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Gay cruise ship docks in Dominica; two passengers arrested for buggery

Ken_W

By Ken_W,
in LGBTQIA+ Cruisers

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keithm

keithm

Posted
Posted
If that's true, why do you think they only targetted these two the whole day?

If you check the dominica news online website, you'll find that the locals noticed all the samesex tours going on. They certainly were not approving of that as well. I guess they really couldn't disrupt the tours, as they are making money, but the locals certainly still disapproved of gays being on the island.

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soldham

soldham

Posted
Posted
The persons in question did plead guilty and profusely apologized to the court. Does this not have some meaning?

 

Pleading guilty to something does not in and of itself mean much. What they pleaded guilty to and what they actually were guilty of may be two very different things (see Sphlinky's comment.) It is pretty common practice in most courts to save time/money but still to have the perception of justice being done.

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Schplinky

Schplinky

Posted
Posted
If you check the dominica news online website, you'll find that the locals noticed all the samesex tours going on. They certainly were not approving of that as well. I guess they really couldn't disrupt the tours, as they are making money, but the locals certainly still disapproved of gays being on the island.

 

 

I don't doubt that but if we're saying that these poor fellows were targetted, etc., I would presume they would not have stopped at just two people who may/may not have been naked and may/may not have been having sex (depending on which version of their story you believe).

 

Listen, I think that this is a very backward culture if they still have these laws on the books, but I also think the theory that these two were innocents who were targetted and also were the only ones targetted is just a bunch of gays playing the victim.

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GaNavy

GaNavy

Posted
Posted
I was on this cruise (I had a wonderful time-this was my 6th Atlantis cruises.) I would like to give you my take on what happen or at least what I heard. We docked on Roseau, Dominica @ 8:30A. I had breakfast and then processed down to the pier for my 9:15A tour. We had a lovely 4 1/2 tour to Trafalgar Falls and the Emerald Pools. The tour was very good and I really enjoyed the tour guide (very informative). Dominica was much better then Grenada. At least for me I had no issues with any of the ports I visited and I was kinda worried about it before hand. Anyway, during the show that night Rich Campbell, CEO of Atlantis, came to the stage to let us know what happen. Two passengers were seen by locals residents "engaging in sexual activity" on their balcony. I would assume it was more then being nude or just kissing. The police were notified and board the ship to arrest the party. Both representatives from Celebrity and Atlantis escorted the two individuals to the police station where they were to be detained overnight to the see the judge the following morning. They would be charged with a misdemeanor, pay a fine and be released. They then could rejoin the ship in St. Bart or fly home. It was reported they paid a fine of $2,400 and they decided to fly home. Friends of theirs who were on the ship packed their belongings and shipped it home. End of story. Of course this was the talk of the ship and reported in the media. Atlantis made is perfectly clear at the start of the cruise that any sexuality activity was to be take back to "inside" of your cabin. Everyone I talked to on the cruise thought what they did was just plain stupid. It doesn't matter if the ship was docked in Los Angeles or London or whether is was a gay cruise or not -- what they did was illegal. When you are in a foreign country you must follow their laws and rules. This is just common sense. They got what they deserved--gay cruise or not. They really got off easy. They could have gotten jail time too and the last place you'd want to be is a Dominica prison. Personally I thought everyone of the cruise was well behavior. I never saw anything inappropriate and security was monitoring the parties closely. I'm sure people have sex on their balcony (gay or straight cruises), but please do it while the ship is "At sea."

 

Amen.

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Doonan

Doonan

Posted
Posted
When my partner and I have discussed and agree on the issue we will respond as "we". If on the other hand I take a solitary position on something I will refer to "I" in the response. It was "our" feeling that the sexual act committed while in this port on an open balcony facing the port could only be construed as an act of defiance unless of course they engaged in this activity regularly including US ports.

 

I think everyone that has a friend would use the world 'we' most of the time ... unless they do not talk to each other. As you say 'I' when its a private thought.

 

I understood you

 

Neil

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Cruiser Bruiser

Cruiser Bruiser

Posted
Posted
What the dock area looks like:

 

450px-Roseau_from_the_plane_from_Guadeloupe.jpg

 

Dominica-Dock.jpg

 

4068068475_cfd90fd031.jpg

 

160264330_98e3f7c7d4.jpg

 

article-2118629-12487FED000005DC-19_634x366.jpg

 

Makes you wonder what was really seen, what really happened.

 

Thanks for posting the pix, Peter. One wants to jump to conclusions (especially because these guys were Atlantis passengers, not RSVP;)) and say how stupid can they be. But seeing these photos, I would probably feel comfortable being "partially naked" on a balcony with the sure knowledge that no one could see me. And I'm pretty cautious about those sorts of things. Sounds like a bad situation all the way around. I guess it's best to stick to the Eastern Caribbean.

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soldham

soldham

Posted
Posted
The men in question claim they were only naked on the balcony, NOT having sex. Let's be careful before claiming something that might not be accurate.

 

That seems not to be the prevailing opinion at the present. Sounds alot closer to a 2 person orgy.......

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D.B.

D.B.

Posted
Posted

Now that we're actually hearing first-hand accounts of this incident on this and other sites covering this story, it seems pretty clear that these two guys behaved in a shockingly inappropriate manner. What happened to these guys wasn't the fault of the travel company, the cruise line, or even "homophobic" local authorities. The bottom line is that if you stupidly have sex in public, you run the risk of being arrested.

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keithm

keithm

Posted
Posted
I don't doubt that but if we're saying that these poor fellows were targetted, etc., I would presume they would not have stopped at just two people who may/may not have been naked and may/may not have been having sex (depending on which version of their story you believe).

 

Listen, I think that this is a very backward culture if they still have these laws on the books, but I also think the theory that these two were innocents who were targetted and also were the only ones targetted is just a bunch of gays playing the victim.

All I'm saying, is that on the news online website, a lot of the locals were upset that a gay cruise ship had docked there to begin with. What's not to stop the locals from taking matters into their own hands?? Though we had a great time on Cunard there a few years back, I'm not so sure I'd venture there again. It was a "mainstream" cruise,but seeing an obvious male couple like us concerns me. We don't do any PDA'S, but still locals might try to read into it, since we're 2 guys on a trip together.

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Schplinky

Schplinky

Posted
Posted
All I'm saying, is that on the news online website, a lot of the locals were upset that a gay cruise ship had docked there to begin with. What's not to stop the locals from taking matters into their own hands?? Though we had a great time on Cunard there a few years back, I'm not so sure I'd venture there again. It was a "mainstream" cruise,but seeing an obvious male couple like us concerns me. We don't do any PDA'S, but still locals might try to read into it, since we're 2 guys on a trip together.

 

 

A fellow wrote on th Atlantis Board that he thought the reason that the locals were agitated was that this balcony party for two happened first thing and so that's the very first impression the ship made on the town. I think that is a fair presumption. There were no protests at the port as there have been for gay cruises in other countries. I think that frankly, this couples disregard for any sense of maturity made for a bad day for everyone.

 

In terms of people taking things into their own hands, that could happen anywhere, regardless of whatever laws are in place. A quick survey of gay history will tell you about nail bombs on Old Compton Street, the sad fate of Matthew Sherpherd, etc.

 

That said, I would not travel to a country where I knew I could be jailed for having sex. We won't be heading there soon, and I would hope that with all the bad press Atlantis is getting for having gone there in the first place, it will not be going to any ports where its passengers can be arrested under different laws than the rest of the cruising public.

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Typhoon1

Typhoon1

Posted
Posted
Here is an article which claims it was female pier workers who saw the men. It is told my an Atlantis guest who was there.

 

http://www.queerty.com/exclusive-very-very-obvious-that-atlantis-cruise-duo-in-dominica-were-having-sex-says-witness-20120327/

 

Very detailed account. Thanks for posting. I have difficulty trying to figure out how two female port workers could see onto a balcony from that distance. As well as passengers departing on a tour.

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Schplinky

Schplinky

Posted
Posted
Very detailed account. Thanks for posting. I have difficulty trying to figure out how two female port workers could see onto a balcony from that distance. As well as passengers departing on a tour.

 

 

Excursions often marshall just off the gangplank.

 

I'm not sure what others on their cruise would stand to gain by mis-representing the situation either.

 

I heard the interview this couple did with the AP from Puerto Rico and they just sounded like they were being evasive (one of them said something like they were not going to say if they were having sex so as not to implicate themselves) and their story focussed more on their treatment ashore. I would not expect better treatment for public indecency in a developing country, frankly. I wonder how the drug dealer arrested off the Atlantis cruise likes his jail there in what is at least a nominally American port.

 

This story has really just irked me. Whether you go on them or not, it seems that Atlantis is the face of gay crusing to the world. I just wish they could pull off a Caribbean sailing without some drama in the news (deaths, drug arrests and now this) because when people hear of gay cruisers, Atlantis is what they think of. Folks love to say "it happens on any cruise" but when is the last time someone committed suicide on a R Family cruise, or od'd on drugs on an Olivia cruise or got arrested for indecency on a Pied Piper one? I don't recall seeing that in the press.

 

I think it's time for me to get on with my life and stop being annoyed about this. Happy sails, boys and girls.

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keithm

keithm

Posted
Posted
A fellow wrote on th Atlantis Board that he thought the reason that the locals were agitated was that this balcony party for two happened first thing and so that's the very first impression the ship made on the town. I think that is a fair presumption. There were no protests at the port as there have been for gay cruises in other countries. I think that frankly, this couples disregard for any sense of maturity made for a bad day for everyone.

 

In terms of people taking things into their own hands, that could happen anywhere, regardless of whatever laws are in place. A quick survey of gay history will tell you about nail bombs on Old Compton Street, the sad fate of Matthew Sherpherd, etc.

 

That said, I would not travel to a country where I knew I could be jailed for having sex. We won't be heading there soon, and I would hope that with all the bad press Atlantis is getting for having gone there in the first place, it will not be going to any ports where its passengers can be arrested under different laws than the rest of the cruising public.

I tnink the owner of Atlantis is only concerned about profits. It's true these 2 idiots brought all this on themselves, but why go to a known homophobic region in the first place? This is one reason I don't do gay only cruises. I prefer mainstream or gay groups on mainstream ships. This way you can at least "blend" in. I know there are those who prefer the "All Gay all the time Cruises". That's fine, it just doesn't suit us.

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Boytjie

Boytjie

Posted
Posted
Folks love to say "it happens on any cruise" but when is the last time someone committed suicide on a R Family cruise, or od'd on drugs on an Olivia cruise or got arrested for indecency on a Pied Piper one?

 

Or RSVP. ;)

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johhnnyt

johhnnyt

Posted
Posted

Bottom line is no matter what the laws, the type of cruise,the port, Atlantis or Non-Atlantis. The fault rests solely on the two idiots involved. My guess is some will try and validate what they did as a social act, but these two weren't the ripest fruit on the tree and were thinking of no one else but themselves.

To me these two guys gave another black eye to the gay community where Fred and Ethel from Anywhereville will say, "See, I told you So"

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