CruiseMsclDad

On 1/19/2024 at 5:31 PM, Ships and Dip said:

Was on Liberty of the Seas last weekend. Same great setup still in place, huge dark steam room and sauna. Sauna was not as warm as I typically like it, I had to constantly keep putting water on the rocks to get the temp up. 
 

Great conversations in the steam room with some friendly folks. 

Great to know, love a dark steam room!

On 1/18/2024 at 9:34 PM, HLR said:

Hey MsclDad! Long time no see...send me an whatsApp message!

Hi nice to be back! Unfortunately had a huge data breach and, a new email, so shoot me an email and we can reconnect. This applies also to any guy that wants to say hello.

cruisemsclfurdad@proton.me

On 1/1/2024 at 6:40 PM, ShipWalker said:

It's a new year and I've added Oceania Cruise ships to the database.

 

A friendly reminder to all users to the database...

*******

Best viewed on desktop or laptop. (using a mouse)

 

Steam/Sauna Database

 

As a reminder to all, ANY change you make to the database is auto-saved. There is no temporary change while you are on it. That means if you highlight ships to compare them. It is permanent. If you change the formatting of the data in any way, or for some reason change the order of the ships it stays that way when you exit.

 

The DB then needs to be cleaned up (not that hard to do) but still takes time.

 

Enjoy!

I am super excited to go to the Oceana Vista, I have heard awesome things about this cruise line! Any information on the Vista?

On 12/31/2023 at 7:03 PM, Musicguy said:

They may be required but in my experience, some men do wear just a towel in the coed saunas! I did and it was not an issue. 

In my experience for the most part, I have always seen more men in COED wet areas than women, but it could have been the time of day or night that I went.

2 hours ago, ShipWalker said:

Database is up and running again!

 

A big thanks to @CruiseMsclDad for providing me with a .pdf of the database with all the data!

 

Still some tweaking to do but it is good to go.

 

A friendly reminder to all users to the database...

*******

Best viewed on desktop or laptop. (using a mouse)

 

Steam/Sauna Database

 

As a reminder to all, ANY change you make to the database is auto-saved. There is no temporary change while you are on it. That means if you highlight ships to compare them. It is permanent. If you change the formatting of the data in any way, it stays that way when you exit.

 

The DB then needs to be cleaned up (not that hard to do) but still takes time.

 

Enjoy!

Too kind too kind! Always happy to help anyone with a sauna/steam room help!

Mitch

On 9/3/2023 at 12:40 PM, iramack said:

What happened to your pic?

My Signature section got all messed up! Still working on it!

Mitch

57 minutes ago, iramack said:

Seabourn ships all have a separate mens sauna in the locker room with showers etc.

Free to use for guests.

 

Enjoy Seabourn!  It's a great Product!!

My photo was taken on Ovation last year.

Steve

Seabourn is amazing!

On 8/13/2023 at 2:06 PM, sunnyjim said:

Looking forward to trying the mens sauna on Celebrity Silhouette sailing out of Southampton on 9th September - anyone else on this sailing?

Have you been on the Celebrity Silhouette before, what is er wet area like?

Thanks, Mitch

5 hours ago, mojitos24 said:

I just got off the Carnival Venezia. Here's the men's locker room. Nice sauna and whirlpool. You have a another open shower at the left in the whirlpool section.

 

Awesome Pics! I was curiouse about this ship, seeing how it departs from NYC!

Thanks! Mitch

2 hours ago, PhillyTravelBug said:

We are currently doing an Iceland / Norway cruise and have noticed how gay friendly they are.

My son and I have always wanted to do a Northern cruise, he is  a Viking history nut (in a good way)
 

On 8/22/2023 at 11:10 AM, JMSPADES said:

My husband and I cruise often each year. Normally 2-3 at a minimum. MOSTLY on NCL. We've never had any problems what so ever. We've cruised out of Miami, and Cali. I'd say be mindful when in ports as you should in any country your not 100% familiar with their customs, but have not had issues there either really.

 

Agree with you completely never had a problem, when I was younger on solo cruises, I was not great with dealing with aggressively pushy men/woman, but usually there was an alcohol element to their behavior and that can be on any cruise. Where the ship leaves from, the length of cruise, definitely impacts behavior.

On 8/12/2023 at 11:13 AM, phillygwm said:

I've never found people avoiding non-Americans on a cruise.  I try to do just the opposite; chances are I'll learn something about someplace I didn't know previously.  Plus, a hot accent turns me on 🤣

 

As for the gay thing, depends on the ship.  Most of the larger cruise lines do LGBT mixers, which can be hit or miss.  I've never found outright antipathy but then I've never been holding hands with a boyfriend etc. while onboard so I can't say it absolutely doesn't exist.  Not sure it's super common, though.

A hot accent is always a turn on !

27 minutes ago, SFRiA said:

Look at Desire Resorts Cruises - they buy out the entire ship on Azamara for this type of cruise. We're going next May.

Have you been on one before?

On 6/21/2023 at 12:35 PM, CDNPolar said:

Here is a video....

 

Even though he says that bathing suits are required in the sauna - nobody is policing that.

 

 

Looks Amazing!

Just now, BirdTravels said:

Your minimum bids are probably a few hundred dollars per person. 

 

There are 600+ staterooms that could bid on those rooms. At the movement, there are about a dozen total Owners Suites and Grand Suites available. Other suite classes are sold out. 

 

The probability of a winning bid is very very low, regardless of what you bid. But is always fun to dream. 

Agree !

17 minutes ago, molly361 said:

Like @OCSC Mike said check your prices.  Assuming $700 is the starting bid and it's the Mariner I wouldn't bid on any of them.  Not worth the perks for a min of $1400

Good point thank you.

19 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

Hi again. You need to mention you're on Mariner (much better suite perks on larger ships).

 

First off, the min bids aren't zero, check the sliders.

 

Secondly, only you can determine what each upgrade is worth to you.

 

Lastly, generally speaking, anyone's chances of Royaling Up are very low nowadays given how full ships are. That said, no harm in bidding if you want to.

 

I'll let others take over from here. GL whatever you do!

Thank you so much!

Hey guys!

So I just snagged a Suite Guarantee, I am assuming its a Junior Suite, and today I can see the following categories that I can bid on:

Grand Suite $0 - $700

Grand Suite - 2 Bedroom $0 - $910

Owner’s Suite $0 - $980

Royal Suite $0 - $700

I have never done a Royal Up before, what bids would you suggest and how has your experiences been?

Thanks Mitch !

Hi! Very late flight out of Orlando on return to port , I booked the Kennedy Space Center tour, it says it is 6 hours  long. Has anyone taken this excursion? Any other suggestions for things to do in Orlando?

Thanks Mitch!

1 hour ago, zitsky said:

You went back to their room?  Were they considerate or did they make a pass at you?

 

And your Kindle is not bothered by the heat?  Would it be ok to take it into a steam room?

I was 18, very very trusting back then and totally clueless, email me me if you want to hear more about my first solo cruises without my family.

Mitch  cruisemscldad@proton.me
 

1 hour ago, BigMattT said:

This thread was a fascinating read.

 

Random thoughts:

 

1) My husband and I (now in our 40s) have been taking cruises for 15 years... sometimes we feel like socializing, sometimes we're trying to escape anything resembling an obligation. Over the years, we've had reasonably pleasant experiences meeting people at FoD/Pride/LGBTQ meetups when we've felt like going. There's always a couple or a solo traveller who comes to the meetup and sits off to the side or nervously lingers at the entrance... and while it's not anyone's responsibility... mindfully offering inclusion to stragglers is largely free of cost and feels wonderful. It's as easy as... "If you're here for the 5:30pm event, we'll be happy to pull up another chair when you're ready." I say be the person who does that if no one else is.

 

2) Attending the meetup definitely seems like it gives license for other attendees to act far more familiar with us than when we don't attend. Friendly greetings are fine... conversations if we see you on an excursion, at a show, or in a bar are of course fine... the very nature of those activities is gathering and being somewhat social...

 

3) We've definitely experienced people getting overly friendly in various ways. Let me read in peace. Let me sit in the spa in peace. Please ask permission before joining me at a table. Please take no for an answer to any advances.

 

4) I would FAR prefer someone to have RBF than to be masking and/or inauthentic. Some folks are even cute with a curmudgeonly grumpy face. My husband tells me that all the time 😉

 

5) Marriage doesn't mean monogamy, but enthusiastic consent is sexy and fairly obvious. The sauna is for sweating; your cabin is for canoodling; both are fun.

Your post brings back some memories of my first solo cruises years ago, finding a group of men at a bar and kind of lingering like you said, but there was always someone who was kind enough to welcome me in, I was a horrible conversationalist back then but these guys were for the most part very good at filling in awkward silences. Very kind of you to be so welcoming.

Your other point is equally valid some guys can misunderstand friendliness for something more, and they should be respectful, in the beginning of my solo cruises I ended up in a lot of cabins because I figured well this guy or these guys were so nice to me at the bar or at dinner or during an excursion, I probably should go back with them. (not usually a good time). Everyone should respect other people’s boundaries, and not assume anything. On recent cruises OMG the over sharing is rampant, I want to get to know you but I am not your therapist or life coach.

I get the trying to read in peace. I can sneak off to a corner of the ship and just want to be in my own world for a bit. Spa stuff well, that is a whole other issue. Being a bodybuilder, I know when put a towel on some guys are going to notice and that can be cool until it’s not. If I am in the sauna reading my kindle and a guy or a couple walks in I will say hi comment on something about the day or the cruise and go back to my reading, the hint is if I am reading then I am just zoning out relaxing. Most guys get that, but man oh man there are some that cannot take a hint. Now on the other hand maybe I will put the book down, and say Hi. Spa stuff is Spa stuff it is its own world.

So much too depends on the ship, the cruise line, the itinerary and the length of the cruise. Shorter cruises, the vibe is more active, more party like, but for a lot of people this is like a special vacation, I don’t want ruin their time and I do not want my cruise time ruined either.

Mitch

On 7/23/2023 at 9:37 AM, Spurs Fans said:

Do any cruise lines have male massage therapists in their spas?  Does anyone happen to know if Celebrity Summit would have a male therapist?  Thanks! 

On 7/23/2023 at 10:27 AM, LEESRE said:

Don't think Celebrity have any, I have never come across one, the only Male Therapist I have seen is on Seabourn Encore last year.

My favorite cruises have always been on Seabourn, only lucky to have been on 2 so far, and yes both times if I asked  I was able to book a male.

On 7/23/2023 at 2:41 PM, STLCRUISIN said:

Years ago, maybe 15 years now, I had a male therapist on a Celebrity cruise but I have only seen female therapists since.

Years and years ago I was told to always ask for one, I prefer men, and it has been hit or miss, but good to always ask.

Mitch

4 minutes ago, slhal said:

That's funny. The last HAL cruise I went on was crowded with 20 somethings. Almost to the point of irritating. 

I just remember it being a smattering of all ages definitely more in their 30's 40's at least on my cruises

2 hours ago, kiwicruiser48 said:

well put @pdmlynek.

We did HAL recently for the first time and I can confirm that...

we were feeling like underage couple among rest of the crowd. one day we were feeling little romantic in private hydro spa area, but were worried that other might get heart attack - lol.

2 hours ago, kiwicruiser48 said:

@shorne, I hope those handful are not in rooms next door to you...

2 hours ago, kiwicruiser48 said:

well put @pdmlynek.

We did HAL recently for the first time and I can confirm that...

we were feeling like underage couple among rest of the crowd. one day we were feeling little romantic in private hydro spa area, but were worried that other might get heart attack - lol.

It has been a while since I cruised with HAL, I dont remember it being skewed that much older, maybe it depends on the itinerary ? Beautiful ships and service, though.  :)