Gay cruise ship stopped from docking in Morocco

By Katy Holland, Jul 3, 2012
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Travel News Cruises

Gay cruise ship stopped from docking in Morocco RSVP Vacations

An all-gay cruise ship with 2,100 people aboard has been turned away from Morocco.

According to holiday company RSVP Vacations, which specialises in organising trips for gay and lesbian holidaymakers, tourist officials prohibited a scheduled entry to the port of Cascablanca, despite having previously agreed to the ship docking there.

Same-sex relationships are unlawful in Morocco: offenders can spend up to three years in jail, reports the International Business Times.

The Holland-America cruise ship, Nieuw Amsterdam, was supposed to include a 12-hour stop in Morocco as part of a week-long cruise. Passengers had booked to visit the Hassan II Mosque as well as several market places in the capital, but instead, the ship was forced to dock in the southern Spanish port of Malaga, reports Fox News.

Despite the claims by the company, Morocco's tourism minister Lahchen Haddad denied that the ship was prevented from docking. Speaking to news organisation Reuters, he said: "We don't ban cruise ships here and we never ask our visitors about their sexual preferences."

Pick of the best: Cruises 2012

Treat yourself to a Disney Fantasy
 The Disney Fantasy sails  at regular intervals from Port Canaveral, Florida on seven-night Caribbean itineraries that alternate eastern (St. Maarten and St. Thomas) and western (Grand Cayman, Costa Maya, Cozumel). All itineraries will include a stop at Disney's private island, Castaway Cay. Visit <a href="http://disneycruise.com" target="_blank">disneycruise.com</a> for details. Rates for a seven-night Caribbean cruise on the Disney Fantasy start at £692 per person for a standard stateroom, based on double occupancy.
Take a yoga cruise on Star Flyer
 Star Clippers is running outdoor yoga cruises with twice-daily sessions on various itineraries including Hamburg to Oslo on Star Flyer for seven nights from £1,490pp. All prices are full board, with yoga and lectures and port charges. Flights extra. Visit <a href="http://www.starclippers.co.uk" target="_blank">starclippers.co.uk</a>.
Go all-inclusive with Crystal Symphony
 That fear of the drinks bill may be a thing of the past now that Crystal Cruises has launched a new all-inclusive package on Crystal Symphony. Complimentary drinks range from fine wines such as Beringer Napa Valley Chardonnay to Grey Goose vodka with pre-paid gratuities. Crystal Serenity follows suit with her 16-night transatlantic sailing on 8 May from New York to Dover - £4,111pp all-inclusive in a deluxe stateroom with picture window including one-way flight to New York and transfers. Visit <a href="http://www.celebritycruises.co.uk" target="_blank">crystalcruises.co.uk</a>
Sail from Barcelona to Copenhagen on the Nautica
 Oceania Cruises has added four new departures this summer with $500 credit per stateroom. The Nautica departs 24th May from Barcelona to Copenhagen, 16 nights from £1349pp (saving £1829 pp). Cruise from Barcelona around the coast of Spain and Portugal, calling into Casablanca, Bruges, Amsterdam and Copenhagen. Prices include all meals, complimentary soft drinks. Excludes flights. Visit <a href="http://www.celebritycruises.co.uk">www.oceaniacruises.com</a>
Go wine tasting on the Celebrity Constellation
 Celebrity Cruises Celebrity Constellation has announced a new 12-night cruise departing Southampton on 7 September. It calls at Paris, Bordeaux, Bilbao, Vigo and Porto before returning to Southampton. From £702 pp with meals and entertainment onboard and all cruise taxes/fees. Departs 7 September 2012. Visit <a href="http://www.celebritycruises.co.uk" target="_blank">celebritycruises.co.uk</a>.
Tour Europe's cities with Royal Caribbean
 Royal Caribbean International’s Adventure of the Seas has a new 14-night Mediterranean Cities cruise departing Southampton on 7 July and calling at Malaga, Cannes, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Valencia, Cartagena and Lisbon before arriving into Vigo. From £1,199pp with meals and entertainment and all relevant cruise taxes/fees. Visit <a href="http://www.celebritycruises.co.uk" target="_blank">royalcaribbean.co.uk</a>.
Get blown away on Carnival Breeze
 The Carnival Breeze launches in June with a seven-night Mediterranean cruise featuring a rum bar, cinema, comedy club, nightclub, 10 restaurants including sushi and a Mongolian BBQ station and kids activities. Leave on 19 September stopping at Monaco, Rome, Sardinia, Dubrovnik and Venice before returning to Barcelona. From £889pp full board including return flights from London to Barcelona with British Airways. Visit <a href="http://www.carnivalcruise.co.uk/cruiseship/carnival-cruise-lines/carnival-breeze?sid=12202" target="_blank">carnivalcruise.co.uk</a>. <div> </div>
Chill out with the family on an Arctic cruise
 In August 2012, Quark Expeditions is running its first Arctic family cruise. The Spitsbergen Polar Bear Safari is an eight-day adventure which takes full advantage of the continuous daylight of the Arctic summer to spot and learn about wildlife including polar bears and walrus. With  photography workshops and extra activities including Arctic kayaking. Sail on the Akademik Sergey Vavilov from £3420 per adult and £2,430 for children up to 17. Visit <a href="http://www.quarkexpeditions.com" target="_blank">quarkexpeditions.com</a>.
Pamper yourself on the Thomson Dream
 2012 sees Thomson Cruises launch its Platinum Cruise range for the discerning cruiser.  Restaurants cabins, bars and spas onboard the Thomson Dream and Thomson Celebration are being completely refurbished. First sailing of the Dream departs on 9 December 2012, departing from Lisbon and sailing to Venezuela, Tobago, Grenada, St Lucia, British Virgin Islands, St Lucia, St Kitts and finishing in Barbados. Prices: 14 nights from £1,599 per person. Visit <a href="http://www.thomson.co.uk/cruise" target="_blank">thomson.co.uk/cruise.</a>
Take to the Baltics on the Adventure of the Seas
 Royal Caribbean International’s Adventure of the Seas has a new 12-night Baltic cruise departing Southampton on 31 May and calling at Oslo, Copenhagen, Tallinn, Helsinki with an overnight stay in historic St. Petersburg. From £999pp with meals and entertainment on board and all relevant cruise taxes/fees. Visit <a href="http://www.royalcaribbean.co.uk" target="_blank">royalcaribbean.co.uk</a>.

Tags: Gay holidays, Holland America

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63 Comments

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rubyvalleyred

If a country has laws then you should respect them, whether you agree with them or not!
The travel company who arranged this should not have attempted to send a boat load of people to a country where they are considered to be sexual deviants. It is their fault entirely and they should compensate the passengers!!!

July 04 2012 at 9:40 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to rubyvalleyred's comment

rubyvalleyred

Also, had they been allowed to go to Morocco the passengers would all risk possible arrest. What a responsible travel company they are!!!

July 04 2012 at 9:42 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

johhylr

Who knows, perhaps metsuyanuk has a valid point. Why don't we encourage all the cross dressing transgenders, shirt lifters, Roger Rabbit worshipers, weirdo’s and whacko's to go on a boat together with ALL the other genital mutilators both Jewish Arab and African's from around the world and ship them ALL to Israel. That way our streets would be clean and pleasant once again and we would then know where they all are and we, the ordinnary majority wouldn‘t have to put up with their unsavouriy behaviour! Nice one metsuyanuk. got my vote!

July 04 2012 at 6:13 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

laceandbits

Why would a company which "specialises in organising trips for gay and lesbian holidaymakers" deliberately want to take them to a country where "same-sex relationships are unlawful". Surely if you are offering a holiday it should be a relaxing experience, not confrontational. Or is this a cheap attempt to get free publicity?

July 04 2012 at 5:58 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

dianahythe

cant understand why gays would want to visit a muslim country, bit like jews going on holiday to nazi germany.

July 04 2012 at 4:27 AM Report abuse Permalink +2 rate up rate down Reply

metsuyanuk

They could always dock in Israel where they would be most welcome. There is an active gay scene, particularly in Tel Aviv and Gay Pride weeks are held both in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

The Jewish state has laws against discrimination on grounds of gender, sexual orientation, race, religion or ethnic origin unlike our neighbours in the Middle East and north Africa.

July 04 2012 at 3:52 AM Report abuse Permalink -1 rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to metsuyanuk's comment

jonjenhayler

Tell that to the people of GAZA. Israel a democracy don't make me laugh. One of the worlds worst terrorist / and president has just died. Israel is still shunned around the world because of their undemercratic behaviour. Where do you get such propaganda! Even South Africa and Denmark are boycotting Israel's l food because it is being grown on on STOLEN ARAB LAND!

July 04 2012 at 5:26 AM Report abuse Permalink +4 rate up rate down Reply

kjhsteward

ececidt: You do not appear to have much knowledge of the morale code in Morocco. A cruise ship full of people who would not respect the norms of their society would not be welcome. Even heterosexual couples do not touch in public. Young women are expected to be modest: though tight fitting tops and buttock hugging jeans are now accepted in the main towns. Those women that wear them though are known as 'gazelles' and not accepted by many traditionalists. They are considered too brazen. Gays en masse are not tolerated. Discretion is the safest way whatever your sexual preference in Morocco. If you want to camp-it-up, there are other countries who will turn a blind eye.

July 03 2012 at 8:43 PM Report abuse Permalink +3 rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to kjhsteward's comment

dvddouc

What EVIDENCE was there that anyone on board intended to disrespect local customs whiilst in port???

July 04 2012 at 3:18 AM Report abuse Permalink -1 rate up rate down Reply

powellscribe

well done!

July 03 2012 at 7:26 PM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down Reply

reverendgeorge98

Islamics are realy showing us the correct way here and its a pity that our Church is drifting into tolerating sinners and perverts. The morocans are quite right to ban this abomination from thier streets. Fortunately in my parish in Cumbria we don,t make these deviants welcom and if thier cruise boat comes here we won,t let them land either. but we will prey for them. needless to say our bishop is more tolerant of gays than me, and my curate is one of them too. Maybe I can get him a job as ships chaplain on a gay cruise liner.

July 03 2012 at 6:59 PM Report abuse Permalink +7 rate up rate down Reply

2 replies to reverendgeorge98's comment