GEORGE TOWN,
Grand Cayman -- Gay cruise travelers in Grand Cayman? No problem,
mon.
It was smooth
sailing for the Largest Gay Cruise in History 2, which arrived here
Jan. 31 with about 3,200 gay and lesbian passengers on
Royal
Caribbeans Navigator of the Seas.
The cruise was
organized by Atlantis Events.
Atlantis has not
visited the island since government officials turned away an
Atlantis cruise in 1998, a move that sparked protests and a boycott
of the Cayman Islands in the gay travel community.
The islands
government established a nondiscrimination policy in
2001.
The response from
most guests onboard the cruise has been overwhelmingly positive,
and many look forward to returning to the Cayman Islands, said Rich
Campbell, CEO of gay tour operator Atlantis Events, which organized
the cruise.
The ship was met
by a group of about 100 onlookers, Atlantis said. Some cheered the
first group of passengers who disembarked on Grand
Cayman.
Others waved
placards to protest the ships arrival, Atlantis said.
To contact
reporter Kristin OMeara Hillmann, send e-mail to [email protected].