Straight guy with a question.

[Darrell6t]

Thanks for outlining your thoughts. Makes perfect sense why a LGBT only cruise would be appealing.

 

I'd love to see tolerance and acceptance of all people become so routine, that anything else is the minority.

 

Regular cruises are fun too. And there is rarely, if ever, any intolerance or non-acceptance. The point of an all-gay charter isn't to avoid the regular cruises, but to enhance the cruise experience. My partner and I have been on many of both. They are all fun, but the all-gay ones are just a whole lot MORE fun.

[schlot]

Another big plus to me of a gay cruise is the entertainment--it is usually particularly good and geared toward a gay audience.

 

It is amazing how much pop culture revolves around straight relationships--songs, sit coms and tv dramas, movies, books, even sports ("kiss cams"). On a gay cruise there is just a different perspective to everything. I enjoy straight cruises and have never experienced (or seen) bigoted behavior, but it is nice every now and then to experience a different--gay-focused--culture.

 

I'm really glad I started this thread. Your statement about a perspective different from mine was simple but was still like a dope slap moment for me. Thanks...we all need a good slap occassionally. :)

[Guest]

I think you are very open,or very curious.

[schlot]

I think you are right...and very secure.

 

Each of our journeys fascinates me.

[JasonTehGreat]

If I can venture another question, what itineraries if any are less than accepting to LGBT cruisers?

 

I read some things about a few of the Caribbean islands that are problematic.

I loved Belize but found out after the cruise that Belize's government even forbids gay foreigners from entering the country.

 

They also have prison sentences for same-sex sexual activity.

[keithm]

I loved Belize but found out after the cruise that Belize's government even forbids gay foreigners from entering the country.

 

They also have prison sentences for same-sex sexual activity.

Research the deal that happened a few years back in Dominica. 2 guys(stupid, most definately!)engaged in sex on their balcony & were seen by shore staff. They got arrested(one of the guys was supposedly a cop!)Paid a fine ($200 or so) & got booted out. This happened during a gay cruise to the island.

[Boytjie]

I loved Belize but found out after the cruise that Belize's government even forbids gay foreigners from entering the country.

.

 

When was that? In 2009 on a RSVP cruise we stopped in Belize and there was no issue.

Edited May 5, 2015 by Boytjie

[luvtocruze11]

Here, Here, totally agree with all your statements! Straight, gay, group, we always enjoy cruising, no matter which line or ship. Some of our best and lasting friendships were made onboard a cruiseship

[mpscan]

First, thank you for your question. Very cool. Just another view to throw in the ring:

 

I'm gay and my gay circle of friends is quite large. We actually organize a group cruise every year on a mainstream line. There are typically anywhere from 30 to 60 of us, depending on the year, the line, and the costs. We typically pick the ~3,000 person mega-ships and have done the Allure once too. We have done four Carnival, two Royal Caribbean, two Princess, and one Celebrity so far. All Caribbean. We try to alternate lines to vary the costs for people who those of us who need a less expensive cruise one year or want to go somewhere we haven't before. We've also done a Mediterranean and Alaska as a group -- those pull in only about 30 of us because of the commitment/costs.

 

We're also... and how do I put this without offending some of my own people.... we're not your typical gays either. It is absolutely hilarious having the other people on the ship try to figure us out. Almost all of us are between 200-250 lbs, have tattoos, and some kind of facial hair. By Day #2 or #3, we have people guessing all over the place because they see this big bunch of guys with no women. They usually assume we're a group of firemen, bikers, fraternity brothers, boxers, police officers, and even one year someone said -- and I quote -- "Ya'll a bunch of ex-con's??" which was absolutely hilarious.

 

Once they learn our commonality is that we're all a bunch of homos, we typically have a solid following of straight people who want to hang out with us because, well, we're fun! In ten cruises with an average of 50 people on each cruise, over the course of a decade, we have never ONCE had a negative experience that I can recall off the top of our head. Part of that is also honestly the fact that no matter how much someone may not like it.... nobody in their right mind is going to screw with a group of fifty pretty big and tough guys -- gay or straight. LOL.

 

One year the Cruise Director was gay and figured us out on the first day. He would always come hang at the nightclub with us after he was off work. That was a cool year having the CD in your pocket. ;)

 

On a side note: We have done every single Caribbean destination with the exception of Jamaica. The guy who organizes this for us has a thing against Jamaica and it's related to their disdain for gays.

 

Here's a picture of a dozen of us when two of our group got married during the cruise, on Magens Beach in St. Thomas one year.

 

Edited May 30, 2015 by mpscan

[luvtocruze11]

First, thank you for your question. Very cool. Just another view to throw in the ring:

 

I'm gay and my gay circle of friends is quite large. We actually organize a group cruise every year on a mainstream line. There are typically anywhere from 30 to 60 of us, depending on the year, the line, and the costs. We typically pick the ~3,000 person mega-ships and have done the Allure once too. We have done four Carnival, two Royal Caribbean, two Princess, and one Celebrity so far. All Caribbean. We try to alternate lines to vary the costs for people who those of us who need a less expensive cruise one year or want to go somewhere we haven't before. We've also done a Mediterranean and Alaska as a group -- those pull in only about 30 of us because of the commitment/costs.

 

We're also... and how do I put this without offending some of my own people.... we're not your typical gays either. It is absolutely hilarious having the other people on the ship try to figure us out. Almost all of us are between 200-250 lbs, have tattoos, and some kind of facial hair. By Day #2 or #3, we have people guessing all over the place because they see this big bunch of guys with no women. They usually assume we're a group of firemen, bikers, fraternity brothers, boxers, police officers, and even one year someone said -- and I quote -- "Ya'll a bunch of ex-con's??" which was absolutely hilarious.

 

Once they learn our commonality is that we're all a bunch of homos, we typically have a solid following of straight people who want to hang out with us because, well, we're fun! In ten cruises with an average of 50 people on each cruise, over the course of a decade, we have never ONCE had a negative experience that I can recall off the top of our head. Part of that is also honestly the fact that no matter how much someone may not like it.... nobody in their right mind is going to screw with a group of fifty pretty big and tough guys -- gay or straight. LOL.

 

One year the Cruise Director was gay and figured us out on the first day. He would always come hang at the nightclub with us after he was off work. That was a cool year having the CD in your pocket. ;)

 

On a side note: We have done every single Caribbean destination with the exception of Jamaica. The guy who organizes this for us has a thing against Jamaica and it's related to their disdain for gays.

 

Here's a picture of a dozen of us when two of our group got married during the cruise, on Magens Beach in St. Thomas one year.

 

Thanks for your reply, and the awesome picture. You guys really do look like you have a lot of fun. it is great to see.

 

Hopefully our Pied Piper cruise experience will match, or best, what we experienced on Aquafest last October. if not you may be getting a message from us!

[2 Virginia Guys - FOD]

My partner and I will be traveling on the Epic this July. This is only are second cruise and we are looking forward to meeting others. I have tried to find the roll call for the Epic with our departure, but have had no luck. We hope that we encounter the good people that have commented in this roll call. This makes us less nervous about meeting others. We have been together for 7 years and are getting married this October. We are putting the honeymoon before the wedding :-)

[perditax]

Tagging on a random question. Probably not something I'd really do, but as a straight female, would it be presumptuous of me to try to tag along on a gay cruise? I'm a huge fan of drag shows but felt weird/like I was intruding when I attended my first one in DC last summer. But I met so many awesome people. Such a different vibe. A gay cruise sounds like fun. Plus no kids. I'm guessing the answer is that this would not be a cool thing to do or would be intrusive, but figured I'd ask.

[eddiffin]

@perditax: We love it when straight women or lesbians are on the gay cruises. There are only a handful, so you need to be comfortable with being part of a very very small minority, but I don't think most gay guys on Atlantis mind at all that there are a few women along. One of the cruises we did was with a big group of our friends (20+). It was all gay guys and 1 straight woman. But she has been part of our group of friends for years, fit in well and had a great time. Others may disagree, but I don't find the few women to be intrusive at all.

[perditax]

Thanks for the answer. I woke up kind of embarrassed I even posted that (put the iPad DOWN when you're falling asleep), but it came from a good place. :)

[schlot]

First, thank you for your question. Very cool. Just another view to throw in the ring:

 

I'm gay and my gay circle of friends is quite large. We actually organize a group cruise every year on a mainstream line. There are typically anywhere from 30 to 60 of us, depending on the year, the line, and the costs. We typically pick the ~3,000 person mega-ships and have done the Allure once too. We have done four Carnival, two Royal Caribbean, two Princess, and one Celebrity so far. All Caribbean. We try to alternate lines to vary the costs for people who those of us who need a less expensive cruise one year or want to go somewhere we haven't before. We've also done a Mediterranean and Alaska as a group -- those pull in only about 30 of us because of the commitment/costs.

 

We're also... and how do I put this without offending some of my own people.... we're not your typical gays either. It is absolutely hilarious having the other people on the ship try to figure us out. Almost all of us are between 200-250 lbs, have tattoos, and some kind of facial hair. By Day #2 or #3, we have people guessing all over the place because they see this big bunch of guys with no women. They usually assume we're a group of firemen, bikers, fraternity brothers, boxers, police officers, and even one year someone said -- and I quote -- "Ya'll a bunch of ex-con's??" which was absolutely hilarious.

 

Once they learn our commonality is that we're all a bunch of homos, we typically have a solid following of straight people who want to hang out with us because, well, we're fun! In ten cruises with an average of 50 people on each cruise, over the course of a decade, we have never ONCE had a negative experience that I can recall off the top of our head. Part of that is also honestly the fact that no matter how much someone may not like it.... nobody in their right mind is going to screw with a group of fifty pretty big and tough guys -- gay or straight. LOL.

 

One year the Cruise Director was gay and figured us out on the first day. He would always come hang at the nightclub with us after he was off work. That was a cool year having the CD in your pocket. ;)

 

On a side note: We have done every single Caribbean destination with the exception of Jamaica. The guy who organizes this for us has a thing against Jamaica and it's related to their disdain for gays.

 

Here's a picture of a dozen of us when two of our group got married during the cruise, on Magens Beach in St. Thomas one year.

 

 

Great picture! But it looks like you guys were having an awful time! :)

 

So (dumb question alert) would you call yourself bears then? :)

 

As a side note...my bride and I are from Iowa. We were married by my good friend, a state judge, who made the ruling that resulted in our state to legalize gay marriage in our state.

[Boytjie]

Tagging on a random question. Probably not something I'd really do, but as a straight female, would it be presumptuous of me to try to tag along on a gay cruise? I'm a huge fan of drag shows but felt weird/like I was intruding when I attended my first one in DC last summer. But I met so many awesome people. Such a different vibe. A gay cruise sounds like fun. Plus no kids. I'm guessing the answer is that this would not be a cool thing to do or would be intrusive, but figured I'd ask.

 

I just read that a straight couple are booked for the February RSVP cruise, so anything is possible. There was a cruise where a Jewish mother from Long Island, NY, came on a RSVP cruise with her gay son. She was working that cruise to find him a husband! Bless her heart.

 

We met straight women that joined their gay/lesbian friends or family on a cruise and they had an absolute ball, so don't think twice: do it!

[Mermen]

Wow, you have a lot of great feedback. I guess it really is up to the individual, cool that we're all different and enjoy variety, right?

 

My partner and I have cruised mainly Celebrity, with a couple of Princess cruises thrown in and all of them have been mainstream. I tend to agree with a few here, that we don't need or look for gay cruises because it's not for us. We've met some amazing new gay and straight friends on all of our cruises, including staff. We were both previously married with a son and daughter, respectively. Maybe that has something to do with it? Not sure, but although we enjoy a walk / dinner, etc. through the Castro, and will occasionally look for gay neighborhoods in a port, we prefer not being segregated. We have never had an issue. ;) And on every cruise, we usually have a following of a few ladies, who just like to hang around us, some with husbands, some not. It's all good.

 

Thanks for your question, and for taking the time to learn everyone's preference.

[schlot]

No...thank you for answering!

 

I always find it amazing what you can learn about one another if you ask and really listen. :)

[Showboy]

Hello. I've been cruising for many years. Overall I have always found fellow cruisers very accepting of my partner and I. I must however agree with Eddiffin's reply that being on an exclusive gay cruise is something special as one has an overwhelming sense of community (for once everything is gay an accepted - equivalent to how heterosexual people experience life everyday).

 

I have also cruised solo three times and I found Norwegian (NCL) much more geared towards the gay market than any other cruise line I've been on.

 

If your friend wants to cruise solo I suggest the NCL Epic or any of their Breakaway class ships. If he want to travel with friends but sill spend sometime with other gay cruisers, again I recommend NCL.

 

PS: You're an awesome friend being so open-minded and looking out for your friend!

 

Regards, Riaan (South Africa)

[mpscan]

No...thank you for answering!

 

I always find it amazing what you can learn about one another if you ask and really listen. :)

 

My god, we need more people who think like that. The world would be a much better and happier place -- although I like to think that people like yourself, and the others here participating in this thread, already get everything out of life we want and need because we share that view and open-mindedness.

 

Be well.

[schlot]

Hello. I've been cruising for many years. Overall I have always found fellow cruisers very accepting of my partner and I. I must however agree with Eddiffin's reply that being on an exclusive gay cruise is something special as one has an overwhelming sense of community (for once everything is gay an accepted - equivalent to how heterosexual people experience life everyday).

 

I have also cruised solo three times and I found Norwegian (NCL) much more geared towards the gay market than any other cruise line I've been on.

 

If your friend wants to cruise solo I suggest the NCL Epic or any of their Breakaway class ships. If he want to travel with friends but sill spend sometime with other gay cruisers, again I recommend NCL.

 

PS: You're an awesome friend being so open-minded and looking out for your friend!

 

Regards, Riaan (South Africa)

 

Thanks...but just trying to be a decent friend.

 

Your statement about the "sense of community" and "everything gay" makes perfect sense. It really makes even more sense after a trip I just took to Napa Valley.

 

On the flight back I sat next to a younger guy who lived in SF. After talking to him for a bit I had a feeling he might be gay. We talked the whole flight and eventually it became clear he was.

 

On my next flight I wondered if being reserved was a defence mechanism until he gained some level of trust since he wasnt in totally accepting surroundings ...but maybe I'm just reading too much into it?

 

Why is it that you think NCL is more geared to the LGBT crowd? More specialized events?

Edited June 13, 2015 by schlot

[schlot]

My god, we need more people who think like that. The world would be a much better and happier place -- although I like to think that people like yourself, and the others here participating in this thread, already get everything out of life we want and need because we share that view and open-mindedness.

 

Be well.

 

Thanks for the kind words. I figure every single moment is a gift...so why squander it ..and why not make this place a little better?

 

Glad I found this forum and so glad there are so many responses. In the real (non-digital) world I'm a bit shy and really have to work to get over that.

[shepp]

Just ran across this thread, and I'll put my oar in.

 

I live in San Francisco, a 20-minute walk from the Castro, so I don't have to go on an RSVP cruise to be in a massively queer-friendly environment. There's plenty of entertainment right here on dry land: I recently saw Sandra Bernhard perform at my workplace, saw The Book of Mormon two nights ago. But there is certainly something lovely in being around mostly LGBT folks. I do like the sense of community when I'm, oh, at the LGBT Film Festival. (I'll be spending nine days watching queer films at the Castro Theate starting next Friday, then marching in the parade.) So yeah, I would go on a gay cruise. Just don't have a compelling reason to pay the upcharge, I guess.

 

My husband and I spent our honeymoon crossing the Atlantic on the Royal Princess. We wore matching "Just Married" T-shirts, and got a tremendous response from straight pax, maybe more enthusiasm than from our fellow gays, for whom we not such a novelty. (But then, I've found that straight cruisers who want to associate with us can often be more simpatico than some of the guys we meet at LGBT get-togethers.) We hold hands, kiss, dance together, and if anyone doesn't like it, gee, that's too bad.

 

I have experienced a few anti-gay moments on cruises. Some audible homophobia on a HAL cruise a good while back, some icky "jokes" by straight entertainers on Princess. But hey, I find some of the gay guys' comments on this thread ("raving queens," declaring that one is straight acting - whatever that is - or proudly, I guess, claiming you're not a typical gay man) more questionable than anything I've recently heard aboard. I'm just as happy that no one would mistake me for straight.

Edited June 13, 2015 by shepp

[JasonTehGreat]

Thanks...but just trying to be a decent friend.

 

Your statement about the "sense of community" and "everything gay" makes perfect sense. It really makes even more sense after a trip I just took to Napa Valley.

 

On the flight back I sat next to a younger guy who lived in SF. After talking to him for a bit I had a feeling he might be gay. We talked the whole flight and eventually it became clear he was.

 

On my next flight I wondered if being reserved was a defence mechanism until he gained some level of trust since he wasnt in totally accepting surroundings ...but maybe I'm just reading too much into it?

 

Why is it that you think NCL is more geared to the LGBT crowd? More specialized events?

I think you're exactly right about being more reserved until he felt more comfortable.

 

When I was younger I was a lot more reserved than I am now. I still kinda try and approximate what their reaction might be when they find out. I dint really hide it from anyone anymore.

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

[luvtocruze11]

My partner and I will be traveling on the Epic this July. This is only are second cruise and we are looking forward to meeting others. I have tried to find the roll call for the Epic with our departure, but have had no luck. We hope that we encounter the good people that have commented in this roll call. This makes us less nervous about meeting others. We have been together for 7 years and are getting married this October. We are putting the honeymoon before the wedding :-)

 

You will have a wonderful time, congatulations on your upcoming wedding, all the best for a long and happy marriage!