FOD Question

Do young adults go to the meet and greets? Looking for a place for my 18 year old daughter to possibly meet some friends.

The FOD meetings are hit and miss in my experience. Of course hardly anyone in their teens or twenties would even know what a Friend of Dorothy is. Hopefully you'll be on a line that has renamed it LGBT get together or something more likely to draw a bit of a crowd.

Do young adults go to the meet and greets? Looking for a place for my 18 year old daughter to possibly meet some friends.

hi parents of a fod...(!)...my experience is that there should be a good mix of ages depending on the lines demographics. I've seen a reasonable cross section of ages but don't generally tend to attend. I don't seem to have a problem meeting people travelling as a solo and don't feel the need to rely on the fod meets,...... but I'm impressed you are considering her in this way..Thanks...

regards Roscoe

Do young adults go to the meet and greets? Looking for a place for my 18 year old daughter to possibly meet some friends.

Everyone's welcome to attend. There is no age restrictions; however, as other have indicated these events can be a hit or miss and will be at a bar or lounge where alcohol is serviced. Most of the people will be older singles/couples....but whose knows? She might meet some nice folks. Just keep your expectation realistic that there probably won't be many if any under 30. 18 is sort of a though age. I was 19 when I went on my first cruise with my mother back in 1980. Back then there was no such thing as a FOD/GLBT get together. If there was I'm pretty sure I would have been too scared to attend. Times have really changed for the better.

The FOD meetings are hit and miss in my experience. Of course hardly anyone in their teens or twenties would even know what a Friend of Dorothy is. Hopefully you'll be on a line that has renamed it LGBT get together or something more likely to draw a bit of a crowd.

Thank you. We will be on the Carnival Valor. I hope they do change the name so more people can participate.

hi parents of a fod...(!)...my experience is that there should be a good mix of ages depending on the lines demographics. I've seen a reasonable cross section of ages but don't generally tend to attend. I don't seem to have a problem meeting people travelling as a solo and don't feel the need to rely on the fod meets,...... but I'm impressed you are considering her in this way..Thanks...

 

regards Roscoe

Thank you. She is happy to do things on her own but I'm sure would have more fun if she could meet people her own age.

Everyone's welcome to attend. There is no age restrictions; however, as other have indicated these events can be a hit or miss and will be at a bar or lounge where alcohol is serviced. Most of the people will be older singles/couples....but whose knows? She might meet some nice folks. Just keep your expectation realistic that there probably won't be many if any under 30. 18 is sort of a though age. I was 19 when I went on my first cruise with my mother back in 1980. Back then there was no such thing as a FOD/GLBT get together. If there was I'm pretty sure I would have been too scared to attend. Times have really changed for the better.

Thank you. I told her it would be hit or miss but she is just so excited that something like this exists. Even if she were to meet couples, it can be comforting knowing you are with like minded people.

Do young adults go to the meet and greets? Looking for a place for my 18 year old daughter to possibly meet some friends.

On our cruise last winter, we had a few late teen/early twenties guys there, but no lesbians.

Thank you. I told her it would be hit or miss but she is just so excited that something like this exists. Even if she were to meet couples, it can be comforting knowing you are with like minded people.

You're a great mom, and your daughter is lucky to have you.

We've never sailed on Carnival, but on other lines it's definitely been hit or miss as to who shows up at those gatherings. In our experience, it's mostly been males.

BTW, if Carnival is really still using the obsolete and closet term FOD, someone should write to them. I wrote to NCL years ago about this, and they switched to LGBT.

I hope you have a great cruise!

On our cruise last winter, we had a few late teen/early twenties guys there, but no lesbians.

Thank you!

You're a great mom, and your daughter is lucky to have you.

 

We've never sailed on Carnival, but on other lines it's definitely been hit or miss as to who shows up at those gatherings. In our experience, it's mostly been males.

 

BTW, if Carnival is really still using the obsolete and closet term FOD, someone should write to them. I wrote to NCL years ago about this, and they switched to LGBT.

 

I hope you have a great cruise!

What a great idea. I will write to Carnival about changing to LGBT. And thank you for your kind words. I feel like I am the lucky one..:)

I've been on 3 cruises before (2 with RC & 1 with NCL). In nearly every case, I would show up at the designated place and time (when my schedule permitted it), but I rarely ever ran into anyone else who was obviously there for FOD. There would be people I thought might be there for FOD, but they never spoke up. One thing to note: These gatherings are usually around 10 PM at one of the bars. There is no sign pointing to a specific table or area. Either no one else on board went to FOD, or they were too shy. Just like AA uses the code "Friends of Bill", GLBT groups use "Friends of Dorothy" or "FOD" as a code--at least on cruise ships. It's so that those in the know recognize it, and those who don't won't "make waves" <pun intended> if they have a problem with the GLBT crowd.

Just like AA uses the code "Friends of Bill", GLBT groups use "Friends of Dorothy" or "FOD" as a code--at least on cruise ships. It's so that those in the know recognize it, and those who don't won't "make waves" <pun intended> if they have a problem with the GLBT crowd.[/color][/size][/font]

"Those in the know"? Please join the 21st Century. FOD is an antiquated term the meaning of which probably isn't even known to many people under the age of 40. And from what I've read on these boards, many gay people who are not American, regardless of age, have no idea what it means either. Apart from being so antiquated, it's a closet term that is not needed and should not be used. What "GLBT group" do you know that refers to itself as FOD? And if another passenger on a cruise ship has "a problem with the GLBT crowd," that's their problem.

Good news...I found a 2013 copy of the Valor Fun Times and it's listed as GLBT.

"Those in the know"? Please join the 21st Century. FOD is an antiquated term the meaning of which probably isn't even known to many people under the age of 40. And from what I've read on these boards, many gay people who are not American, regardless of age, have no idea what it means either. Apart from being so antiquated, it's a closet term that is not needed and should not be used. What "GLBT group" do you know that refers to itself as FOD? And if another passenger on a cruise ship has "a problem with the GLBT crowd," that's their problem.

turtle, who are you to judge that it is antiquated and to demand it shouldn't be used.?

"Those in the know"? Please join the 21st Century. FOD is an antiquated term the meaning of which probably isn't even known to many people under the age of 40. And from what I've read on these boards, many gay people who are not American, regardless of age, have no idea what it means either. Apart from being so antiquated, it's a closet term that is not needed and should not be used. What "GLBT group" do you know that refers to itself as FOD? And if another passenger on a cruise ship has "a problem with the GLBT crowd," that's their problem.

I've found most pax know what it means. Whether they are US or foreign pax.Try not to be so narrow minded,OK? I've seen it listed as both FOD or LGBT on both Cunard & Celebrity. This seems to be at the whim of the cruise director. As much as Celebrity touts itself as gay friendly, Cunard does a much better job of advertising the get togethers. On Celebrity it's at the Martini bar(usually right at dinner)On Cunard they have a reserved spot in the Commodore Club, usually with a "dedicated" staff member at about 4PM.

We enjoyed the Cunard FOD time when we were there two years ago. The dedicated crewmember would set up a large section in the Commodore Club and ensure bar snacks were on all the tables. We had between 10 and 40 members each night. Ages were thirties and up.

On HAL last year we were tucked into a corner next to a passageway in a small bar. We didn't like it very much because we heard occasional homophobic remarks and received a few dirty looks. We took the initiative and moved to another part of that bar. This group was about 4 to 10 strong. Ages were 19 and up. HAL called it an LGBT gathering.

Thank you. We will be on the Carnival Valor. I hope they do change the name so more people can participate.

We were on the Valor in January and it was listed as LGBT Gathering in the Fun Times. ;)

We were on the Valor in January and it was listed as LGBT Gathering in the Fun Times. ;)

all the Cunard ships, Queen Mary2 Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria list as Friends of Dorothy, i would suggest its a demographics thing and both are acceptable and neither are meant to offend anyone.

On a Carnival cruise, no one showed up for the meeting. On a RCI cruise, it was not posted on the board, so we wrote our own, as Friends of Dorothy/GLBT meeting. After we met a few people the first night, we changed the time and location to better accommodate everyone attending. You CAN make your own times/locations. We've been just a few people (couples mainly) and we've also had a big group that pretty much took over the bar, with a few random people who realized how much fun we all were.

all the Cunard ships, Queen Mary2 Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria list as Friends of Dorothy, i would suggest its a demographics thing and both are acceptable and neither are meant to offend anyone.

On Cunard I've seen it as either FOD(most often) or occasionally LGBT. I think it has more to do with the cruise director. The younger one used the LGBT moniker. Either is fine by me.

I've been on 3 cruises before (2 with RC & 1 with NCL). In nearly every case, I would show up at the designated place and time (when my schedule permitted it), but I rarely ever ran into anyone else who was obviously there for FOD. There would be people I thought might be there for FOD, but they never spoke up. One thing to note: These gatherings are usually around 10 PM at one of the bars. There is no sign pointing to a specific table or area. Either no one else on board went to FOD, or they were too shy. Just like AA uses the code "Friends of Bill", GLBT groups use "Friends of Dorothy" or "FOD" as a code--at least on cruise ships. It's so that those in the know recognize it, and those who don't won't "make waves" <pun intended> if they have a problem with the GLBT crowd.

"Those in the know"? Please join the 21st Century. FOD is an antiquated term the meaning of which probably isn't even known to many people under the age of 40. And from what I've read on these boards, many gay people who are not American, regardless of age, have no idea what it means either. Apart from being so antiquated, it's a closet term that is not needed and should not be used. What "GLBT group" do you know that refers to itself as FOD? And if another passenger on a cruise ship has "a problem with the GLBT crowd," that's their problem.

:rolleyes: I was merely using the term, "FOD", because that's the term I discovered on this site, it's also part of this thread, to which I was responding, and this is the term still frequently used by many cruise lines. I was working w/in the context of what had already been established. I have never heard this term outside the context of this site. I understand its meaning and origin, but it's not something I would normally ever use. The somewhat hostile reply to my post misses the point that codes are still used because not everyone is GLBT-friendly, and not every GLBT individual is out. Like it or not, this is still the real world. People may be accepting of alcoholics, but most AA attendees would still feel more comfortable not openly advertising it, hence the term "Friends of Bill". The very name of AA identifies that its members are anonymous. Everyone has their issues, but GLBT pride just isn't mine, and not something I care to debate--particularly on a friendly site that is meant to share cruising information with fellow cruisers as well as bring cruisers together. Perhaps the response to my original post would have best been suited as a new message thread where the issue could spark a debate over the use of the term "FOD" and the changing of this term to something else--especially since this message thread isn't about a debate about this term at all. :cool:

:rolleyes: I was merely using the term, "FOD", because that's the term I discovered on this site, it's also part of this thread, to which I was responding, and this is the term still frequently used by many cruise lines. I was working w/in the context of what had already been established. I have never heard this term outside the context of this site. I understand its meaning and origin, but it's not something I would normally ever use. The somewhat hostile reply to my post misses the point that codes are still used because not everyone is GLBT-friendly, and not every GLBT individual is out. Like it or not, this is still the real world. People may be accepting of alcoholics, but most AA attendees would still feel more comfortable not openly advertising it, hence the term "Friends of Bill". The very name of AA identifies that its members are anonymous. Everyone has their issues, but GLBT pride just isn't mine, and not something I care to debate--particularly on a friendly site that is meant to share cruising information with fellow cruisers as well as bring cruisers together. Perhaps the response to my original post would have best been suited as a new message thread where the issue could spark a debate over the use of the term "FOD" and the changing of this term to something else--especially since this message thread isn't about a debate about this term at all. :cool:

nice reply I agree,bobby

nice reply I agree,bobby

Ditto. Compliments to Soxboy911 for a classy response.

:rolleyes: I was merely using the term, "FOD", because that's the term I discovered on this site, it's also part of this thread, to which I was responding, and this is the term still frequently used by many cruise lines. I was working w/in the context of what had already been established. I have never heard this term outside the context of this site. I understand its meaning and origin, but it's not something I would normally ever use. The somewhat hostile reply to my post misses the point that codes are still used because not everyone is GLBT-friendly, and not every GLBT individual is out. Like it or not, this is still the real world. People may be accepting of alcoholics, but most AA attendees would still feel more comfortable not openly advertising it, hence the term "Friends of Bill". The very name of AA identifies that its members are anonymous. Everyone has their issues, but GLBT pride just isn't mine, and not something I care to debate--particularly on a friendly site that is meant to share cruising information with fellow cruisers as well as bring cruisers together. Perhaps the response to my original post would have best been suited as a new message thread where the issue could spark a debate over the use of the term "FOD" and the changing of this term to something else--especially since this message thread isn't about a debate about this term at all. :cool:

Very well said.