aucruiser1980

My partner and I have sailed with Carnival 8 times. We have NEVER had a problem with staff or fellow passengers for being gay. We have been together for 30 years this coming October! We do not flaunt our “gayness”, but it is obvious we are together as a couple. Both the staff and fellow passengers have always been nice to us. Of course, you always have those drunks and snobs, but you just deal with them as they should be dealt with…you give back what you get. HA!

the cruise is not suitable for gay couples yet. the people are still prejudiced towards this phenomenon. that is why the gay people have to face harsh treatment sometimes.

From my personal experience, I totally disagree. My partner and I have only had pleasant experiences on all of the cruises that we have sailed. I have never experienced any "harsh treatment" while on a cruise, from the staff or fellow passengers. Maybe we have just been lucky. I am sorry if you may have been treated badly on a cruise, but let's face it.....there are jerks everywhere. But to give the impression that a cruise is not for gay people may scare some people to miss out on maybe having a fabulous time like I did. I can't wait to board the Legend in May!:p

My partner and I have only cruised with Carnival. Not because we would not try another line, we are just comfortable with Carnival. We will be taking our 5th cruise this May on the Legend. Our first cruise on the Pride was with a straight couple. They had cruised before, and "showed" us the ropes. We fell in love with cruising the moment we boarded.

The second cruise was on the Conquest out of New Orleans. We went with my sister and her husband. It was their first, so we looked at it as "paying it forward". HA!

Third cruise was on Glory out of Port Canaveral. We cruised with our dearest friends, who just happen to be lesbian. Funny thing is that they did not like the cruise experience. :confused:It had nothing to do with the way that they were treated by anyone, they just did not care for it. They did have a good time, but just not their thing. I about passed out when they told us.:eek: I just knew we would have years and years of cruising with them. Oh well, does not hamper my desire to cruise at all.:)

This was also the cruise that I discovered the FOD meetings. When my friend asked if we were going to the friends of Dorothy meeting, I thought she was making a joke. When I saw it in the Fun Times (Friday), I ran to tell her that there was a meeting. She looked at me like I was from outer space. HA! She told me that I lost some fairy points for not knowing about FOD. Oh well, I learned. Although I did not enjoy the meeting.

Our 4th cruise was last November on the Freedom out of Fort Lauderdale. We finally put on our big boy pants and went alone...just the 2 of us. WE LOVED IT! I would love to cruise with friends and/or family, but I know now that cruising alone is even better! That sounds so snarky of me....sorry:rolleyes:

All of that being said, we have always been very comfortable on Carnival. We are not big on PDA anyway, so I do not think we have the same "shock" value as some. We also do not blend into the straight world like some do. Although we are not throwing fairy dust everywhere, it is very obvious that we are a gay couple.:D The crew and the passengers have always been very polite to us and I have never felt uncomfortable.

Cannot wait till May 29th!

I last posted on this board three years ago

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=14439483&postcount=121

 

Our two previous Carnival experiences were with close friends (a straight couple), so we were always having fun with them. In 2009, we decided to go out of Mobile again, on one of the last sailings of Holiday, and by ourselves. We still had a BLAST!

 

While we didn't gel with any of our fellow cruisers (including other family we met at the FOD's), being gay was a non-issue. NOBODY CARED. And I have to point out that the cruise was out of MOBILE, a drive-in port for Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, The Carolinas, Georgia and Florida (yes, this is "Redneck America" who shop at Wal-Mart).

 

On one of our Mobile cruises, I ended up getting a handshake and business card from a couple who said, "Y'all come visit us if you're ever in Texas". The business card's logo was the "Christian Fish" (Even here in the South, I find few Christians homophobic - they're out there, I just rarely meet them).

 

I think that a cruise is what you make of it. Smile a lot, say "hi!" often, and you get that back.

 

All that said, we're going out of Mobile AGAIN in April, this time with two straight couples (and it's a first cruise for one of the couples). Wheeeeee!

 

Dennis & Richard

 

Costa Romantica, 4/1998

Celebrity Mercury, 4/1999

Celebrity Galaxy, 12/1999

Costa Victoria, 4/2000

Costa Atlantica, 4/2001, 4/2002, 4/2003, 4/2005

Costa Mediterranea, 4/2004

RCI Serenade, 4/2006

Golden Princess, 6/2006

Carnival Sensation, 10/2006

RCI Radiance, 11/2006

Carnival Holiday, 10/2007

RCI Jewel, 11/2007

RCI Grandeur, 2/2008

RCI Serenade, 11/2008

Carnival Holiday, 9/2009

RCI Liberty, 11/2009

Celebrity Solstice, 11/2010

Carnival Elation, 4/2011

Celebrity Eclipse, 11/2011

I have so enjoyed reading this fantastic review. I am hoping that you are able to download the Fun Times from your Eastern Carribean on Freedom before I leave next Saturday. I would love a glance! Thanks again for the great job! May these be memories that last you forever!