First time gay traveller, few questions

Here are a couple Epic-specific tips: you might want to consider the Ultimate Dining Package. This lets you eat in specialty restaurants every night of the cruise at a discounted rate. The advantage is better food and service in restaurants that seat around 100 people at 2-top and 4-top tables. As a single it's nice not to be the guy sitting alone in a dining room full of 600 people. Also, hang out at Spice H2O on your sea days. That's an adults-only "Ibiza-inspired beach club" Deck 15 aft. It has a small pool, two hot tubs, a bar and grill, and terraced seating. A great place to people watch with a more adult vibe. Oh, and pack an all-white outfit for the White Hot Party.

Some great points, thank you. Which lead me to a few more questions.

1. I had kinda thought at the LGBT gatherings maybe people would gather for dinner after possible, sounds like only a few did or were the numbers in attendance small?

2. Saw white party and got a white top already, have black grey and white patterned board shorts I had planned on using also. Or do they need to be all white? No clear guidelines are on Norwegians site about the white party.

3. Spice h2o sounds perfect , only have 1 day at sea but apart from maybe a water slide it sounds like the next sunny destination for a day onboard.

4. I have heard much talk about power boards to chard a variety of devices. I even emailed Norwegian to ask what I would need, a specific type or are there some on board I can borrow. Not going to have hundreds of things . Camera iPhone iPad .

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Some great points, thank you. Which lead me to a few more questions.

1. I had kinda thought at the LGBT gatherings maybe people would gather for dinner after possible, sounds like only a few did or were the numbers in attendance small?

2. Saw white party and got a white top already, have black grey and white patterned board shorts I had planned on using also. Or do they need to be all white? No clear guidelines are on Norwegians site about the white party.

3. Spice h2o sounds perfect , only have 1 day at sea but apart from maybe a water slide it sounds like the next sunny destination for a day onboard.

4. I have heard much talk about power boards to chard a variety of devices. I even emailed Norwegian to ask what I would need, a specific type or are there some on board I can borrow. Not going to have hundreds of things . Camera iPhone iPad.

Attendance will vary. I met a group of four gay folks (gay couple plus lesbian couple) in the boarding area and I met a lesbian couple in the hot tub who never went to the LGBT gatherings. That said, about 25 people did on my sailing with about 4,000 passengers aboard. I did have a few meals and/or drinks with guys I met at the gathering, and I visited a port too, so it does happen.

Looks like you're doing your research. That's great. I doubt there's a charging board that you can borrow from NCL. If it works in a regular electrical outlet, I'm sure you can bring one. Otherwise, just bring an outlet strip and use it. It's very common for folks to bring those.

Cheers. :cool:

Hey there riktorscale!

I'm a 46 year old single gay guy who went on my first ever cruise last year. Like you, I had a lot of questions, and many of them were answered here (thanks to everyone for that).

My cruise was on-board the NCL Epic and although I was travelling alone, I didn't know about the solo cabins, so I booked myself into a cabin with a balcony (and basically paid for 2 people). Much like others here have already suggested, I took advantage of ice-breakers such as a CC Meet & Greet, FOD/LGBT meet ups, and even managed to talk my way into the solo lounge.

By the end of that cruise I had made a few new friends (one happened to be a straight who shared a cabin with me on my 2nd cruise), and the last night was not even spent alone. :o

Keep an open mind, wear a smile, and engage in casual conversation whenever you can or want to. While some of the other LGBT cruisers were either with a significant-other or part of a tight-knit group already, most were quite friendly and all were there for a fun and relaxation (not always in equal doses).

I hope you have a great time, and maybe one day we'll end up on the same cruise where I can buy you a drink...on my UBP of course. :p

Ray

Be sure and come back to Cruise Critic with a follow-up to share if at all possible, it's always good to see how people's experiences were on specific ships, cruises and cruise lines.

Barcelona is one of my favorite cities so I am sure you will have tons of stories from that alone.

What did you think about the cruise experience overall?

Was it easier than you expected?

Inquiring minds! :)

Cheers!

I am looking at going on my first cruise in June/July . I am a bit shy with strangers, hail from west australia, 45yo gay guy. Planning to spend time in Barcelona around the cruise time.

 

Was looking at gay groups but as I'm unable to book until my passport arrives in 2 weeks, it looks like the single rooms are all gone. Unless I pay a fortune.

 

Was looking at Norwegian line or celebrity, as they seem the most gay friendly. My concern is to spend the money only to be socially isolated and alone. Just how easy is it to make friends onboard? Internet chat is great on land but on a ship?

 

Am looking at a 7 day Mediterranean cruise at this point. Any hints or advice?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Oh another thing lol. My ticket on the cruise includes gratuities. So I don't tip? Or really I do? I'm from Australia where tipping is uncommon . How often should I tip, how much, who am I tipping?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Hi riktoscale, I have just joined Cruise critic after returning from a cruise on Quantum of the seas (RCCL) and decided to do another from Singapore in December this year (8th Dec on HAL Volendam from Singapore again.

I noticed in your thread about tipping, I too coming from Perth WAust find it odd that on HAL ships the tipping is added in. I for one don't like this practice,as I feel you should only tip if you get Good service. I have found other folk on Cruise critic that say the Tipping or Hotel service charge can be turned off while onboard..I will be looking into this. Also I feel you pain when it comes to cruising as I have just paid over $3250 for the 14 day cruise because i couldn't get a friend to travel with me. So ended up paying the Big dollars for One guy in a room. I hope you cruise worked out well for you and I am also looking forward to to going away as well.:)

The cruise personnel that generally receive tips are poorly compensated by the cruise line and tips are the major portion of their income.

Generally the cabin steward, waiter, assistant waiter, head waiter and Maitre D are tipped. However, I sometimes rarely see the head waiter or Maitre D so I never tip them extra. I prepay gratuities and will generally give the cabin steward, waiter and assistant waiter a little extra as they generally provide a large amount of service.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

Hi riktoscale, I have just joined Cruise critic after returning from a cruise on Quantum of the seas (RCCL) and decided to do another from Singapore in December this year (8th Dec on HAL Volendam from Singapore again.

 

I noticed in your thread about tipping, I too coming from Perth WAust find it odd that on HAL ships the tipping is added in. I for one don't like this practice,as I feel you should only tip if you get Good service. I have found other folk on Cruise critic that say the Tipping or Hotel service charge can be turned off while onboard..I will be looking into this. Also I feel you pain when it comes to cruising as I have just paid over $3250 for the 14 day cruise because i couldn't get a friend to travel with me. So ended up paying the Big dollars for One guy in a room. I hope you cruise worked out well for you and I am also looking forward to to going away as well.:)

Hi I have just returned from my trip. I had gratuities included on my cruise price. So any additional tips were at my discretion, and after much thought I didn't find I needed to add any additional tips.

The service on NCL epic was fine but not amazing. Most of the crew that bothered to make personal contact were more sales person than service personnel.

I did overhear the other cruisers discussing tipping our coach driver and guide in Rome and Florence. After paying over 150 aud for a walking tour and coach ride I saw NO reason to top it off tipping 10 euro to the driver and 15 euro to the guide. Which was what the other passengers (USA people) decided was fair.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Back from the cruise all. Here's my experience..

Ship was big and glam I guess. Looked nice bit dated I thought. The freestyle dining was great I thought. The range of ship board activities was ok I guess but pretty limited if you were solo.

As for the whole. Lots of gay people on board all I can say is nit on my ship. I met 6 gay guys in a week. 2 couples, nice friendly but have their own plans and we're happy to say hi and a drink then do there own thing. Which is cool but.... 1 guy who I had a meal with, nice guy but had his own plans. Final guy was part of a group who basically we're not inclusive of any new people. Little private clique.

The main thing I noticed was the solo lounge co coordinator met and set up dinners etc at 5 daily. The solo lounge was mostly women in their 50+'s, very nice but not really what I was after. So I could opt for the plans made with the solo group, or wait until 7.30 when the LGBT gathering in a bar happens, hoping that a friend could be made there. Most of the time these gatherings were so vague you needed to put up a sign and say I'm gay. The chosen bar was part of a thoroughfare so all sorts dropped by for a martini. No staff supervised the gathering so no help co-ordinating.

I attended most of the parties onboard and found them very much the same ever time. Same music, same venues, same people, same staff trying to upswell you.

The other thing I would mention is Australian booking are getting a raw deal compared to those offered in USA or Europe. Most people had been offered either the unlimited drinks package or ultimate dining package for free when they booked. I got $23 aus onboard credit. The drinks package was just under $400 usd.

Things I learnt.

1.Putting your room card on a lanyard while convenient was viewed as geek move by the staff who all found it amusing. Sort of a pocket protector type move.

2.To be sure of a fun gay ole time I will only go on a gay cruise or with a group of gays on a cruise. From what I saw and experienced most people were too busy with their own friends /partners to make new ones.

3. Sadly after a lot of questions and research I found most of the time I was alone , making my own fun as best I could. Evening parties most people ignored you. Maybe if I wasn't 45 average build and 5'7 that would be different but ....

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

It's pretty easy to make friends on board. Look for the Friends of Dorothy (FOD) events as that's a great way to make connections and break the ice. I did that for the first time in last month's Alaskan cruise. We met every day of a few drinks and see a few shoes together. Since my partner doesn't like to cruise, I often go alone.

Fod or LGBT meeting was poorly attended and done in such a way that you couldn't tell who was there for the meeting and who just wanted a drink

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

It's pretty easy to make friends on board. Look for the Friends of Dorothy (FOD) events as that's a great way to make connections and break the ice. I did that for the first time in last month's Alaskan cruise. We met every day of a few drinks and see a few shoes together. Since my partner doesn't like to cruise, I often go alone.

I often cruise alone for the same reason, and can't say that I agree. My solo experiences are more similar to that of riktorscale. For that reason, my past half dozen-or-so cruises have been with Pied Piper. I can't say that I've made many lifelong friends on these cruises, a few, though. Nevertheless, I like having a group of people to socialize with onboard.

Thank you, Riktoscale, for reporting back. I was particularly interested in your experience with the solo group as I was not sure how that worked. I plan to go to one on my October cruise, but now I know a little more what to expect.

I always cruise solo and have found that the best way to meet people is to avoid the Freestyle dining--traditional dining with a set group of people is a nice way to meet at least a few people to talk with once a day. Otherwise, I generally am fine being on my own.

Some great points, thank you. Which lead me to a few more questions.

1. I had kinda thought at the LGBT gatherings maybe people would gather for dinner after possible, sounds like only a few did or were the numbers in attendance small?

2. Saw white party and got a white top already, have black grey and white patterned board shorts I had planned on using also. Or do they need to be all white? No clear guidelines are on Norwegians site about the white party.

3. Spice h2o sounds perfect , only have 1 day at sea but apart from maybe a water slide it sounds like the next sunny destination for a day onboard.

4. I have heard much talk about power boards to chard a variety of devices. I even emailed Norwegian to ask what I would need, a specific type or are there some on board I can borrow. Not going to have hundreds of things . Camera iPhone iPad .

Been on 7 NCL cruises, and here are some answers.

1. There are usually two outlets in the ocean view cabins and another in the bathroom. I strongly suggest an electrical wire that has additional outlets.

2. The White Hot Party is usually at 10:30 pm after the last nightly music/dance show is over. You can choose to wear white or any other color. Nobody cares. Some people actually put a white towel around their shoulder.

The party is usually a dance party with revolving lights and a video show shown on the wall behind the dance floor. It is usually suited for those under 30 years of age, and it is an excuse for NCL to sell a lot of jello shots of cold vodka. FYI-their dance floor can only accommodate 20 couples

3. The Friends of Dorothy meeting is a hit and miss thing. If you strike up a friendship with another couple, maybe you and they can go to dinner but it is not an organized thing like the Cruise Critics Meet and Greet meeting. At my cruise's FOD meeting, there were less than a dozen people and mostly in my age group. I am 63 years old. There were other much younger gay couples who did not go to our meeting. An age thing.

Overall, I love Norwegian cruises. Great staff, very good events and the food is good. Remember this is a budget cruise line.

 

.

Some great points, thank you. Which lead me to a few more questions.

1. I had kinda thought at the LGBT gatherings maybe people would gather for dinner after possible, sounds like only a few did or were the numbers in attendance small?

2. Saw white party and got a white top already, have black grey and white patterned board shorts I had planned on using also. Or do they need to be all white? No clear guidelines are on Norwegians site about the white party.

3. Spice h2o sounds perfect , only have 1 day at sea but apart from maybe a water slide it sounds like the next sunny destination for a day onboard.

4. I have heard much talk about power boards to chard a variety of devices. I even emailed Norwegian to ask what I would need, a specific type or are there some on board I can borrow. Not going to have hundreds of things . Camera iPhone iPad .

Been on 7 NCL cruises, and here are some answers.

1. There are usually two outlets in the ocean view cabins and another in the bathroom. I strongly suggest an electrical wire that has additional outlets.

2. The White Hot Party is usually at 10:30 pm after the last nightly music/dance show is over. You can choose to wear white or any other color. Nobody cares. Some people actually put a white towel around their shoulder.

The party is usually a dance party with revolving lights and a video show shown on the wall behind the dance floor. It is usually suited for those under 30 years of age, and it is an excuse for NCL to sell a lot of jello shots of cold vodka. FYI-their dance floor can only accommodate 20 couples

3. The Friends of Dorothy meeting is a hit and miss thing. If you strike up a friendship with another couple, maybe you and they can go to dinner but it is not an organized thing like the Cruise Critics Meet and Greet meeting. At my cruise's FOD meeting, there were less than a dozen people and mostly in my age group. I am 63 years old. There were other much younger gay couples who did not go to our meeting. An age thing.

Overall, I love Norwegian cruises. Great staff, very good events and the food is good. Remember this is a budget cruise line.

 

.

 

Please ignore this message. It was a reply to another message on another thread

 

 

Please ignore this message. It was a reply to another message on another thread

When you post something in error, you might try to ask the host (monitor) to delete it - click on the red triangle in the top right corner of the post. You never know.

If you realize you posted in error within 15-20 minutes of posting, you can always edit the post and delete the text what you posted. usually people would just replace the wrong post with something like "deleted". An "edit" button will show in the bottom right of the post.

Great only I didn't post

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

When you post something in error, you might try to ask the host (monitor) to delete it - click on the red triangle in the top right corner of the post. You never know.

 

If you realize you posted in error within 15-20 minutes of posting, you can always edit the post and delete the text what you posted. usually people would just replace the wrong post with something like "deleted". An "edit" button will show in the bottom right of the post.

I found out my error a bit after the 20 minutes. One thing that I did was to wear my self made "Cruise Critic" button on my shirt pocket. All cruise staff members know about this message board's power and I always got great service as a result. Some passenger asked me about it and were amazed that this message board exists. They wished that they had availed themselves of it before they cruised.

As for the whole. Lots of gay people on board all I can say is nit on my ship. I met 6 gay guys in a week. 2 couples, nice friendly but have their own plans and we're happy to say hi and a drink then do there own thing. Which is cool but.... 1 guy who I had a meal with, nice guy but had his own plans. Final guy was part of a group who basically we're not inclusive of any new people. Little private clique.

 

The main thing I noticed was the solo lounge co coordinator met and set up dinners etc at 5 daily. The solo lounge was mostly women in their 50+'s, very nice but not really what I was after. So I could opt for the plans made with the solo group, or wait until 7.30 when the LGBT gathering in a bar happens, hoping that a friend could be made there. Most of the time these gatherings were so vague you needed to put up a sign and say I'm gay. The chosen bar was part of a thoroughfare so all sorts dropped by for a martini. No staff supervised the gathering so no help co-ordinating.

 

I attended most of the parties onboard and found them very much the same ever time. Same music, same venues, same people, same staff trying to upswell you.

 

2.To be sure of a fun gay ole time I will only go on a gay cruise or with a group of gays on a cruise. From what I saw and experienced most people were too busy with their own friends /partners to make new ones.

3. Sadly after a lot of questions and research I found most of the time I was alone , making my own fun as best I could. Evening parties most people ignored you. Maybe if I wasn't 45 average build and 5'7 that would be different but ....

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Sorry to hear your 1st experience was not so great. You were brave to put yourself out there and I hope this doesn't turn you off cruising in the future. I definitely would recommend going with PP next time or a similar charter. I had 2 friends who were solo (no friend/bf sharing the cabin) on my last cruise with PP on the Celebrity Silhouette, and they had a blast. It helped that they had friends on board but they each met new friends on the ship.

I often cruise solo and never have trouble meeting others. All cruise lines have nightly social events for FOD (Friends of Dorothy). On my last Norwegian cruise, it was on the daily schedule. On Royal Caribbean, it's usually on the message/bulletin board by the excursions desk. I usually meet some great people and get together for drinks, see a show, or hang out. Since most come with a partner/spouse, you will balance with your own time...Which I enjoy as well. Happy sailing!

John

Exactly my point, hence the question . How sociable are the single gays in the Norwegian epic in the Mediterranean in June? Look like the 7 day cruise for me

 

Do I prepare to be left to amuse myself or drop all my plans to follow my hundreds of new friends plans?

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk