Anyone Booking QM2 Transatlantic 2007?

[njreo]

It's sailing from New York May 29, 2007

6 nite crossing...

 

I really think this is going to be wonderful, but considering it's only 6 nites on the ship the cost is going to be very high. Prices starting at $1595 plus gratuities, taxes etc .. bringing it up to $1945 or so for the lowest category inside. Then the cost of the flight in the other direction plus land accommodations ... 2,592 guests .. Cunard offers better pricing on voyages at about the same time which includes one way airfare. Pied Piper has some good deals on the ship too.

 

I'd really like to do it, but have to give it a lot of thought before committing to that expense... now if the lottery would just cooperate :p

[Darrell6t]

My partner and I are already booked. I agree that it is somewhat expensive. But I also see it as a unique way to do a crossing. I am assuming that RSVP is planning to have wonderful entertainment and with six days at sea, there will have to be a lot of entertainment.

[njreo]

I forgot to mention that this is an RSVP Charter :)

[Bayotter]

We just booked it. There is better pricing on other voyages, but the RSVP cruise is so unique that we are willing to pay more. It should be a lot more fun the the normal crossing.

[LuvCelebrity]

I just checked Pied Piper's website and they are doing their annual QM2 crossing in early June 2007. But, their prices for the same six day eastbound crossing is half what RSVP is charging for the same sailing! Granted RSVP takes over the whole ship and PP has a group onboard, but is being with a whole ship of gays worth twice the price?

 

David

[Bayotter]

Not sure if it's really worth the extra price, but RSVP does bring on their own entertainment and I imagine that for transatlantic it will be fantastic. Well, it better be.

[PompanoFL2007]

I am all for free enterprise, but even bringing their own entertainment aboard for 6 days is it really worth twice the price? I think NOT!

 

I hate being ripped off by a company that caters to gays, just because it caters to gays!

[njreo]

I am all for free enterprise, but even bringing their own entertainment aboard for 6 days is it really worth twice the price? I think NOT!

 

I hate being ripped off by a company that caters to gays, just because it caters to gays!

 

This has been going on for years.... gay companies ripping off gays! They treat it as a captive market. I like the all gay cruises, but the expense really upsets me. I think I'll stick to gay tour organizers taking large blocks of cabins at a reduced rate from the normal rate on a sailing, rather than the all gay charters.

 

If anything RSVP and Atlantis should be able to provide lower cost than the normal sailing prices and still make a decent profit. I think there is some greed here.

 

I guess if you want to be on a transatlantic 6 day tea dance this is the place to be. I think I'll opt for the Pied Piper cruise where I know I'll still have fun at a much lower price.

[njreo]

I just checked Pied Piper's website and they are doing their annual QM2 crossing in early June 2007. But, their prices for the same six day eastbound crossing is half what RSVP is charging for the same sailing! Granted RSVP takes over the whole ship and PP has a group onboard, but is being with a whole ship of gays worth twice the price?

 

David

 

I ran a category by category comparison of the 2 cruises. RSVP leaves on 5/29, Pied Piper on 6/10.

 

Examples: (note Pied Piper includes port charges, add $260 to all of the RSVP rates for Port Charges, also, discount rates for previous Cunard passengers are available on Pied Piper)

 

Location/Pied Piper rate/ RSVP rate

 

D1 Atrium View/1519/2295+260

 

C1 Standard Outside/1709/2895+260

 

B1 Premium Balcony/1813/3395+260

 

A1 Deluxe Balcony/2324/4195+260

 

P2 Junior Suite/3626/ 6395+260

 

P1 Junior Suite/3812/6595+260

 

I've made my decision ... RSVP is not worth that much more money. YIKES!

[LVMediaboy]

Maybe my view is too simplistic, but if it's too expensive it won't sell enough to make the voyage. Keep in mind RSVP was purchased by planetout so this may be the first test of new owners.

[marathonr]

I agree with the comments that this is a unique opportunity and experience. As to the comment below on it won't sail if it aint full, not sure where that came from. As far as how I know the process, RSVP, Atlantis or anyone else who charters the ship, has paid for it, so that means it is a go whether it is full or just one person is on it. This type of opportunity should attract a large crowd and you can bet RSVP will pull out all the stops to make this one of a kind cruise be amazing. As was stated, this is one of the first major opportunities for the company to show the synergy of Planetout purchasing them, so there is no way they can let this cruise, or any other, be anything less than incredibly successful.

[njreo]

Maybe my view is too simplistic, but if it's too expensive it won't sell enough to make the voyage. Keep in mind RSVP was purchased by planetout so this may be the first test of new owners.

 

I guess it will be what it will be. I just have a very hard time justifying spending so much more than booking on the very next voyage where there will be a large gay group aboard the same vessel. How could it be worth in excess of $1000 or more for the same 6 nite sailing?

 

I still think that we too readily accept being ripped off by gay companies featuring gay products.

[marathonr]

I guess the simplest answer is that we each assign different values to products. So someone pays a Starbucks price for a starbuck product. Some may think that coffee is overpriced (like me) and some may say that they get value for their coffee dollar and are happy to drink it. No one "blames" Starbucks for setting their price and no one has to pay it if they do not persceive value in it. I still see ground coffee in the supermarket shelves. So it is a very personal experience and what is too expensive for one, is perfectly fine for another.

 

A gay group on a straight ship is one type of experience and has a certain value while an all gay charter ship is another experience and also has its own value. So I am just grateful we now live in a world where we have choices of the experiences and can choose and even more grateful that what we all love in these boards, which is cruising, that there is now so much diversity and offerings for all different values.

[Markandrews]

For the first time that I can remember RSVP deeply discounted there 6 day cruise on the Westerdam this year. We were not planning to go until our T/A called with what worked out to be a 2 for 1 deal.

 

When I saw the prices for the QMII cruise I said "no way". If my T/A calls a few months out and offers the two for one pricing again we will go.

 

No matter how many "at sea" days they are offering there is only so much entertaiment the operator can provide.

 

After 7 RSVP cruises, (great cruises btw) we will not continue to sail with them unless they can offer rates comparable to the sailing before and after the RSVP cruise.

[njreo]

For the first time that I can remember RSVP deeply discounted there 6 day cruise on the Westerdam this year. We were not planning to go until our T/A called with what worked out to be a 2 for 1 deal.

 

When I saw the prices for the QMII cruise I said "no way". If my T/A calls a few months out and offers the two for one pricing again we will go.

 

No matter how many "at sea" days they are offering there is only so much entertaiment the operator can provide.

 

After 7 RSVP cruises, (great cruises btw) we will not continue to sail with them unless they can offer rates comparable to the sailing before and after the RSVP cruise.

 

That cruise on the Westerdam was originally supposed to sail from New Orleans .. because of Katrina the itinerary had to be changed and they had a lot of cancellations. Therefore, they had lots of empty space available.. and had to deeeply discount the sailing to fill the ship.

 

I do believe that Gays should start sending messages to all companies taking advantage of gays by charging outrageous rates. The entertainment that will be offered does not justify paying twice the price.

 

As far as comparing products .. like ground coffee and starbucks .. I don't see the similarity. The QM2 is the QM2. The RSVP cruise will be a "gay charter" but it's still the same ship. Only some of the entertainment will be different .. I'll take the Pied Piper sailing with lots of other gays and I use my money when I get to London to see some good shows. A night at Heaven will be enough madness for me. I don't need 6 nites of it.

[amusea]

The North Atlantic in late Spring is no place for outside entertainment or disco. This eliminates some of the fun that warmer climate gay cruises offer.

Also, having sailed on QM2 round trip FLL-Rio for 24 days I can advise that you should not book a "deluxe" balcony room since the balcony is carved out of the hull and is very claustrophobic. Actually it probably is more practical for the North Atlantic but you will get little use out of any balcony except for maybe the first day unless you have uncannily warm weather without wind which is very unlikely.

[njreo]

I wasn't even thinking about the outside entertainment which is a huge part of a warm weather cruise. Excellent point. The Disco on the ship isn't that big .. maybe can handle 2 or 3 hundred people tops .. where are they going to have these huge parties on the ship if not outside?

 

Of course the showroom is good for entertainment .. but dance in your seats?

[Darrell6t]

There is also a beautiful ballroom on the QM2, right next to the disco.

[marathonr]

One of the things that is exciting about rsvp doing the first gay charter on this ship is that it is an unknown. The usual parties and themes that we seen, and done, in the usual mexican or island itineraries just will not work on this ship and I would not want them too. If this is just a clone gay sailing then it is the wrong ship. So I think this sailing will really highlight an evolution of gay crusing in the larger ships where it is not one event at one time (because no location can take them all) but instead a variety of events throughout the ship at the same time for people to choose from. Just the fact that it is the QM2 racks up the events a notch. A pool party or a dog tag dance aint going to cut it. So that is exciting and where I think the real value will come in on this cruise. Once we start getting more info from rsvp as to entertainers, events, etc, this will really start showing the true direction this cruise will take. Its got to be a heck of a fun challenge for them.

[njreo]

One of the things that is exciting about rsvp doing the first gay charter on this ship is that it is an unknown. The usual parties and themes that we seen, and done, in the usual mexican or island itineraries just will not work on this ship and I would not want them too. If this is just a clone gay sailing then it is the wrong ship. .

 

I agree completely, but I still don't see the justification in the pricing of this sailing at rates twice that of the next sailing with Pied Piper, even though it will be a "straight" sailing with a gay group. I could see perhaps a 25% premium for the exclusivity, but not the outrageous prices they are charging us, because we're gay.

[Nobbi]

My partner & I have never taken a cruise. I always wanted to but had several thoughts/concerns. First, I wasn't really crazy about all those stops with quick runs into the port cities. We like to sample local cuisines, but if you've already paid for meals onboard it seems like a waste. (Don't like all-inclusive resorts unless you're on a semi-private island.) I also wasn't sure whether to do a gay cruise or a luxury cruise. Thought the 2 were sort of mutually exclusive. We're not really into disco & dancing and island entertainment. We prefer food & drink and relaxing. Generally we like mixed crowds. I was leaning toward a smaller luxury cruise. But I certainly am not only not an expert, in fact, I am completely ignorant about cruising. (I've learned huge amounts on boards about frequent flyer miles and time shares.)

 

When I found out about the QM2 RSVP crossing I decided to book for us. From reading this thread, it seems that going on this cruise is sort of like buying a timeshare on the primary market.

 

Nevertheless, we're gonna do it. I wonder how it would compare to a non-chartered crossing. I believe there are formal nights normally. Would it be the same?

 

In any event, I'm sure we'll enjoy it. :)

 

Nobbi

[mikeandandrew]

My partner and I are already booked. I agree that it is somewhat expensive. But I also see it as a unique way to do a crossing. I am assuming that RSVP is planning to have wonderful entertainment and with six days at sea, there will have to be a lot of entertainment.

 

We have done over 10 RSVP Vacations and they have been very enjoyable, but are waffleing between RSVP and Pied Piper. For about the price of a C1 on RSVP we can get a P category on Pied. I know RSVP will have better entertainment, but I wonder who they can get that will justify the price. On most cruises the entertainment is picked up along the way in port, performs that night and disembarks the ship the next day. Since this is 6 days at sea, any entertainment must spend the entire 6 nights on board. can they get anybody but a "D List" performer to give up 6 nights? (Kathy Griffin reportedly gets 30K per night.) If they are getting "spectacular" entertainment it should be confirmed by now so that the performer can block out all 6 nights and it should be posted on their web site to entice bookings. My guess is to expect Christine W or someone along that caliber. I think we are leaning more toward the gay group on Pied Piper.

[Greg in TO]

I am all for free enterprise, but even bringing their own entertainment aboard for 6 days is it really worth twice the price? I think NOT!

 

I hate being ripped off by a company that caters to gays, just because it caters to gays!

 

Yes, it would be great it the prices on full ship charters like RSVP, Atlantis, Olivia etc were less expensive. But these companies are taking a huge financial risk by chartering these ships, and with only 4 or 5 sailings each year, there's little room for error. If one sailing sells poorly it can wipe out most of whatever profit was made on the rest of the cruises. RSVP's back to back Greek island sailings last summer didn't sell well at all and definitely put a financial squeeze on the company. I wouldn't be surprised if it's one of the reasons why RSVP was happy to be purchased by PlanetOut earlier this year.

 

"Small group" charter companies like Pied Piper or Aquafest (which all do a great job) don't have nearly as much risk and expense and, in turn, don't need to be assured of as much profit with each passenger sold. So it's a bit unfair to compare the prices offered by Pied Piper and RSVP - especially when the experience of the two QM2 sailings are going to be quite different.

 

Besides, RSVP et al offer a "premium" product, much like Starbucks...

 

Greg

[Nobbi]

We have done over 10 RSVP Vacations and they have been very enjoyable, but are waffleing between RSVP and Pied Piper. For about the price of a C1 on RSVP we can get a P category on Pied. I know RSVP will have better entertainment, but I wonder who they can get that will justify the price.

 

 

Since booking my "first" cruise (this one), I have read a lot about pros & cons of "mainstream" cruising vs "gay" cruising. Now I'm not certain that my decision to spend all that money for the "gay surcharge" is well spent.

 

Alas, I won't really know till we take that cruise. But I may have more info before then, since this "new cruise addict" has now booked 2 cruises prior to the QM2 crossing.

 

The first is the RSVP Mex Ric cruise which I will take with a friend. That'll give me a good sense of RSVP. The second is a Disney cruise with my partner in February for his birthday. That should give me a good sense of mainstream cruising (although nothing about Disney is mainstream). in a year. :)

 

Nobbi

 

Perhaps I'll be able to add some useful info to the debate

[Darrell6t]

We will be on the Mexican Riviera cruise also. Based on previous experience, that will be a younger, wilder, more West Coast crowd than you will find on the QM2 next May. The people who show up for Alaska is somewhat different than the crowd on the warm weather cruises. A crossing, with no beach stops, will attract a different group also. What I'm trying to say is that every cruise is different.