Does anyone do the FOD/LGBT gatherings?

Where do you even find out about the FOD meetings? I'll be going on the NCL Epic with my partner in December. There's bound to be lots of gays going on a ship that big.

It will be listed in the freestyle daily. The first meeting is generally the first evening at a bar. On the Gem it is Bliss. But then can change. Check your freestyle daily.

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It will be listed in the freestyle daily. The first meeting is generally the first evening at a bar. On the Gem it is Bliss. But then can change. Check your freestyle daily.

Oh ok, I'm guessing the freestyle daily is the newsletter that gets sent to your room. I hope people will show up!

You can also check the bulletin board. Usually near the pursers desk. It can be listed in many ways. Friends of Dorothy, LGBT, Lesbians and Gays, etc.

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We always go to the FOD. Queen Mary 2 is exceptional, always with a interesting group most of whom come faithfully each evening. About 30 on our NE/Canada cruise last year and two years before. Breakaway was great in January of this year and hope it will be on our Jan 19, 2018 Western Caribbean cruise.

On two Holland America cruises, there was a staff member (from the entertainment staff) who was assigned to ensure the FOD worked well. Special cocktail parties and luncheons on board and a visit to a gay beach. This was about 6-7 years ago. Don't know if there is anything like it today.

Sailing on Celebrity Summit October 8. Hope there will be a god group there--although Royal Caribbean generally doesn't promote. Instead one has to look for a posting at Guest Relations.

As was previously noted--important to go one of the first couple of days, otherwise folks just give up and look elsewhere.

We routinely watch for and attend FOD meetings and will do so on our upcoming cruise on HAL Nieuw Amsterdam 10/28 through 11/11. Yes it can be hit or miss, as it was on our Celebrity Cruise to Alaska. But so be it. Every trip is different and so are the people. Best gatherings were 2007 HAL Maasdam with both gay and straight..most nights upwards of 26 people and QE2 in ‘01 and ‘03. Best question ever at the gatherings....(from a straight passenger not “in the know”.)...”Who is this Dorothy person?” And, “Are you all really friends of hers, or are some of you relatives?”

As an addendum: if you see the FOD listing in your daily programme, for heaven sakes: GO!. Yes it can be a dud and no one has anything in common, but It can also be the best group of people you’ve ever met. We have made life long friends from several of the meetings and treasured the memories and friends we’ve made.

I agree with caroniaguy. If we don’t attend at least the first one they will stop doing them due to no interest. Why offer something that people don’t seem to want.

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I agree with caroniaguy. If we don’t attend at least the first one they will stop doing them due to no interest. Why offer something that people don’t seem to want.

 

 

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You are absolutely right!!! Let's make this event something big for the glbt community!!!

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I attended the first my first LGBT gathering on the Grand Princess when I sailed to Alaska last year. The first gathering I found quite easy to schedule in, but subsequent times it was either when I was still on an excursion or it clashed with dinner plans. I'm going on the Diamond Princess from Tokyo to Sydney next month and this time I have Anytime dining. I'm hoping this will mean I'll be able to make most if not all the LGBT events. I'm really hoping it will be a good group as we might be on-board when (hopefully) Marriage Equality gets passed into Law in Australia (*crossing all my fingers*). I'd love a great group to celebrate with!

Where do you even find out about the FOD meetings? I'll be going on the NCL Epic with my partner in December. There's bound to be lots of gays going on a ship that big.

Sailed on NCL Epic last October. FOD meetings every evening at 7am in Martini/piano bar. Great venue and timing.

Often met same guys again later in evening after dinner.

All very friendly and jnformal.

You'll have a great time

:D

Stigma? You mean as in use of an antiquated euphemism. On NCL they now put. (LGBT ) in parentheses. Those under 30 would be clueless. As would be most women.

 

 

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Thanks for reminding us all of our 30+ age. :eek:

Thanks for reminding us all of our 30+ age. :eek:

Yea really LOL

I didn't get the reference, who is Florence Henderson?

Recently got off a Royal cruise, and found it posted in the Daily, and posted on the Community board near Guest Services.

Issue is on the Community board was different time than in the daily.

Community board time was always when our dinner was and the daily paper was way to late :(

Maybe we an old couple that is thinking that 11:30 PM is too late?

Yea really LOL

I didn't get the reference, who is Florence Henderson?

 

 

Recently got off a Royal cruise, and found it posted in the Daily, and posted on the Community board near Guest Services.

 

 

Issue is on the Community board was different time than in the daily.

Community board time was always when our dinner was and the daily paper was way to late :(

 

Maybe we an old couple that is thinking that 11:30 PM is too late?

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5 am is too late for me unless sex is, by some miracle or curse happening and even then, in all honesty, I'm hardly participating. 35 vs 55 priorities, lol. Look at that! You finished! Good for you, champ! [emoji1]! *turns head and expels a very deep eyeroll that takes about 2 minutes* Zzzzzzzzz....

 

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OK that confirms it. We are REALLY an old couple because 5am is too late and too early for anything. Going to work at that time is too early.

I have traveled on princess and have gone to the parties. Quit a few go also.

We have met life long friends by going to FOD. We make sue to go the first few nights just to be sure we don’t miss anyone. We find that we meet more guys than women but that’s just fine. We are sailing on the Grand Princess in December. We encourage any LGBTQ people to check out the gatherings. You don’t have to stay but it is nice on a large ship to see friendly faces.

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I'd go the first time, after that you'll know if it's for you or not.

We recently got off the NCL Jade. We had a great time at the LGBT get togethers. The first few nights and occasionally after NCL had a staff member act as host to the group. She made us all comfortable and welcome and the second night had a quick game on learning each other’s names. The group would vary from 6 to 20 people. Twice Bea put together dinners for the group in the main dining room. It was great running into the group members during the cruise at various times. We would meet for lunch or to see the shows or just bump into each other and talk. This was a very good Group and Norwegian really did a good job. Beatrice, the NCL person, was delightful.

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Just off the 11/11/17 sailing of Freedom of the Seas, and LGBTQ gatherings were listed each day in the Cruise Compass. Sometimes they had a 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. time listed. Not much in the way of attendance, though, that I noticed.

We are on the Celebrity Solstice from NZ to Australia. We looked on the first night and we were the only ones there. After that we found other guys on our own accord. The Celebrity people didn't seem that interested in doing anything out of their way. Quite disappointing on this cruise.

I’m putting this out there because on our last several cruises, they have turned out to be a bust. Either no one goes or the few that do seem to want to keep the conversation within their own group. We were on the Brilliance of the Seas several years ago, and the gathering was quite popular. We even had several groups of straight people would join in. But since then, they’ve been pretty dead. Is this just not the thing to do anymore, or am I missing something?

We went to the first two daily ones this week and no one was there. I think people don't know to look for the meet up card (on Royal) near guest services.

They did one yesterday that was announced on the compass and a small group showed up to that, so I think some of it is just publicity.

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Years ago I did 2 transatlantics out of Soupthamton the first was in Jewel ot Seas to Miami and we had a real good time with FOD every day had drinks an dinner together with a group of 12 at least.

The second was on the inaugural cruise of Norwegain Epic to NY and again every night the Bliss bar was full of gays (mostly couples).

On Emerald Princess in 2015 the gatherings were very good every night we had to put extra chairs in the bar for the group.

We just got off Vision of the Seas. There were LGBTQ Meetings listed in the daily newsletter schedule, but they were in the evenings at 10:30. Sorry, that's a bit late for these old guys. :rolleyes: We saw what we thought might be couples on the ship, but never made it to the meetings.

You might want to check out "(LGBTQ) 🚢 Cruisers - Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Azamara" on Face * Book, there are many thousands of Royal, Celebrity and Azamara fans. See u there

It depends on 2 things for us.

If it is in a venue conducive to conversation.

Not too late for us .

Best LGBT's for us have been before or between dinner times in a lounge without entertainment.

D&J