stellasue Posted March 29, 2006 #1 Share Posted March 29, 2006 :) NCL has gone up a few notches in my estimation with upcoming airing of the HBO documentary on the 2004 cruise for gay and lesbian families. In the press release it notes that Hotel Director Klaus Lugmaier has stated "We stand for Freestyle cruising.....which stands for freedom of choice in dining, entertainment, activities and lifestyle." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
broadwaybaby Posted March 29, 2006 #2 Share Posted March 29, 2006 I was on the 'R Family' cruise last summer...and the staff was wonderful! All of the crew was great, and it was obvious they enjoyed the week and the special entertainment, judging by the shear number of crew standing at the back of the theater each evening! NCL went above and beyond to honor the special requests, including two Chocoholic Buffets (and, after Rosie mentioned that she wished there was more actual chocolate, they arranged for dozens of cases of Hershey's bars to be at the second one). They did extra work by delivering presents to every cabin each evening (duffle bags, hats, stuffed animals, backpacks, etc.), and the put on an extra lobster bake by the pool one evening. The the dress code was changed, so that jeans, shorts, etc. were welcomed anywhere at anytime. They also coordinated the onboard nannies who were supplied by R Family for children under age 2. We were amazed at the number of GLBT crew members who joined in the parties and fun, and several members of the cruise directors staff mentioned that they are going to try to be on the Star this summer for the R Family cruise to Alaska. Additionally, several of the preview showings of the "All Aboard" documentary are being shown aboard NCL ships (during their 'turn around' days) this month, so they are goind above and beyond there too. No doubt that NCL is a gay friendly company! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVShockey Posted March 29, 2006 #3 Share Posted March 29, 2006 Which date is the R cruise to Alaska on the star? You don't always know about these special things when you book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soprano Posted March 29, 2006 #4 Share Posted March 29, 2006 You don't have to worry about booking it by mistake! ;-) The R Family Cruise is a charter, so you have to go through R Family Vacations to book. We love the R Family cruises...and have to admit that they have spoiled us for any other cruise. I can't imagine taking a non-R Family cruise ever again (and we've been on 9 other cruises prior), they simply pale in comparison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markandrews Posted March 29, 2006 #5 Share Posted March 29, 2006 I have been sailing with NCL since 1999. They seem to treat GLBT passengers better then straight passengers. That has been the case for me anyway. I can't think of a more welcoming place on earth then onboard an NCL ship! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrinaLC Posted March 30, 2006 #6 Share Posted March 30, 2006 We were on shortly after the R cruise and the crew was still talking about what a blast they had! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMoney Posted March 30, 2006 #7 Share Posted March 30, 2006 I hate to be skeptical, but it's all about the bottom line with NCL and every other cruise line. Rainbow colored money spends just like green money, and I'm sure NCL is happy to take it from wherever they can get it! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DroopySails Posted March 30, 2006 #8 Share Posted March 30, 2006 I hate to be skeptical, but it's all about the bottom line with NCL and every other cruise line. Rainbow colored money spends just like green money, and I'm sure NCL is happy to take it from wherever they can get it! :) Sure, but taking the money and not treating the passengers well doesn't bode well for return business. It sounds as though NCL is targeting the GLBT market with excellent customer service. Good for NCL and everyone who's been able to take advantage of the R family cruises! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Host CMLA Posted March 30, 2006 #9 Share Posted March 30, 2006 This years cruise is the third for that group. If they weren't treated well, they wouldn't come back. Have any of you seen Rosie's old talk show? When she's not happy with a product, she makes sure everyone knows it. NCL has worked well with their group and their return business is the biggest way they express their satisfaction. Sure, money is money. But return customers save money. It costs about 8 times more money to get a new customer than it does to keep an existing customer (in marketing). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxon41 Posted March 30, 2006 #10 Share Posted March 30, 2006 This years cruise is the third for that group. If they weren't treated well, they wouldn't come back. Have any of you seen Rosie's old talk show? When she's not happy with a product, she makes sure everyone knows it. NCL has worked well with their group and their return business is the biggest way they express their satisfaction. Sure, money is money. But return customers save money. It costs about 8 times more money to get a new customer than it does to keep an existing customer (in marketing). I agree -- the R Family cruises are wonderful. I have gay friends who have talked to me about cruising, and I just forwarded the cruise critic article to them. I checked out the R Family site to get an idea of pricing -- wooooeeeee, it's kind of steep. They list every cabin category, practically, as allowing 4 pax -- I thought that odd, especially considering the talk on another thread about capacity limits. Actually, I didn't think there were so many cabins which allowed more than 2, but I have never checked the ship they are sailing. I understand that Rosie charters the ship, so that might account for steeper than normal pricing -- if it attracts fewer full fare passengers than what is customary, the difference has to be made up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newmexicoNita Posted March 30, 2006 #11 Share Posted March 30, 2006 I agree -- the R Family cruises are wonderful. I have gay friends who have talked to me about cruising, and I just forwarded the cruise critic article to them. I checked out the R Family site to get an idea of pricing -- wooooeeeee, it's kind of steep. They list every cabin category, practically, as allowing 4 pax -- I thought that odd, especially considering the talk on another thread about capacity limits. Actually, I didn't think there were so many cabins which allowed more than 2, but I have never checked the ship they are sailing. I understand that Rosie charters the ship, so that might account for steeper than normal pricing -- if it attracts fewer full fare passengers than what is customary, the difference has to be made up. I have gay clients booked on another line, gay cruise in the fall. For whatever reason the prices are really high. NMNita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michigan Moose Posted March 30, 2006 #12 Share Posted March 30, 2006 I can't say I have been treated bad or different on any cruise. They have all been wonderful experiences for my partner and I, but Norwegian was the only cruise line that had Friends of Dorothy meetings. I would like to go on one of the R Vacation cruises, but summer cruising is just not my bag. I tried it and it was just not as good as escaping a Michigan winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Host CMLA Posted March 30, 2006 #13 Share Posted March 30, 2006 For whatever reason the prices are really high. NMNita My uneducated opinion is that prices are higher because they bring extra entertainment and activities and prizes, etc. I'm sure there are other special things too that account for the higher prices. Last year Joy Behar (The View) was the celebrity comedian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newmexicoNita Posted March 30, 2006 #14 Share Posted March 30, 2006 My uneducated opinion is that prices are higher because they bring extra entertainment and activities and prizes, etc. I'm sure there are other special things too that account for the higher prices. Last year Joy Behar (The View) was the celebrity comedian.thanks Cecelia, I never really asked but I was certainly surprised at the price. I know my clients have gone on many and love them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soprano Posted March 30, 2006 #15 Share Posted March 30, 2006 I hate to be skeptical, but it's all about the bottom line with NCL and every other cruise line. Rainbow colored money spends just like green money, and I'm sure NCL is happy to take it from wherever they can get it! :) If only it were that easy to gain acceptance! From experience, there are many, many businesses in the world that are happy to take GLBT money, and then give bad service. You're right, NCL is smart to treat paying customers well...but there is certainly more to it than that. It's one thing to provide routinely good service. But, as anyone who has been on either of the Rosie cruises so far knows, many of the NCL crew took a personal interest in making sure it was a great experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
intrepid_guy Posted March 30, 2006 #16 Share Posted March 30, 2006 NCL is great whether on a GLBT charter or a "regular" cruise. Personally, I have never taken a GLBT charter, but I prefer NCL over other cruise lines. The main reason is that I have always enjoyed my NCL cruises and have always felt special in the sea of over 2000 other people. But in addition to this, I like NCL's company line of being the most (opinion) accepting cruise line to GLBT passengers. I have read articles in the past that quotes NCL as saying they are committed to their GLBT customers and it is their policy to have FOD meetings on every ship, every week. Especially nowadays when the G/L boards are lit up with controversy over RCI stopping FOD meetings all together. In addtion CCL not having any (in my experience) and only Cunard being on par (but more expesive). NCL is it in my book. ~Intrepid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjbdtz Posted March 30, 2006 #17 Share Posted March 30, 2006 NCL is it in my book. ~Intrepid Hear! Hear! That's why we keep coming back too!:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newmexicoNita Posted March 30, 2006 #18 Share Posted March 30, 2006 You know it is interesting: NCL has meetings for FOD and Frinds of Bill as well as are so inclusive. Many of us loyalists like NCL for this reason and yet, I sometimes think is one of the reasons they get a bad rap. The don't fit a mold. They seem to try and be everything to everybody. For me, this is one of the things that make them so special, but for others it is probably why they turn their back on the line. Am I making myself clear or am I just confusing everyone? I know what I mean. They are family friendly, lifestyle choices friendly, they offer varied activities but not a lot of any one thing; they welcome casual dress codes but not too casual, etc. NMNita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
intrepid_guy Posted March 31, 2006 #19 Share Posted March 31, 2006 Nita - I get you. You could be on to something. Not that it is a bad thing... I love NCL for being SO innovative also. They do reach out in so many ways to so many kinds of people. You cant be perfect at everything, but at least they try it! ~intrepid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMoney Posted March 31, 2006 #20 Share Posted March 31, 2006 If only it were that easy to gain acceptance! From experience, there are many, many businesses in the world that are happy to take GLBT money, and then give bad service. You're right, NCL is smart to treat paying customers well...but there is certainly more to it than that. It's one thing to provide routinely good service. But, as anyone who has been on either of the Rosie cruises so far knows, many of the NCL crew took a personal interest in making sure it was a great experience. I should keep my mouth shut having never done a gay cruise, but I'm guessing that the NCL / R relationship is the same as the relationship Pied Piper, Atlantis, RSVP have with RCI, HAL, and X. I guess my point is not to mistake a willingness to accept your money as a willingness to accept your lifestyle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newmexicoNita Posted March 31, 2006 #21 Share Posted March 31, 2006 Nita - I get you. You could be on to something. Not that it is a bad thing... I love NCL for being SO innovative also. They do reach out in so many ways to so many kinds of people. You cant be perfect at everything, but at least they try it! ~intrepid Me too; that is one reason we coming back. We meet a variety of people, hardly ever run into the snob group, and there is always something for everyone and anyone. There are activities for the party going, but not like some lines where the party keeps going til morning: there are family activities, but again, the ships are not geared to entertaining families only, singles activities, great food (most the time) and on and on. I just always feel at home when I am on NCL. NMNita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newmexicoNita Posted March 31, 2006 #22 Share Posted March 31, 2006 I should keep my mouth shut having never done a gay cruise, but I'm guessing that the NCL / R relationship is the same as the relationship Pied Piper, Atlantis, RSVP have with RCI, HAL, and X. I guess my point is not to mistake a willingness to accept your money as a willingness to accept your lifestyle. What does it matter, why they do it? The fact remains they do and the special groups regardless of who or what group they are appreciate this. BTW, RSVP has a very strong relationship with Princess as well. I have never done a gay cruise either, I would be a bit out of place, however I know my clients are very satisfied with groups that offer special chartered cruises. NMNita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oppgaard Posted March 31, 2006 #23 Share Posted March 31, 2006 As an agent, I received some correspondence from NCL about a week ago that I interpreted to be their way of saying GLBT travelers were more than welcome and would be treated with the utmost respect. Whenever I have a choice in the future, I will try to steer my GLBT clients towards NCL. The one and only group cruise I did on NCL was quite good and no one had a complaint which is really unusual. I am just now getting another group together for NCL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DroopySails Posted March 31, 2006 #24 Share Posted March 31, 2006 I should keep my mouth shut having never done a gay cruise, but I'm guessing that the NCL / R relationship is the same as the relationship Pied Piper, Atlantis, RSVP have with RCI, HAL, and X. I guess my point is not to mistake a willingness to accept your money as a willingness to accept your lifestyle. We have a number of posters here relating how NCL and its crews have gone out of their way to make sure R Family cruisers had a great time and were well taken care of. In contrast, we have zero posts complaining that NCL doesn't accept or support the GLBT lifestyle. Unless you can offer any evidence at all that NCL is saying one thing and doing another, I'm going to assume NCL means what it says. If you can't back yourself up, I'm not sure why you keep making this nebulous semi-accusation...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markandrews Posted March 31, 2006 #25 Share Posted March 31, 2006 My uneducated opinion is that prices are higher because they bring extra entertainment and activities and prizes, etc. I'm sure there are other special things too that account for the higher prices. Last year Joy Behar (The View) was the celebrity comedian. It is true that the big gay charters bring additional entertainment and activities aboard. But I believe the main reason the prices are so high is supply and demand. For whatever reason many GBLT will pay a lot more to sail on a ship that is all gay for the week. My partner would rather sail on an RSVP charter where I would rather sail on a "straight" cruise. The crew seem to really enjoy the charters, there is a lot less expected of the cruise staff, the singers and dancers usually have less shows and they say that we tip better and don't complain as much. There is a very strict letter sent to all passengers stating what conduct will not be tolerated. The cruise line really enjoys the charters. Not only do they sell out a full ship but the revenue on board is at least doubled if not more. It really is a great thing for all involved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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