A gay cruise ship is due to swing by Bermuda in June.

Pied Piper Travel, which has been organising gay groups on luxury cruise ships since 1990, is planning a trip on Celebrity Summit from New Jersey this summer.

The ship will depart the US on May 30 and arrive in Bermuda on June 2. It will stay at King's Wharf in St. George's for three days.

The company advertisement for the trip said: "Experience the pink beaches, fancy shops, fine dining and great historic sites. Bermuda is uniquely different from the Caribbean.

"Since Bermuda is 600 miles off the coast of North Carolina, it is much more comfortable and temperate. Join us on this gay group cruise to civilised Bermuda with its distinct British style." The trip includes welcome cocktails, private group excursions and outdoor midnight parties at sea.

The last time a gay cruise ship tried to come to the Island former Faith Based Tourism head Andre Curtis lead a vocal group of conservative Christians in protest of the trip.

At the time he said: "We may just choose to pick them [the passengers] up by bus and bus them to our church, to different denominations, and have the pastors pray for them."

The company owned by internationally famous talk show host Rosie O'Donnell cancelled their 2007 visit, citing concerns that it would be met by protests from the Island's churches. Instead they went to Halifax.

The cancellation made waves in the gay community around the world with many websites calling the Island homophobic.

Premier Ewart Brown, who is Minister of Tourism, said at the time: "Bermuda is a democracy that welcomes all people of all races, colours, creeds and sexual orientation."

He tried calling the company asking them not to pull out. When they stood fast, he said he understood and respected their decision, although it saddened him.