Hi all....I am trying to decide it I want to do a RSVP/Atlantis cruise or not. I have this image of 2,500 gay men on a ship and can only picture men in thong bathing suits, drag shows, drama, all night partying, sex in semi-discreet places. Sorta like a gay pride day parade. Am I right? Don't get me wrong here, I wouldn't mind this for a few days, but I don't know if I am up for a full week of flamboyancy.
I can't speak for Atlantis, only RSVP. I would say it is what you make of it. If you want to party, cruise, see drag shows, have sex in semi-discreet places (like a balcony), well, you can do and see all of this. Or not. You participate in as much or as little as you'd like. There's entertainment of all sorts, and RSVP brings their own security folks on to keep the sex out of public places. there's dancing till all hours of the night. If you choose to go.
There's also carbaret acts, a piano bar, a mix of singles and couples, large groups of friends and people going solo. There's an incredibly creative costme party, other themed parties, and various options for dining. On the Holland America ships RSVP uses, there's a library where you can spend hours in peace and quiet if you choose. And, never forget you can always close the door of your cabin if it all becomes too much!
Really, it all depends on you. Drink in as much or as little as you'd like. Sort of like life, just on the water :-)
After taking two RSVP cruises, I think your assessment is correct. On my first gay cruise, my cabinmate did not show up, so I had the cabin to myself and was able to get away from it all when I grew tired of it. On my last RSVP cruise, I was tempted to jump overboard to get away from it all. .
I think spav01's response letter to you concerning helping you make a decision about an all gay cruise or not was well thought out and accurate. However, I think there is one additional option to consider here: There are a number of travel agents that host smaller gay/les groups on straight cruises. This way, you can have the best of both worlds, so to speak: The companionship of like minded people with a mix of straight folks that you can interact with (or not) and a more conservative everything else.
My partner and I just booked for the Carribean Princess Eastern Carribean cruise for September 18 - 25. Would love to hear from others that are also going on this cruise. Maybe we could email and then meet on the cruise. Would be great.
spay01's comments are very accurate. On our first few (we've been on 7 RSVP cruises) we tried to do everything and had a blast - pool games, bingo, game shows, costume party, etc. Over time, we learned to ration the fun and not overdue it. We've enjoyed every RSVP cruise we've been on.
However, as time went on (read - we got older and don't party as much!), we find we'd rather book a group cruise like a Pied Piper trip rather than an all gay cruise like RSVP. We like this for several reasons: more choice of ships and departure dates, smaller groups of fellow travellers to actually get to know, less intense and less bad drag!
Having said that, would be book another RSVP cruise? Yes, but not right now!
There is an old saying,,,,,,try it you'll like it.
I have done a number of the gay cruises, the ones in the Med were great, some in the Caribbean were over the top. The last one was on the Masdamm.....and it was a lot of fun. I am on the conservative side so the extreme behavior of some people was a bit much, but I could always do my own thing. The one aspect of the RSVP cruise that I cherished was that it put me into an environment where I was for once a majority and not a minority. For some this might seem an odd thing to say, but not living in a gay community, and having lived a life (in the military) where I felt the need to be private about my life...this freedom was at times overwhelming. I felt intimidated by the guys who were really flambouyant, yet that was my issue, After a few days, it seemed going back to a straight cruise would be so dead, and kind of going back into the closet at sea.
So it depends on ones expectations, and comfort levels I guess. I had thought about a gay group instead of a gay charter, but this offers up its own concern. I think I would be afraid of a sizeable gay group being really outlandish on a straight cruise...the looks, stares and comments could possibly anger me and affect my vacation. My hang ups...yes, we all have them. But I must learn to respect other FOD as I want straights to respect me as a gay man. So I look forward to my next RSVP cruise.....to laugh, to cry, to see how others live their "gayism" and fell freedom that I don't experience at home..to be the majority, not the minority.
So you'll see me on RSVP next year. Atlantis, did their land vacations.....will I do their big ship charters....probably not. I think their customer base is less diverse and I would like to be on a ship with young, old, pretty, not so fabulous (is that correct), and some of our lesbian menbers of society.....they add alot to the cruise as well.
So I hope those thinking of a gay cruise will try one and go for the fun of it, the freedom of it....and if its not your cup of tea...at least you tried it......
Happy sailings.
Westerdam in 2005..........see you there.
Ditto to what Tom said.
Concerning the group things (like Pied Piper) - most of the guys on the recent QM2 trip were quite conservative, mid 40's or older, and not very flamboyant. There was one over-the-top person, who was "tolerated," by both gay and straight, but just barely.
The big plus of RSVP, for me, is the entertainment. Of course, they bring on their own headliner and cabaret acts, but often times it's the ship's own entertainers who really shine through - many anticipate our group's arrival for weeks, preparing special versions of their broadway-style shows with twists of plot. For instance, if there's a love song, it'll be boy-to-boy. The entertainers and other staff will also usually mingle among pax a lot more, and tend to loosen up a lot for us. Then there are the deck parties... I remember the "Midnight-Flashlight-underwear-Disco Party" one time, when the Captain was out dancing with us at 2:00 in the morning (NOT in underwear, full uniform, with his wife nearby watching like a hawk, til we got her to join in) - they had a blast!
And the afternoon reparteé around the pool-side bar! Oscar Wilde and Noel Coward would have been proud! If you think you're witty, watch out - these people may make you feel like you're half-right. ;-)
The staff and crew on these charters tends to treat us like gold. In a sense we are gold. On regular HAL cruises, tipping isn't mandatory. On RSVP, it is mandatory. Plus we go through about 7 times the normal booze, so they're busy, and after a few hours, they realize we won't be attacking them or trying to drag them to our cabins - we're normal - just happier...
IMHO, everyone should try it once... sure they're more expensive, but they're worth it. IMHO.
NOW...if RSVP would just get off their butts and post our schedule and send the docs for Mexico, I would be SUCH a happy camper.
I wish you were going to be there...Joe and I JUST might win the constume contest :-)
Gay cruise atmosphere
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