Carnival Corporation is breathing a sigh of relief.
Bermuda’s Supreme Court has reversed the short-lived ban on same-sex marriage, allowing legal ceremonies to resume in Bermuda and on Bermuda-registered cruise ships.
Carnival Corporation, the world’s biggest cruise company which includes well-known Aussie brands Carnival Cruise Lines, P&O, Cunard and Princess Cruises, has registered 25 of its ships in Bermuda.
Half the Princess Cruises ships and Cunard and Seabourn’s fleet is registered in Bermuda.
In February, Bermuda became the first country to reverse the legalisation of gay marriage when Governor Rankin signed the Domestic Partnership Act. The law, which was set to come into effect on June 1, banned same-sex marriage, citing a referendum that said the majority of citizens disagreed with the legalisation.
Cruise lines had been taking bookings after the legalisation debate in Australia, but suddenly those with Bermuda registration were forced to halt the ceremonies.
The Carnival brands have performed seven same-sex marriages so far: two on Princess, four on P&O, and one on Cunard.
But following the signing of the Act, Carnival Corp stood to lose $26,000 from 10 further same-sex marriages.
Carnival joined forces with LGBTQ-rights group OUTBermuda to contest the ban, and file an affidavit against the Act.
“Our engagement includes providing OUTBermuda with financial, civic and public relations support, as well as involvement by our company,” Carnival said in a statement at the time.
“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.”
