Two Cruise Lines Drop Brunei Port Visits in Response to Country's New LGBTQ Laws

Two cruise lines have announced that they will cease visiting Brunei in the wake of the country’s adoption of brutal anti-LGBTQ laws.

Both Princess Cruises and Regent Seven Seas are eliminating port visits to the country which last week quietly ushered in a new law that makes homosexual sex an offense that’s punishable by death. Those found guilty of adultery will face the same consequences.

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The country, on the island of Borneo, has since faced worldwide outrage and condemnation for the new law from celebrities, international non-profits, and well-known companies.

Princess Cruises said in a statement provided to TravelPulse that it celebrates diversity and equality.

“Princess Cruises is aware of the news stories circulating about the country of Brunei and the discriminatory views of the country leader towards the LGBTQ community. Although we have no calls to Brunei in 2019, we are looking at one itinerary in May 2020 and another in January 2021 that currently include a port call to Brunei, with the intention to make changes to those itineraries,” says the statement.

The company added that it would avoid any location where guests are not treated with dignity and respect.

About eight cruise lines currently have scheduled port calls in Brunei between now and 2021, including Silversea, Crystal Cruises, AIDA Cruises, Viking Ocean Cruises, Regent Seven Seas, Hapag-Lloyd, Star Clippers and Princess, according to Cruise Arabia & Africa.

Regent Seven Seas also shared a statement with TravelPulse indicating that its Seven Seas Voyager will cease visiting Brunei.

The ship was scheduled to pull into Brunai’s Muara Port on December 17 as part of a 14-night cruise from Singapore.

“At Regent Seven Seas Cruises the safety and well-being of our guests and crew is always our top priority. We closely monitor issues around the globe and if we have concerns, we will alter itineraries or shore excursion offerings accordingly,” a spokesperson for the line said. “Given the recent information that has come to light, we’ve made the decision to cancel all future calls to Muara, Brunei.”

Brunei has a small but growing cruise sector. The country has attracted about 130,000 cruise tourist arrivals over the past five years, according to Cruise Arabia & Africa.

The government has been working to increase cruise visitation.

The two cruise lines join a growing list of companies around the world that are taking a stand in response to Brunei’s barbaric new law.

Among the companies that are taking meaningful actions to show their opposition are TV Choice magazine, London-based newspaper the Financial Times; Deutsche Bank; and STA Travel, to name a few.

The condemnation for Brunei’s new law has also involved a boycott of all hotel’s owned by the country’s wealth fund, the Brunei Investment Agency, a government-owned fund that invests on behalf of the small oil-rich sultanate.

Properties that are part of the fund include Hotel Bel-Air and the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles; Principe di Savoia in Milan and Le Meurice in Paris. They also include London’s Dorchester; 45 Park Lane, London; Coworth Park, UK; Hotel Plaza Athenee, Paris; and Hotel Eden, Rome.

Not all cruise lines, however, have chosen to cease visiting Brunei.

Crystal Cruises, which has scheduled port calls in the country on February 17 and 23, 2021, has said that is taking a wait and see approach, according to Cruise Arabia & Africa.

Crystal Cruises told the publication that it does not comment publicly about the cultures of the destinations it visits but instead encourages guests to determine whether to visit a country or destination according to their own discretion.