What are gay cruises like?

[quote] What are gay cruises like?

Unfortunately they look like this:

I've been on 30+ cruises -seven of them all-gay cruises. Enjoyed all of them. Gay cruises are especially relaxing because you are free to be yourself with no cares about social conventions or worries about upsetting straight people. The guys are every type and every age -20s through 80s and beyond. Contrary to popular belief it is not just a bath house at sea. Yes, people are hooking up all the time -but they are also eating, sunbathing, watching shows, dancing, eating, swimming, working out, eating, and eating. Seriously, the all-gay cruises are much friendlier that traditional straight cruises, and way friendlier than your typical big-city gay club. Everyone talks to everyone. I'm in my late 50s (and, this being DL, I of course look 20 years younger than that) and not in great shape. But the hot guys at the pool still talk to me, and I am welcome to join them in the hot tub. Being at sea doesn't mean you're going to hook up with someone way outta your league, but they will at least talk to you and treat you like a human being. And for the record, I'm single and have hooked up a lot on gay cruises.

Cruises are disgusting, crowds of idiots polluting the earth on a floating two star hotel. Fuck that.

There’s a show on Netflix or some other streaming service that’s called DreamBoat and it’s basically a documentary about this very topic. It’s worth checking out.

R1 that's a bear cruise, so not representative..... at least I hope not. That said, I did see one or two guys I like in the pics in amongst the bears. And for someone who is attracted to bears (I'm not) I'd imagine they would have a very good time..

A journey into hell, OP.

Among the gay cruises, which is the best? Atlantis?

Your only choices are Atlantis and RSVP -and they are really the same company. People try to make out the RSVP is for the older, more sedate crowd and Atlantis is for the younger, hotter crowd. Not true in my experience. The destination/length/cruise line/cost is going to determine the crowd. The cruise line will determine the quality of food and service. Read the reviews for the ship you are considering. They will hold up for your gay cruise with the following differences:

1. The usually bad entertainment will be replaced on the gay cruise with different bad entertainment. More drag acts.

2. The gay cruise will typically have three or four parties every day. Themed, with costumes.

Flatulence of the Seas

Which cruise lines are the best ones for an RSVP or Atlantis cruise?

Go to a buffet at Golden Corral in a speedo and eat way too much. Afterward, lay out in the parking lot to get a sun burn, then post pics of yourself on DL asking for everyone’s harshest insults. Then go to a motel room, RV park or local hostel, get really wasted on Andre Brut & cry yourself to sleep listening to Connie Francis or The Vandellas. That should approximate a realistic experience without wasting the money at sea.

r11 YOU, my friend, are a genius. I can't stop chuckling.

[quote] cry yourself to sleep listening to Connie Francis

Ouch!

Andre brut?

Bwah ha ha

I was going to mention the same thing R4 says. Watch the documentary "Dream Boat" on Netflix.

I imagine it smells heavily of dried up cum and lube. Ass smells and chlorine. I never understood the appeal of a cruise. I much rather go to an all Inclusive in Mexico.

[quote]But the hot guys at the pool still talk to me, and I am welcome to join them in the hot tub.

Did you bring the party favors, Steve?

If I die and go to hell, I'll spend eternity on a gay cruise.

STD’s on the High Seas!

R2...30+ cruises? Argh -that is nothing to be proud of. I can't imagine ever being inclined to go on a cruise - it's jusst so lazy, unimaginative and low-class. I live in Key West and unforutnately have had to be around cruise ship passengers - it's like a NASCAR convention. Fortunately we have not had a cruise ship her since March and we now have a referendum vote coming in the Novemeber ballot that will limit the size, frequency and environmental quality of ships that are allowed to come here. The charming, funky character of Key West of the past was completely destroyed by cruise ships. I hope this pandamic obliterates the cruise industry.

I happened to be on a ‘regular’ cruise on the same day when a cruise cruise was in Curacao. I’ve never seen so many spray tans in one place! I’m not a big fan of cruises in general and only go on them as they are a good speed for my elderly father. There’s never enough time to really visit a destination compared to real travel. Many people who go on them seem to care more about the buffets than the destinations.

Cruises are so passé.

What's a "cruise cruise", r21?

Interesting that the guys who post all the negative comments about cruises have never been on one. If you haven't actually been on a gay cruise, then you have NO FUCKING BASIS for offering an answer to the question "What are gay cruises like?"

For the record: all those cruises and I've never picked up an STD or any other illness (other than seasickness one time). If you don't want to go on a cruise, gay or straight, that's fine. I just don't get your perverse need to denigrate the experience with made-up tales of filth and disease. You sound like Trumpistas, creating your own reality from made-up "facts" that have no basis in reality...

R24 if not picking up an STD is your benchmark for having had a good time then I’ll look elsewhere for input.

Thanks though! You sound really classy.

Oh, grow up, R25. I enumerated several reasons why gay cruises are enjoyable in my original post. The comment about not getting STDs was clearly in response to the posts from R19 and his ilk.

[quote] [R2]...30+ cruises? Argh -that is nothing to be proud of. I can't imagine ever being inclined to go on a cruise - it's jusst so lazy, unimaginative and low-class.

OP asked what gay cruises are like and R2 had some information based on experience. What's wrong with that? Nobody's saying that everybody must love cruises. Just sharing information.

R11 hilarious!

I came back from Italy a couple of years ago and my flight from Rome was a lot of cruise passengers. Most could barely walk or were in some kind of wheelchair. I probably met one of you bitches and didn’t even know it lol

But seriously, I if I could barely walk, I would find a cruise pretty exhausting. Do they just park folks on the deck?

R28 you’ll find that most of the wheelchair-bound miraculously regain the use of their legs on arrival during the sprint to Baggage Reclaim.

It’s like fucking Lourdes out there at LAX on a busy morning.

They're like the straight ones, just less kids, and more Speedos and VDs.

Jacuzzis on gay cruises are like a big cauldron of egg drop soup.

C’mon in, the water’s fine! 🤢

What I find fascinating about gay cruises is how many guys (who have never done one) are so vocally against them and insulting of the people who like them. It is quite weird to me that people get so worked up over something that, if they have no interest in doing, shouldn't matter at all to them.

The concept is not one I'm particularly interested in, but clearly loads of guys do have a good time and good for them. Let people like what they like, for fuck's sake.

Aren’t cruises still Petri dishes for Covid?

I can't think of anything worse than a gay cruise.

It would be my version of hell.

R32, I think guys that bash cruises are the same guys that go home alone from gay bars/clubs.

I'm glad guys on DL continually bash gay cruises. I have never been on one so it makes me feel not only better about myself but superior to all the gays who have been on a gay cruise. Thanks DL. I can always count on you for an undeserved shot of self-esteem.

R35 - I totally disagree. I think the guys that"bash crusies" are just guys with good taste. My idea of vacation and travelling is not some scheduled, packaged, unimaginative romp with 4 hours stops at ugly island cruside ship ports along the way. Rather, I enjoy going to a single destination, renting a home and immersing myself, as much as I am able, in that place's culture. Discovering things on my own, getting recommendations from locals, seeing off-beat sights, that's much more preferable to me.

Just like with heteros, there is a fraction of the population that want to go on an "adventure" that is completely pre-packaged, safe and digestible without putting much work. Not everyone wants to figure out a 6-day vacation on their own. Cruises are like the Olive Garden and Red Lobster of vacationing. Not my thing, but go for it, sis!

R32 exactly. A cruise doesnt really sound like my idea of a good time, with no opportunities for hiking or bike rides etc, although all the sex sounds like fun. But I'm sure they are great for a lot of people, and as you say, good for them

Its like the people I see on here that insist that only certain types of guy can be attractive, which just totally ignores the reality that people are attracted to all sorts of guys, each to their own

I hate the petri dish aspect of the thought of going on a cruise, but what is appealing is being able to get to a very distant destination (like Australia) without having to fly there sitting in a seat that reclines one half an inch for 26 straight hours in a Greyhound bus in the sky crammed in with 300 people all breathing the same air and talking.

r32 people are always embarrassed or ashamed of all gay places unless they mirror straight spaces. It's like their worst fear is being seen next to a speedo clad man having a good time. One day they will realize that people really don't give a shit about what they do. All this energy about keeping appearances is just an excuse to waste the precious time we have on Earth.

I haven't been on a gay cruise but I had friends go no one in January. I'm really sad I didn't join since the world sort of stopped soon afterward. They are in their early 20s and usually have a really great time when we go on trips. I asked them if it was a wild party, but they supposed me by saying that they gravitated towards a more chill group of guys in their late 20s. The hooked up with a few people, but it wasn't the fuck fest I expected. Seems like they enjoyed the ship and just found a group to hang out with for the duration of the voyage. They did say there were invites to wild parties vie a massive WhatsApp chain (or maybe it was Snapchat). One overzealous Queen was posting all of the room or deck locations for hot action. The cruises are what people want them to be. Like others said it sounds nice to just be in a gay space. It doesn't have to be anything more than that.

I also think my friends did a little more then they let on, but they've never been bashful about sex so I'm inclined to leave it alone. I plan to go on a gay cruise within the next year or two after we kick COVID's ass.

R37, I was going to say you missed the boat on what cruises are all about -But no one would possibly believe the pun wasn't intended. So...

A cruise is a vacation, not an adventure or a cultural experience. For most of us cruise-aholics, the point of the trip is to be somewhere where your telephone has no signal, there's no live TV, the internet is glacially slow and massively overpriced, and the are plenty of deck chairs in the sun, cheap fruity drinks galore, and the only decision making is the momentous choice of entree at dinner. A cruise is a time to unwind, vegetate, and recharge your batteries. The port-du-jour offers opportunities for water sports (not that kind), bicycling, cooking or dance classes, shopping, and other mindless fun. At-sea days are given over to Olympic-level tanning, spa treatments, and hangovers.

When I want intellectual stimulation and culture I go to Europe. When I want adventure I go whitewater rafting. But when I am down to my last nerve and dreading another day at work, I want a cruise. A mindless, non-productive down time where I have no responsibilities. On a gay cruise I get laid every day. And dessert whenever I want it.

I love you r42

R42 you make a very convincing case, especially for Americans who only get TWO weeks holiday time (we get a minimum of four, many employers offer 5-6). If you only have that limited time and you're pretty burnt out (like a lot of emergency people are at the moment) a safe, prepackaged, predictable holiday that requires absolutely nothing in the way of planning or thought seems a very attractive option

People who can’t afford a vacation are the most vocally against any locale or type of vacation when it’s brought up. Broke ass jealous bitches.

Is there cruising on cruises?

Yes, R46 -Even on "straight" cruises. On a recent one I met a cute, married guy in the sauna who took me back to his cabin and... Never saw him again, but I did wonder if his wife noticed the cum stains. And straight people hook up on cruises all the time. Discreetly, of course. That's one advantage of the gay cruises. No one batts an eye as you emerge from someone else's cabin or if you climb out of the jacuzzi with a hard-on. (unless it's a big one) Another advantage is that you can hold hands and have a romantic kiss with your boyfriend on a moonlit deck and passersby will say, "Awww..." not "Ugh!"

I think that as a one-off to your regular vacations these could be fun. I've always wanted to go on one, just to have a wild, unjudged few days at sea with like-minded guys from all over the world.

i picture a lot of CRAY gooses

R42, you sum it up perfectly. This is exactly why I go on a long-ish cruise every year. Generally speaking, I find it very hard to relax on vacation, and if I go to, say , a nice city somewhere, I will be up at the crack of dawn and tramping the streets, going to every museum and gallery I can find, learning about the culture of the city and enjoying every minute of it. Then I get back to the hotel, have a nightcap, and go to bed. Rinse and repeat. Same when I go hiking: up at the crack of dawn, and walk until the sun is going down. When I get back home, I'm more tired than when I left.

On a cruise, I'm forced to relax because there is nothing else to do. Quite often, I don't even go ashore on port days, especially if the weather is nice. I'll be quite happy sitting on a sun-lounger and writing in my journal, with a steady supply of something (usually) alcoholic. My OH isn't convinced yet, but he's only been on one cruise so far, and it was too new to him, so he couldn't relax. We're going on a transatlantic next year.

I've never been on a specifically gay-themed cruise, but there have been FoD meetings on almost all of the cruises I have been on. Sometimes they're a bit meh, but most of the time there are some guys who are good fun (not that sort, you perv). That said, over the years I've made more straight friends on cruises than gay ones. It's not a guarantee, but most of the people you meet on a cruise are of the broad-minded traveller variety.

Who the fuck is even thinking about cruises right now?

All of us daydreamers who can't do shit right now, duh.

Ah, good point.

[quote] What are gay cruises like?

An insufferable never ending trip to Hell

Had a great time on an Atlantis cruise years ago. I travel a lot (3-4 trips per year) and it was such a relief to not have to plan anything in advance. Working now on a big family trip to Hawaii next year. Hard to get everyone on the same page in terms of the destinations, hotels, budget, etc., Same issue for our most recent trips to China, India and Japan. I spent months organizing these vacations.

Stuck-up gold digging rent boys, pretentious and elitist guppies in mean girl cliques or prissy pearl clutching sissies singing show tunes in the bars. Making fun of people who dare to eat at the buffet or order second helpings of anything. Sneaking drugs onboard the ship. Paying exorbitant cabin prices because the entire ship is chartered. Do Pied Piper. They don't take over the entire ship so you don't have to pay extra. I'd avoid RSVP or Atlantis - absolutely vile people.

If there only were a cruise only for Dataloungers.

Imagine the constant hissing sound ringing throughout... *shudder*

I wouldn't leave my room for fear of fashion citations!

The grammar nazis would sit around and “Oh, Dear” all the conversations around them in the dining room.

The Meghan Markle soothsayers, along with guest moderators, will assemble daily in Theatre B at 10:30am, right after the coffee has kicked in.

R59 I would be competing to see if I could get the highest possible number of fashion citations. I'd bring all my camo and cargo pants for a start

Let's make evening meals something special; dust off those family parures, or even your family's utility tiaras for that matter, and sparkle through the buffet line! DL knows it's Tiaras! Its Tiara Time!

You're outta luck, R62! Every gay cruise I've been on has a military-themed dog tag party. I didn't know they made camp thongs and harnesses...

Your level of enjoyment and acceptance is based solely on your fuckability.

You'd be better off donating your holiday money to charity.

In one cafe, you're only served a turkey meatball and a white towel.

The VACAYA cruises have a designated ‘Red Light District’ where people can be exhibitionists and ‘play’ in public whereas the other cruise companies ‘officially’ don’t allow this. At least they admit what’s the draw for many.

I've not heard of Vacaya....are they nice cruises?

That documentary Dream Boat made gay cruises look sad and mean.

R69 how so? I didn’t see it so would be interested to hear your observations!

[quote]That documentary Dream Boat made gay cruises look sad and mean.

As a gay man, I find this to be true of any clustering of gays in excess of a two hour time period.

R70 the gay guys did nothing but bitch, make fun of other people on the ship and there was an Indian guy that was completely ignored pretty much the whole cruise.

Sounds like your average gay bar on the water.

Don't forget the pos guy trying to fuck every guy on the ship and is shown on his knees on the deck of the ship sucking some guys cock.

I'd like to experience one once we get back to normal. For those of you who've been, which one would you recommend? I have seen in the past that these cruises seem to sell out very quickly after they're announced.

Vacaya, r75.

I’m gonna go Olivia after reading that thread on DL

Herbert, do they have to be so, well, GAY!

[quote]I can't imagine ever being inclined to go on a cruise - it's jusst so lazy, unimaginative and low-class. I live in Key West

You lost me at “I live in Key West.”

R79 and where do you live? Ohio no doubt.

If they are offering an Alaska cruise, start there. The scenery is amazing, and far less pressure to Speedo-up and hang by the pool...

R72 all very true. But it was absolutely comedy gold watching Rich C get punched in the face by a tweaked out disgruntled fellow cruiser after Rich made an unpopular and unannounced change to the itinerary. In addition to being under house arrest in his cabin for the remainder of the trip, with ship’s security posted outside his cabin door, I’m pretty sure he’s banned for life from Atlantis.

Just watched the Dream Boat trailer. Looks very interesting. Thanks for recommending.

I crewed on two of them working as one of the offsite guides when at dock.

I got sucked off at least 3 times a day.

A dear friend is addicted to them (among a number of other things). He never actually talks to anyone else in these bars-on-barges, but he's frustrated now at not being able to go on any. He's fond of playing the expert on the various cities in which his cruise ships have stopped for a day, which makes everyone around him roll their eyes.

Cruises sound awful to me, but I tend towards claustrophobia and misophonia.

I am curious as to how to arrange a gay cruise. I am not really 'bear' life style, but the age group and body type might be my preference. Are there recommended websites to view? Can I get a Groupon? Lol

r56 I agree about the price. One of the reasons I didn't join my friends when they went on a gay cruise in January was the price. They were dropping nearly $2500 each for their basic bitch cabin. That's nearly 4x the price of a regular priced 7-day Caribbean cruise in steerage. Financially it would have been tight. Work really made it impossible so I had to pass.

If you all go on gay cruises expect to really pay. You only live once, so why not do it. It's only 7 days.

r69 it had people from conservative nations basically attempt to live out 25-30 years of pent up desire released in one trip. Sadly that Indian guy didn't think to workout before showing up. Yet, he still got to hookup with a couple of guys. Everything in life is what you make of it. They found some sad guys to follow. The documentary would have been very different if they would have followed Americans or Canadians that didn't show up alone.

That ship was small and the vibe was odd.

Yeah, I got through about 20 minutes of Dream Boat.

Didn't much care for the guys they followed and the whole thing seemed kind of desperate and tired.

Was looking forward to some fun escapism.

I couldn't believe there hasn't been a Datalounge Cruise thread and I was right.

Don’t forget our bucket list return-to-the-homeland trip to the Isle of Lesbos on Olivia!

They seem pretty downscale, like you're staying at a Holiday Inn only on the water?

R92, Discussions of cruises on DL has convinced this straight woman to save my money by never going on a cruise. Yes I was also expecting a much more upscale experience.

Very fun! But have your summer body ready. The judgement looks are non stop. The dance parties are amazing

Body fascism! STDs! Covid-19 transmission!

Sounds totes amaze!!!

Diarrhea, Rose.

I turned on DREAM BOAT on Netflix out of curiosity. I feel for some of the guys disowned and shut off from their families. But even through my flatscreen I could smell the ass, pits and poppers. I turned it off. Everyone seemed sad and miserable except for the physically challenged couple. But the folks running around in leather getups with Batman hats and chains and shit, I just can't.

The ship they were on BTW is currently being scrapped in Turkey - one of the first COVID ship victims.

[quote] Don’t forget our bucket list return-to-the-homeland trip to the Isle of Lesbos on Olivia!

Yes, please join us as Lady Labia leads our triumphant return to the motherland - the Isle of Lesbos.

It's the point of view of the director, who chose four sad sacks to follow around. These people actually stand out as ones NOT having fun while everyone around them frolics and parties.

It reminded me of this documentary. It’s supposed to be fun, but the film makes a White Party look like a gay crackhouse set to music.

[quote]the film makes a White Party look like a gay crackhouse set to music

I mean....

Do lesbians hold automatic dual citizenry upon return to the shores of Lesbos, their ancestral homeland? Or do they have to fill out paperwork on the Olivia Cruise like a customs form when your flight is about to land in another country?

Lesbians need to prove their lesbianship by eating out the High Priestess. Nom nom!

Ready and willing!

r97 I knew that ship had to be an ancient piece of crap. I just looked low class like the patrons. That was a terrible representation of gay cruises that I'd expect to see in a 2000 documentary. All it lacked was a hooker with a heart of gold, and a gay death by a John to make it a typical 2000s gay drama.

Trust me, the ships are a lot more fun if you're not social awkward like the men they presented.

There are going to be so many orgies when this fucking virus is over.

Just like gay cruising, except with pool caps, sharkfin floats and tubes of Bain de Soleil.

R72- You said the Indian guy was ignored on the cruise but it's not like any of the guys ignoring him were HOT.

R93 said, "Discussions of cruises on DL has convinced this straight woman to save my money by never going on a cruise. Yes I was also expecting a much more upscale experience."

In cruising you very much get what you pay for. Carnival is one of the less-expensive cruise lines, and while I've always had a good experience with them, it is not the classy, upscale cruise you think of from old movies. Still, it is lightyears better than Holland America, which is a Motel 6 at sea. Holland America Line is in the same general price range as Carnival, but attracts a generally-older, more upscale crowd. Move up to Celebrity and you'll find things a bit classier. Keep on moving up to Seabourn or other high-end cruise lines and you'll find more of an old-fashioned, upscale experience.

R109, where would you place Norwegian?

My friends like Silver Seas

Gay cruises have lots of gooey creases

r110 Norwegian is like Carnival, but maybe a half-step up. Its more upscale brand is Oceania, and even more upscale is Regent Seven Seas.

A transatlantic? I’m not a cruise person. If I want down time I have a shack by the ocean.

But people I know who did the transatlantic said it was awful. Isn’t it like 5 or 7 days at sea?

Are there any cruises where I have a better chance of meeting oriental men? All these cruises are mostly white guys.

R109, Thank you for your honest evaluation of the different cruise lines. Not sure even the high end cruises would be a good fit for me.

Movies and TV were severely restricted growing up in my small town atmosphere. My impression of cruises came from my limited exposure to advertising. Similarly I always wanted to eat a TV dinner or a breakfast cereal as they looked so good, absolute taboo in my family. Reality is so different from what is often portrayed.

r114 The cruise from the west coast to Hawaii involves five sea days in each direction. That's just too many for me. I like to stop no less than once every three days. Two seas days in a row is more than enough for me. Same problem with a transatlantic cruise, or many repositioning cruises.

R115 - "Oriental" men??????? Oh Dear!

R117, I might have been thinking the pacific one. It was back when the lines were flush and it was a package deal with airfare going out to HI and then the 5 day ordeal at sea, lol. And repositioning sounds like what they did as well.

About 15 years ago I went on an RSVP cruise on The Diamond Princess (one of the COVID-19 disaster ships). It's a giant, expensive, floating hotel and party. It was my first (and last) cruise. It sailed from Long Beach to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Los Cabos. I had an outside stateroom with a balcony, which was fantastic. A bunch of friends turned out to be aboard, but there was only so much drinking and eating and getting stoned I could do without getting bored. I don't remember a lot of it. It was very relaxing. I hooked up with a couple at night by a pool. That was a blast and was out of character for me. The drag bingo and comedy shows were fun. But overall, too much time at sea. I love to travel and explore, so this is not my scene, except for the rubbing of suntan lotion on strangers part. For mindless, semi-vegetative vacations in the sun, I would prefer an all-inclusive beach resort for that kind of money.

Sorry -I put in Holland America when I meant Norwegian Cruise Line in R109. (We really need editing features on this site...)

To me, NCL is like a Motel 6. Food and service are not nearly as good as Carnival, though they are in the same general price range. In fact, NCL is the only line I absolutely refuse to sail again due to bad experiences. Power to you if you like it, but they given me nothing but troubles, lost luggage, lousy food, and "service" that merits the dreaded air quotes.

Like any vacation, a cruise is what you make it. For me, it's a place to relax and veg out, not a cultural experience or a means to saying that I've "been to" a place and now know all about it. Ports are a pleasant diversion (getting off to see and do, or staying on board while everyone else gets off -and out of the way).

I was pleasantly surprised by Carnival - twice. First cruise was to Canada from NYC. Lovely ship, the VICTORY. The crowd was beyond tacky, but the crew and food were first rate I thought. My second cruise was on the MAGIC to the Caribbean - Half Moon Cay, Grand Turk, Aruba, Curacao (gorgeous place) with three sea days. I splurged on the single supplement both times; I like my privacy. I almost hooked up with a hot male nurse on the trip to Canada, but his patient kept buzzing him to come to the lounge for karaoke. The second cruise I got the Cove Balcony - get one - you are closer to the sea and at night it was glorious. The ship was looking worn in places, but that is to be expected with all those large crowds on board. The entertainment was better on the MAGIC - string quartets and decent rock/pop bands. For a cruise ship anyway. I went with my aunt and uncle and we ate at the Italian place and the steakhouse. The latter had what they called "Dessert Art" - they took a white table top and prepared a dessert by using jellies and syrups to "paint" the canvas, finishing it with mango gelato, white chocolate and some sort of ginger pudding. We could not eat it all, especially after the massive steaks, but it was fun. I also had a lot of me time to myself on sea days...on the balcony listening to my music with these overpriced headphones with the thick ear muffs. They don't pressure you to be out spending money all of the time as claimed, not with us anyway. I hated to leave. We had planned a repeat this year, but you know...COVID and shit.

Wasn't there a news story about a homophobic crew member accused of murdering a passenger on a gay cruise?

That was a crossover episode of Murder She Wrote and the Love Boat.

[quote] Food and service are not nearly as good as Carnival.

That is just damning

I'm a vegetarian, and Carnival actually serves very good vegetarian entrees. As much of the crew is from the Indian subcontinent, the chefs prepare Indian dishes every day, and there is a vegetarian thali available every night. Carnival's standard dining room fare is not gourmet, but it is high-end restaurant quality. On one recent cruise my boyfriend (a serious meat lover) proclaimed the chateaubriand on board the finest piece of beef he'd ever had -And he was most definitely a food snob. In typical Carnival fashion, of course, our table mates smothered theirs with ketchup and A1 sauce. Our server blanched, but never said a word. I've done 12-14 cruises with Carnival, and nearly 40 cruises overall, on various lines. If a Carnival ship has a destination I want to visit, or is convenient to my schedule, I don't hesitate to sail with them. The food and service are fine. The cabins are larger than HAL and Royal Caribbean, and just as comfortable. I've had a great cruise every time.

I did land vacations like at the link. Once or twice in Cancun; once in Playa Blanco Club Med; and 3 or 4 times in Puerto Vallarta; all in Mexico. They were all run by Atlantis, or its former main competitor that it eventually bought, asked RSVP Tours. Instead of a cruise, it bought all the rooms in a resort for the week, and then sold them to its Gay clientele, and ran it like they run their cruises.

This was in the 1990s, and were my initial foreign travel without Traveling with or to established friends.

They were a blast, obviously, or I wouldn’t have gone 5 or 6 times. Some things I remember:

The first time I brought two books and thought I could bail and get a room at another room in PV if it was awful. As I walked to my room after check-in, I thought “this is the biggest mistake of my life”. It was not. I never cracked those books. I had a great time.

I did meet a group where the lesbian couple was extraordinary distressed. One looked nauseous the entire week and wanted to leave VP by apparently couldn’t afford to bail, or maybe her partner didn’t want to bail. I think she must have been crazy, because it’s a week at the beach, how can you not love that? You can always get away from the group if you really feel you need to.

There was a nice couple I never recognized but who approached me at maybe three or four of these vacations to say hello. I don’t know how I failed to recognize them. I found it off that I saw them so often, because they were nice enough. I probably could have had a steady 3-way if it only occurred to me.

I arrived one time at the PV hotel and found I had lost my passport. I went back to the airport, never expecting to find it, and a local approached me and said, I still remember, “I have been looking everywhere for you. You will have to buy me many cola-colas for this.” Everything I was missing was there, I gave him $20, and he was thrilled. Sees cheap to me, today, but he was happy. He insisted I wal’ with him to a place where I could get a cheaper cab, because the cabs ar the airport, “these people will cheat you’. We walked far enough that I started to wonder if I should worry about “where the heck are we going?”, but then he found me a cab and we parted company. It all seemed completely correct, but the cynical side of me wonders if he lifted my passport from me in the first place, and if it was his brother-in-law’s cab. But it all worked out. For $20,:I bought a nice story.

Part 2

None of the room cleaning staff stole anything from me and I don’t recall using the room safes there,

Even though they are all inclusive, including liquor, buy a large bottle of scotch or vodka duty free on the way down and keep it in your room for the week, because the all-included liquor is terrible.

My friend and habitual traveling companion volunteered to come one time, and we had a blast. I loved going bout with him because he, like me, was comfortable doing things together but splitting up when either of us met a hookup. We went to .playa Blancawhich I think is closed now, but was incredibly picturesque. Just beautiful.

We arrived separately and had, separately, tried to use the toilet on the but from the PV airport to the resort about an hour away. I found it funny that we had the same experience. Initially trying to piss piss carefully as normal, but finding the ride being so bumpy That mid-piss, just giving up and pissing all over the toiler, floor, general area of the toilet.

We were the first guests of the season and they were completely unready for a fully booked hotel of Queens. I think Chris and I changed rooms but it worked out with a room on the beach, but some people got empty rooms with no furniture, not even beds. One guy was complaining about his room which was many flights up, no elevator, and he was older or handicapped. He wanted a room change. “Those stairs, I’m gonna die!”. The complaint line was really long, and the employee was frantically writing the complaints on loose leaf paper that he clearly was never going to bother re-reading, You just had to be prepared to demand beds, and the rest was optional. We saw the elderly guy lTer in the week, And he seemed to be having a good time. and did not die.

There were a colony of large ants we passed between our room and the main hotel. Every morning, the ants would lineup, single file, like they were commuting to work, and even dry evening, we’d pass them making the reverse trip back home. We amused ourselves by putting obstacles in their regular route and seeing how they circumvented the obstacles. We went sailing, probably a mile out into the Pacific, which was great fun but really dumb, as we knew nothing about what the wild life was like there. But we freely swamped our boat and righted it, and sailed back, uneventfully.

We cruised the guys, and the staff, we were friendly enough but seemed like they were there on vacation themselves, and were not particularly efficient.

Now, OP, you have me thinking of going again, though I’ve aged-out of the typical age range, but I’m aware of that so I won’t be upset if I don’t score for the week. Somehow, up I think I still would, if my standards are adjusted a bit and I care to.

R199, I habitually vacationed In Ptown in my 20s, 30s and early 40s; did 5 or 6 Mexican land vacations; and 4 or 5 .Palm Springs White Parties, and never did those party drugs. Drugs are completely optional, regardless of what others are doing.

I was at my first White Party and I’m in a packed hallway, outside the dance floor. The dance floor probably fit 10,000 or so, is my guess. When you opened the door to enter, you first get hit with a wall of perpetration. As you make your way into the throng, most of the guys are shirtless, and you just have to surrender to the idea of bit having physical boundaries, because the bodies are like a slip-and-slide, and the floor literally has puddles I soon learned were not spilt drinks, but were puddles of perspiration. Somewhere in the center, there were guys having sex, but I didn’t see that, myself. It seemed completely plausible.

Out in that hallway, I’m chatting with my friend, and we hear “FIRE IN THE HOLE...GET OUTA THE WAY”, and we see a gurney rush past with a hot, unconscious guy on it, wearing only shorts and shoes. Then there’s another gurney, then another, and that kept happening until 2, when their contract must have been up, and the EMS crew made a big show of leaving as if to say, “we’re outta here, now you’re all gonna die”. But dying was completely optional, OP. The biggest story my friends and I had was that I once went home with a guy who I thought had pecs, but who instead had tits. My friends all though that was hilarious and they all come to pick me up, when I just expected one to bother to come fetch me.

That's nice, but the distressed woman was "probably crazy" and the helpful native man "probably lifted your passport and ked you to his BIĹ's taxi"? Really??

That's as much as I could read, too verbose. 3/10.

The director of Dream Boat seems like a sweet heart of a guy.

Sounds like a Dirk Caber party R129.

Well never in all my life!

Carnival's biggest flaw is that their most expensive suites fall short in terms of room and amenities compared to NCL or RCI. Some of NCLs ships boast suites in excess of 4300 sq. ft. I think that Carnival's largest barely breaks 600 sq. ft. Most of us will get standard cabins, but big suites are a thing. Other than that they are fine. Their standard cabins are great in terms of space.

I once booked a suite on a Carnival ship -It was fine. The only real plus was a whirlpool bathtub. I later discovered that the funky square back-end of Carnival ships makes for two irregularly-shaped cabins on either side. One is small, but the other is actually larger than a typical suite. No balcony (which I never use), but a queen-size bed, a full-size sofa, coffee table, and two easy chairs, and enough open floor space to do your morning exercises. All for the price of a standard outside cabin.

So here's my thing: I'd like to experience a gay cruise, but I want it to be as high end as possible. I'm talking about the ship and the accommodations, not what goes on onboard. That can be wild. But I want everything else really nice. Does such a thing exist?

Charter the Queen Mary R136

r137 meant Charter the Queen MARY!!!!

Are there any professional towel dancing burlesque shows?

R136, look for a cruise on Celebrity, or maybe Princess.

How profoundly stupid for anyone to even consider being on a cruise ship in the next few years.

The idea of being trapped on a ship with a gaggle of mean A-Gays is terrifying.

R142, that's exactly how I see it too.

The hissing!! The dirty looks!! The laughter! The screams! The targeted ignoring! Oh! The joys of it all.

Pied Piper is the best bet. Because they don't charter the entire ship and just groups of passengers, they don't charge as much - IIRC, they charge brochure rates. And many megaships have FOD meet and greets, so you will always have access to LGBT passengers and crew.

R142 - I can assure you, they are not "A-Gays". A-Gays would NEVER go on a cruise. You are confusing circuit-queens, bar trash and flyover wannabees with A-Gays.

You get Covid but you don't die from it

Gray Koozies