The stand-off emerging between local church groups and Rosie O’Donnell’s (pictured) gay and lesbian cruise could pose a danger to the local tourism product.

The same event went to the Bahamas in 2004 and was greeted by boisterous religious protestors. The demonstrators were profiled in an HBO documentary called “All Aboard: Rosie’s Family Cruise”. Children on the cruise ship were confused and some of them were seen crying when faced with the protests. As a result, many families, including millionaires reportedly, refused to get off the boat and spend money in Nassau.

And that’s exactly what former Tourism Minister Renée Webb is worried about. She said: “I understand the cruise is very popular. The retail industry could lose out wherever the cruise ship is docking — in Dockyard or Hamilton or St. George’s. There’s a number of things involved. And aside from the fact of course of the adverse publicity that says Bermuda is not a place that welcomes all tourists, it is adverse on a number of levels — for the taxpayers, the retail industry and the island’s reputation.”

Current Tourism Minister Premier Ewart Brown has said the Government will not discriminate based on the sexual orientation of visitors. But the country’s tolerant stance may not matter because Rosie O’Donnell’s travel company has threatened to cancel the cruise if there’s a protest planned and “everyone in America will know why”.

The threat is especially menacing to the country’s tourism image because Ms. O’Donnell reaches millions of Television households every day — gay and straight. She is co-host of “The View”.

R Family Vacations appears determined to avoid a repeat of the Bahamas experience.

Ms Webb, who is a member in the House of Parliament, called R Family Vacations and reassured them that the potential protestors do not represent the views of the entire country.

Two local church groups are already on record as opposing the cruise event — the African Methodist Episcopal and United by Faith. Collectively they have a substantial conference of churches — more than 80 local houses of worship.

Plus they represent one side of a potentially awkward political situation for the Premier.

The church lobby is a powerful voting block and staunchly anti-same sex lifestyles, but the Premier is charged with promoting the country’s tourism product while also protecting the rights of same sex couples to vacation here.

And to further complicate matters the head of United by Faith, Andre Curtis, works to promote faith based tourism for the Tourism Ministry and is responsible for running the Premier’s constituency committee in Warwick South Central, where Dr. Brown will be seeking re-election.

Ms Webb said: “It is a tragedy that United by Faith is getting tourism dollars to market faith based tourism and then turning around and boycotting another group who want to come here.

“While it is fine for them to target faith based tourism — even though I think it’s questionable whether tourism dollars should be used for that — I think it’s a tragedy when that group uses their role to try to stop another group of tourists from coming here.”

Ms Webb said she was personally embarrassed to hear Mr. Curtis’ comments yesterday.

He told The Royal Gazette: “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.”

He would not reveal how the group planned to voice its opposition, by picketing or otherwise, but said a statement would be made next week.

R Family Vacations has said it will cancel if those plans include protests during the berth of the July cruise.

Gay and lesbian families are expected to fill the 2,200 person Norwegian Dawn in a cruise from New York City which is expected in Bermuda on July 12. The Premier held talks with Norwegian Cruise Line officials in Miami yesterday.

The Miami meeting was previously scheduled and not believed to be directly related to recent developments. Nonetheless, the topic almost certainly came up.