Dominica: Two Americans Arrested, Fined $2,400 for Having Sex on Ship Balcony

American citizens John Robert Hart, 41, and Dennis K. Mayer, 43, pleaded guilty earlier today (March 23) to the charge of public indecency after they were arrested for having gay sex on a balcony of one of Celebrity Cruise's cruise-ships. They were fined $2,400 and were released following payment.

Unfortunately, for the two defendants, gay sex, known as "buggery" on the island, is also against Dominican law. Public indecency and having sex in view of the public are also against the law there. Police in Dominica were alerted to the behavior by witnesses on shore who could see the balcony. Police then boarded the ship, which was docked at the Roseau port, and arrested the men.

COMMENT: Hart and Mayer were part of a gay cruise group from California sponsored by Atlantis Events, which runs gay tourism trips around the world and markets itself as the running largest gay cruise entity in the world. The group chartered a Celebrity cruise-ship for the trip to Dominica.

The cruise ship departed the island Wednesday (March 21), following the duo's arrests and continued onto its next port-of-call at St. Bart's.

A lesson-learned from this case is to be cognizant of local law as it applies to various types of personal behavior. A simple internet search could have revealed vital information that might well have headed-off the stiff fines the passengers were forced to pay.

Another option might well have been to curtail such activities until the vessel was safely underway at sea.