Cruising as a transgender woman?

Hello, I am a young trans woman, and I've always wanted to go on a cruise, and this coming year is the best time for it, I feel like I need to get away and be alone for awhile. And I should be able to afford a cruise, like I've always wanted. I'm leaning more towards Cunard, since I've always loved their ships and have always wanted to do a trans-Atlantic crossing, but I'm open to just about any line.. I just want to know which would be best for me. Any suggestions? I live in Alberta Canada but am willing to travel pretty much anywhere in North America for certain ships. Any help would be appreciated!

The Cunard TA's are going to be "short and sweet" generally running NY-London much like ships of old. Although Cunard and other lines have the more "cruise-like" TAs as well. I've done several - all on Celebrity -and there are some great things about them:

Other than the Cunard regularly scheduled TAs, all of the others are considered "repositioning" cruises. If you wait until close to the sailing date you can get some incredible deals.

If it fits your style, it's a great way to relax. On most itineraries you get something like 6 consecutive sea days. No office, no phone, very little internet; it's a great way to unwind. You say you "need to get away and be alone". This sounds like it would suit you to a "T". You can choose to do as little or as much as you like. There are lots of interesting things going on, or you can be completely introverted.

Since they are moving ships from Europe to North America, or vise-versa, they take place in two times of year. Eastbound in April and May, Westbound in October and November. I've done both, and there are things to love about either. The west bound means you fly to Europe, board there, and then have several days of port calls at various cities, in other words a very busy front end of the cruise, followed by the total decompression of the string of sea days. Westbound also has several nights where you get an extra hour of sleep, as the time changes. Eastbound of course you start with the long string of sea days, then start hitting all the cities you've seen in movies. I prefer eastbound, as I generally work right up until time for the trip, and those sea days help to get into true vacation mode. Also the November westbounds have always been good weather but a little cool, while the Eastbounds have been a little warmer generally. Mine have always been the more southern routes starting or ending in Florida,

Regarding the specific issues faced by a trans woman, I can't offer any insight. However, I can say that on Celebrity there has always been a particularly large gay contingent on the cruises, and I would be most surprised if you were to encounter any negative reaction.

Obviously there are a lot of cruise lines, and almost all have transatlantic runs. Cunard would, I'm sure, be an experience that would live up to your expectations. I can say that the Celebrity transatlantics have been some of my very favorite cruises, and I anticipate doing more.

If I can help with specific detail, feel free to email me by clicking the link below.

Harris

Denver, CO

Hello, I am a young trans woman, and I've always wanted to go on a cruise, and this coming year is the best time for it, I feel like I need to get away and be alone for awhile. And I should be able to afford a cruise, like I've always wanted. I'm leaning more towards Cunard, since I've always loved their ships and have always wanted to do a trans-Atlantic crossing, but I'm open to just about any line.. I just want to know which would be best for me. Any suggestions? I live in Alberta Canada but am willing to travel pretty much anywhere in North America for certain ships. Any help would be appreciated!

I am also a trans woman. My family (me, wife, and two daughters) just got back from a cruise with HAL. HAL is very LGBT friendly. I felt that being trans had no impact on the cruise other than being extended extra friendliness to us by some gay fellow passengers. We had a really nice time.

Being transgender doesn't usually something that comes up but sometimes it does. We shared a table with a wonderful (gay) couple. We ended up spending a nice cruise having dinner with them and became friends. The only "interesting" thing that happened is when they asked about our relationship ("are you sisters?" ) When asked about our girls I did share that I was the girls father. They laughed thinking I was joking. They meant no harm they just had no experience that that is a possibility. We did talk about what it means to be transgender.

I have never attended a LGBT get together on a cruise but did this time because our friends were attending and they encouraged me to attend. I was welcomed by the gay men that attended and it was nice to talk with them as we crossed paths on the cruise/ports. Our daughters got to know one of them who was also traveling with his parents.

This sort of thing is why I have decided to be out when needed. To remove the unknown of the trans experience.

We have also sailed Celebrity and would also recommend them for being LGBT friendly. I hope you enjoy whatever you choose!

I haven't been on any of the current Cunard ships, but I have done four TAs on the QE2. If you decide to do a TA on whatever line, I would recommend doing a westbound crossing since the clocks are turned back an hour every night (or almost every night). I found that makes the evenings seem longer and more relaxing.

On the eastbounds, with the clocks going forward an hour each night, I always felt like I wasn't getting enough sleep. Kind of like a slower version of jet lag!

Whatever cruise or crossing you choose, I hope you enjoy yourself!

The Cunard TA's are going to be "short and sweet" generally running NY-London much like ships of old. Although Cunard and other lines have the more "cruise-like" TAs as well. I've done several - all on Celebrity -and there are some great things about them:

 

Other than the Cunard regularly scheduled TAs, all of the others are considered "repositioning" cruises. If you wait until close to the sailing date you can get some incredible deals.

 

If it fits your style, it's a great way to relax. On most itineraries you get something like 6 consecutive sea days. No office, no phone, very little internet; it's a great way to unwind. You say you "need to get away and be alone". This sounds like it would suit you to a "T". You can choose to do as little or as much as you like. There are lots of interesting things going on, or you can be completely introverted.

 

Since they are moving ships from Europe to North America, or vise-versa, they take place in two times of year. Eastbound in April and May, Westbound in October and November. I've done both, and there are things to love about either. The west bound means you fly to Europe, board there, and then have several days of port calls at various cities, in other words a very busy front end of the cruise, followed by the total decompression of the string of sea days. Westbound also has several nights where you get an extra hour of sleep, as the time changes. Eastbound of course you start with the long string of sea days, then start hitting all the cities you've seen in movies. I prefer eastbound, as I generally work right up until time for the trip, and those sea days help to get into true vacation mode. Also the November westbounds have always been good weather but a little cool, while the Eastbounds have been a little warmer generally. Mine have always been the more southern routes starting or ending in Florida,

 

Regarding the specific issues faced by a trans woman, I can't offer any insight. However, I can say that on Celebrity there has always been a particularly large gay contingent on the cruises, and I would be most surprised if you were to encounter any negative reaction.

 

Obviously there are a lot of cruise lines, and almost all have transatlantic runs. Cunard would, I'm sure, be an experience that would live up to your expectations. I can say that the Celebrity transatlantics have been some of my very favorite cruises, and I anticipate doing more.

 

If I can help with specific detail, feel free to email me by clicking the link below.

 

Harris

Denver, CO

That does sound perfect actually, a few days by myself sounds perfect, so I think I want to do a TA or repositioning cruise, it'd be great to have the choice to just wander the ship or go and do stuff, and I have friends and relatives back in England that I haven't seen in years, so I can go see them to before I come back to Canada. Yes, I think I want a TA/R. I'll look into Celebrity to, I haven't do to much searching yet.

I am also a trans woman. My family (me, wife, and two daughters) just got back from a cruise with HAL. HAL is very LGBT friendly. I felt that being trans had no impact on the cruise other than being extended extra friendliness to us by some gay fellow passengers. We had a really nice time.

 

Being transgender doesn't usually something that comes up but sometimes it does. We shared a table with a wonderful (gay) couple. We ended up spending a nice cruise having dinner with them and became friends. The only "interesting" thing that happened is when they asked about our relationship ("are you sisters?" ) When asked about our girls I did share that I was the girls father. They laughed thinking I was joking. They meant no harm they just had no experience that that is a possibility. We did talk about what it means to be transgender.

 

I have never attended a LGBT get together on a cruise but did this time because our friends were attending and they encouraged me to attend. I was welcomed by the gay men that attended and it was nice to talk with them as we crossed paths on the cruise/ports. Our daughters got to know one of them who was also traveling with his parents.

 

This sort of thing is why I have decided to be out when needed. To remove the unknown of the trans experience.

 

We have also sailed Celebrity and would also recommend them for being LGBT friendly. I hope you enjoy whatever you choose!

Oh that's good.. I was a little worried about how staff would be towards it, other passengers can be avoided, but chances are you have to talk to staff at some point. Yes, I feel much better about cruising now, I was really rather worried..

Hello, I am a young trans woman, and I've always wanted to go on a cruise, and this coming year is the best time for it, I feel like I need to get away and be alone for awhile. And I should be able to afford a cruise, like I've always wanted. I'm leaning more towards Cunard, since I've always loved their ships and have always wanted to do a trans-Atlantic crossing, but I'm open to just about any line.. I just want to know which would be best for me. Any suggestions? I live in Alberta Canada but am willing to travel pretty much anywhere in North America for certain ships. Any help would be appreciated!

Carnival is very friendly to the GLBT populations. The areas of concern are the ports. That's where you need to do your research if you are traveling alone.

That does sound perfect actually, a few days by myself sounds perfect, so I think I want to do a TA or repositioning cruise, it'd be great to have the choice to just wander the ship or go and do stuff, and I have friends and relatives back in England that I haven't seen in years, so I can go see them to before I come back to Canada. Yes, I think I want a TA/R. I'll look into Celebrity to, I haven't do to much searching yet.

 

 

 

Oh that's good.. I was a little worried about how staff would be towards it, other passengers can be avoided, but chances are you have to talk to staff at some point. Yes, I feel much better about cruising now, I was really rather worried..

If you're going to look at Celebrity, please let me know. As you can see from my signature, I've cruised with them a BUNCH of times, so can probably give you some insight. Feel free to email.

Harris

Denver, CO

Hello, I am a young trans woman, and I've always wanted to go on a cruise, and this coming year is the best time for it, I feel like I need to get away and be alone for awhile. And I should be able to afford a cruise, like I've always wanted. I'm leaning more towards Cunard, since I've always loved their ships and have always wanted to do a trans-Atlantic crossing, but I'm open to just about any line.. I just want to know which would be best for me. Any suggestions? I live in Alberta Canada but am willing to travel pretty much anywhere in North America for certain ships. Any help would be appreciated!

Hi Mswater, Ive been on both the Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth when there have been transgendered ladies amongst the passengers. Both of them as far as I could see were accepted and neither of them seemed to have thought that coming along as themselves was a mistake. One of them, was using the cruise as her "coming out" period.

In my experience Cunard has always seemed to be an accepting environment.

Good luck, I hope which ever line you choose gives you an enjoyable and rewarding experience.

Oh that's good.. I was a little worried about how staff would be towards it, other passengers can be avoided, but chances are you have to talk to staff at some point. Yes, I feel much better about cruising now, I was really rather worried..

For sure don't avoid interacting with the other passengers. Meeting new people is a lot of the fun of cruising for most people. Transgender is so broad a term so I don't know where you are at in your life journey but if you are authentic to yourself others will see that. Whether people perceive you as a trans or not, in almost all cases, it doesn't matter as long as you are confident in your own self.

I don't know if this is an issue for you, but on a pragmatic note, you do need to present as the identity on your passport at least whenever boarding since this is used for your ship's card.

Check out Pied Piper. They have several trans Atlantics on Cunard.

I am also a trans woman. My family (me, wife, and two daughters) just got back from a cruise with HAL. HAL is very LGBT friendly. I felt that being trans had no impact on the cruise other than being extended extra friendliness to us by some gay fellow passengers. We had a really nice time.

 

Being transgender doesn't usually something that comes up but sometimes it does. We shared a table with a wonderful (gay) couple. We ended up spending a nice cruise having dinner with them and became friends. The only "interesting" thing that happened is when they asked about our relationship ("are you sisters?" ) When asked about our girls I did share that I was the girls father. They laughed thinking I was joking. They meant no harm they just had no experience that that is a possibility. We did talk about what it means to be transgender.

 

I have never attended a LGBT get together on a cruise but did this time because our friends were attending and they encouraged me to attend. I was welcomed by the gay men that attended and it was nice to talk with them as we crossed paths on the cruise/ports. Our daughters got to know one of them who was also traveling with his parents.

 

This sort of thing is why I have decided to be out when needed. To remove the unknown of the trans experience.

 

We have also sailed Celebrity and would also recommend them for being LGBT friendly. I hope you enjoy whatever you choose!

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Not making a comparison but just want to give another insight to Cunard. Stuffy and eccentric seem to be acceptable there. On QM2 on a formal night there was a gentleman in a white tuxedo - with a tail sticking out his behind. Nobody seemed to be too flustered, including the captain.

I would not book Cunard for a crossing. Several gay friends did last summer. Very sophisticated men. They found the ship and guests mostly boring. The crew was stuffy. I recommend Royal Caribbean, Princess or Celebrity