t8te

It is by far my favorite bar on board. It is strictly a martini bar - can't order a beer or a Jack and Coke. The mixologists are amazing at creating drinks. You can name a certain flavor or style and they will come up with something for you - ordering outside of the menu is encouraged.

Nice - sounds like the one they had on the Celebrity Summit. We enjoyed that as well.

Most 2.0 ships have them at the Alchemy Bar now.

What's the Alchemy Bar like?

They used to host them in the piano bars, which wasn't really conducive to conversation...on the breeze trip we took a year ago, they held them at 10 pm, which seems kind of late...by that time, people are either have adding off to their cabins, or are taking part in other activities...

I still enjoy going to these things...it helps us get to know other people...

 

 

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Yeah, I don't think piano bar is the best place. Wine bar on the Triumph worked well.

10PM or 5PM seem to be the only times that you can get people without crossing into dinner times or show times.

The meetings weren't scheduled in the piano bar on the Freedom (June 1-9 sailing).

That's good to hear. They did schedule them in the piano bar on both the Pride and the Miracle when we sailed her in November 2012.

We just returned off of the Carnival Freedom and noticed there GLBT gatherings scheduled every night. We didn't attend as we went to other activities during the time of the gatherings. We aren't drinkers, but do enjoy meeting people.

I'm glad they seem to be common throughout the fleet. I hope they continue to schedule the meetings as we enjoyed them. We met at least 4 people we wouldn't have otherwise, and we are still in touch with 3 of them now that we're back on land. One of them, we're getting together with (and his fiancé) for dinner tonight as they live nearby.

I will be letting Carnival know our thoughts on the locations and times which weren't always the best (they shouldn't schedule meetings in the piano bar).

I'm happy to see the FOD noted, but unlike many my age they don't know what that means, February 2014 Inspiration had it as FOD not LGBT. They need to stop hiding cause we aren't! We've met a few couples onboard and they didn't know about the meetings, and I also agree with many posters that the times and locations are just not workable with things we wanted to do.

Carnical Pride June 2014 - meetings listed as "GLBT Gathering" I believe. No more FOD. Putting us in the piano lounge is not good. Best showing was when we were in one of the lounges near the coffee bar and just outside the casino and two other bars. Easy to spot everyone, and easy to talk. We had about 8 people for that one. Not bad, and if it met there everytime, it would likely grow as the week went on.

Sweet!! Yes, today is my last work day and I'll spend the next few days getting packed and prepared. We plan on attending and hope to see everyone soon.

Good for you! We have to work tomorrow, but will start laying things out and doing some packing tonight. Just 3 days from now we'll be getting ready to board!!!!!

Absolutely! HMC is one of my favorite places, very relaxing. Just a few more weeks and we'll be on our way. :)

And now it's just a few more days!!!! Can't wait. Hope to see you all at the first LGBT meet and greet. Don't know if that will be Sunday evening or not until Monday.

Yes, I can't wait either!

 

We've looked at a few excursions but nothing really stands out... we were able to get a cabana at HMC... We'll probably just lounge around in the sand and sun like lazy lizards, unless something comes up.

That's what vacation is for - I'm sure you'll enjoy.

Less than six weeks!!!

And now less than 4! Wow - can't believe it will be here so soon...and I can't wait!

Any thoughts on shore excursions? We just have one at Grand Turks for a Segway tour.

Tom

Under 30 Days! Are you guys doing the Early or Late Dining? We have the Early.

Great question! We do late dining. We are late risers so tend to eat a big meal at lunch time so we wouldn't be hungry by early dinner.

Admittedly, if I hadn't seen the term "Friends of Dorothy" on here, I wouldn't have known what it meant. That's the only way I knew so I agree, if someone who is traveling hasn't visited the boards before going, they very well could miss out on some good times!!

 

But yeah, I think we live in an age to where we no longer have to have cruise lines "disguise" the gatherings. Go ahead and call it what they truly are.

 

 

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Agreed - we are very out anyway, so we certainly don't care. You'll see us walking through the ship or sitting at dinner holding hands. Never been an issue so surely listing the meetings as LGBT gatherings shouldn't be either.

The Fun Times said LGBT Gathering (actually said GLBT on one of the nights) for our meet/greet. Same terminology was used on my Princess Cruise last year. Would be surprised if any cruise line still uses "Friends of Dorothy", since most people under 40-ish wouldn't have a clue what that even means.

Our Carnival cruises in 09 and 10 both billed the meetings as Friends of Dorothy. I'm pretty sure the didn't include the GLBT label.We had straight people come by and ask what it was.

Swung past the Pinnacle bar (decent location - deck 9 aft bar) around the time of the LGBT meet/greet on all 3 nights. No one (actually, may have been one guy, since he was sitting at the bar all by himself) showed up. Since I was solo, I had hoped to find possible dinner companions. So much for that......

 

Guess I better stick with traveling with my own "gay posse" when cruising.

So the other I wonder is how many gay folks don't know what FOD is when they see it in the Fun Times. We've certainly met some who didn't know.

that'd be my luck.....I sent response did you receive it?

Received and responded :-)

email me...narzvt24@gmail.com

Done - sometimes gmail and hotmail don't play nicely together ;-)

sent

Nothing yet...checked my junk mail too :-(

Trying to send you a PM t8te but for some reason it won't let me :-(

Tmiller410@hotmail.com

That's been my experience with the FOD meetings...in a dark area where the music or entertainment overshadows the conversation. So, an area that is open, well-lit, and has easy access to the drinks would be the ideal location. One other thought, why not have them outside say at the Adult serenity area. Afterall, we are all adults here.

That is also a great idea!

Who says there has to be one per day....why not give the option of having 2 during the dinner/show times? I know how that may sound, but I don't think having the meet and greets are ever going to be at a time where people can come and socialize.

 

I would be very interested in hearing others views on this.

Interesting thought...Maybe a cocktail hour just before each dinner hour?

Of 3 Carnival Cruises:

1 - We "recruited" a couple of people who we met elsewhere to join us for a couple of the FOD meetings, but no others ever showed. (FOD held different times in different locations)

2 - We started strong and got larger each night (FOD was held in the same bar everynight, with the same bartender - I think at the same time, too - don't know if that had anything to do with it, or was it just that we left out of New Orleans?)

3 - FOD meetings held in piano bar that was unstaffed and dark. 4-5 people did stop by over the course of 2 nights, but of course no one stayed. We stopped going after the 2nd night.

I'd love to go, in fact, I did go to one on the Liberty in July 2013, but there was no one there. I cruised solo that cruise.

 

The timing that Carnival schedules the events for is, like many others have said, just at odd times. I agree, have them at a reasonable hour and quite possibly others will join to meet and greet. I went to that one and didn't go back the duration of the cruise as I had other things going on with dinner, shows, etc.

That's just it. If you're doing dinner and the show on a shore day, when would be a reasonable time? It has to be very late or very early.

Less than six weeks!!!

Hey Chuck, nice to hear from you. Looking forward to meeting u too! Can't wait to be on the cruise

 

Welcome to Shawn and Austin too... It'll be cool to meet u guys as well.

 

Less than a month and a half away, sweet!

Let's have at least six at the first Friends of Dorothy meeting! I'm convinced when people don't show is because they don't see enough of a gathering when they "cruise" the venue to see if they should join in. Maybe this will be like our 2010 Carnival Triumph cruise. We started with about a 10 and had at least 15-20 the last night of our 5-day cruise!

LOL.. I understand... leave that work crap at work! Good deal, I'll look into it as well... Thanks

Yeah, that's my favorite part of cruising - he truly disconnects from work, which is rare for him.

Miami Spartan, I know this reply is almost a year late now- but I have often wondered if the timing wasn't part of the problem for these gatherings. I am actually straight, but we had several gay friends on our last cruise and they didn't care to go to FOD gatherings because it cut into other activities they preferred. I would think having it around cocktail hour 5-6 or 6-7 would be ideal.

I seem to recall the times varied on the Carnival ships. I think because it's tough to schedule much of anything if you don't want to hit either dinner hour. I'll report back after our June 1 cruise on the Carnival Pride.