Carnival Cruises Joins Fight Against Bermuda's Gay Marriage Ban

The Carnival ship Miracle (Getty photo)

CNBC reports:

Carnival Corp. is taking a stand in the civil rights struggle in Bermuda.

Bermuda's government became the first to reverse the legalization of same-sex marriage when Governor John Rankin signed the Domestic Partnership Act into law on Feb. 7. The law bans same-sex marriage but allows those couples to have similar rights. The Rainbow Alliance of Bermuda claimed the law created a "separate-but-equal status under the law."

The law created a significant problem for Carnival. Its subsidiaries Cunard and P&O Cruises are registered in Bermuda. The ban means Cunard and P&O ships cannot conduct same-sex marriages regardless of where the ships are in the world. After taking a hands-off approach immediately after Bermuda enacted the law, Carnival announced that it will join with OUTBermuda to contest the ban.

"Our engagement includes providing OUTBermuda with financial, civic and public relations support, as well as involvement by our company," Carnival said in a statement. The company will also file an affidavit to support the legal action of OUTBermuda. "While we always abide by the laws of the countries we sail to and from, we believe travel and tourism brings people and cultures together in powerful ways. As a result, we believe it is important to stand by the LGBTQ community in Bermuda and its many allies to oppose any actions that restrict travel and tourism."

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