Mainstream or Gay Cruise?

[SgpMBL]

My partner and I have cruised only mainstream cruises so far. Have started to look at Atlantis or RSVP cruises as well as the partial charters that are available? Is it worth it to pay the "gay premium" for these cruises?

 

I recognize that part of it is not having to worry about whether I will be accepted for who I am. (Haven't really found a problem with that in mainstream cruises), but I guess what activities/events are different from the mainstream ones? What can I expect by going on a gay only cruise?

[COMBOY]

My partner and I have cruised only mainstream cruises so far. Have started to look at Atlantis or RSVP cruises as well as the partial charters that are available? Is it worth it to pay the "gay premium" for these cruises?

 

I recognize that part of it is not having to worry about whether I will be accepted for who I am. (Haven't really found a problem with that in mainstream cruises), but I guess what activities/events are different from the mainstream ones? What can I expect by going on a gay only cruise?

 

I will say having sailed on both Atlantis and RSVP comparing an all-gay cruise to a mainstream cruise is like comparing apples to oranges are far of the on board atmosphere. No families or children and there is very few women on Atlantis with RSVP having more women. However, all are welcome including some straight friends & family. First there is no difference with the on board activities (Art auction, shuffle board, spa, dining, shopping, etc) run by the cruise lines; however, the charters do organize all the on board main entertainment as well as the late night dance/disco theme parties held up around the pool deck with their own DJ's and decorations....and they are incredible. On some nights the regular ship board dancing and singer put on the big production shows and on the other nights the charters bring on their own entertainers like Debbie Reynold, Charo, Patti Lupone, Chita Rivera, Louie Anderson, Kathy Griffin etc. Usually the charters also have two afternoon 70's disco and Military Theme T-dances. Also, they do organized a few unique shore tours just for the gay passengers. As far as what you can expect...expect one incredible fun cruise. Yes, it can be a little crazy, campy and circuit party at time, but I've also found everyone to be really nice and friendly with little attitude. There's still plenty of other activities like the piano bar & karaoke, casino, etc. if the dance parties are not your thing. They really do try hard catering to everyone's taste and styles to make it a unique cruise experience. You'll find all types of people from age 18 to 80; 50% couple/50% singles. I guess the average age is late 30 to mid 40. Yes, unfortunately you do pay the gay premium. It just the law of supply and demand and most gay people are willing to pay the premium for the privilege. Only you can determine whether they are worth it or not. You will get a lot of different opinion on this one; however...passenger repeat factor is really high so they must be doing something right!! There are tons of all gay cruise videos on Youtube if you want to see what really goes on. Just search Atlantis cruises or RSVP cruises. Happy cruising!

[GXmanDC]

I agree with everything comboy posted. I have done mainstream and the all-gay charters. They are nothing alike. Even with the price premium the charter is soooo worth it in my opinion. The entertainment is over the top, and I include my fellow passengers in that category. I found my first gay cruise to be incredibly empowering. For the first time in my life I was in the majority.

 

The passengers come in all shapes and sizes, ages range from 21-91 though most in their 30s-40s Some people do all the circuit parties, others only the big shows and cabaret acts, I do some of both.

 

I've heard many critical comments about the charter cruises, but IMHO the cruise is what you make it. If you want a floating bath house experience you will find others to make that happen. If you want to spend the entire week with your loved one doing mostly couples activities in a free and accepting environment, you can do that. We tend to hang out with our friends, do a mixture of events and say hello to everyone we come across.

 

I think the premium price is commanded for a few reasons. First, supply and demand. There number of berths available anually in the charters is miniscule compared to what is available in the industry. Second, entertainment. The headline acts are much bigger than noarmal cruise. On my three Atlantis chartes the surprise guests were Wanda Sykes, Patti Lupone, Andy Bell and Rosanne Barr. The DJs are from the best clubs in the country. I'm not current with who's who of DJs, but my younger brother ran around collecting their autographs.

 

I'm attaching the Atlantis Cruise Guide from January. We were on Liberty of the Seas Jan 17-24.

LibertyCruiseVacationGuide2010 2.pdf

[BrianTom]

I will say having sailed on both Atlantis and RSVP comparing an all-gay cruise to a mainstream cruise is like comparing apples to oranges are far of the on board atmosphere. No families or children and there is very few women on Atlantis with RSVP having more women. However, all are welcome including some straight friends & family. First there is no difference with the on board activities (Art auction, shuffle board, spa, dining, shopping, etc) run by the cruise lines; however, the charters do organize all the on board main entertainment as well as the late night dance/disco theme parties held up around the pool deck with their own DJ's and decorations....and they are incredible. On some nights the regular ship board dancing and singer put on the big production shows and on the other nights the charters bring on their own entertainers like Debbie Reynold, Charo, Patti Lupone, Chita Rivera, Louie Anderson, Kathy Griffin etc. Usually the charters also have two afternoon 70's disco and Military Theme T-dances. Also, they do organized a few unique shore tours just for the gay passengers. As far as what you can expect...expect one incredible fun cruise. Yes, it can be a little crazy, campy and circuit party at time, but I've also found everyone to be really nice and friendly with little attitude. There's still plenty of other activities like the piano bar & karaoke, casino, etc. if the dance parties are not your thing. They really do try hard catering to everyone's taste and styles to make it a unique cruise experience. You'll find all types of people from age 18 to 80; 50% couple/50% singles. I guess the average age is late 30 to mid 40. Yes, unfortunately you do pay the gay premium. It just the law of supply and demand and most gay people are willing to pay the premium for the privilege. Only you can determine whether they are worth it or not. You will get a lot of different opinion on this one; however...passenger repeat factor is really high so they must be doing something right!! There are tons of all gay cruise videos on Youtube if you want to see what really goes on. Just search Atlantis cruises or RSVP cruises. Happy cruising!

 

As a alumni of RSVP and Atlantis I must say that this is very well said. One part of the the equation that I think should be added is that the fitness center is often too crowded to be enjoyable on a gay charter. With that I mean cardio machines, weight machines, steam rooms and saunas etc. are always full. My partner and I really enjoy taking our time and utilizing the fitness centers when on vacation since we are usually rushing in and out of the gym at home. We found that on a gay charter cruise these facilities are overrun with people with a wait to use the equipment. The sauna and steam rooms have had lines to get in, as you can imagine. In addition, because there is so much use to these areas the staff can not keep up maintaining them and they are usually very messy and dirty. So if a crowded gym does not bother you then I really think the gay charters have a lot more to offer in the way of entertainment.

[JonAlone]

I know a few who have done both RSVP and Atlantis.. this year Atlantis has Celebrity Equinox ( i think) for 2 charters to and from Venice. They sound amazing, and I know a group of 8 going, which may become a 9 when I make up my mind, or if I can find someone to share with....

[Bloom9]

Having finally bit the bullet and paid the premium for the Atlantis Liberty cruise I can say it was worth the money to me. The entertainment was great, the whole atmosphere in general was just awesome, if I am not traveling with my family I would definitely choose the charter experience again over a mainstream cruise and will for next February!

 

One point of differentation is with dining - its all open seating so you go eat when you want during the time frame,

[MiamiSpartan]

My partner and I have cruised only mainstream cruises so far. Have started to look at Atlantis or RSVP cruises as well as the partial charters that are available? Is it worth it to pay the "gay premium" for these cruises?

 

I recognize that part of it is not having to worry about whether I will be accepted for who I am. (Haven't really found a problem with that in mainstream cruises), but I guess what activities/events are different from the mainstream ones? What can I expect by going on a gay only cruise?

 

We love all cruises, but the gay cruise experience takes the level of fun up several levels.

It is WONDERFUL experience to be able to be who you are (holding hands on deck, etc) with no worries...The entertainment they bring on board is great and worth the extra money. Whether you are a big circuit partier or not, you will have the time of your life!

We have never found any attitude on any of the 4 gay trips we have taken...on the contrary, people could not be any more friendlier! We are still in touch with people we have met on every gay trip we have taken....

[beardblack]

Going on a "mainstream" cruise with some friends.

On my time alone, as a single guy is it at all "cruisy" whatsoever?

[MiamiSpartan]

It probably can be...There will be other gay people on board...watch for the FOD get togethers each night....

[beardblack]

Thank you Spartan. I was trying to find a way to ask you more detailed questions about it, since apparently you have been on many cruises.

It being my first and it not being a "charter", I assumed the chances of me having some fun encounters would be less likely than not.

I'm not exactly out. ( Work doesn't make it easy ).

 

I suppose the FOD meetings would be mostly couples?

Would that be the only way to meet?

 

Thanks again.

[gmhohio]

If I could add one more aspect to the discussion. Gay groups on mainstream cruises are another option. There are a couple of travel companies which can have up to 400-500 passengers on a mainstream cruise. The group cruises will have private parties throughout the cruise and bring along their own entertainers. The themes to the parties are just as varied as with Atlantis or RSVP cruises. While I've not been on Atlantis, I've been on two RSVP cruises and 5 group cruises, 4 of which were through Aquafest.

 

Additionally, with a gay group cruise you have the option to choose whether to go to the parties or to the ship's regular entertainment...or both!

 

I've had a great time with both RSVP and Aquafest, however the prices with Aquafest were significantly lower than with RSVP since they didn't have to charter the entire ship.

 

Either way you choose to cruise, the one constant between groups and charters are the number of things to pack. Each party has its own theme meaning lots of outfit changes.

 

Whatever you choose, I'm sure you will have a wonderful time.

[soldham]

Thank you Spartan. I was trying to find a way to ask you more detailed questions about it, since apparently you have been on many cruises.

It being my first and it not being a "charter", I assumed the chances of me having some fun encounters would be less likely than not.

I'm not exactly out. ( Work doesn't make it easy ).

 

I suppose the FOD meetings would be mostly couples?

Would that be the only way to meet?

 

Thanks again.

 

I am attached so have never partaken but have been approached at the gym, the sauna, and the deck late at night. And many of these people are married to the opposite gender so things, I would think, would not become too complicated :p

[JSnow789]

Going on a "mainstream" cruise with some friends.

On my time alone, as a single guy is it at all "cruisy" whatsoever?

 

Thank you Spartan. I was trying to find a way to ask you more detailed questions about it, since apparently you have been on many cruises.

It being my first and it not being a "charter", I assumed the chances of me having some fun encounters would be less likely than not.

I'm not exactly out. ( Work doesn't make it easy ).

 

I suppose the FOD meetings would be mostly couples?

Would that be the only way to meet?

 

Thanks again.

 

I've done several mainstream cruises alone and have always had a great time. On all of them I was able to find a friend :). Visit the FOD meetings and talk to the crew... the performers and cruise director staff are usually pretty fun and outgoing ;).

 

The key to this is to engage people, smile and get to know them. Be outgoing and interested in everyone around you. Tell them you are traveling alone! On my cruises I had just about every single straight girl onboard trying to hook me up! :)

 

 

Also ITA with the gay vs. mainstream cruise points made above. The Atlantis cruise was an amazing experience that I can't wait to do again. But I'm also ready for a short getaway to celebrate my birthday and that will be on a mainstream cruise on Monarch. Monarch is my fav small ship, I love her crew and sailing on her is cheaper than staying at home! I'll be cruising for the first time with my new BF so it should be interesting! :)

 

Good Luck-and I mean that in the most literal way possible! :D

[MiamiSpartan]

Thank you Spartan. I was trying to find a way to ask you more detailed questions about it, since apparently you have been on many cruises.

It being my first and it not being a "charter", I assumed the chances of me having some fun encounters would be less likely than not.

I'm not exactly out. ( Work doesn't make it easy ).

 

I suppose the FOD meetings would be mostly couples?

Would that be the only way to meet?

 

Thanks again.

 

Not always couples only...

I think there were about a dozen singles on our last week-long cruise on NCL....

Now about the "out" thing....If you aren't a Senator from Idaho, there should be no reason you can't be out!!:D:D:D:D

[MiamiSpartan]

If I could add one more aspect to the discussion. Gay groups on mainstream cruises are another option. There are a couple of travel companies which can have up to 400-500 passengers on a mainstream cruise. The group cruises will have private parties throughout the cruise and bring along their own entertainers. The themes to the parties are just as varied as with Atlantis or RSVP cruises. While I've not been on Atlantis, I've been on two RSVP cruises and 5 group cruises, 4 of which were through Aquafest.

 

Additionally, with a gay group cruise you have the option to choose whether to go to the parties or to the ship's regular entertainment...or both!

 

I've had a great time with both RSVP and Aquafest, however the prices with Aquafest were significantly lower than with RSVP since they didn't have to charter the entire ship.

 

Either way you choose to cruise, the one constant between groups and charters are the number of things to pack. Each party has its own theme meaning lots of outfit changes.

 

Whatever you choose, I'm sure you will have a wonderful time.

 

Good point...Pied Piper is another great tour group that runs many trips out of South Florida...

[BrianTom]

If I could add one more aspect to the discussion. Gay groups on mainstream cruises are another option. There are a couple of travel companies which can have up to 400-500 passengers on a mainstream cruise. The group cruises will have private parties throughout the cruise and bring along their own entertainers. The themes to the parties are just as varied as with Atlantis or RSVP cruises. While I've not been on Atlantis, I've been on two RSVP cruises and 5 group cruises, 4 of which were through Aquafest.

 

Additionally, with a gay group cruise you have the option to choose whether to go to the parties or to the ship's regular entertainment...or both!

 

I've had a great time with both RSVP and Aquafest, however the prices with Aquafest were significantly lower than with RSVP since they didn't have to charter the entire ship.

 

Either way you choose to cruise, the one constant between groups and charters are the number of things to pack. Each party has its own theme meaning lots of outfit changes.

 

Whatever you choose, I'm sure you will have a wonderful time.

 

We went on the Aquafest 2007 and 2008 Halloween cruise and I must say that Aquafest offers the best of both worlds with this cruise. They hold parties like the Atlantis cruise as well as bring on board great entertainers. The parties are closed to the "non" Aquafest travellers and Aquafest really does a great job. I highly recommend this venue to all especially those who are weary of an all gay charter but wish there were more gay people on their cruise ships. There is usually about 400 gay people out of 2000-ish. After doing 22 cruises, 5 of which were Atlantis or RSVP and 2 were Aquafest, I would highly recommend Aquafest. It really is a nice way to do a cruise.

 

tom

[Darrell6t]

IMHO, paying more for RSVP or Atlantis is worth every penny. Their cruises are the best we have ever taken. So much fun and so many wonderful people.

[MiamiSpartan]

For those of you that have done a Pied Piper or an Aquafest cruise, what is the reaction from the other people on board?

I've never done one of these types before & I was curious if there is any anger or animosity from the straights on board....

Just curious...

[02143]

For those of you that have done a Pied Piper or an Aquafest cruise, what is the reaction from the other people on board?

I've never done one of these types before & I was curious if there is any anger or animosity from the straights on board....

Just curious...

 

From doing the largest group with Pied Piper four times: A few people are really excited, and plenty of people are friendly. A few people get upset, will make snotty comments in the elevator. The vast majority project indifference and, if unhappy, will avoid places where we are. I've never experienced any situation like one bear cruise on the Mariner did a few years ago, where apparently tensions got very high. (Although I've never heard of any of the other bear groups having anything like those problems, either.)

 

There's a limit to how many people will book with the gay group and what the cruise line will welcome. If we were half the ship, there would probably be more tension, but at 10-25%, significantly less.

 

Often we aren't the only big group on the ship. We shared the 2005 post-Thanksgiving cruise with a large German group and a Puerto Rican dental association.

[gmhohio]

For those of you that have done a Pied Piper or an Aquafest cruise, what is the reaction from the other people on board?

I've never done one of these types before & I was curious if there is any anger or animosity from the straights on board....

Just curious...

 

Hey MiamiSpartan,

 

I've never noticed any animosity whatsoever. On one of the cruises my partner and I took, there was also a Mormon College Educator group on the ship. On another there was a large group of Athletic Supporters from Virginia Tech. The only thing I have ever heard, which I think would be a normal comment from other passengers, was when venues were closed due to private functions. If any problems did occur, it was when non group passengers tried to sneak into Aquafest events.

 

I personally think that most straight folks really don't care anymore about whether the other passengers are or are not GLBTQ. Those that would normally care at home are not near their peer groups and don't have to 'put on a show' for their friends.

 

Mixing in with the 'General' passengers and showing them that members of the GLBTQ community are not the three headed beast they expect us to be is one of the main focuses of Aquafest. In my experience, so far this has worked very well.

[BrianTom]

I've never experienced any situation like one bear cruise on the Mariner did a few years ago, where apparently tensions got very high. (Although I've never heard of any of the other bear groups having anything like those problems, either.)

.

 

From what I have been told by an insider is that the tensions got high with the bear cruise on the Mariner because RCCL closed the Solarium to ONLY the bear group. The Solarium is the nicest pool area on the ship and many quests were upset because they could not use it. The bear group got the brunt of it but it was an RCCL decision to allow the bears to use it.

 

As an Aquafest guest (or Pied Piper but I have not done one of those to speak about it) you are in the minority and it can be hard for the other guests to figure out who is and who isn't unless you are an absolute flamer. With the bear crowd, everyone had a similar look so it was easy to distinguish who is who. As a side note, the scuttlebutt around the ship on the bear cruise was that the straight men with facial hair and a little extra weight shaved off their beards and goatees while on the trip.

 

Lastly, I have done a bear cruise in addition to the two Aquafest's. I never heard a negative comment or gesture from any other passenger during that time. As a matter of fact most people would comment on how much fun we were having and wanted to sneek into our parties.

[SgpMBL]

Thanks all for the info on RSVP, Atlantis, Pied Piper and Aquafest. Will look into those a little more -- likely we'll try one of these at some point.

 

Additional questions:

1) Which returning cruiser program is in effect during a gay cruise? (For instance, if it's an Atlantis Cruise on the Liberty of the Seas, does Atlantis' Alumni program or RC's Crown & Anchor or both?)

2) The ads that are posted by Atlantis seem to focus on buff, young guys. Is there a good mix of guys on a gay cruise?

[JonAlone]

re Bear cruise:

 

As a bear who isnt attracted to other bears, but is attracted by other bears I think I would hate a bear cruise... I have never really understood the sort of guys who are attracted to their body doubles... especially if it means they have to spend the same amount of time in the gym or cake shop to maintain .. :D

[GXmanDC]

Thanks all for the info on RSVP, Atlantis, Pied Piper and Aquafest. Will look into those a little more -- likely we'll try one of these at some point.

 

Additional questions:

1) Which returning cruiser program is in effect during a gay cruise? (For instance, if it's an Atlantis Cruise on the Liberty of the Seas, does Atlantis' Alumni program or RC's Crown & Anchor or both?)

Some of both. We received our Crown & Anchor coupon booklet. There was also an event for the "diamond" Atlantis cruisers. I don't have enough Atlantis credits to attend, don't remember what it is called.

 

2) The ads that are posted by Atlantis seem to focus on buff, young guys. Is there a good mix of guys on a gay cruise?

The ads all feature eye candy, much like any advertising. There are a variety of guests, young and more mature, skinny and Rubenesque, liberal and conservative.

 

I'm 40, should spend more time and the gym and feel quite comfortable on the Atlantis cruises.

[Darrell6t]

My partner & I, on a fairly small ship where you see everybody, have had a couple of men obviously ignore us and not even return a "Good Morning". But we have never experienced any real hostility. On the all-gay cruises, everyone is friendly even though we are past retirement age. The whole atmosphere of an all-gay cruise is wonderful.