Celebrity Cruises celebrated a major milestone not only for the company itself, but also for the LGBTQ+ community when it hosted the wedding of Francisco Vargas and Benjamin Gray, the first same-sex couple to be legally married at sea on a major cruise line.
In an intimate ceremony officiated by Captain Dimitrios Manetas, the grooms said “I do” in the company of their immediate family aboard the Celebrity Equinox.
“Traveling is in my blood, and when we heard Celebrity Cruises was celebrating equality and embracing our community, we wanted to be a part of it,” said Vargas, who works for Celebrity Travel Partner Cruise Planners, in press materials. “We are grateful for the outpouring of support from our Cruise Planners family and hope our story brings strength for others in the LGBTQ+ community to confidently love whoever they choose.”
The ceremony was made possible following an October 2017 decision by the parliament of Malta—where a majority of the Celebrity fleet is registered—to legalize same-sex marriage. The referendum allowed for Celebrity to legally recognize same-sex marriages performed on board while at sea, and have the ships’ captains officiate the ceremonies.
The Celebrity Wedding Cruise program offers onboard ceremonies and destination weddings for couples looking to the tie the knot. The Nautical Nuptials at Sea package includes a Captain-led ceremony, an event coordinator’s services, live music, one hour of photography, cake for two, a bottle of champagne, plus additional romantic turndown amenities post-ceremony, and more.
For more information, visit celebritycruises.com.
