Favorite cruise line and why?

[saltydoge]

Hey fam —*just booked my third cruise ever in March. It's with Celebrity, and I've always found the experience to be elegant and LGBT friendly. That said, I've been thinking what line I'd select for the fourth, or if I should stay brand loyal and stick with X.

 

Curious to know, as fellow LGBT-ers, your thoughts on:

 

• What line you enjoy sailing?
  
• Why you enjoy sailing on it?
  
• Any pro-tips or general advice for the LGBT cruise passenger?
  

 

First post on this section of the board as well, so also consider this post as a hello!

[Richpontone]

It is a budget cruise line but unlike Carnival, you get more than you pay for. The staff are always professional, positive and highly motivated, their ships are kept in very good condition and I love the nightly musical review shows. The food is good but if you are a foodie, then pay the bucks and go for the premium cruise lines. I did seven cruises on Norwegian as a straight married guy, one with them as part of a gay partnered couple and will do another with my partner on Celebrity in November with a gay travel agency.

I found no problems holding my partner's hand while strolling the deck on the Norwegian Jade out of Rome last year. No bad stares nor bad actions as everyone there is trying to enjoying their vacation.

Their "Friends of Dorothy" meeting had only five or six gay and lesbian couples at their daily meetings-about a half of the gay couples on the ship.

So there you are. Norwegian if you want your money's worth but gay travel agencies don't seem to book that line that often.

FYI-if you want the best part of your cruise experience, avoid the buffets, go only to the waitered restaurants, go to their nightly shows, spend your time on their sun decks and away from the noise and bustle of the pool area, and try to go to their piano bars. There is nothing more intimate and romantic than sipping champagne while reclining on a soft cushioned chair while listening to an experienced piano player who sings Sinatra, and songs from the fifties, sixties, and seventies, well.

[Darrell6t]

We like Holland America because of the staff. Also the covered walk-around deck on all of their ships. And probably because we have been on so many with HAL, we feel very comfortable. Going with RSVP was our introduction to HAL.

[cruzeluver]

Celebrity is our favorite but have and will also go with Royal and Carnival. I have no motivation to remain loyal to any one brand, and frankly we like to mix it up. I don't want the same experience every time. Only line w more than likely will not go back to is Norwegian. Did not have a particularly bad experience with them, just a bit underwhelmed.

[Phxazzcruisers]

As you can see from my signature, our favorite lines are Celebrity and Azamara. We are very loyal to both lines and they have been very good to us. We always feel welcome and never have to hide who we are. We have many crew that we met that are now good friends.

[saltydoge]

As you can see from my signature, our favorite lines are Celebrity and Azamara. We are very loyal to both lines and they have been very good to us. We always feel welcome and never have to hide who we are. We have many crew that we met that are now good friends.

 

Wow, no kidding! That is a ringing endorsement for sure.

[Phxazzcruisers]

Loyalty also pays off. We will soon be Zenith on Celebrity and Platinum on Azamara. Enjoy your cruise. Maybe one day our paths will cross !!!

[DavyB]

It is a budget cruise line but unlike Carnival, you get more than you pay for. The staff are always professional, positive and highly motivated, their ships are kept in very good condition and I love the nightly musical review shows. The food is good but if you are a foodie, then pay the bucks and go for the premium cruise lines. I did seven cruises on Norwegian as a straight married guy, one with them as part of a gay partnered couple and will do another with my partner on Celebrity in November with a gay travel agency.

I found no problems holding my partner's hand while strolling the deck on the Norwegian Jade out of Rome last year. No bad stares nor bad actions as everyone there is trying to enjoying their vacation.

Their "Friends of Dorothy" meeting had only five or six gay and lesbian couples at their daily meetings-about a half of the gay couples on the ship.

So there you are. Norwegian if you want your money's worth but gay travel agencies don't seem to book that line that often.

FYI-if you want the best part of your cruise experience, avoid the buffets, go only to the waitered restaurants, go to their nightly shows, spend your time on their sun decks and away from the noise and bustle of the pool area, and try to go to their piano bars. There is nothing more intimate and romantic than sipping champagne while reclining on a soft cushioned chair while listening to an experienced piano player who sings Sinatra, and songs from the fifties, sixties, and seventies, well.

 

Exactly what Richpontone said. :-) I have noticed that the LGBT/FOD meetings on NCL's newer ships have been very well attended when I've cruised on them. Anywhere from 35-50 folks nightly.

[DavyB]

Hey fam —*just booked my third cruise ever in March. It's with Celebrity, and I've always found the experience to be elegant and LGBT friendly. That said, I've been thinking what line I'd select for the fourth, or if I should stay brand loyal and stick with X.

 

Curious to know, as fellow LGBT-ers, your thoughts on:

 

• What line you enjoy sailing?
  
• Why you enjoy sailing on it?
  
• Any pro-tips or general advice for the LGBT cruise passenger?
  

 

First post on this section of the board as well, so also consider this post as a hello!

 

UGH, I posted the same type of poll. Had I seen yours, I wouldn't have. I'll see if I can get mine deleted. :-) Happy cruising!!

[saltydoge]

UGH, I posted the same type of poll. Had I seen yours, I wouldn't have. I'll see if I can get mine deleted. :-) Happy cruising!!

 

But did you contribute to mine first?! :D

[saltydoge]

Exactly what Richpontone said. :-) I have noticed that the LGBT/FOD meetings on NCL's newer ships have been very well attended when I've cruised on them. Anywhere from 35-50 folks nightly.

 

I found no problems holding my partner's hand while strolling the deck on the Norwegian Jade out of Rome last year. No bad stares nor bad actions as everyone there is trying to enjoying their vacation.

Their "Friends of Dorothy" meeting had only five or six gay and lesbian couples at their daily meetings-about a half of the gay couples on the ship.

So there you are. Norwegian if you want your money's worth but gay travel agencies don't seem to book that line that often.

 

This has made me reconsider NCL in a possible trial run of another cruise line!

[yyjguy]

I keep going back to Princess. The atmosphere aboard is relaxed, and yet there is always things going on if you are in need of being entertained. Food is good, service great, and all staff are welcoming to LGBT travelers, which there almost always are quite a few. Their vessels are also well maintained and get good public health and Coast Guard scores. If soaking up the rays are important to you, all the vessels have excellent outdoor deck spaces, and lots of it; double the square footage that is found on the Celebrity ships of the same size. No cruise line is perfect, some are just better than others. My next 2 sailings though are on Holland America!

[dwgorg]

Hello group.....

This November will mark my 20th cruise. I have to say though my experience and listening to others, I strongly perfer Royal Caribbean. For me and my friends, single and couples, there is greater professionalism with RCCL as well as clean ships and excellent service. In terms of socializing, I've found, that the general attitude of cruisers is better. Seems on some other lines people are more stressed. This better attitude on RCCL by way of guests translates to better social interaction with strangers and crew members, so I've found people more "happy" and outgoing. While not critical for enjoying your own vacation, it's fun to meet and mingle with others.

 

I'll admit that on my cruises, I'm not "cruising" so the Royal cruises I've bene on haven't necessarily been cruisy- but that's my preference. I could always to an Atlantas Cruise if I wanted.

 

Anyway, public displays of affection haven't been an issue, for any type of couple that I have seen. then again, I don't hang out with friends who are all over each other. I know that many comment about holding hands in public and occasional kiss, that has never been a problem, that I've witnessed.

 

Anyway, maybe my insight has helped a little. feel free to contact me through my hobby website http://www.royalcaribbeantips.com

[DavyB]

But did you contribute to mine first?! :D

 

Actually I did mine, just before seeing yours, to try to convince a friend of mine to cruise Norwegian. You should try it too. I think you would like it John. :p

[donnatello]

I did not vote because we like HAL, Celebrity and Princess equally and they are the 3 lines we pretty much stick to. Sailings depend on price/dates/itinerary. Two years ago we went on NCL and did NOT like "free style" at all. Also, we thought the over all fit and finish of the ship was nowhere nearly as nice as our "top 3".

[Richpontone]

This has made me reconsider NCL in a possible trial run of another cruise line!

 

Like I said if you are a foodie, then the regular restaurants on Norwegian ships may not be up to snuff. I find that they use "fake chocolate in their cakes, mousse and other desserts. Also, I find the coffee served in the restaurants is a bit weak. I actually brought a pound of ground coffee and made a "strong" cup of coffee in my cabin.

The FOD does not have a cruise staff member there other than the bar tender. So to "facilitate" conversations between the couples attending, you are on your own in making friends.

As for signs of affection, we just held hands on deck and not kissed.

On the lobby deck, in front of the main reception area, professional photographers took many pictures of us holding hands and we bought several of them. No one objected as there were families with children getting their photos there too.

Get the phone extension of the hotel director from the CC Meet and Greet. That meeting only lasts a half an hour and you might get good tips about shore excursions. The Hotel Director's phone number is your Ace Card if you have a problem that your cabin steward can't or won't handle. Forget about going to the front desk, they rarely get things right.

[Snowesha]

We like Holland America because of the staff. Also the covered walk-around deck on all of their ships. And probably because we have been on so many with HAL, we feel very comfortable. Going with RSVP was our introduction to HAL.

 

We love Holland America for all of the above reasons plus...

We have never had any issues that weren't resolved promptly.

The fellow passengers have never treated us any different being a same sex female couple.

We enjoy the extra perks of the Neptune Suites and lounge.

Plus Olivia uses them for most of their cruises. We just booked our first Olivia cruise ever departing in November.

[Darrell6t]

We love Holland America for all of the above reasons plus...

We have never had any issues that weren't resolved promptly.

The fellow passengers have never treated us any different being a same sex female couple.

We enjoy the extra perks of the Neptune Suites and lounge.

Plus Olivia uses them for most of their cruises. We just booked our first Olivia cruise ever departing in November.

 

We have never had issues being a same sex male couple either. We've only enjoyed Neptune status once, but it was nice. Our last cruise, we had issues with our door lock on the Zaandam. I can't say it was resolved promptly, but we had at least 5 different staff dealing with it and it eventually was fixed. They gave us a plate of chocolate covered strawberries as a compensation for the trouble. It was good we were close to the main desk so someone could let us in the room while the problem was being resolved. (The steward's key wasn't working either.) We are still big fans of Holland America and looking forward to the RSVP cruise next February.

[geoherb]

Our favorite cruise line is Princess followed by Holland America and then Celebrity. We really need to try some of Celebrity's newest ships. I hear they're fantastic. Our last Celebrity cruise, however, was on one of the older ships and service wasn't what it should have been.

[MeJustMe]

My Favorite cruise lines depends what I want out of a cruise. Most of the time I want elegant and relaxing and pick Celebrity. Sometimes I'm good for a party cruise on Carnival. It all depends on how much time I have and if I can find a friend to go with me.

 

Living in L.A. all we have year round is Carnival for the Baja cruises 3 or 4 nights. I call them the floating Walmart, The ship is clean, food is OK and they are fun for a quick get away. They have FOD posted, but not much of a turn out.

 

I guess my favorite cruise line is the one I'm on at the time.:rolleyes:

[keithm]

It is a budget cruise line but unlike Carnival, you get more than you pay for. The staff are always professional, positive and highly motivated, their ships are kept in very good condition and I love the nightly musical review shows. The food is good but if you are a foodie, then pay the bucks and go for the premium cruise lines. I did seven cruises on Norwegian as a straight married guy, one with them as part of a gay partnered couple and will do another with my partner on Celebrity in November with a gay travel agency.

I found no problems holding my partner's hand while strolling the deck on the Norwegian Jade out of Rome last year. No bad stares nor bad actions as everyone there is trying to enjoying their vacation.

Their "Friends of Dorothy" meeting had only five or six gay and lesbian couples at their daily meetings-about a half of the gay couples on the ship.

So there you are. Norwegian if you want your money's worth but gay travel agencies don't seem to book that line that often.

FYI-if you want the best part of your cruise experience, avoid the buffets, go only to the waitered restaurants, go to their nightly shows, spend your time on their sun decks and away from the noise and bustle of the pool area, and try to go to their piano bars. There is nothing more intimate and romantic than sipping champagne while reclining on a soft cushioned chair while listening to an experienced piano player who sings Sinatra, and songs from the fifties, sixties, and seventies, well.

Food in the MDR is usually a letdown from those friends of ours who've gone on NCL.

[keithm]

Hey fam —*just booked my third cruise ever in March. It's with Celebrity, and I've always found the experience to be elegant and LGBT friendly. That said, I've been thinking what line I'd select for the fourth, or if I should stay brand loyal and stick with X.

 

Curious to know, as fellow LGBT-ers, your thoughts on:

 

• What line you enjoy sailing?
  
• Why you enjoy sailing on it?
  
• Any pro-tips or general advice for the LGBT cruise passenger?
  

 

First post on this section of the board as well, so also consider this post as a hello!

We like Celebrity Eclipse very much. We give a slightly edge to Cunard,but Celebrity is a great fit asd well.

[keithm]

We love Holland America for all of the above reasons plus...

We have never had any issues that weren't resolved promptly.

The fellow passengers have never treated us any different being a same sex female couple.

We enjoy the extra perks of the Neptune Suites and lounge.

Plus Olivia uses them for most of their cruises. We just booked our first Olivia cruise ever departing in November.

Saw a lot of you in St.thomas in 2014. Good to see the "Empire" ruling the island..if only for one day.

[keithm]

Our favorite cruise line is Princess followed by Holland America and then Celebrity. We really need to try some of Celebrity's newest ships. I hear they're fantastic. Our last Celebrity cruise, however, was on one of the older ships and service wasn't what it should have been.

Do try the "Solstice" class ships. They are really nice.

[kollegekreed]

Norwegian, without a doubt. I don't dress up for work, so I certainly don't want to put on a tie for dinner or to walk around the ship. NCL's freestyle lets me enjoy my vacation. I enjoy meeting new people, but not being stuck at a table with 7 of them that I haven't met for dinner for the week.

 

Also, they have a lot of activities, even later into the night. Some of the "upper class" brands like HAL seem to shut the lights off at 10 and tell people to go to bed.

 

The price for NCL is moderate; not as high as RCCL and Celebrity, but not Carnival cheap, either.

 

My biggest complaint about them is their limited itineraries.