Go with group or on your own?

We are booked on a cruise later this year with a gay/lesbian tour group--we'll be with a group on a ship rather than an all-gay cruise.

Here's my questions: what's the advantage of going with a group, such as RSVP or Pied Piper? Isn't it cheaper to do all the booking myself? What are the benefits of just booking the cruise on your own and attending a FOD event to the meet the other "family members" on board?

Any personal experiences? Insights? :confused:

RSVP does a full ship charter. Every passenger on the ship has booked with RSVP, mostly through their own travel agent. The entertainment is all geared to the gay and lesbian passengers. Sometimes the dinner service is adjusted to make it easier to meet and greet. It is very different from being a group on an otherwise ordinary cruise. Because they bring their own entertainment, a full disco setup, special party arrangements and other extras, they cost a bit more.

When a company like Pied Piper puts a group on a ship, they usually arrange some special parties just for the group. They also probably sit together at dinner, so you don't get stuck speding a week sitting with a religious nut case who hates homosexuals. And often a private excursion is arranged at some of the ports. The prices for groups are not usually much more than doing it yourself.

Hi, Bill - We've traveled with a group with Pied Piper a couple of times, but have most often just booked on our own. We've never gone on an all-gay RSVP or Atlantis charter. More often, we've just booked on our own.

It always seems to me that the Atlantis or RSVP charters are more expensive than a group or a single booking, but their fans point out that they bring on their own entertainment and activities. The ship is also all-gay, so it may be more comfortable for those who are not comfortable being "out" with strangers. I understand that Atlantis and RSVP also override the ship's normal dress and dining policies, so it's all-casual and dine anywhere, anytime. For us, we don't go on a cruise for a white party or to hear Patti LaBelle, we have NO problem with being out around straight strangers, and we enjoy and prefer the traditional assigned dining companions and times. So we're not willing to pay the premium for those charters.

For groups, you're not paying any more to book with Pied Piper or Stan the Cruise Man or OutCruising than if you book directly, and you may get the benefit of their group pricing. Like all group organizers, they take a block of cabins early on from the cruise line, and then sell them as the "regular" price starts to rise. So you won't do any worse than if you book it yourself, and you might do much better. I've also seen where they had cabins on a cruise that was otherwise sold out, since they had taken a block. The group will sit together at dinner (or in the same section of the dining room for large groups) which can be fun. It helps you get to know the group quickly. There will also be one or two on-board cocktail parties as well as an onshore activity - beach games at an island stop, for example.

After our first couple of cruises as part of a Pied Piper group, we've just booked on our own. That way we can choose any cruise any time we want to go. We have NEVER had a bad dinner table experience in our dozen or so cruises, and we have met many delightful and friendly people from all walks of life. I'd like to think that we've even opened a few eyes and minds to acceptance, although that's certainly not why we pay thousands of dollars to go on vacation! :rolleyes:

Most cruise lines and Cruise Directors will host at least one FOD meeting. The last cruise we were on, a transatlantic on Millennium, there were about three dozen gay men/couples on board, and the CD had a standing FOD meeting in the Sports Bar every night for two weeks! Our straight friends on board were begging to join us because they saw us having so much fun meeting people. Even on the least gay ship we've been on (NCL Star in Hawaii, ewww!) where there were no FOD meetings, the piano player on board made sure we met the other two gay couples on our cruise and we hung out with a couple of the entertainers in the evenings.

So while you might not save any money booking on your own, you'll have much more choice about your cruise and you'll still meet other gay couples. If you go with a group you'll have a built-in circle of gay acquaintances from the sailaway party on.

RSVP and Atlantis (and R Family and Olivia) - any of the full ship charter companies - are going to be more expensive because you are paying for the privilege of "having the ship to yourselves"... years ago RSVP and Atlantis had distinct personalties (RSVP was more midwest - Atlantis was more east/west coast circuity) but now they are both a mix of people.

Going with a group can be a great middle ground. You generally do get a great group rate, and you have automatic dinner companions and usually a couple of group events. I've done Pied Piper and Stan.. both do a great job, although I just like Stan's personality better.

And going on your own really depends on you. If you are the social type, you'll be fine. There are *always* other g/l people on board, but you have to find each other - not that it's hard to do.. but if you are shy, it might not happen. And while there is usually an FOD party, it's not guaranteed. If I am on a cruise without a group, I request one the first afternoon. Another thing to do is check out the embarkation photos and look for the singles and same sex couples, and then keep an eye out.

There are ignorant and mean people everywhere, but with one remarkable exception, I have found most fellow travelers to be welcoming and accepting.

Great responses and some good information. We are excited about our upcoming trip with Pied Piper on the Radiance to the Eastern Carribean. I learned there are more than 400 already registered, so there will be plenty of "us" onboard!

Matt, we're leaving out of Ft Lauderdale. There's still time to sign up...and take a break from Law School. ;)

Again, thanks for all the comments. I'm thinking in the future we might do a combination of groups (Pied Piper has several coming up in 2007 that look interesting) and our own bookings.