🏳️‍🌈 Best location and time for a GLBT gathering? 🍻🥂

[Chicken_Lips]

From your past experience, which location and time worked best for your favorite FOD meetups? The champagne bar? Martini bar? Piano bar? The disco? Craft beer bar? Main lobby bar? Pool bar? Etc.

 

Did it matter to you if there was no music playing? If there was music playing, did it make your introductions awkward and your conversations difficult?

 

I'm just curious. In case I don't like the location of my next FOD meeting, I would like suggestions for future request changes.

 

Thanks!!

[Rotterdam]

Any bar, anywhere, anytime.🍸🍷🥂

[zitsky]

Champagne bar on Celebrity.  Open space, not loud.  You could hear people.

[CntPAcruiser]

I don't think there's any one best location, since the makeup of an LGBT gathering is going to vary greatly from cruise to cruise. The champagne bar on many of Royal's ships can be a good location because the seating area(s) can work for a small group, and it's not usually too loud. That said, I've rarely had much success meeting people at the posted daily gatherings on Royal. The time is often rather early or late for us. The last couple of cruises we were on, Royal had an LGBT mixer around 10 p.m. on the first night, and that has been fun when I've gone.

[Jared2]

On the Royal cruises I've been on the standard gathering is usually in the Crown Lounge at 10.30 PM. A lot of people have to show up on the first night for it to be a success for the rest of the cruise, which usually doesn't happen. The timeslot also overlaps with other happenings in the Crown Lounge so it's usually too loud or too busy to even be able to hear someone.

 

On longer cruises (mostly TAs) there have been LGBT lunches at 12 PM - all the ones I've been to were always very well attended.

[Texas Tennis]

I haven’t been to many of these, but a piano bar would be nice as there is something to listen to and not have to participate in forced conversation the entire time.  

[Canadian_J]

On Carnival we enjoy that they're usually at the Alchemy (martini) bar, as it's usually a lively spot and not too hard to strike up a conversation. Only challenge there is that it can be a popular spot, so sometimes you either can't get a seat or you don't actually know who's there for the meet up - which has been funny on a few occasions! On Princess we had them in a library type bar (on Caribbean Princess), I can't remember the exact name. It was perfect as it was somewhat secluded so you knew those attending were there for that purpose (but it wasn't too public for those who wanted some space), but very comfortable and quiet for some great conversation and drinks. On Royal it was at the bar on Central Park (on Symphony OTS) which was also tough because it was always very busy, so there was rarely seating and getting a drink was difficult, again many folks just there for a drink and not for the event itself - in that case I think the wine bar would've worked much better!

 

So is there a best spot? I think it depends entirely on the ship and individuals involved. Some are certainly more conducive, but I think people's preferences and opinions will certainly vary!

[pxn748]

We usually sail on Holland America,  there the meet-ups are usually early evening and you can go to dinner together if you want to afterwards.  They were usually in the Crow's Nest where there was lots of seating groups are quiet enough to talk easily.  

[rbtan]

On 11/29/2020 at 3:22 AM, Chicken_Lips said:

From your past experience, which location and time worked best for your favorite FOD meetups? The champagne bar? Martini bar? Piano bar? The disco? Craft beer bar? Main lobby bar? Pool bar? Etc.

 

Did it matter to you if there was no music playing? If there was music playing, did it make your introductions awkward and your conversations difficult?

 

I'm just curious. In case I don't like the location of my next FOD meeting, I would like suggestions for future request changes.

 

Thanks!!

Sorry to be late to the party. We prefer one of the big observation lounges. Usually there's plenty of space to lounge around & chat. If you notify the guest desk once on board, they may be able to accommodate with snacks & things like that. On the Queen Victoria in 2012 we were assigned a staff assoc. who took care of all our needs.

[Bigmike911]

Cunard usually has their gatherings often called Friends of Dorothy/Rainbow Pride in the Commodore Club forward usually at 5 pm. I have enjoyed them, and made many long term friends on board. 

[MishelleMcc]

On the Grand Princess (Dec 2019) we met up at the Wheelhouse Bar (at 6:30m I think)  I liked the earlier meet-ups because some of us would venture out to other activities together afterwards!

Edited July 8, 2021 by MishelleMcc

[geoherb]

On the gem class ships of Princess, Adagio is a great place. On a couple of cruises, the guys who showed up for the first couple of meetings decided we would meet there in spite of where the daily program tried to send us. 

[Kenito]

Sea Days are the best days.  The itinerary is important; it sets the mood for the day... casual from the beach, or more staid from museums.  It will impact attendance.

 

Traditionally, "Cocktail Hour" is that hour before dinner.  I prefer a quieter bar, but not silent so we can talk. It always helps if someone is more gregarious than the others to spot latecomers and welcome them and keep the conversation moving.

 

If it is a dumb time and location, go speak to the Cruise Director, the earlier the better so there's time to make a change.  They don't mind... happy passengers is their job.  Ask for a sponsor and snacks; all they can say is no... or they can ask the bartender to loosen up with the chips!

[malawijay]

On an NCL cruise I took the meet-up was around 5pm which was ideal. Happy hour time is a natural time to gather, and we'd often go to dinner afterwards. It was in a lounge that had private party rooms. The LGBT meet-up was at the same time as the solo cruiser meet up in another party room.

 

I was just on a Royal Caribbean test sailing where the meet-up was at 10pm, and no one showed up. Granted, there were only about 350 passengers, but there were definitely other Friends of Dorothy on board. Two couples I chatted with said the timing conflicted with the evening headliner, and that's why they didn't go.

 

 

[MiamiSpartan]

We prefer one of the quieter bars around happy hour. 
we have had the gatherings in the piano bar, but then it’s pretty rude for the entertainment when we’re trying to talk over them. 
we have also had them at 9pm or later, but there are other things happening on the ship at that time….

[jonnoguy]

On 5/9/2021 at 5:28 PM, Bigmike911 said:

Cunard usually has their gatherings often called Friends of Dorothy/Rainbow Pride in the Commodore Club forward usually at 5 pm. I have enjoyed them, and made many long term friends on board. 

Hey there 

 

I've noticed from some recent daily programmes posted on the Cunard forum that this was held in the Card Room of all places at 4.30pm!  Seems a very strange place to hold a social event. 

 

Matt    

[fshepinc]

Best times/places will vary from ship to ship and itinerary to itinerary -but it really comes down to the cruise staff. If they want a successful meetup, they'll schedule it at different times and in different places. I haven't sailed RCCL in years -from what I read here it sounds like they are doing all they can to marginalize their LGBTQ+ passengers. Late at night in a crowded, noisy bar, opposite the headliner entertainment? That's a bit like airing a new television pilot opposite the Superbowl, and then not picking it up because no one watched.

[Surfguyxxx]

We do a lot of Royal Caribbean and the LGBT gatherings are usually empty; be it 6:00pm or 11pm.  We always, and I mean always, walk by couples and say hi, see some at the bars and start a conversations, see some in the pool area etc.  My point is you shouldn't have any trouble finding any other "family" aboard.  Have a great cruise.