With the Drag Stars at Sea cruise set to depart this weekend, Carnival Cruise Lines made a surprising announcement on Monday: guests are banned from dressing in drag while attending performances or in public areas at anytime during the eight-day cruise. The company has since rescinded the ban, and Carnival president and CEO Gerry Cahill called the situation "a miscommunication" between the cruise line and AlandCHUCK.travel, the organizers of the specialty cruise. He also said that Carnival will provide full refunds to anyone who wants to cancel their cruise.
In the original e-mail announcing the drag ban, Carnival's vice president of guest services Vicky Ray said, "Carnival attracts a number of families with children and for this reason, we strive to present a family friendly atmosphere. Although we realize this group consists solely of adults, we nonetheless expect all guests to recognize that minors are onboard and refrain from engaging in inappropriate conduct in public areas."
Drag Stars at Sea will feature nearly 40 contestants from RuPaul's Drag Race.
This article appears in Nov 22-28, 2012.