Bearcruise and/or Lazy Bear Out to Sea?

Hi - we're considering going on the RSVP Feb 9-16 Southern Caribbean Cruise and we're thinking about signing up via one of the bear groups going on the cruise at either Bearcruise or Lazy Bear Out to Sea. Does anyone have any experience taking either group? Does it add much beyond the usual gay cruise experience?

(We've done an Atlantis cruise before, though not RSVP)

Thanks!

Don

Groups such as that will have a private cocktail party and maybe other social events. There may also be special private excursions. Other than being part of an affinity group onboard (bears, Cruise Critic etc) the experience would not be significantly different.

Thanks - that's kind of what I was expecting. I'm trying to figure out if one group has a better reputation (better organized or friendlier guys) than the other, too. Since they have to be booked through unknown travel agents (at least to me!) I like to get all the information I can first!

Sorry, I can't help you out with that since we aren't part of da bears :)

I have not heard of any bad experiences with any of the bear groups onboard. In my experience just about everyone on an RSVP cruise is friendly and even if those in a certain group may be less so, you are part of a much bigger group in the whole and not married to those you came with. The main arrangements are taken care of by RSVP and the cruise line for all and the bear groups just take care of their events and excursions.

I did it in 2006 and it was my first gay cruise too. I had a blast and there will be some private events like an ice cream social just for the bears. They also gave most of their group towels. I knew a lot of guys in the group already as SF has a huge bear community. I have been on 3 more RSVP cruises since then and love them.

Last year I didn't go as one of my friends mother turned 75 and she wanted to go thru the Panama Canal. I was leaving Fort Lauderdale by air last year just as the RSVP ship was sailing and I had no trouble figuring out which ship was RSVP. It has the most people on the back deck and lots of flags and speakers.

I will be on the Eurodam in Feb and can't wait. Normally I go solo but it looks like my best buddy will be going too.

Nice! Thanks both Boytjie and JonV. Pretty sure we'll be booking the cruise (as soon as we both agree to drop the money on it!) as it's over our anniversary (awww....). It may just come down to which travel agent responds to my request for more information first! :)

We enjoyed our Atlantis cruise a couple of years ago (Mexican Riviera) and both the Caribbean and what I'm led to believe is the slightly more laid back mood of RSVP sound like a nice chance.

Not part of the Bear Community, but have several friends who are...Been on 4 gay cruises, tho, and have never heard of any Bear Group being unfriendly, so I think you'll be fine no matter which trip you plan...

Thanks - that's kind of what I was expecting. I'm trying to figure out if one group has a better reputation (better organized or friendlier guys) than the other, too. Since they have to be booked through unknown travel agents (at least to me!) I like to get all the information I can first!

We went many years ago and for us, well, we just didn't really fit in with the group and ended up doing most of the regular cruise stuff. But it may have to do more with who we are, that we don't sleep around and being from Montreal. You know, low discrimination, we just assume we are like everyone else and never think twice about the fact that we happen to be Gay. We ended up making some really nice friends on the cruise... at trivia. (Not one from the bear group.)

Nice! Thanks both Boytjie and JonV. Pretty sure we'll be booking the cruise (as soon as we both agree to drop the money on it!) as it's over our anniversary (awww....). It may just come down to which travel agent responds to my request for more information first! :)

 

We enjoyed our Atlantis cruise a couple of years ago (Mexican Riviera) and both the Caribbean and what I'm led to believe is the slightly more laid back mood of RSVP sound like a nice chance.

My friends and I book through the bearcruise group mainly because they organize a special bears catamaran trip every year for their clients (they usually offer other special excursions but the catamaran is the only one I join in on). The catamaran is always one of the highlights of the cruise for me so it keeps me coming back to them. I've gone through Lazy Bear also, back in 2006. Harry and Alan from Lazy Bear are awesome guys and I'm sure they wouldn't partner with a bad travel agent. You truly can't go wrong going with either group. My only disappointment is that the 2 groups won't partner up to provide a shared experience. Bear drama I guess LOL