Gay cruise vrs. Traditional cruise?

[CM Rob]

A lot of us glbt cruisers have been on both traditional and gay cruises. Do you think the extra cost to go on a gay cruise is worth more than the traditional cruise? What are some of the pros and cons of choosing a gay cruise over a traditional one? Last but not least, what would you recommend to a newbie?

[Ron n Jon]

Having been on all three types of cruises, the standard, the organized gay group and the fully charted gay ship, we would say the organized gay group is by far the most socially enjoyable of the three. Mind you we have never been aboard a ship that didn’t have at least one other FOD passenger with whom to socialize.

When you have a group of say 100-200 gay passengers aboard a large ship, you have the best of both worlds. We enjoy meeting straight people from around the world with whom we have a lot in common. We always introduce ourselves as a gay couple. But in joining a group of fellow gay passengers, there is perhaps less formality and we feel more like we are traveling with family. The group socials and get togethers add so much more to the cruise.

As to the gay charters, we feel that this environment fulfills the need for those gay passengers who need to let go and shed whatever suppression he/she might be subjected to in their personal lives. But this can make for a rather rowdy and hyperactive trip, perhaps more suited to the younger of us.

So we would suggest that the gay “newbe� join a limited gay group aboard a regular cruise and get the feel of both worlds and then venture on from there.