT 'friendly' gatherings" are held on Celebrity (or any other line, I imagine).

Putting that aside, the time is irrelevant. No passenger should be "annoying" any other passenger at any time, for any reason, and there are security people to deal with that if it's a problem. And no one should engage in unwanted physical touching of any other human being, whatever time it was.

Just because I am gay doesn't mean I think that gay people can do no wrong. And I don't believe cruise lines will put someone off a ship without good and legitimate cause.

I think they would take the straight guy off if this happened to a woman...;)

I agree.

Given the additional information the OP provided about the story, it does seem like an unfortunate incident. If the gay man doing the butt touching had handled the situation appropriately by alerting ship management to the harassing behavior of the straight man, it's possible the straight man would have been put off the ship. But since it was the Martini Bar and I expect alcohol was involved, the gay man made the wrong choice - resulting in him being put off the ship. Playing grab ass with a drunk homophobe instead of reporting him was clearly a bad idea.

Sady, boorish ignorant and obnoxious passengers are to be found on most if not all cruise lines. We had an unpleasant quartet on our last Celebrity cruise who decided it was their birthright to push to the front of the departing queue of passengers, primarily because they had a suite cabin and were felt they were entitled.

We became involved accidentally but they of course decided to fling various epithets at us (a gay couple) as we were passing them on the gangway. It was like water off a duck's back, and only proved that having money certainly doesn't give you class.

I can only imagine what led up to this reported confrontation as I wasn't there. I can only hope that Celebrity had more supporting evidence to warrant throwing a passenger off than a '"he said, he said" argument.

This only reinforces my sense that cruise lines aren't very good at adjudicating and settling differences and arguments between passengers and go for the least awkward and easiest option every time.

The same reason anyone else would do it.

 

As for knowing: my gaydar is pretty good but not 100% foolproof. :)

Gaydars... they're kind of funny sometimes. I vividly recall moving to Virginia from Hawaii and being immediately fascinated with all the gay women/lesbians in Virginia. I just never realized that Virginia was such a gay woman/lesbian mecca. Turns out my gaydar was slightly off. They weren't gay/lesbian -- they were just southern!

Please no one be offended. It's a true story and I'm from the southwest originally!

The title of this thread really is most unfortunate. I don't think my sexual orientation makes me any more likely to be thrown off a Celebrity ship than any other decently behaving passenger.

This.

Straight man, gay man I don't understand why we have to define people by their sexual preference.What difference does it make couldn't you have said a man got kicked off a ship for alegely touching another mans backside?Everyone wants to be treated the same but somehow a persons sexuality seems to come up a lot.:confused:

I'm posting a final clarification about this unfortunate incident from a person who witnessed the incident. I deleted (redacted) the LGBT persons name.

The so called victim of this incident was an Australian Gentleman who decided that he needed to verbally express his disgust at drinking in the same bar as members of the LGBT community. Three times he taunted the group with verbal obscenities, aggressively charging them to provoke a reaction. When Mr. "redacted" stood up to him on the third charge, the bully got scared and screamed sexual abuse.

You do not

1. Incarcerate anyone, let alone a fare paying passenger, in a sealed inside cabin for over 72 hours, under guard, then decide to throw them off the ship.

2. Decline any access (physically or verbally) to anyone, least of all his Partner for this period.

3. Supply him with only finger food, for his own safety.

4. Deny his partner’s repeated attempts to supply Mr. "redacted" with essential medication. This Medication was eventually supplied by the Ship's Doctor, (No doubt at the passengers own considerable expense.)

Then, three days later give both these men two hours to pack, and have them escorted from the ship under arrest by the Australian Police. Thus conveniently leaving them and the problem in the most southerly port of Hobart.

 

You do not

1. Incarcerate anyone, let alone a fare paying passenger, in a sealed inside cabin for over 72 hours, under guard, then decide to throw them off the ship.

2. Decline any access (physically or verbally) to anyone, least of all his Partner for this period.

3. Supply him with only finger food, for his own safety.

4. Deny his partner’s repeated attempts to supply Mr. "redacted" with essential medication. This Medication was eventually supplied by the Ship's Doctor, (No doubt at the passengers own considerable expense.)

 

... unless there is documented evidence and reliable witness accounts the situation was far more severe than is being related here.

I would find it extremely disturbing if in fact this was the penalty for "a simple touch on the behind" (and I in no way endorse or excuse such unacceptable behavior regardless of the genders involved).

... unless there is documented evidence and reliable witness accounts the situation was far more severe than is being related here.

 

I would find it extremely disturbing if in fact this was the penalty for "a simple touch on the behind" (and I in no way endorse or excuse such unacceptable behavior regardless of the genders involved).

agreed, the post is hardly clarification.

There has to be more to this!! If not then surely there is legal ramifications. They practically treated the person like an animal and caged him in a small room? I cannot belive that the partner would not be allowed to see the person.

Something is off with this.

As said if not, then this is pretty damning.

There has to be more to this!! If not then surely there is legal ramifications. They practically treated the person like an animal and caged him in a small room? I cannot belive that the partner would not be allowed to see the person.

Something is off with this.

As said if not, then this is pretty damning.

We've done two 14 day trips on Celebrity Eclipse (Jan.2014/Jan.2015) & never saw any issues. There were some obnoxious pax, but you have them on any cruiseline. I still think there is much more to this story than we're actually hearing. The staff has always been totally accepting of us & the other gay pax we've met.

I want to believe the witnesses but something just doesn't add up with out experience. For example, on our Nov 2013 trans Atlantic, they actually had a Tea Dance at the bar overlooking the pool. It was packed and totally supported by staff. I just can't reconcile everything I know.

Happy sailing,

Jenna

I agree - things did not make sense with this incident. However, I just spoke with a friend who was also part of the Pied Piper group on that trip and witness to the event. She agrees completely with BayAreaBC although cannot corroborate what happened after the incarceration except for the expulsion. She did say the entire Pied Piper group was shocked by what they felt was poor treatment of this passenger. Security should have been called earlier when the abuse started and put end to this. "Assault" comes in more than one form. If Celebrity feels a punichsment is due, it seems there was more than one guilty party here and both parties should have been treated the same. Why do I feel we have not heard the end of this.

This is really frustrating, as we seem to be missing some facts.

First, it is possible there were previous interactions (whether between the two people in question, or others) we may not be aware of that impacted the decisions to put the passenger(s) off the ship. Maybe it was between the passengers and staff?

Second, there are still parts of the story missing, even if (and I expect it is pretty accurate) the description of the scene at the bar is how it occurred).

Finally, why hasn't Pied Piper stepped in, commented or put out a release? A huge majority of their cruises are on Celebrity so if one of their guests wasn't properly treated, I would think they would need to step in.

While I completely understand the desire to ignore a rude passenger like the provoking gentlemen I truly wish someone would not have waited until the third provocation to step in and call security. It just seems to have ended poorly.

Happy sailing,

Jenna

There is more to the story, I am sure. You said there was video tape footage. Perhaps that told the entire story.

Celebrity is definitely friendly to LGBT.

Me and my partners have cruised almost exclusively on Celebrity (X)

Never an issue never a hassle in fact look at this video and let's close this silly thread.

Video [YOUTUBE]

Me and my partners have cruised almost exclusively on Celebrity (X)

 

Never an issue never a hassle in fact look at this video and let's close this silly thread.

 

Video [YOUTUBE]

[/YOUTUBE] Video

 

Yes, I've also been to Los Angeles, and New York and NEVER had anyone shoot me.

Obviously it NEVER happens.

Sheesh! Some people.

I have cruised Celebrity many times both with my partner and alone or with some bear groups and never had an issue from Celebrity. Did a New Zealand cruise in 2012 on the Solstice and 2 on her last summer to Alaska and never had a problem. One of the ships officers whom I had met on the NZ cruise, asked where my partner was. My partner of 43 yrs. passed in 2013. There are obnoxious A-- holes both straight and gay in any large group. I think there is something we are not hearing, just doesn't sound like X.

Yes, it's NOT an issue with Celebrity! I've gone on all gay hosted groups many times. Non issue. Touching or assaulting another guest is an issue, however.

I love Celebrity.

Well, I know one thing: if a straight man verbally harasses me or anyone in my group, I'll complain immediately about HIS behavior. Obviously the video won't include prior events, only the final offense.

I am sure that Celebrity is not anti-gay, but their response was less than fair, and I certainly will keep that in mind.

We met a lot of gay couple/individual on our recent cruise with Celebrity Millennium. Thanks to the cruise director staff for organising the LGBT meet and greet. Most nights you will see most of us hanging around Martini Bar before heading to dinner or watching shows. Nice way to meet gay people around the world.

Tonight we dined at the captain's table with the master of the vessel. There were 2 openly gay couples, 1 lesbian couple and 1 straight couple. Something is missing from this story.

Happy sailing,

Jenna

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Well there's the problem...you were at the captain's table and not the Martini Bar! Only 14 days to go until the Molecular Bar! Enjoy for us too in the meantime!

Plenty of time at the martini bar too, though admittedly pre-dinner. Lots of family there.

Happy sailing,

Jenna

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