Celebrity Millennium Singapore to Hong Kong - March 3, 2013

[hinterlandboyz2@gmail.com]

Hi there, we thank you for your rounded and attitude that's what we would usually expect. It would be good to catch with other gay guys once on board. We do respect that we will not be part of PP on board activities but that should not stop guys from meeting up for non PP parties, dinners etc. We are both such lovely guys from down under both with impectable manners

Paolo-Andrea and Ashley

Deck 7

[lemursf]

Hi again, Paolo and Ashley. On the topic of "queens", I see we have "something" in common. You are from Queensland and I am originally from Queens NY and graduated from Queens College. :)

 

The PP group will be easy to spot in one of the bars so please come and join us each nite before our dinner time. We welcome everyone, especially if you are under 30 and cute! :D

[hinterlandboyz2@gmail.com]

We look forward to the possibility of meeting you on board plus others:confused: of the group. You are more than welcome to telephone us we are in Stateroom 7033. What with all the bars on board we would hate to finally find you all one night before the end of the cruise! As for cute! well let's just say, well at least our mothers still love us. ;)

[lemursf]

I am afraid my partner and I are booked in "steerage" on the lowest level (2) of the ship. No worries, I absolutely guarantee that you will spot us the first nite. If not, I will call your room and let you know where we are. We love Australians/New Zealanders!

[hinterlandboyz2@gmail.com]

if we don't locate each other please do look us up and by the way may we be so bold as to ask your real names? However if you prefer not to give them we will understand.

[CruisinMaterial]

If you are part of the PP group, you will have PP hosted cocktails the first nite so you can meet everyone and decide where to meet each nite before dinner.

 

If you are not part of the PP group, you will not be ignored. On my last PP trip (Australia/NZ), there were 25 guys booked with PP and 6 others (as far as I could tell) who booked on their own. We had no problem with them joining us at cocktail time or sitting with us at shows. (One of the other guys was a actually a tour guide for another group!) However, if you are not booked thru PP, you cannnot sit with us at dinner, since we have pre-assigned fixed tables. And oddly enough, on the last PP cruise, we had 4 guys who booked thru PP, that did not want to sit with us. Go figure on that one (2 Canadians and 2 Dutch guys).

 

I am not sure if you can switch to PP at this point, but I would encourage you to do so. I can assure you that they are not as snobby as they might have sounded. I admit, the small staff can be a bit of a PIA and sometimes hard to work with, but they do not come on the cruise. The PP host is sort of a free-lancer with a nice welcoming personality, who gets a free cruise in exchange for organizing the group.

 

Oh boy! I can see that I may be part of the people who don't follow the group schema too well. The first night I have a shore excursion booked out to Singapore although I could cancel it before the voyage. I'll have to wait until things come in from PP. Their office staff said they have a list of group activities which comes out in January so that gives me plenty of time to assess and back out of things if I want. I have all the excursions booked so I don't get shut out.

 

Dinner in a regimented manner drives me nuts. I'll be honest. Plus with most of my excursions being all day long, dining when I want and where I want would be more my speed. FreeStyle dining is the only way to go on NCL and I've learned to embrace it with very open arms (see avatar, signature... he he.. :)). I do know a couple on this cruise outside of the PP group and they're doing the Freestyle dining concept. Hmm... :cool:

 

Booking with PP was very interesting. I had a rep call me back when I inquired about their group option as it was MUCH cheaper than what Celebrity was offering for booking direct (for a solo person going). No worries on being in steerage on Deck 2. I'm in a broom closet somewhere. I don't know where quite yet as I'm still on guarantee. Except for that one phone call I've only interacted with them through email. That in all honesty is scary to me. I like the human touch and being able to talk to someone. Luckily Celebrity has been helpful every time I have called them about questions - either on the ship or on-shore stuff. :D

[CruisinMaterial]

Hi there, we thank you for your rounded and attitude that's what we would usually expect. It would be good to catch with other gay guys once on board. We do respect that we will not be part of PP on board activities but that should not stop guys from meeting up for non PP parties, dinners etc. We are both such lovely guys from down under both with impectable manners

Paolo-Andrea and Ashley

Deck 7

 

I'm sure Celebrity will have a regular GLBT gathering somewhere so I'm sure that will be a place to go. Just remember to check that bulletin board by guest services for date, time and location. I don't know if it's nightly at a given bar but if I had to guess it would be at a certain time at the Martini Bar. Celebrity (working with Atlantis so much) should know by now we gays love our martinis! :D If not, you'll see me out and about on the ship on sea days. Most port days I'm off the ship early and back late.

[hinterlandboyz2@gmail.com]

We are not into scheduled dinning on cruises so we always do the 'come dine' times that way we can attend dinner when it suit us plus the bonus for us with dinning that way is that we meet new people every evening and not stuck with the same people. We will have to organise 'drinkie poos' in our stateroom for those guys (singles/partners)who are travelling on their own and not a part of a travel group. Hey! there nothing wrong with steerage even the Titantic had that class! :D mind you look at what happened to her:eek:

[hinterlandboyz2@gmail.com]

LOL that should have read as 'My time dining' and NOT 'come dinning', appears it's time for a G&T to straighten out my thinking! well it been a rather warm day here and the heat must have touch my brain.

[lemursf]

Our names are no secret. I am Jay and my partner is Eric. We have been together for 27 years and were legally married in Ca (when it was legal) a few years ago. We do not like freestyle dining. You have a choice of sitting alone with your partner (boring) or sitting at a larger table and exchanging small talk with (heterosexual) strangers. At least at the gay PP table(s), you get beyond the small talk after the first day or so. I will try to give you a call or leave you a note to let you know where the PP group is meeting the first nite so you can accidentally walk in on us. Lemursf

[tiggerman101]

Wow, you guys have really kept this thread going. I haven't checked on it in awhile. I wonder how large the PP group actually will be? As I said previously, my partner and I had no idea that there was even one for this cruise. I actually found out about it from the main roll call.

 

Right after we booked this cruise I saw that one couple was not "comfortable" with a group that was going to be on the cruise. They made a few veiled references to it and decided to book the trip in February to avoid the issue. I wondered if it was indeed a gay group they were so worried about so I googled the ship and date and found the Pied Piper group.

 

Anyway, we have everything pretty much nailed down for the trip now. Flights, hotels and tours are all a go. I just have to figure out time management in Singapore and Hong Kong. I am trying to figure out if a day trip to Lantau Island is something we should do. Other then that, i am so ready to go. It is hard to believe that I booked this over a year ago on the Allure. Back then I wondered if it would sell well. Now it is pretty much sold out.

 

My partner and I would be very interested in meeting up. We had a great FoD group on our Caribbean cruise this month and met nightly.

[hinterlandboyz2@gmail.com]

Once the cruise disembarks in HK we are taking a day tour to Macau and also another day trip to Guangzhou (by boat/bus). We have been to Guangzhou last year and spend a few day there so got to find some great places to visit on our own. if anyone whats to join us you are more than welcome to.

[hinterlandboyz2@gmail.com]

Hi Jay and Eric, we will look forward to hearing from you once we set sail. We always prefer to sit at a table for 2 and we delight in chatting to whome ver happens to sit in the next table for 2 in fact we have always had very interesting conversations with hetro's and in some case we have been the first gay coule that they have ever met. We always talk about things in general wish they appear to appreciate and that suit us also. Can't think fo anything nicer than to sit with ones partner at a table for 2 and look longfully into each other eyes, and giving little sighs every now and then while handing hands, and above the table! ;)

[Toronto1970]

No we are not travelling as part of the Pied Piper group in fact when we first enquired with PP about booking through them we were told in no uncertain terms that although we are gay if we didnt book our cruise through PP we would be ignored by the group. Being Kiwi's we have no time for that type of attitude especially from other gay guys so we booked directly through Celebrity and we will make our own entertainment with other gay non group 'cruisers' lol no pun entended.

 

This will be our first time cruising as part of a PP group, but last year my husband and I were on a QM2 transatlantic crossing that had a PP group on board. (We didn't find out that they would be on the same cruise until a week before leaving).

 

While we of course could not attend their private cocktail parties, or sit with them at dinner, we definitely met quite a few of the people in the group as part of the regular Friends of Dorothy meetings. (And in fact, it was through the interaction with them and their thoughts of cruising in a PP group that we decided to book this cruise through PP).

 

So don't feel worried that you will be "ignored" by people cruising as part of the PP group. It's just that you won't be able to attend any of their scheduled get-togethers. (Which is perfectly fair -- PP is a business after all!)

 

<that said, it doesn't excuse the rudeness it sounds like you encountered on the phone with them>

[hinterlandboyz2@gmail.com]

We wouldn't let ourselves become upset by PP's rude response to us. Just nice to know that other gay cruisers are more friendly. We certainly will not be 'put out' by not attending their functions, dinners etc. We have always made our joy entertainment and fun on board and this trip for us will be no different. We have always enjoyed meeting a wide range poeple gay and non gay and for us that is what makes for a great cruise. :)

[CruisinMaterial]

Wow! This thread is really taking off!! Nice to know there will be a friendly bunch onboard. If anyone had checked PP website lately, two balconies have become available. I wish I had double occupancy to get one!! Coming into and out of Halong Bay would make the expense worth it!! Our cruise is filling up fast though!! I don't know how big our group is going to be for PP but it actually sounds like we are going to have quite a large group of gay people onboard!

 

Almost 4 months until I fly out!! So excited!! Have to get my passport photos done this weekend for the Cambodia visa.

 

Hope everyone is well!!

[kwokpot]

My partner and our good friend are staying on deck 7 in one of those aft cabins with the humongous corner balconies so we would be more than happy to host some parties! I'm deciding on how to provide some music for these gatherings, I don't own own of those wireless ipod speakers.

 

Anyway I have started to plan private tours and although I have joined another private group for the HCMC port stop I am open to sharing tours for Bangkok and Hanoi.

 

We just got back from a Panama Canal cruise on the Millie and I can say the ship looks BEAUTIFUL! The food in the MDR is was consistently very good to excellent. We are on SELECT Dining (That's what's mytime is called on Celebrity) so if anyone is interested in sharing a table, let me know.

[CruisinMaterial]

Kwokpot - Are you with PP? I am considering on changing my fixed dining time to a more flexible option. With the fixed time I'm going to miss dinner during almost half the cruise! :( I am still trying to figure it out!!

 

I wish I could join in on some of the private tours but already booked everything with the cruise line. Although I'm thinking of canceling the first night tour and just relaxing on the ship. Embarking and then running around to get off doesn't sound like a great start to a vacation! :cool:

 

 

ALL - I hope everyone survived Hurricane Sandy if you're on the East Coast! She was one MEAN storm!

[kwokpot]

Kwokpot - Are you with PP? I am considering on changing my fixed dining time to a more flexible option. With the fixed time I'm going to miss dinner during almost half the cruise! :( I am still trying to figure it out!!

 

I wish I could join in on some of the private tours but already booked everything with the cruise line. Although I'm thinking of canceling the first night tour and just relaxing on the ship. Embarking and then running around to get off doesn't sound like a great start to a vacation! :cool:

 

 

ALL - I hope everyone survived Hurricane Sandy if you're on the East Coast! She was one MEAN storm!

 

No, we are not part of the PP group. If you are planning on changing to Select Dining, you are welcome on joining us for dinner. FYI, we would probably be dining between 7:30/8:00 - probably more towards the 7:30 time, but we haven't talked about dining times yet. My partner & I are 51 and our friend is 53 [he's single, BTW;)].

 

Regarding touring options, I see you're a experienced cruiser, so I'm wondering why you booked all your tours with the ship so early? You can always cancel them if you want to change your mind. I find private tours so much more effcient and relaxing and I never feel that you're wasting time waiting around for everyone. And then of course there's the price differential.

Anthony

[hinterlandboyz2@gmail.com]

Hi guys, my partner and are also on Casual dining (my time dining as we don't 'do' the organised 2 dining time sittings) and also would welcome any guy(s) who would prefer to dine with other gay guy who aren't dining with a travel group. Just let us know if your at all interested in joining us. Our names are Paolo & Ashley, we are kiwi's living now in Australia.

[tiggerman101]

My partner and I are on Select (My time) dining as well. It could be fun to meet up with some of you for dinner one night. I know we are spending the night off the ship in Bangkok and HCMC, but any other time is fine with us. We are pretty laid back people. He is 50 and I just turned 39 on Halloween.

[CruisinMaterial]

Regarding touring options, I see you're a experienced cruiser, so I'm wondering why you booked all your tours with the ship so early? You can always cancel them if you want to change your mind. I find private tours so much more effcient and relaxing and I never feel that you're wasting time waiting around for everyone. And then of course there's the price differential.

Anthony

 

I would probably be dining later, especially on the two nights where the tours don't get back until much later. I don't know what the dining room hours are and just how late they are open. Most of the tours don't get me back to the ship most times until 5PM at the earliest and some get me back at 8PM making an 8:30PM dinner impossible unless they were FreeStyle (ie, wear what you wear ashore to the dining room and not having to dress for dinner). Sea days might be a possibility though! :)

 

I am an experienced cruiser! Thanks for noticing! ;) I chose to book with the cruise line for the guarantee. I'm not going to get stuck half a world away when the ship leaves without me. As a seasoned cruiser I can tell you horror stories of people who nearly missed the ship and have gotten hurt doing excursions off on their own and being in deep crap to get back to the ship. I'm not risking it at all being that far away from home. It's not worth getting my HR, BP and anxiety level raised for it. I see so many on the regular roll call doing it and I just send good vibes for all those doing independent stuff. It's not one part of the world I would risk things for several reasons. Could make for good dinner conversation! :D

 

I hope I don't waste too much time with people taking their sweet time doing what they want on these tours. Heck in Egypt I was the person who held up the tour bus because the tour guide told us if we went off on our own to meet at this designated time. Only thing was the guide couldn't tell the time and I pushed it right up until the time we had to meet and she came running up to me frantic saying I held up the whole bus because she couldn't tell time. We had a late lunch and everyone gave me dagger looks. Oh well, crap happens if you can't tell time!! Cambodia is my biggest excitement and I am proud to be doing it with Celebrity's operator!

[CruisinMaterial]

Hi guys, my partner and are also on Casual dining (my time dining as we don't 'do' the organised 2 dining time sittings) and also would welcome any guy(s) who would prefer to dine with other gay guy who aren't dining with a travel group. Just let us know if your at all interested in joining us. Our names are Paolo & Ashley, we are kiwi's living now in Australia.

 

Do you guys dine late or early? I'm also trying to get to the bottom of Celebrity's entertainment schedule. Usually the main show lounge has two shows per night. On NCL the shows are 7:30PM and 9:30PM and shows run 45-50 minutes depending on entertainment type (production vs variety). I haven't done a straight Celebrity cruise so I have no clue how they function. Gay charters you do whatever you want which is nice but Atlantis mucked up the Celebrity charter for Asia and that's why I switched. :cool:

[CruisinMaterial]

My partner and I are on Select (My time) dining as well. It could be fun to meet up with some of you for dinner one night. I know we are spending the night off the ship in Bangkok and HCMC, but any other time is fine with us. We are pretty laid back people. He is 50 and I just turned 39 on Halloween.

 

I actually am off the boat myself on the second Bangkok day (when the ship departs) and the sea day the next day and the first day of Saigon port. I rejoin the ship very late on Day 1 of Ho Chi Minh. It's a crazy long time but I am SO excited for it! You will be off the ship the day before I get off and the day I return but there's plenty more nights! I am sure there's going to be a Friends of Dorothy gathering outside of whatever PP does and I plan on stopping by to say hello so maybe we can figure out something there.

 

I'm still on a guarantee cabin which I figure will not be assigned until after final payment. The suspense is killing me! :rolleyes: Ok, it's really not. :eek::D

[hinterlandboyz2@gmail.com]

Hello CruisinMaterial

It would be good to meet up for a dinner even possibly more if we 'click'. We have already booked a dinner in the Olympic dining room the rest we will just probably dine in the main dining room. We are pety flexible to when we eat although we don't do early dinner but anywhere between 7.30 - 8.15pm with my time dining. We are on desk 7 so please do make contact with us. Paolo-Andrea & Ashley we are both in our 50's one early the other semi mid but we are good fun and have a great sense of humour, well one has too in this world :) If u would like to drop us an email we will give you our surnames.