You're invited to visit...but your gay ship is banned.
Cruise liner Holland America Line and RSVP Vacations were told the 2,100 vacationers aboard the MS Nieuw Amsterdam ship that their July 1 visit to Casablanca had been cancelled. "Our port agent in Casablanca has advised us that authorities in Morocco have - despite previous confirmations - now denied our scheduled visit," the two companies said. "It was ultimately the decision by local authorities in Morocco that has necessitated us to adjust our plans." The stop was supposed to the only non-European stop on the week-long journey that lest out of Barcelona.
Morocco's Tourism Minister said no official decision had been made to prevent the ship from stopping in Morocco, but if that was the case, why would they abort? "We don't ban cruise ships here and we never ask our visitors about their sexual preferences," he told reporter, adding the ship could still visit Morocco. How very safe to say, now that they're not coming.
The ruling coalition of the country is led by moderate Islamists of the Justice and Development Party, who came into power in December as part of the regional wave of support that was in contrast to the recent Arab revolts. Their conservative law deems same-gender sexual relationships "lewd or unnatural", which is punishable with six months to three years in jail. No political parties call for ending laws against homosexuality, but Morocco's Islamic-inspired penal code that bans sex outside marriage and Moroccans buying alcohol. Authorities are somewhat tolerant, as couples display public affection and locals often outnumber tourists in bars and night clubs, but the pending arrival of "a gay cruise ship" by the media hardly prevented the boondoggle.
Moroccan tourism sector accounts for 10% of Morocco's GDP and 450,000 jobs, and clearly favors a "don't ask - don't tell" vacation itinerary. The ship ended up docking in the Spanish port of Malaga, which was fabulous.
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