A recent documentary, set on a cruise ship documented the darker side to gay cruises; drugs, promiscuity, loneliness and low self-esteem were common themes in the film. Following this, a disturbing report (by TMZ, nonetheless) outlines that aboard the White Party catered by Atlantis Events, 38 year-old ‘Storm Chaser’ Joel Taylor died of an overdose.

TMZ says, “Passengers told us Taylor consumed enough GHB Monday night to lapse into unconsciousness on the dance floor. He was taken back to his room where he was later found unresponsive”.

[RELATED: Chasing the High: When is it Time to Stop?]

But allegedly, the party continued on after the incident, “drugs were everywhere … including ketamine and ecstasy,” a source told TMZ.

Well, yeah. Sorry but hundreds of people off their tits, aren’t stopping because they’d seen someone pass out.

It makes sense that portable circuit parties would become the new place for gay partiers to reach the heights of escapism, as being in the middle of the Pacific Ocean is far enough from reality, let alone adding a k-hole to the mix.

It echoes the sauna debate from years back; where one side argued for the closure of such venues, claiming they play host to drug-fuelled orgies without sufficient security or medical support. While the other side claimed that it was particular gay men who abuse these safe places for the gay community.

[RELATED: The Big Sauna Debate: Harmless Fun or Death Trap?]

The difference here, is while saunas could implement higher security to enforce a stricter drug policy, or install a medical room, cruise ships are restricted to the type of medical help they can give. Do you know how expensive it would be to airlift a queen to the hospital every time they went squiffy?

But it would be irresponsible to ignore the death of gay men. The problem is, that you can’t strip search every passenger, and we’re not sure you can ban an entire event because people (we’re sure it wasn’t the first time it’s happened) accidentally overdose. Even by amping up the security, it’s not like you can someone a life jacket and chuck them out.

You can issue as many warnings as you want, but if people wanna get high, they’re gonna get high.