hwfiv

Hey Im keen to read a review or chat to you about your cruise on Allure. I like what you wrote about the gay charter cruises - Im the same. Im booked on Allure in November so any tips or info would be awesome.

 

Cheers

Steve

Sure, happy to tell you about my experience. I'll start by saying that I'm really a Cunard guy at heart. I only took Royal Caribbean because I had two friends who really didn't want to be on a ship that is as formal in the evenings as the Cunard ships. So I figured that if I couldn't have my much loved Queen Mary 2, I should try out the largest cruise ship in the world.

Now, coming from the Queen Mary 2, where Cunard organizes the Friends of Dorothy events EVERY day on EVERY sailing - and has the appreciation of their gay passengers enough to have the F.O.D. meetings printed in the Daily Programme, I am used to a ship/line that acknowledges us and appreciates us. I've made some lifelong friends in those F.O.D. meetings. And find that on Cunard, the meetings are not just gay people, but end up being attended by what I'll call the "Friends of F.O.D.'s". So, in my experiences on the high seas, I've always felt very safe and comfortable being open about who I am and not worrying about looking over my shoulder to see if some drunken straight bigoted yahoo is potentially going start gay bashing if he realizes there's a gay guy on board.

I came onto the Allure with my radar rather high, because I had an impression of the "type" of passenger that I'd find (based on mostly what I've read in the comments of passengers on the Royal Caribbean threads on this website - many accounts of passenger behavior that is less than flattering). I'll also say that I fit into the "straight acting" gay guy category, and usually have to tell people that I am gay - they don't always figure it out just from talking to me or watching me. So I wasn't necessarily worried about being on Royal Caribbean and being gay bashed, but I also had decided to make sure I really watched myself in terms of showing any behavior that might give me away and cause any uncomfortable situations.

In the week I was on board, those concerns were completely NOT valid! I'm sure there were some of those bigoted yahoo's on board, but what I found, for the most part, were a lot of very nice people.

I met exactly TWO other gay passengers. That's not to say that there weren't others among the 5000 or so other passengers, but this British couple were the only ones that were pretty open about being gay and being a couple. I had seen them walking around a few times on the ship, and finally had a chance to chat on our last port day, on the ferry back to the ship. They invited me to join them at the 20's party that evening in the Solarium, and I took them up on it. At the party, they were being VERY open about being gay and about being a couple. They were surrounded by a number of very middle American straight couples, who were all loving partying "with the gays". The straight men in the group were having a ball being teased and danced with by the gay couple, and the women were loving the attention they were getting from them as well. All in all I was very impressed that the majority of people in that section of the "club" looked at it as an opportunity to meet some different kinds of people. I didn't see anyone giving dirty looks or walking out disgusted, but then again I wasn't paying a lot of attention to the onlookers. But I must say I was really impressed at how cool these 30 something straight guys were being with the two gay guys who were bumping and grinding with them and their wives/girlfriends. It was all harmless fun and a good time was had by all that I observed. (For the record, I was not doing any of the bumping and grinding!)

Later, we moved down to Blaze nightclub, and I somehow became the center of attention of a group of about 10 straight guys whose wives/girlfriends had gone to bed. Perhaps it was because a gorgeous pole dancer from London (female) had decided she wanted me as a companion for the rest of the evening! But oddly enough, when she ended up calling it a night, the group of straight guys stayed and they all had a million questions about what it's like being gay and asking me what secrets I had as a gay guy about women, to help make their lives and marriages better, etc. It was a lot of fun. And this group of guys was made up of 20's, 30's and 40's, I would guess. And again, very middle America. I don't think a single one was from a large city. So I do think I was sort of a new experience for them. I probably heard the phrase "I didn't realize gay guys could be as cool and as normal as you" about 1000 times that night. So I can say that the impressions of "us" out there around the country are probably as misinformed as our impressions of "them" are. I never felt uncomfortable or felt that I might be in danger of being thrown over the railing by some drunken idiot. A few of them were even trying to get me to tell them which of them I thought was the best looking. They all thought it was hysterical when I told them that I don't flirt with guys who are useless to me ("What? I stroke your ego and then you leave me high and dry because you're straight? No thanks! Useless!" They were eating it up, and we all laughed a LOT.) And I honestly didn't expect to feel that comfortable on that ship when I first boarded based on what I had read on the boards here, in terms of being open about my sexuality.

In terms of the F.O.D. meetings: As mentioned other places, there is a bulletin board thing in the guest services area where people post notices of various meetings and get-togethers. Someone had posted a notice about the Friends of Dorothy meeting. I, too, passed by the stated location a couple of times the first couple of nights, but didn't necessarily see a group of guys that stood out to me as being the F.O.D. group, and on one occasion, there were two guys sitting and talking to each other that seemed to probably be gay guys - but I chose not to stop, because they quite frankly looked like a couple of sad sacks and dull as dishwater. Didn't want to get stuck with those two just because they were F.O.D.'s, so I chose to move on and find my own fun elsewhere on the ship.

On the 3rd day, I noticed that on the card that announced the F.O.D.'s meeting, someone had written in "(NONE!)" next to "Friends of Dorothy". I don't know who did it and if it was supposed to be funny or mean spirited. I must admit I was a bit put off that Royal Caribbean didn't have someone checking the board and watching to be sure nobody had written anything offensive on any of the meeting cards. If I had been managing guest services, I would have had someone in the department re-write the card if something potentially offensive was added to the card. The "NONE" comment was there through the end of the cruise.

As for the crew - I asked many of them how they felt about the Atlantis week, and across the board, they ALL LOVED it. LOVED having the gays on board. I heard over and over how much fun it was for the crew that week, so I was very comfortable being gay and open about it with the crew that I interacted with. And, of course, as is to be expected, the male performers are clearly almost all gay, and the cruise director staff/Dreamworks cast also had some gay guys. But, Royal Caribbean is VERY specific about fraternization between employees and guests. The performers and certain other cruise staff members are permitted to socialize around the ship and you can interact with them, but as I found out from stories I heard about the Atlantis charter from two weeks earlier, there is a ZERO tolerance for crossing the line, and several staff members were immediately fired and removed from the ship during the Atlantis cruise for hooking up with passengers. In one case, I met a supervisor that told me he had no choice BUT to fire one of his best (and favorite) team members during Atlantis. So the tolerance really is zero. So a word to those who want to hook up with crew on a Royal Caribbean trip: leave them alone - because it will most definitely mean their job!! The ship is FILLED with cameras and security watches like a hawk. There's no way to hide a crew/passenger hookup and so it's best to not push for that. But they will interact with you, and you might even end up making some good friends along the way. A few of my favorite people that I met on the ship were part of the crew, and quite honestly, my good memories of the social interaction on the Allure are with the crew, not the other passengers (more of that will be explained later in this review!).

I'm not a hook up kind of guy, so even though there were some very cute crew guys, the Royal Caribbean no fraternization policy didn't matter to me at all. I did enjoy, though, getting to know many of the cruise staff and performers. They are allowed to socialize at certain events where they are expected to interact socially with passengers, like: Prohibition Party (AMAZING event!), the 20's dance party (it's not a 1920's event, by the way - it's like a modern day nightclub - not sure why they call it the 20's party!), and a few other events that take place during the week.

All in all, I really enjoyed my time on the Allure. It hasn't changed my Cunard loyalties. I'll be on 4 Cunard trips this year, and my plans for 2013 are all Cunard (with a possible Disney thrown in there). But I will say that Royal Caribbean has a wonderful product and the staff is excellent for the most part. And I quite liked a lot of the passengers that I met. I didn't make any friendships that I feel will be "lifelong" friendships with other passengers, which is quite different from my Cunard experiences - as I always come off a Cunard voyage having made new friends that I'm sure will be lifelong friends.

Oh, I probably should also admit that I met someone very special on board... and that since my trip, he and I have fallen in love, and that later this summer, he'll be moving to New York to be with me. And since Royal Caribbean has that no fraternization rule, he and I were forced to simply just become friends first. And that's an awfully nice way to start a relationship!! Luckily, his contract ended soon after I disembarked, so we've been able to spend some great quality time together since then. And so, I'll always be grateful to the Allure, because I found love on her. :D

It still doesn't make me necessarily need to go back and visit the Allure again for the nostalgia of where the relationship began, but I also wouldn't say no to another trip on the Allure. The Western Caribbean ports were ALL amazing - most especially Labadee, which is an absolute paradise! The entertainment on the ship is second to none. The rooms are great and the beds are comfortable. And, as I've said, the staff was really great for the most part. Not quite at the level of "White Star" service that Cunard provides, but I knew that going into it, and so my expectations were less than on a Cunard voyage - and the staff exceeded my expectations. And I did love the sheer size of the ship and the fact that there was SO much to do. The food was fairly uninspired and I do prefer gourmet meals, but I would rank the food at a level of middle American country club level. (Although Chops IS a must - that food exceeded every other meal on board).

Honestly, my only complaint really was that I hated how many people ignored the evening dress code. A Hawaiian shirt and black pants does not a formal outfit make! I was a bit put off by how many people went into that beautiful main dining room dressed like they were going to the Sizzler. I just think it shows a lack of sophistication, and for my money, I'd rather cruise with people who have a little more style and taste. But I think a lot of people choose a line like Royal Caribbean specifically because they don't HAVE to dress up. So to each their own. I, myself, won't enter a dining room if not at least in a sport coat. And I did get a few looks on the Allure when I wore a sport coat (probably because I'm younger, and they expected to only see older men dressed like that). But they weren't aggressive with their looks or even nasty about it - it was more just like people seeing a fish out of water and surprised by it. So, if you're like me, and enjoy dressing, you can even do that on Royal Caribbean if you want to. Just know that you'll be in the minority! And yes, there will also be some fairly tacky/low class kinds of people on board that you wouldn't necessarily find on a more upscale line. But they're fairly easy to overlook (or to just laugh at - like the beer bellied yahoo idiots doing the Belly Flop contest, or "World's Hottest Guy" contestants). (Incidentally, there were passengers on board that I would rank AS some of the hottest guys in the world - none of which actually went to compete in the World's Hottest Guy contest at the Aqua Theater. Sadly, that contest was more like a Jersey Shore convention than a parade of hot guys... and not really worth the time, so I say to skip it. You'll see hotter guys up on the pool decks than in the contest! If you ask me, there's nothing less attractive than some over-gel'd spikey haired muscle heads with beer bellies doing Schwarzenegger poses for a group of screaming middle aged women!)

So I say, go on the trip and enjoy it! I think you'll like the ship, and hopefully the passenger demographic will be the same as I found, so that you will be surrounded by people who will look forward to knowing you for you, and not be hung up on the gay thing.

And someday, come join us on a Cunard voyage, where you'll really feel welcomed as a gay person!! (Just do please bring your formal wear, as we observe dress code!).

Enjoy!

Yeah...I've seen that too. Sigh. The way I look at, if someone has taken the time and effort to dress up and do the whole formal thing, I'm not going to roll into the MDR in jeans. It's their cruise too. The whole dress up is part of the experience. I respect their choice. What goes around, comes around.

THANK YOU for having some class when it comes to attire! I'll never understand how people can go into an elegant restaurant situation dressed like they're going to the mall and feel good about it. It all adds to the overall ambiance when people actually make an effort to put something nice on. I'm used to traveling on ships where, at a MINIMUM, a man is expected to wear a sport coat at dinner (and a tux or dark suit on formal nights). And you walk in and everyone looks wonderful. The whole ambiance is one of elegance. I mean, don't people get enough of dressing for TGI Fridays and the Sizzler at HOME? It's honestly very disrespectful to the ship, the staff, the other passengers, and the whole ambiance being set up to show up on a formal night looking like you're on your way to Denny's. I'm looking forward to my upcoming Allure trip, but honestly if I find lots of shorts and t-shirts in the MDR and upscale specialty restaurants on formal nights, this will be my last Royal Caribbean trip.

Me neither, heck i don;t even drink but it is still a great week.

I'm sure it is... it's just not for me. The last time I did one of those, I didn't GO looking for Mr. Right, but since I'm a relationship oriented guy, finding Mr. Right is always on my mind - and all I found that week was a LOT of "no-strings-attached" Mr. Right Now's, and a even more "Mr. Right Now's and their open relationship boyfriends". By the end of the week, after meeting so many guys I hit it off with, only to find that they didn't want anyone for more than an hour, or had to meet their boyfriends "later", I left the ship pretty depressed.

The other time I spent a few days at a circuit-y type event, my boyfriend at the time spent the entire few days trying to talk me into threesomes.

So I've realized these things are just not my scene.

Maybe someday when I'm in a long term monogamous relationship with someone I know will keep his commitment to me, in spite of the 3000 speedo clad muscle boys around him, I might consider going on a gay charter cruise. That would be about the only way that I think I'd enjoy it. Until then, I'll take my chances with hoping that the Friends of Dorothy meetings turn up some fun gay guys to hang with.

But have a great time! Just because it isn't for me, there are thousands of others that completely disagree with my feelings about gay charters and circuity party scenes - and I hope they all have the time of their lives!

It's a bulletin board near guest services, They supply the cards/pens. I'd suggest the wine bar as a good venue. A little more intimate than some bars. The Rising Tide would also be fun.

 

Cunard and RCCL are very different companies. You won't find the elegance of Cunard and the crowd will be much younger and more active than you're used to. That said, the shows will be fantastic in scale and the ship will definitely leave an impression. I presume you are open to trying new things since you booked a non-Cunard cruise but I can tell you the first time you wander from a favorite line, you do tend to notice what you're missing more than appreciate what is new. Definitely do try Central Park 150. It's an excellent restaurant by any standard.

Thanks! I'm a young-ish guy who is very active and likes to have fun. But I think I'm, in general, one of those old souls who was born too late and would have rather been the age that I am back in the 1940's. Cunard allows for that 1940's experience of elegance and the whole ocean liner mystique.

But I'm definitely open to new things! And I chose this trip because my two female friends that I'm traveling with are just not formal people, and felt that they'd rather have something more like the Royal Caribbean experience than a Cunard experience. So I really do plan to go in with an open mind and fully plan to love every second of the trip. And I've promised myself that I won't be that judgmental type criticizing everything as "they don't do that on Cunard", etc. I figured if I couldn't have the grandest ocean liner afloat, that I'd pick the largest cruise ship and for that I'm very excited. Just would be fun to have some other gay people around as well.

And while I'm sure the RCCL passengers skew much younger than the Cunard, on the whole, I have to tell you, you'd be surprised just how many young gay men I've found on my Transatlantics on the QM2. The last one, we literally took over the entire Commodore Club every night for cocktails and again after dinner, and it was wall to wall gay men. And although some were older, there were a LOT in their 30's, some in the 20's and a bunch in the 40's. Over the fourth of July trip to Halifax and Boston, the Commodore was literally standing room only (and it's not a small bar) from all of the gay men. Hundreds of them...

But admittedly, it will be sort of fun traveling on the Allure and being surrounded by a lot more people who are my age range.

Thank you again for the help! Much much appreciated!!

What time have you planned your F.O.D. cocktails for? On Cunard they schedule it at 5 p.m. which seems to really work well. Suggestions?

On the January 29 sailing there will be a big FOD meeting :D Sorry could not resist

Ahh yes, but I don't do enough drugs or sleep around enough to take THAT particular sailing!

As others have said, you will need to post a message. For myself, I like that. You get to choose the time of the meeting and you can call it whatever you want. Lines that continue to use FOD exclude a lot of people who have no idea what that phrase means. We were on Allure and posted GLBT gatherings and it worked great.

As I'm COMPLETELY new to Royal Caribbean and the Allure, how exactly and where to do you to post the notice? Do you have to bring a piece of paper and hand write it? Is there a board of some kind that things get posted on?

And as I would like to meet other gay people on board, I'll probably go ahead and organize it myself, so I'd love ANY suggestions as to what time and what venue you would suggest for holding the get together. I don't know the ship at all, so I'll take whatever advice you can give.

I have to admit, that I'm a bit disheartened to know that Royal Caribbean doesn't think highly enough of it's gay clientele to have an organized Friends of Dorothy meeting. And I'm further disheartened to know that they won't post such meetings on the Compass (which I'm assuming is the daily newsletter?). On Cunard we never have to ask for it - it's organized by Cunard every day on every single cruise at 5 p.m. in the Commodore Club. And it shows up every day on the printed Daily Programme that is delivered to the room.

I'm sure I'll have a fun time on the Allure and with my friends. But I keep hearing these little things that make me think that I'm going to really miss the Cunard experience.

But thanks for any advice on how to organize and publicize the F.O.D. meeting. Really don't want to add "Party Planner" to my list of responsibilities on my vacation, but if it means getting to meet a fun group of gay people to have cocktails with, then so be it.

I'm sailing next month on the Allure on Western Caribbean itinerary. I've posted in the Gay roll calls for my trip, but so far nobody has responded. Are there any organized Friends of Dorothy meetings on Royal Caribbean and the Allure of the Seas? I can survive if I'm the only gay guy on board, but it would be fun to meet some others if they're around. But with such a HUGE ship, without some kind of organized event, it'll just be luck of the draw of who you'll run into...