chrisbd1

Just booked the Jade Eastern Med. Any other girls going?

No, were doing the Gem to Greece in April though.

Hello everyone!

 

Alright, I've read most of these threads for the past hour and even started reading posts from 2007 (I realized the date after 20 minutes of browsing). Anyways, I'm absolutely new to cruising and would like some advice on where to start. Price is somewhat of a concern, but not something that will hold me back. I want to go on a lesbian cruise, or somewhere I can truly be myself. I'm in the military and actually am currently deployed. I met my girlfriend here (crazy I know) and we want to go on a cruise together possibly in Dec? My best friend and her partner may come along as well and we'd all like to feel comfortable where we go. We're all in our mid 20s and want a fun active scene. Any suggestions? The only cruise line I know of is Olivia, but judging by previous threads it seems extremely pricey.

 

A little about myself: I'm 23, a gemini, athletic, from Syracuse,NY, graduated from FSU in 2008. Ended a 7 year relationship a year ago and am ready to begin a new exciting chapter in my life that involves cruising! I'd love to meet more lesbian couples/friends, as I have very few. Safe travels!

If you want to consider a non Lebsian cruise line, NCL offers a 10% military discount.

Is anyone going on the NCL Spirit on November 8, 2009. My girlfriend and I have booked this all lesbian cruise through Sweet.

we booked the Spirit the week after...11/15. Sweet was too much $$$ We are also booked on the Epic 12/04/10. Anyone care to join us?

We're thinking of doing the Spirit Repo in October 2010. With the military discount, it's coming in at about $1300pp. Not bad for 15 days :). My partner couldn't disembark in Cozumel, on our last Spirit cruise in March, because of back pain. Plus she just loves that ship. Hell, I love that ship too. We had a perfect cabin, in a perfect location and it's still available. I might have to invest in another FCC on our cruise in October :D

Was that a CC meet and greet or an FOD? We are going with another lesbian couple (it will be their first cruise) and we are all really looking forward to it. Spending some time in New Orleans before. Can't wait!

Meet and Greet.

My Partner Linda and I are looking at the Norwegian Epic too. Sadly, we will have to do the Eastern Carribean itinerary as we are booked on the Spirit and already doing the Western Carribean. If anyone is interested in Nov/Dec 2009 Eastern count us in :)

You're going to love the Spirit!!! She's such a gorgeous ship and so unique with her Asian themes :D. We probably had the best Meet and Greet ever. The officers just fanned out and sat at various tables and chatted with everyone. Very cool.

hello fellow rfamily cruiser!! I too agree that rfamily is great for families. our daughter is 13 and this summers Alaska cruise will be our second and last. It is just getting too expensive for us to do charters anymore. I do agree that you get what you pay for however it's the paying part that is the issue!

 

Cheers!!

I agree. As I've said before-I'd rather take two cruises a year than one cruise every two years :)

Hi all

Shopping trip went well, (so much for not wanting to spend a fortune). But if cruising is as good as you all say it is I suppose I'll never have to go shopping again. All thats left is for me to pack!!!!

Packing is almost as fun as cruising ;)

Hi all,

 

Just back from the Emerald Princess and have to say...my first and last Princess. FOD everyday but boring... :)

Bad food and bad entertainment. Thought I would share.

Booked Norwiegan Dawn for next March. Anyone been on it?

 

cheers,

Paddy Anne

We sailed the Dawn in 2007. We loved it. We're thinking of sailing her again, soon. Overall, she's the favorite NCL ship among those who primarily sail NCL.

Were thinking (very seriously) of taking NCL to Europe in April 2010. My other half is excited to do Venice and Greece. We've already cruise the Mediterranean and loved it. The price with the Military discount is quite reasonable, but we'll have to see what airfare is going to run. I have a feeling it will be more than the cruise :eek:. We were thinking of cruising to Bermuda in 2010 but changed our Repo to sail on the NCL Majesty's last cruise :(, so we're going to Bermuda this year, instead.

Even though we swore we were going to try and only do 1 cruise next year, I suspect it will be another 2 cruise year. NCL has some interesting offerings next year. There are a few ships we haven't sailed yet. I wouldn't mind doing Alaska on a different ship.

:)Hi All,Well im going on my 5th cruise again!! I can't wait!!! Anyone going on the "Freedom of the Seas" May 24th,2009?? Im going with my girl and some friends also.Our friends that are all going with us have never been on a cruise before.This should be so very interesting and lots of fun!!!!

Has anyone ever done the western caribbean before?? We want to go on some of the excursions but not sure to which ones,- maybe go swim with the dolphins,parasailing,etc.Any suggestions??

We're going on our 6th cruise but this next one is the first time we're doing the Western Caribbean too. We're looking at ruins, hanging on the beach and maybe horseback riding.

Please let us know what you think of the Spirit. The reviews I've seen so far are good (it was recently refurbished). Both times we have cruised we happened to meet a gay couple on board and while all the straight people we met were great, if was more fun hanging out with "family". FYI, we went to the FOD gathering on board the Carnival Freedom and no one showed up. It's too bad there is not a role call tool for just the Gay/Lesbian thread.

Will do. I'm so totally looking forward to this trip. I've seen a few places where people have posted their pictures and it looks so awesome.

My first cruise was on the Spirit a few years ago. I loved it. It is a different ship, but very nice. My partner and I splurged (it was our 10th ann) and got a suite. The service was awesome.

 

We also went on an Olivia cruise over Thanksgiving. It was a nice experience. Yes it is different than straight cruises. I agree with many the cost is very high. We can afford the cost of the cruise, but would rather not spend that kind of money. I say look for their 2 for 1 specials and try it once.

We used a coupon for 2 for 1 once, but mostly have just paid the regular charge. We always get the Romance Package to get dinner at Le Bistro. I also lOVE Cagney's. I dream about that King-Cut Prime Rib. :)

My Partner Linda and I (Kim) are 50 & 44 and have been together 9 years. We are going on the NCL Spirit out of NOLA 11/15/09 if anyone is interested in that cruise. I would like to take at least one cruise every year and it would be fun to get a group together. We are interested in Alaska, Northern Europe, and the Caribbean. :)

We're doing the Spirit for my birthday. I've wanted to sail on her after I saw pictures of her unique decor. I'll try to let you know what she's like.

We're probably going to Bermuda on the NCL Spirit in 2010 for my partners birthday. We might take another cruise in 2010, maybe back to Europe, though NCL is doing year round Caribbean cruises out of Miami starting in 2010, so who knows. I would mind going back to Alaska, though. I've been flirting with the idea of taking NCL in 2011 to Hawaii.

This is a very old thread but I thought I would give it a try. My wife and I agree with the rest of you. Although we had our honeymoon on Olivia Caribian January 2006, we have not been able to afford another one since. It was an experience of a lifetime - no dobt - but who can afford it? So we discussed a straight cruise but my wife is worried that she wouldn't feel comfortable enough to be herself on a straight cruise. I agree with you all that if we could get an informal group of like minded lesbians together and pick a few cruises a year to "shoot for" that we could get the best of both worlds - great price of a straight cruise with companionship of other lesbians! If anyone is interested in "putting our heads together" about this, I would love to participate! By the way, my name is Mishelle and my wife's name is Sue. We are 49 and 45 with no children in the nest. We live in Nampa Idaho.

 

Currently are going to Cabo san Lucas 3-6-09 for 9 days. We rented a time share off Redweek for 7 days for $400. Couple cheap motels before & after, airfare and we're good to go! We are meeting up with another lesbian couple who have been married for 10 years and have a time share there. It's a little late but if anyone else wants to tag along, contact me and I can give you more details! mishellemccormick@hotmail.com

We've never been uncomfortable on any cruise we've taken. When I booked one of our cruises the reservation agent even asked if I wanted the beds together or separate. NCL has something called the Anniversary package and it includes being serenaded at the French restaurant and the servers sang "Let Me Call You Sweetheart to us without blinking an eye.

Everyone should throw caution to the wind and try an Olivia vacation whether it is a cruise or a land vacation. Yes, it is expensive but like any other trip you can have a year to pay for it. We've done both and they are memorable! :)

I agree. We have done 2 Olivia cruises and 2 Olivia resort vacations. While they do cost more than a regular cruise, they are anything but regular!! We have never had a problem on a ship and have met some great people on our regular cruises but with Olivia it is a world of difference. It is more of a community on water (with great entertainment) and the atmosphere is great. And--no hairiest man contests! Because they do cost more and because of scheduling problems, we mix up our vacations. But given the chance, I would rather go with Olivia.

 

Just my 2 cents :p

 

Ann Marie

I know that Olivia is something that so many people enjoy, but we're doing a 7 day and a 14 day, in balcony cabins, this year, for less than a 7 day on Olivia. So far we've cruised twice a year for the past 2 years and took a cruise and a week long European vacation the year before last. Economically, non-Olivia cruises continue to win out.

My 2 pennies only :)

 

never thinking to paying the $$$$$$$$ of a lesbian cruise such as Olivia.

I feel ya. :)

We're going to be trying a different hotel in Ft Lauderdale, in November. The Holidy Inn Express in Lauderdale on the Beach. The rates for a king with a balcony and beach view are pretty good. I'll report how it is after we get back. :)

Hey, where is everybody??

 

Carol and Linda.

Counting the days until it's time to go to the Southern Caribbean

9 days in Paradise baby :D

Hi All,

 

How has Ike affect NCL and Carnival out of Galveston? I've never sailed either one, but I think they've both been sailing from there. Looks like it's been a mess down there. We're sailing with friends on 2/7/09 to the Mexican Riviera out of LA on the Sapphire Princess. Anyone esle sailing with us?

NCL doesn't sail out of Texas, anymore, just NOLA. I'm hoping that they'll come back now that Houston has opened a newer cruise terminal.

As it stands, I've been looking at sailing the NCL Spirit out of NOLA, next year, for my birthday cruise. Though I prefer the Eastern Caribbean is my preference, I'll do the Western because NOLA would involve a flight of less than 2 hours and I really, really want to sail on the Spirit.

For the person who won't sail NCL, unanimous opinion from though who sail on Suites and above on other lines is that NO ONE can beat the Suite life that NCL offers. I suspect the people who have given you opinion on NCL are the same ones who call it "No Class Line". I can assure you that this is not the case. It's this sort of opinion that makes me hesitate to try other lines. As it stand, my DP won't sail anything but NCL so it's a mote point anyway:) . I will say that NCL isn't for everyone and you're correct when you say that it's good that there are different strokes for different folks.

I like collecting the charms :o . I might be able talk DP into going to the Western Caribbean, a place she does not want to go, because we can pick up some of the charms :D . It's just something fun to do and the memories are great.

Our first NCL cruise was the the Western Mediterranean and we loved the heck out of it. With the dollar still so weak against the Euro, a return trip to the Med will have to wait, though. :rolleyes: Florence was my favorite, with Nice a very close second. Rome was OK. I'm defiantly "been there, done that" on Rome, though the Vatican was wonderful. At some point we want to do one with Italy and Greece.

Hi everyone! We're new to cruising (and this board), too. We're from Dallas, TX. We got hooked on cruising back in May while taking a 5 day trip out of Galveston to celebrate Sarah's college graduation.

 

Since then, we've gotten engaged. Barely started planning the wedding, but have already booked the honeymoon on the Conquest. We'd love to join y'all on Olivia over Thanksgiving, and the 2-for-1 makes it tempting. But with airfare costing so much, we'll probably have to stick with homeporting for a while.

 

Love reading about your trips (and looking forward to the next one)

 

--Michelle (and Sarah)

 

Hey, we're from Dallas as well :) .

We did the 15 day Princess cruise to Hawaii in Feb 07 and while the formal nights were nice - DeVia and I only dressed up for one of them.

 

The other one we did not dress up and we were seated with others at a table who also did not dress up. No one turned us away from the dining room due to our dress.

I'm not a huge fan of traditional dining either :o . I've done it once and didn't like it. I'm not especially comfortable eating with people I don't know. I have a tendency to get verbal diarrhea when nervous. Small talk makes me nervous. It's not pretty. :)

I know some people like getting to know table mates on a cruise. Believe me when I say, the thought of it creeps me out. Don't get me wrong, I am a certifiable hoot, once I get to know people and am quite entertaining, to boot :D . Many people enjoy my company, even.

Most ships have a less formal dining room.

On the Dawn:

No jeans after 5PM in The Venetian Main dining room

OK in Aquas Main dining room and other 10 dining venues

Pearl:

No jeans after 5PM in Summer Palace Main dining room

OK in Indigos Main Dining room and other 10 dining venues

Jewel:

No jeans after 5PM Tzar's Palace Main dining room

OK in Azura Main dining Room and other 10 dining venues

Granted, the last cruise we took was the only time I wore jeans to dinner when not in the Garden Café. Honestly, it's kinda the principle of it more than the reality. DP is NOT going to let me wear jeans to dinner in the Steakhouse, the Italian, French, Tex-Mex or Asian restaurants ;) . Luckily the Garden Café, Sports Bar and Blue Lagoon are acceptable places for me to go uber-casual- shorts :D . It's just knowing that I have more options than eating on the Lido deck or room service, is the thing.

Of course, DP simply wont sail on anything but NCL, so it's kinda a moot point anyway. :) I mention any other cruiseline and she looks at me like I've lost my ever-loving mind. It's funny, because she's more reserved and less casual than I am. She owns one pair of jeans that she go when we went to Alaska and she didn't even wear them. I doubt she'll wear them anytime soon, either.