MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, March 29th 2024 - 09:13 UTC

 

 

Gay cruise vessel banned from Casablanca forced to dock in Malaga

Monday, July 2nd 2012 - 05:48 UTC
Full article 6 comments
Disappointing news for the “Nieuw Amsterdam” Disappointing news for the “Nieuw Amsterdam”

The cruise ship “Nieuw Amsterdam” on its present voyage catering to gay clients docked Sunday in Malaga, south of Spain, after Moroccan authorities prohibited it from making its scheduled port of call in Casablanca.

The vessel with 1.564 passengers and 869 crewmembers docked early morning and was scheduled to depart from Malaga later in the day, a Malaga port authority informed.

The RSVP travel agency, which specializes in organizing tourist trips for gay and lesbian customers’ said on Saturday in a letter to its clients that its agent in the port of Casablanca had reported that “the authorities have cancelled the scheduled July first visit despite having previously confirmed it”.

The agency said that they considered this to be “disappointing news” and added that the decision was made after the visit of a gay cruise ship turned into a public and potentially controversial matter”

“For all of us, this is a very disappointing development … It was ultimately the decision by local authorities in Morocco that has necessitated us to adjust our plans.”

This ship, which belongs to the US company Holland America Line had scheduled a program for its stay in Casablanca that included a visit to the Hassan II Mosque and to several traditional marketplaces of the city.

After the stop in Casablanca which had been supposed to last for about 12 hours the cruise ship was due to sail to Cadiz also in Spain and then to continue to Ibiza in the Balearic Islands, then to Valencia and finally end its journey in Barcelona.

Organizers had emphasized the “historic welcoming tolerance for gay tourists in Morocco” despite the fact that the religion Islam punishes homosexuality.
 

Categories: Tourism, International.

Top Comments

Disclaimer & comment rules
  • Boovis

    So we can ban any Moroccans whose lifestyles we disapprove of...?

    Jul 02nd, 2012 - 01:14 pm 0
  • Forgetit86

    Isn't it a bit too much for a bunch of gays to organize a visit to an ancient mosque?

    Jul 02nd, 2012 - 01:59 pm 0
  • ChrisR

    That's where the caring face of Islam gets you if you are homosexual: dead.

    That's where the caring face of Islam gets you if you are an infidel : dead.

    That's where the caring face of Islam gets you if you are a raped woman : flogged or dead.

    That's where the caring face of Islam gets you if you are a young female child : married at 6 - 9 YO, consummated at 9 - 12 YO. Bunch of paedophiles.

    Jul 02nd, 2012 - 05:38 pm 0
Read all comments

Commenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!