Putting on the Ritz

There is a hot tub in the spa. I used it twice last week.

We are a lesbian couple and have been on 3 cruises with Pied Piper Cruises. They are not Atlantis and they don’t have the entire ship but they get rooms on many sailings every year all over the world. The guys are great and put together programs for our group that are lots of fun. The ratio of men to women in their group is about 10/1 but for the most part we have felt welcome on these cruises.

We are staying after also and taking the $99 bus in as it seemed easier than figuring out which train to which station, to which bus, to which rail to get out to Lee. Our VRBO hostess says we can get the train from Gatwick to Lee.

I planned on using them for boarding the cruise as well as returning to the US. I see the CDC is saying we currently don’t need to test to return but I am still going to pack them in case it changes again. (That is exactly what this virus does, change!)

Wow! I thought they issued the results electronically. Did they overnight them?

I have several at home Covid antigen tests which are FDA approved for Emergency Use Authorization. I found a company online who will witness you taking the test and send documentation of the results for travel. Has anyone used Azova for this? I will be on a Carnival cruise next month so I would love to hear from anyone who has done this for a Carnival cruise.

We are boarding 7/10. Thank you so much for sharing information. I love the shows but our last cruise on Carnival had very few offerings. What shows if any is this ship offering?

Just watched your “Welcome to the UK” video. Thanks so much. We are traveling there for the first time. You are correct that public transport on this side of the pond is dismal. I have already ordered us “Visitor Oyster Cards” as we will be staying in London for a few days after the cruise. My understanding is the visitor card cannot be purchased in London. I am looking forward to watching your London video.

I am sitting in my truck camper reading about cruising. We averaged 2-3 cruises a year before Covid. The campgrounds closest to us shut down the first year but then figured out that being outdoors is a great way to prevent spread. We have taken two cruises since it opened back up and I am in my camper this week planning my fist European cruise.

The ships have been fine in the Caribbean but I have never thought about how we would be treated in the countries if it comes down to proving our marital status.

So glad I found this thread. In my YouTube watching the only one you mentioned I had stumbled on was Gary. He is very informative. I did not know he is gay. I have run across other gay travelers with YouTube channels. I like “Foxes Afloat” a British couple living on a narrowboat. And “Round the World Guys” who did great videos of their world travels and when Covid-19 shut down travel they bout a van and a dog and headed across North America. I am excited to check out some of the channels mentioned here.

We have started traveling with our trans friend. She joined us for her first cruise last month and is joining us for her second cruise in July. I saw no one, passenger or staff treat her rudely last trip nor did she mention anyone doing so. We are a lesbian couple and have been cruising for years. We have on very rare occasions run into passengers who had an issue but never had a confrontation. They have asked to be moved to another dining table. (We assume because of the lesbian thing) It worked out great because after our straight table mate said this guy was making eyes at her I started a conversation with him and found out he was there without his husband who just got a new job and could not make the sailing. We invited him to our table for the rest of the cruise and we’re able to meet his husband on another cruise this past November.

Hello from Tucker GA. We have sailed twice out of Charleston. Most people are very friendly. As anywhere else in life you can run into jerks.

Looking forward to it.

The wife and I are sailing out of London/Dover on the Carnival Pride for our first European cruise July 10. Any other LBGT folks want to meet for a a drink onboard?