BY BTL STAFF
Celebrity Cruises announced on National Coming Out Day that all same-sex marriages performed onboard are now legally recognized.
Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, the line's president and CEO, made the surprise announcement during an industry event in Australia where the population is voting in a national government survey to determine whether same-sex couples should be allowed to marry.
"Celebrity Cruises has a long history of supporting the LGBTQ+ community and I cannot think of a more important time in our history than right now to support inclusion. This is one for the history books," Lutoff-Perlo said, noting captains will be able to officiate same-sex weddings while in international waters.
The parliament of Malta, the Mediterranean nation where most of the company's fleet is registered, voted 66-1 to allow same-sex couples to wed in July. This allows for these unions to be performed in international waters — and for captains to officiate the ceremonies.
Celebrity, a subsidiary of parent company Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., had already hosted same-sex weddings in the U.S., Mexico and the Caribbean, where they're legal. Bermuda-registered ships on some other cruise lines — Princess, Cunard and P&O Cruises UK — are due to offer same-sex marriages from next year.
