Is Carnival Gay Friendly

[TwoRedMenaces]

We sailed on the Sensation in January and didn't have a problem.

Our cabin stewardess didnt seem to mind 2 middle age women sharing a king sized bed and almost every night they had a FOD meetup at the Mirage Bar.

[SunnyinMA]

I've nothing but good things to say about Carnival. We've never experienced any issues and everyone has always been very welcoming and accepting of anything we have thrown at them. We also had a wonderful time on Celebrity though we did experience more "looks" on that line.

 

IMHO "Fun Ship" equals "Laid-Back" which is a good thing :-)

[ctguy001]

Sunny,

Looking forward to seeing you on the Triumph in December!

Bill

[Out to Sea]

I found Carnival to be very gay friendly. It is the other passengers whom may or may not be as receptive. Recently went on what I term a "cracker cruise" which was bursting at the seams with homophobic types from less liberal places in these United States. Like anything else, gauge the audience and go from there.

[palmtree16]

Just got back from the 9/24 Fascination sailing and there were many gay and lesbian couples on board.

 

And the crew never took a second look.

 

It was a great vacation!

[wmbgcruiser]

Two family members out of our party of four will be on the Triumph too, look forward to it!

[ctguy001]

<<Two family members out of our party of four will be on the Triumph too, look forward to it!>>

 

Does that mean you're leaving the other 2 home or that only 2 of your party are "family"? LOL.

[wmbgcruiser]

The latter; we're tagging along with mom and sister :) It's a great ship, can't wait to sail it again.

[ctguy001]

Glad you're not leaving the other two behind! So, we've got you two, me and SunnyInMA. Enough for a very intimate FOD get together. I'll put a post in for the cruise (Christmas on the Triumph) on this board and see if there are any other Christmas escapees.

[nckvilledudes]

Anybody on this thread been on the Carnival Liberty??? We are cruising on the Liberty Dec. 8. Any insight will be appreciated.

Dan and Miguel

[paddy Anne]

Anybody on this thread been on the Carnival Liberty??? We are cruising on the Liberty Dec. 8. Any insight will be appreciated.

 

Dan and Miguel

 

I am on the Liberty Jan 5 and would LOVE to know what you thought.

PA

[globe9]

I sailed the Fantasy last year with my girlfriend, but was not too sure how our being together would be treated by fellow passengers/crew, so we really weren't "out". Acted more like friends than girlfriends. We are sailing again on the Fantasy this coming week and I am not going to worry about it. If I feel like holding her hand on deck, I will. If I want to give her a kiss on the lips(NOT making out, just a closed mouth kiss), I will. It's our vacation too is the attitude I'm bringing and if someone doesn't like it, well then that's too bad. I'll post a review when I get back, but I don't forsee any problems.

[nckvilledudes]

I am on the Liberty Jan 5 and would LOVE to know what you thought.

PA

 

We can email you what we thought of the Liberty????

 

Dan and Miguel

[kavanaugh77]

has anyone been on the carnival freedom? we are going on our b2b cruise on the carnival freedome dec 01 2007 cant wait any info would be great anyone else going?

[paddy Anne]

We can email you what we thought of the Liberty????

 

Dan and Miguel

 

It seems quite a few people are wondering about carnival. Maybe you could do a short review here. Not about the islands but about the ship experience itself.

cheers,

PA

[Cruisinglocs]

I have been on Carnival Cruise lines with my partner and several groups of gay men and we have never had a problem. It has always been a great experience.

Jay/Atl

[TBEMDR]

My husbear and I have only cruised with Carnival...I guess because we were given our first cruise right after we met as a gift and had such a blast...we know what to expect and keep going back.

We danced together in the disco...kissed on the dance floor when we were the only couple out there..always together everywhere we went...never a problem..

The funny thing is....we always heard people referring to us as the "twins". We are both bears...one blonde and one dark...we dont think we look alike...but you know what they say about couples when they are together for some time....

To sum it up...I dont understand how you can blame a cruiseline for how you were treated by other guests...Im sure there is a homophobic jerk on every cruise....just the one mind you...so pick him out on day one and avoid him...LOL....Carnival employees have always been very kind to us and we have a great time!

[themnms]

I agree,

 

We sailed Carnval 3 times last year and never a problem, will be sailing the Glory on Mar 8th also. The rates on carnival are also the reason we cruised three times last year, they are very affordable.

 

In June we took my in-laws with us and they had a blast!!

 

Mel

[chanceoc]

Very interesting variety of responses here! I'm wondering if the level of "gay friendliness" differs from ships leaving the West Coast vs the East Coast.

 

I ask because someone mentioned that Carnival attracts a mainstream "middle America" crowd, and this reminded me of my recent trip to Walt Disney World...where I found the crowds to be very, very middle American, as opposed to Disneyland which has a more urban crowd (or a lot of teenage annual pass holders).

 

So would a Carnival cruise to Mexico from Los Angeles be more gay friendly than a Carnival cruise to the Caribbean from Florida?

 

I don't know the answer...my first cruise is coming up June 1st on the Carnival Pride!

[adventuregrrl]

We traveled to Alaska on the Carnival Spirit last year and they were very nice to us. We met another lesbian couple and several gay couples. Our waiter in the dining room and our steward were fabulous.

[djg30084]

We've been on two Carnival cruises: 10/2006 Sensation for a three-day out of Port Canaveral, and 10/2007 Holiday out of Mobile.

 

Both cruises were EXCELLENT!

 

Our first was Sensation: when we got to our cabin upon boarding, there was the "Carnival Capers" on the bed, with TWO FOD's scheduled for that day. Since that was when everyone first boarded, nobody had to ask, they had already scheduled them prior to embarkation!

 

Our second was Holiday: Mobile is a "drive-in" port, so most people drove in from Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, the Carolinas & Florida's panhandle. It doesn't get more "Red-State" than that. Everybody we met was very nice and friendly!

 

We're very obviously a gay couple, and we encountered nothing but friendly people. In all the cruises we've been on, the only negative thing ever said to me was, "It's SINFUL to be wearing such a small swimsuit!", barked at me by some old coot on the beach at Trunk Bay, St. John. Yes, I was in a speedo, but so were a number of other guys on the beach, as we were with a bunch of Europeans and South Americans off the Costa Romantica.

 

Anyway, a lot of the posters are correct, gauge the surroundings. Finally, everyone else is on vacation too, so they're all out to have a fun, relaxed time.

 

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

[lauderdalebob]

My roommate and I (used to be partners many years ago) are taking Carnival Freedom 16 night sailing out of Rome through the Mediterranean to the Caribbean and then home to Ft. Lauderdale, with 4 nights pre-cruise in Rome. Can't wait. Wasn't as concerned so much about homophobia as just a "wild and crazy" crowd. I wouldn't take Carnival out of Ft. Lauderdale to the Caribbean, but since they've started doing longer European trips I'm hoping for an older more subdued crowd, a mix of Americans and Europeans. Let's hope I'm right. After partying in the 70s in Manhattan and living there for 20 years, then SF for 10 and now here for almost 9, my wild drinking partying days are a fond(?) memory. Well, some are anyway . . . and my days of speedo wearing are long, long gone, but do love a well put together guy wearing one. Now really, who wouldn't?! Hmmmm. Happy Sailing! P.S. Also booked 12 night out of Dover to Baltics for May 2009 already on Carnival Liberty!

[cruise-teen]

we have been on many carnival cruises and are always very gay freendly i always have a good time! looking forward to the legand this sep! most carnival cruises have fod meetings!

[indigirl]

My WIFE (yes, my legal wife as of last Tuesday!!!!) and I are sailing on the Carnival Pride to Mex Riviera on 9/7 for a honeymoon. We'd love to hear from any family who have sailed on Pride.

[ikelmay]

hi indigirl,

 

my husband and i have sailed the Carnival Spirit class three times (just coincidence as we liked the ports of call) and loved them - as the itineraries tend to be longer, they are much less 'party' ships than the shorter trips. We found the passengers to be as warm and welcoming as on any of the other lines we have travelled with. Our most recent trip was on the Pride and if anything, it's the least garish of the Spirit class ships (Joe Farcus the designer, must have been on something when he came up with the designs and colour schemes). David's the Pride specialty restaurant was a wonderful treat, with excellent food and a first-rate singer and accompanist. I would certainly celebrate your special day there one evening.

 

I would be hard pressed to recall any specific incidents on any of our cruises, maybe only one off-colour comedian but that was on another line - and many groups came into his line of fire so it didn't bother me at all. I'm blessed to have a life partner who everyone seems to love and is a wonderful conversationalist so it makes our travels particulary fun and interesting.