ExplorerCA

I'm with the OP. I've done 75 cruises and the worst - by far - was the RSVP one we did as a group of six. At nearly double the rate of a conventional cruise, it wasn't worth it. The 'staff' they had were just people they'd met and apparently invited along because they were cute. Some had no cruise experience. Most had no personality and talked only among themselves. They certainly were FAR below the professionalism you'd see from even the worst Cruise Staff onboard a regular cruise. Also, for a newbie to wear a 'crew' shirt - even an RSVP 'crew' shirt is an insult to the true crewmembers onboard.

We ranged in age from early 20s to 50s. At the sailaway party, the drag queen hostess took a liking to the youngest member of our group and invited him away (privately) to party with the RSVP folks. It was clear they were fostering a 'cool kids' versus 'outsider' dynamic that I hadn't seen since middle school.

On another RSVP cruise, a friend who's a little overweight was seated for dinner and when the head waiter brought over two other guys to be seated at the same table, one loudly said "I'm not sitting with that fat ass". As my friend said later, it's as though the cruise brought back every insecurity he'd had since childhood.

There's an impression that the gay cruises are for the circuit party boys, and I found that to be mostly true. I wouldn't go on another gay cruise if it were priced the same as a regular one - it's just not worth it.

Hi guys. I'll be onboard with my ex. We'll look for you all at Friends of Dorothy!