Celebrity Eclipse - 7 day Mexican Riviera - October 20th, 2019

[Forrest858]

Hey all,

 

I'm super pumped that this is my first cruise I've ever booked. I've heard all the pros and cons about booking a gay cruise especially for my first one, but I couldn't be more excited. 

 

I guess this is a yearly cruise thrown by Atlantis events. The cruise isn't available on their website yet but I called Atlantis directly and got a room. There is no information about the ports or the itinerary. Has anyone been on one of these?

 

If so I have 2 questions. Where are the stops and will they have a Halloween party? 🙂

 

Thanks,

 

Forrest

 

 

[YVR_GUY]

Hi Forrest,

 

The 7 night Mexican cruises that sail out of LA or San Diego usually stop in Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta. My husband and I have done 2 Atlantis cruises already (2017 and 2018 Mediterranean) and the ship is chartered by Atlantis. Since it is a chartered sailing, there usually aren't any alcohol beverage packages available, such as those you will see on the Celebrity Cruises website. However, they do offer the wine packages where the wine can be consumed only in restaurants... not in any of the ships bars. So, all alcoholic beverages (cocktails, bear, wine, martinis, etc) are purchased per drink. This can really add up. They also automatically add on a 18% gratuity. There are the non-alcoholic beverage and the premium non-alcoholic beverage packages available for you to buy. I suggest looking this up on the Celebrity Cruises website to compare the different packages and what they include.

 

As for shore excursions, they are usually more expensive to purchase them from the ship as opposed to making your own plans. If a particular excursion will take you far away, and is an "all day excursion", it is highly recommended that you purchase the excursion from the ship. If anything should happen... heavy traffic, a flat tire, etc etc, on your ship purchased excursion, the ship will wait for the passengers to return, should the excursion return late. If you do your own excursion and you end up missing the last boarding time/tender time, the ship will sail without you and you will then have to make your own way, at your own expense, to the next port to return to the ship. If you do your own excursions, be sure to get the earlier time slots that finish in ample time to get back to the ship.

 

For information on the ports of call, try Googling the info and check online tours/excursion sites to get an idea as to what is available for each port. Again, the ports of call on the 7 night Mexican Riviera cruises are usually, Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta.

 

Atlantis brings in their own on board ship entertainment and it is superb... so fun. The Atlantis cruises are so much fun. There is something for everyone. If you're a partier, great. If you're an early to bed and early to rise, great. If you don't want to party, that's great too. You will meet like minded people. Everyone is super happy, friendly and will say hi. (there might be the occasional stuck up snob, but they really are few and far between.

 

Have a fun cruise.

Cheers!!

Edited April 17, 2019 by YVR_GUY

[YVR_GUY]

Also, yes. Being a gay cruise, you know there will be a Halloween party. In fact they have theme parties... Military, 70's Disco, White Party, Around the World (dress in an outfit representative of your home country), etc. The number of parties are dependant on the length of the cruise. Atlantis won't be announcing the theme parties on your cruise until about 3 weeks or a month before sailing. I know it doesn't give you a lot of time to prepare. Also, there will be Facebook groups for Atlantis cruises that you can join to find out more info.

Edited April 17, 2019 by YVR_GUY

[Forrest858]

WOW Guys! Thank you so much for the quick responses. I really appreciate all the info. Being my first cruise I need all the feedback I can get. Now all I have to do is hurry up and wait until October. 🙂

[Adventure_Seeker_Sean]

Hello Forrest! 

 

I remember being so excited for my own first Atlantis Cruise.  It’s been 5 years since then, and every year I go on this cruise.  If the cruise falls into Halloween, there will be a Halloween haunted house and a Halloween Party.   When the yearly Mexican Riviera cruise is “close” to Halloween but not hitting Halloween, there will not be a specific party celebrating Halloween.  ...as another peer mentioned, there WILL be other themed parties every single night. Yes, the themes change every year, but some stay similar. We haven’t had the cruise fall on Halloween in 2 or 3 years.  Last time they made the auditorium a haunted house and Atlantis staff would jump out at you from behind curtains and in hallways.  Throwing candy at you, and tea bags.  There were about 5 guests that had Kim Davis costumes and she “escaped” .  They would take you on a trick or treating through rooms with mad scientist scenes and what not.  It was so much fun. .....Rich (owner of Atlantis) tries to get the ship booked on Halloween, but lately he’s gotten such a good deal on the ship for “close to” the holiday that he just can’t say no.

 

Keep in mind this is a yearly annual cruise, and it leaves from either San Diego or LA.  The repeat crowd year to year on this cruise is upwards of 66%.  Meaning only 30ish percent are new guests.  I’m from the midwest but most people that attend are from California.  Peoples attitudes are different depending on where the cruise leaves from.  This is from the West Coast.  If we left from the East Coast, you’d notice a difference.

 

It is no exaggeration that you will see every shape, size, and fetish represented.  About 20 women are on board whom are guests/non-staff.  Everyone is usually friendly.  At night time, the highest deck on the ship is set up for people to have anonymous pleasures.  It is known as “The Dick Deck” or “Deck 13”.  It doesn’t literally have to be on the 13th floor, it is just a code phrase for something that “doesn’t officially exist”.  

 

Again, party themes do change but the solid ones remain yearly. You’ll get the finalized list 3 weeks ahead IF ATLANTIS IS ON TIME. they often are not. They are often disorganized on the office end. 

-Dog Tag Tea Dance (you’ll want some military looking accents or clothes here).

-Glow (there’s always a light up or glow bright party...glow sticks, light up shoes, whatever. You get creative).

-Throw back (I’m talking 80’s, 90’s, fashions from such eras.)

-Wet party is usually on the last port day (water pistols, floaties,)

 

Ports of Call

Cabo - This is a fun area, you can shop the Paridiso Mall or do an excursion or eat authentic food on a side restaurants by the boats.  Since I’ve been on this cruise many times, I just book ($4) a water taxi to get to Medano Beach and swim in the ocean.  We don’t have much time in Cabo, if you do an excursion, you’ll only have time for one. 

PV - Puerto Vallarta is the GRAND DADDY of them all on the port of call list.  The GAYS go crazy in PV, and we are there the longest.  From the time we dock, you have enough time to go shopping in the Walmart across the street.  There will be a bee line of gays trying to claim space at “Blue Chairs” a resort where you sit in blue chairs on the beach and drink and watch the rest of the sexy gays play in the water.  Blue Chairs will be full, and then you can get green chairs. Not as good of a view.  

You can also go to the day resort next door, called “Manta Mar”.  As long as you order food there, you can use their pools and services or rent a cabana.  Blue Chairs and Manta Mar will be fully staffed and waiting for Atlantis to get off the ship.  Sometimes there are dance contests and fun things, think “spring break” but for gays.

You can also go to the bath house during the day.  At night time, the gays pile high to get to “Wet Dreams” or “Anthropologie” ....gay men only clubs where you can get private dances or see men showering behind a glass enclosure. That brings us to midnight.  At about midnight, you will want to catch a cab to ensure you can get back to the ship by 2am.  You don’t want to walk all the way to the pier. 

**Update: Right next to Walmart is a mall.  It’s kind of neat.  There is a cinema there if taking in a Spanish speaking movie is your thing.  There’s a BK, and a Starbucks in the food court if you need a fix. You will see an anchor store called “Liverpool” and it is a sort of Mexico style Macy’s.

Mazatlan - this is my least favorite port and it is the scariest.  The cruise ship pulls in and there are a bunch of metal shipping cartons.  Very industrial port.  You have to be moved by trolly to the Visitors Center where you may then go into town.  To be honest, I don’t give Mazatlan a fair shake.  The architecture is so beautiful there.  When you walk into town, follow the BLUE line.  This is for your safety and navigation.  You’ll find many markets in Mazatlan.  These days, I go there with my friends when we get to port and we just walk around, before going to a local place for some margaritas and apps.  Then we go back to the ship.

This year, I’m going to go snorkeling in Deer Island, which is supposed to be great.  I haven’t done so before.

 

Atlantis does give each guest a gift.  It is an Atlantis branded gym bag, and it will be waiting for you on your bed the night before the first port of call.  You can use it as your beach bag or put your trinkets in there from town.  

 

Get to LA at least one day before the cruise to make sure you have enough time to get to port if you’re not from LA. With air travel and systems, things can sometimes get delayed.

 

There is something for EVERYONE at Atlantis.  

There’s two major programs happening at all times.

1. The party cruise EDM line

2. The program line (shows, bingo, concerts, events)

 

There is always one major headliner on the cruise.  

2015 - Wayne Brady

2016 - Billy Porter

2017 - Titus Burgess

2018 - Kathy Griffin

2019 - ?

They do not release the name of the headliner until you’re on the cruise. Kathy Griffin, Vanessa Williams, Patti LuPone, Cynthia Erivo, have all been recent past guests. 

Clacky fans are sold in the gift shop. Bring or plan to spend 25-30 bucks if you buy a new one. 

Be on time for muster drill at your muster station. If you’re not checked on the list, they’ll kick you off or make you do it over before letting out to port. Good luck young man. I hope to meet you on board! 

 

Xo,

sean