RSVP Med Cruise 2012

[MDDCFlyer]

Guess it is never too early to start. After an amazing week on the RSVP Med cruise this year, we are definitely planning on coming back next year.

 

Itinerary:

29 June - Barcelona

30 June - At sea

1 July - Casablanca, Morocco

2 July - Cadiz (Seville)

3 July - Ibiza

4 July - Ibiza

5 July - Valencia

6 July - Barcelona

[Boytjie]

Interesting itinerary. Hmmmm

 

Phew, was concerned it clashed with Gay Pride in NYC.

 

Which ship?

[Boytjie]

Which ship?

 

Heard from a friend that was on this year's cruise that it is the Nieuw Amsterdam again.

[Boytjie]

Updated with arrival/departure times.

 

29 June - Barcelona depart 5 PM

30 June - At sea

1 July - Casablanca, Morocco 8 AM - 8 PM

2 July - Cadiz (Seville) 8AM - 8 PM

3 July - Ibiza arrive 9 PM

4 July - Ibiza depart 7 PM

5 July - Valencia 9 AM - 6 PM

6 July - Barcelona arrive 6 AM

[dwntwnphx82]

I think that we are going to change our cruise next Summer to this RSVP voyage. I have an email out to the TA and waiting to hear back. I have posted this question in a couple other threads, but I was wondering why HAL has the Nieuw Amsterdam departing Barcelona on June 29th for a 7-day Med cruise open to all HAL customers. Is it possible that RSVP will be using another ship?

[MDDCFlyer]

I think that we are going to change our cruise next Summer to this RSVP voyage. I have an email out to the TA and waiting to hear back. I have posted this question in a couple other threads, but I was wondering why HAL has the Nieuw Amsterdam departing Barcelona on June 29th for a 7-day Med cruise open to all HAL customers. Is it possible that RSVP will be using another ship?

 

See my answer in the other thread (BTW - cross posting is usually discouraged).

 

It is not unusual that a charter cruise seems to be available on the regular web-site. The cruise lines have cruises planned 18-24 months in advance, while the chartered cruises are usually only 12 months in advance. The regular booking will vanish soon enough. You can search back for all the angry posts of how the cruise that people were already booked on vanished and they had to change their plans because a charter took over.

[dwntwnphx82]

It is not unusual that a charter cruise seems to be available on the regular web-site. The cruise lines have cruises planned 18-24 months in advance, while the chartered cruises are usually only 12 months in advance. The regular booking will vanish soon enough. You can search back for all the angry posts of how the cruise that people were already booked on vanished and they had to change their plans because a charter took over.

 

 

OK, that makes sense. Thanks for your responses/insight! We have a cabin on hold as of today so looks like we'll be joining this trip!

[vulcan1971]

Hello there.... I have sailed on one other RSVP charter cruise previously (my first cruise ever) and have done a few others cruises since then. This will be my first time in Europe and I am quite excited. I am working on the booking to reserve a room this week, but wanted to come out here and see if any postings had been made yet. I have never been to Spain, but I am also planning to stay over in Barcelona for up to a week after the cruise. Looking forward to next summer already!

 

 

Walter

[MDDCFlyer]

I have never been to Spain, but I am also planning to stay over in Barcelona for up to a week after the cruise. Looking forward to next summer already!

 

Barcelona is a wonderful city and you'll enjoy it very much. Almost as much as the cruise itself ;-)

[Mtim42]

Hello everyone, first time for me posting on here so hope that I am following correct procedure. I have booked this cruise with a friend who lives in Scotland (I am in England). First time 'all gay cruise' for both of us.

I take it this is the only roll-call for this ship???

[MDDCFlyer]

Hello everyone, first time for me posting on here so hope that I am following correct procedure. I have booked this cruise with a friend who lives in Scotland (I am in England). First time 'all gay cruise' for both of us.

I take it this is the only roll-call for this ship???

 

Yes, the "charted" cruises usually have roll-calls under the designated group affiliation. There might be a regular roll-call in the usual place, but as the ship is chartered I doubt there will be any activity there. Most GLBT passengers would look here first.

[DCtrAAveler]

Hi all,

First-time poster, here, so please excuse any missteps if this isn't the right place. I'm not yet confirmed, but seriously thinking about doing this cruise as a birthday present to myself since it falls over the right time and I've always wanted to do an RSVP or Atlantis cruise. Wondering if an experienced cruiser could help with a stateroom question - most of the suite categories are gone at this point (the ones affordable for me and my partner, anyway), so I'm thinking of just a regular verandah room. How much does "size matter" when it comes to the staterooms, and is it worth paying for the VQ "spa" category room, or are the regular verandah rooms fine? Or, would it be best to try to snag one of the remaining suites? [i will also look for room/category reviews in the HAL-specific threads]

Any other general advice for an RSVP virgin would be appreciated. Cheers.

[Boytjie]

Welcome to Cruise Critic! This is a good place to ask the questions and get answers.

 

I have not heard the greatest things about the spa cabins and have no experience with them. I believe that the Nieuw Amsterdam VQ cabins on the Observation deck (11) have small balconies. I wouldn't book a VQ but rather a regular verandah cabin.

 

My experience with RSVP cruises are that we don't spend all that much time in out cabin and so far we have been happy with non-suite verandah cabins in the Caribbean. On port intensive itineraries like Alaska and Hawaii we opted for obstructed view cabins (no balcony).

 

On HAL we have always gone for the VD cabins on the Upper Promenade deck (4) - it is a decent size and the balcony is deeper than most others in the verandah category.

[MDDCFlyer]

How much does "size matter" when it comes to the staterooms, and is it worth paying for the VQ "spa" category room, or are the regular verandah rooms fine? Or, would it be best to try to snag one of the remaining suites? [i will also look for room/category reviews in the HAL-specific threads]

Any other general advice for an RSVP virgin would be appreciated. Cheers.

 

The VQ rooms have one good thing going for them - location. We usually booked on the IA rooms which shares the same thing - location. However, if being close to the spa, the lido deck and the pool is not important I would not go and splurge on them.

 

On this cruise we have changed to a VA room (the massive discount on this room while booking on the Caribbean cruise was just too good to miss).

 

Most balconies are the same size unless you get one of the unique ones (I'm sure long gone by now).

 

But reality is, how much time will you spend in your room on the RSVP charter? If it is any significant time above sleeping and prepping, you might not need to go on a charter. The whole point of a charter like RSVP or Atlantis is the fact that you can constantly interact with the other passengers, and always something to do. As opposed to regular cruises that I do tend to spend time on the balcony, in the charter I am rarely in the room (and thus the inside category most of the time).

[DCtrAAveler]

Welcome to Cruise Critic! This is a good place to ask the questions and get answers.

 

I have not heard the greatest things about the spa cabins and have no experience with them. I believe that the Nieuw Amsterdam VQ cabins on the Observation deck (11) have small balconies. I wouldn't book a VQ but rather a regular verandah cabin.

 

My experience with RSVP cruises are that we don't spend all that much time in out cabin and so far we have been happy with non-suite verandah cabins in the Caribbean. On port intensive itineraries like Alaska and Hawaii we opted for obstructed view cabins (no balcony).

 

On HAL we have always gone for the VD cabins on the Upper Promenade deck (4) - it is a decent size and the balcony is deeper than most others in the verandah category.

 

The VQ rooms have one good thing going for them - location. We usually booked on the IA rooms which shares the same thing - location. However, if being close to the spa, the lido deck and the pool is not important I would not go and splurge on them.

 

On this cruise we have changed to a VA room (the massive discount on this room while booking on the Caribbean cruise was just too good to miss).

 

Most balconies are the same size unless you get one of the unique ones (I'm sure long gone by now).

 

But reality is, how much time will you spend in your room on the RSVP charter? If it is any significant time above sleeping and prepping, you might not need to go on a charter. The whole point of a charter like RSVP or Atlantis is the fact that you can constantly interact with the other passengers, and always something to do. As opposed to regular cruises that I do tend to spend time on the balcony, in the charter I am rarely in the room (and thus the inside category most of the time).

 

Thanks for the advice. Especially since we'd be limited to the SZ or SY (and maybe 1 of each left) suite categories at this stage, I think looking at the regular verandah cabins may be the way to go - foregoing the VQ. Not sure the location or amenities in themselves are worth the additional outlay for that category, especially with the smaller balconies.

 

I'm sure we won't spend a lot of time in the room, but I do know I'll need to "retreat and recharge" periodically before plunging back into the activity, especially since this is my first cruise (charter or no), so having the outdoor space for that will be a plus.

 

How well (or not) does noise carry onboard? Is deck 8 very noisy, for example, being right below the Lido, and if so, would you recommend something on 7 or lower?

 

Thanks again for your help and advice.

[MDDCFlyer]

How well (or not) does noise carry onboard? Is deck 8 very noisy, for example, being right below the Lido, and if so, would you recommend something on 7 or lower?

 

Most if not all the parties are on the back of the ship on the Lido deck. Noise will carry if you immediately under it, and the parties do go on until 3AM. As you can guess noise will carry even further down, if you have a balcony at those location.

 

If you never cruised, do not know whether you are prone to motion sickness the role of thumb is going lower and toward the middle of the ship (where there is less motion).

 

Taking all your wished into consideration somewhere in the middle of deck 5 would probably the best fit for you.

[DCtrAAveler]

Most if not all the parties are on the back of the ship on the Lido deck. Noise will carry if you immediately under it, and the parties do go on until 3AM. As you can guess noise will carry even further down, if you have a balcony at those location.

 

If you never cruised, do not know whether you are prone to motion sickness the role of thumb is going lower and toward the middle of the ship (where there is less motion).

 

Taking all your wished into consideration somewhere in the middle of deck 5 would probably the best fit for you.

 

Thanks for the advice. I bit the bullet and made the reservation this afternoon - tend to way over-analyze things sometimes. Decided in the end to go with the Superior Suite category, and looks like we'll be right at mid-ship adjacent to the scenic elevator. May end up being more than we need, but as first-timers, and myself easily overwhelmed in crowds, having a bit of additional "retreat" space seemed worth it. Now to read up on past RSVP trips, and find out all I can from the HAL threads about the N.A. and what to expect. Very excited - should be a great birthday trip.

[Boytjie]

Thanks for the advice. I bit the bullet and made the reservation this afternoon - tend to way over-analyze things sometimes. Decided in the end to go with the Superior Suite category, and looks like we'll be right at mid-ship adjacent to the scenic elevator. May end up being more than we need, but as first-timers, and myself easily overwhelmed in crowds, having a bit of additional "retreat" space seemed worth it. Now to read up on past RSVP trips, and find out all I can from the HAL threads about the N.A. and what to expect. Very excited - should be a great birthday trip.

 

You can also go to gaycruisepictures.com for RSVP cruise pictures posted.

[MDDCFlyer]

Now to read up on past RSVP trips, and find out all I can from the HAL threads about the N.A. and what to expect. Very excited - should be a great birthday trip.

 

That is why we are here ;-) Just ask away.

 

It will be a wonderful trip.

[Boytjie]

Got an email for free companion airfare for new bookings in certain cabin classes. I wish the timing of the cruise was better :(

[MDDCFlyer]

Got an email for free companion airfare for new bookings in certain cabin classes. I wish the timing of the cruise was better :(

 

Judging from this incentive and the huge discount they gave on board the Caribbean cruise - I think this one is not selling very well. We took advantage of the discount and changed our room and basically told you can pick any room you want as there were so many unsold rooms.

[DCtrAAveler]

So what happens if it doesn't sell out? Will it go ahead, or is there a critical volume needed which, if not reached, might trigger RSVP to cancel the sailing? If they were to drop prices to try and fill remaining space, what happens to those who have already purchased at higher rates? Do we get credits or refunds?

[Boytjie]

So what happens if it doesn't sell out? Will it go ahead, or is there a critical volume needed which, if not reached, might trigger RSVP to cancel the sailing? If they were to drop prices to try and fill remaining space, what happens to those who have already purchased at higher rates? Do we get credits or refunds?

 

It is highly unlikely that RSVP would cancel: they are contracted with HAL and there would be no refund. They may offer incentives to sell more cabins but I think they will not repeat 2007 when they offered discounts while others had paid more.

 

Full disclosure: our first RSVP cruise was on the Caribbean Princess which did not sell out and we took the 2-for-1 special offer. There were a lot of unhappy cruisers then (but we got hooked!)

[MDDCFlyer]

So what happens if it doesn't sell out? Will it go ahead, or is there a critical volume needed which, if not reached, might trigger RSVP to cancel the sailing? If they were to drop prices to try and fill remaining space, what happens to those who have already purchased at higher rates? Do we get credits or refunds?

 

They will not cancel. It would cost them more to cancel. I don't think they will offer any discounts (although it happened on the Alaska cruise in 2009 - and then everyone got the discount, including those who already paid). More likely they will offer some sort of deal Atlantis is known for - get a room for your friend in 50%, free airfare (sort of what they doing now), etc'. Only the last resort is to discount the cruise as it will be applicable to everyone on board.

 

I don't believe last year Med was sold out either. It makes for a nicer cruise when the ship is not in full capacity - though it does not bode well for RSVP.

 

Remember that they can still save some money by calibrating the entertainment to the number of people actually on board.

[rteichman]

Hi I am new here and am looking for advice. I would like to treat myself and my partner to a gay cruise. I'm trying to decide if I should take the RSVP Med Cruise.

 

Let me give you some background. I have travelled extensively and have been on 3 cruises (2 gay). The best time I have ever had in my whole life was on the Atlantis Med Cruise about 6 years ago (Barcelona to Athens). Other than Barcelona, I have never been to any of the ports on this cruise. My partner has never really travelled outside of the US (not much in the US either). In 2009 I took the Atlantis Baltic cruise with my BF of the time. It was nice, we had a good time, but because of the temperature, the roof was always closed over the pool (HAL ship by the way) and I felt our Veranda was a waste.

 

First question; how are the ports (other than Barcelona and Casablanca which I am dying to see)? Second does it pay to get a Veranda (forget about the free airfare deal...obviously I would get it if its the same package cost as an inside cabin)? Third, should I wait and go on a different itinerary. This really isn't ideal, but of all the cruises this is the only one we can try and fit into our schedule. If you ask what my ideal cruise would be, it would be Israel, Egypt, Greece, and Turkey.

 

I should mention that I only will go on gay cruises. IMHO if you are a gay couple that is the ONLY way to cruise and feel "at home"