Carnival Corporation Comes Out Against Bermuda's Same-Sex Wedding Ban

In May of last year, Bermuda legalized same-sex marriage. Then, this February, the country revoked that right, the world's first reversal of same-sex marriage legalization. Today, LGBTQ couples in Bermuda may only enter domestic partnerships and the impact of that legislative flip-flop extends far past the island itself: Cruise ships registered in Bermuda—like many owned by the Carnival Corporation, including those of the Readers' Choice Award–winning Cunard line—can no longer perform same-sex marriages on board anywhere in the world.

In an effort to fight the country’s discrimination, which extends onto their Bermuda-registered ships like the Queen Mary 2, the Carnival Corporation announced it is partnering with OutBermuda, a Bermudian LGBTQ advocacy group that has filed legal action against the ban, providing financial and PR support to its efforts. “We are not revealing the investment amount at this time,” said Roger Frizzell, the chief communications officer for Carnival Corporation, “but we are helping to fund the legal efforts, as well as the broader campaign.”

Cunard, and other Bermuda-registered, Carnival-operated ships, started offering same-sex wedding packages less than three months after the legalization was passed last year. Though Carnival is "committed to equality, inclusion and diversity," the company said in a statement, its Bermuda-registered ships have nevertheless put on-board same-sex marriages on hold.

Carnival plans to keep sailing to Bermuda, despite calls from travel agencies like Travel Designers to boycott the island and cruise lines that sail there. "LGBTQ community organizations based in Bermuda have shared their own concerns that both the existing law and any potential reduction of travel to Bermuda will have a negative impact on the local economy and locals who depend on tourism for their livelihood,” the company said in a statement. “At their urging, we believe it is best to align our actions with the LGBTQ community and others who live and work in Bermuda."

Now, if only they could trade that Bermudian flag for one that's a little more... colorful. 🌈

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