Will Cunard Reflag the Fleet?

[Classiccruiser777]

Bermuda no longer recognizes same sex marriage. Will Cunard continue to offer same sex marriages on board? If so, will the ships have to be reflagged?

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/feb/08/bermuda-repeal-same-sex-marriage

[Host Hattie]

No, they won't be able to offer same sex weddings. They will have to revert to the Commitment ceremonies they previously offered.

I would thing it's unlikely they will reflag the fleet.

[Kamloops50]

Highly unlikely due to the cost of doing it.

[Oslo Dutch]

Wishful thinking, remember they transferred to Bermuda registry solely because of tax reasons. They spinned it with this marriage ceremonies at sea, however nobody is that naive to believe that

[BlueRiband]

Back when Cunard re-flagged from Great Britian to Bermuda many of us here believed that the ability to perform on-board marriages was just a public relations excuse. The real reason, as OsloDutch stated, was to avoid the Equality Act which would have required substantial increases in crew wages.

 

BTW the lastest flag of convenience for cruise lines, Panama, doesn't allow same sex marriage. (Although there is an ongoing legal challenge.)

[Host Hattie]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-42990122

 

"The cruise companies Cunard and P&O Cruises, both of which register their ships in Bermuda, said they were "very unhappy" about the change in legislation, which will outlaw same-sex marriage ceremonies on their liners.

 

"We do not underestimate the disappointment this will cause those guests who have planned their weddings," the companies said in an identically-worded statement.

 

Instead, the firms will offering same-sex couples on-board alternative "commitment" ceremonies"

[Bramcruiser]

"The cruise companies Cunard and P&O Cruises, both of which register their ships in Bermuda, said they were "very unhappy" about the change in legislation, which will outlaw same-sex marriage ceremonies on their liners.

 

 

 

Instead, the firms will offering same-sex couples on-board alternative "commitment" ceremonies"

 

The alternative commitment ceremony is a slap in the face and a bit jokish in this day and age when marriage elsewhere is possible and where it almost was but repealed. I feel sorry for the cruise lines that got caught in this as they are trying their best to make good of a bad situation. However, as far as spending my money to get hitched its going to go somewhere else.