Gay Cruise Passengers Arrested for Sex on the Ship

March 22, 2012— -- Two Americans traveling on a gay cruise were arrested on the Caribbean island of Dominica for having gay sex on one of the ship's balconies.

Gay sex, known as "buggery" on the island, is against Dominican laws. Public indecency and having sex in view of the public are also against the law there, according to police superintendent David Andrew.

John Robert Hart, 41, and Dennis K. Mayer, 43, pleaded guilty today to the charge of public indeceny. They were fined $2,400 and were released following payment, Andrew said.

Police in Dominica were alerted to the behavior by people on shore who could see the balcony, according to police superintendent David Andrew. Police then boarded the ship, which was docked at the Roseau port, and arrested the men.

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 in the world. The group chartered a Celebrity Cruise ship for the trip to Dominica.

The cruise ship departed the island Wednesday, following the pair's arrests, and continued onto its next port-of-call at St. Bart's. The men are departing Dominica tonight, although it is unclear whether they will rejoin their tour group.

The president of Atlantis Events, Rich Campbell, told the Associated Press that the company would continue to visit Dominica in the future.

"Many countries and municipalities that gay men visit and live in have antiquated laws on their books," he said. "These statutes don't pose a concern to us in planning a tourist visit."

Neither Atlantis Events nor Celebrity Cruises responded to requests for comment.