Atlantis cruise - "drugs on the party boat were plentiful"

[MiamiLooker]

Joel Taylor dead from suspected drug overdose and several passengers arrested for possession of drugs...

http://www.tmz.com/2018/01/24/storm-chaser-star-joel-taylor-drug-overdose-od-died-dead-cruise-ship/

[escortrod]

Jeez. I would never consider taking drugs through a port, even if I was only travelling domestically. That takes either big balls or fantastic stupidity.

[bigvalboy]

Joel Taylor dead from suspected drug overdose and several passengers arrested for possession of drugs...

http://www.tmz.com/2018/01/24/storm-chaser-star-joel-taylor-drug-overdose-od-died-dead-cruise-ship/

 

All of this is so tragic. The death of someone so young is always such a loss. It just boggles the mind why guys engage in such dangerous behavior.

 

Prayers to his family and friends...May he go in peace.

Edited January 24, 2018 by bigvalboy

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

Atlantis and RSVP are operated by the same guy. He knows full-well what happens on his cruises... Even Helen Keller could figure it out.

 

While it's not his direct fault that passengers bring on drugs, if you've been on one of these cruises, you know it's not exactly frowned upon. RSVP and Atlantis don't go out of their way to ensure drugs are not part of the equation. Perhaps this will change things. One can hope.

 

Sidenote: I've done many gay cruises and in nearly all of them, it's the person I'm traveling with that's made it enjoyable... Not the overwhelmingly gay boat.

[MiamiLooker]

The ship doesn't return to port in Ft Lauderdale until Saturday, 1/27. If visiting San Juan, PR, and Haiti didn't already put a damper on the cruise, I wonder if Joel's death will.

[Njgymnerd]

He was such a beautiful and sexy man. It's so tragic that another life was taken by drugs. I hope he's at peace now.

[+ ArVaGuy]

Interesting how this is being reported in most of the media. Absolutely no mention this was a gay cruise charter. The reports reference Royal Caribbean but do not mention Atlantis at all. Perhaps its a matter of personal privacy in withholding a key detail but context is important in these situations.

 

As soon as I heard the report Joel’s death on a cruise ship my first thought was a club drug overdose. I’ve never even heard of the guy nor watched Storm Chasers. Reading comments on TMZ and other outlets there’s numerous references to the fact he was gay and using drugs. Many of the comments have not been very kind and some border on homophobic.

[+ nycman]

...it was due to asphyxiation from aspirating in his sleep. Not an overdose of any drug....Joel took a double dose of Ambien that unfortunately kept him sedated when he vomited in his sleep.

You realize those two statements contradict each other....right?

 

I know your point was that according to the BF’s story...party drugs didn’t kill him.

 

But even if you believe that....he still died of a “drug overdose”.

[+ nycman]

Yes, asphyxia will be the immediate cause of death...

wether he OD’d on drugs...or just ate too big of a

meal in high seas (you don’t really believes this do you?),

or both.

 

I’m willing to wait for the toxicology report on this one.

 

I’m not convinced 2 Ambiens are enough to knock you out

so hard that you choke on your own vomit and die. Maybe

if mixed with lots of alcohol...then maybe. But I suspect

there’s more to this story.

 

Unfortunately there’s a man’s life lost too soon...regardless of who wins the “argument”

[caliguy]

Yes, asphyxia will be the immediate cause of death...

wether he OD’d on drugs...or just ate too big of a

meal in high seas (you don’t really believes this do you?),

or both.

 

I’m willing to wait for the toxicology report on this one.

 

I’m not convinced 2 Ambiens are enough to knock you out

so hard that you choke on your own vomit and die. Maybe

if mixed with lots of alcohol...then maybe. But I suspect

there’s more to this story.

 

Unfortunately there’s a man’s life lost too soon...regardless of who wins the “argument”

In my past life as a circuit boy we routinely did Ambian so we could sustain ourselves from party to party. You got to come down sometime or you'll end up a real mess. The boyfreind also said they were doing other drugs. Coke and ecstasy. I'm sure they effects were still there.

 

Reminds me of Whitney Houston. Coming down in the bath tub was not a well thought out plan.

[LookingAround]

While Joel’s death was very tragic, it was due to asphyxiation from aspirating in his sleep. Not an overdose of any drug. He didn’t collapse on the dance floor and his boyfriend stated he was not doing any party drugs that evening. Both himself and his boyfriend went to bed after a large dinner. Joel took a double dose of Ambien that unfortunately kept him sedated when he vomited in his sleep. The seas had been moderately rough for a good portion of the cruise.

 

One of the guys onboard the ship decided to make this a money-making opportunity and sold a story to TMZ & The Daily Mail for $200 a piece and went as far as posing as a dead body on the floor.

I’m sure you are well aware the biggest risk of a g hole is aspirating on vomit or saliva or having your tongue obstruct the airway. Once used as an anesthetic g puts the person in a “deep sleep.” You’re saying a big meal killed him after he fell asleep? Please don’t start.

[EastbayMike]

He was such a beautiful and sexy man. It's so tragic that another life was taken by drugs. I hope he's at peace now.

Yes, if only he was over weight, old, and unattractive! Then we wouldn't have to pretend like we care.

[caliguy]

Yes, if only he was over weight, old, and unattractive! Then we wouldn't have to pretend like we care.

Reminds me of that saying. If an ugly tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it still make a sound?

[caliguy]

Sources told TMZ that Taylor was seen partaking of drugs on board.

 

Taylor’s body was removed from the ship at San Juan Puerto Rico for an autopsy.

 

The ship was charted by the gay travel company Atlantis for the 7 day cruise through the Caribbean which began in Fort Lauderdale Florida and included a performance from Olivia Newton-John on Tuesday night.

 

A source told TMZ that Taylor had consumed enough GHB on the dance floor, to the point of passing out and being removed from the dance floor by friends, on Tuesday night.

[+ nycman]

It’s like arguing with Fox News anchors on here, lol. So precious.

 

Let me know when y’all stop using The Daily Mail and TMZ as your source of all knowing information and get first hand information.

I agree.

 

Let’s wait for the toxicology report.

 

Regardless of what people saw, or didn’t see, or thought they saw....

 

The mass spectrometer doesn’t lie!

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

Ultimately, Atlantis is going into PR overdrive in an attempt to make this go away.

 

Drugs are a problem on these boats: I've seen it first-hand, many times. While they can't eliminate the issue, they can do more to ensure a better environment.

 

Toxicology will figure out this particular guy's issue, but I hope Rich Campbell (CEO of both major gay cruise lines) takes this as an opportunity to reflect on existing protocol and if things need to be changed.

 

From what I've seen, my definition of zero tolerance is very different than theirs. A lot is swept under the rug.

[BabyBoomer]

 

Let’s wait for the toxicology report.

 

 

Which will take weeks for it to be completed.

 

~Boomer~

[OneFinger]

Ultimately, Atlantis is going into PR overdrive in an attempt to make this go away.

 

Drugs are a problem on these boats: I've seen it first-hand, many times. While they can't eliminate the issue, they can do more to ensure a better environment.

 

Toxicology will figure out this particular guy's issue, but I hope Rich Campbell (CEO of both major gay cruise lines) takes this as an opportunity to reflect on existing protocol and if things need to be changed.

 

From what I've seen, my definition of zero tolerance is very different than theirs. A lot is swept under the rug.

Ditto. Been on several Atlantis cruises. Could get any drugs I wanted - but I don't use drugs. It's an open secret that drugs on Atlantis cruises are readily available.

[EastbayMike]

To quote Renault: "I'm shocked, shocked to find that (drug use) is going on here!"

[MikeBiDude]

To quote Renault: "I'm shocked, shocked to find that (drug use) is going on here!"

[+ azdr0710]

To quote Renault: "I'm shocked, shocked to find that (drug use) is going on here!"

 

thanks for that reminder.....worth the video!

 

[LookingAround]

It’s like arguing with Fox News anchors on here, lol. So precious.

 

Let me know when y’all stop using The Daily Mail and TMZ as your source of all knowing information and get first hand information.

Happy to take your account once you give us one that is plausible and believable and not one that a school child wouldn’t believe.

[Bargara Leatherboy]

It will only be a magnet for police attention - i know that in Sydney the drug dogs often make an appearance at gay events to sniff out drugs - and the cruise terminal is no different when they think they will catch a bunch of gays with drugs

[+ ArVaGuy]

It will only be a magnet for police attention - i know that in Sydney the drug dogs often make an appearance at gay events to sniff out drugs - and the cruise terminal is no different when they think they will catch a bunch of gays with drugs

 

Six people were arrested prior to departure when drugs were found by canine units. This was reported early in the breaking news initial reports.

[+ ArVaGuy]

It’s like arguing with Fox News anchors on here, lol. So precious.

 

Let me know when y’all stop using The Daily Mail and TMZ as your source of all knowing information and get first hand information.

 

Oh please. It’s obvious that Joel’s boyfriend is trying to put a spin on the circumstances around his death. Atlantis also appears to be in damage control mode.

 

Ambien is a prescription drug. Did Joel have a prescription for this drug to treat insomnia? This drug is known to have serious side effects particularly when mixed with alcohol and other drugs. Sharing drugs such as Ambien is widely discouraged by medical professionals.

 

But as noted in a previous post Ambien is often used on the club circuit to come down from the GHB and Ecstacy highs.