Should I Have Any Concerns...

[satxdiver]

I have never been on a cruise that had a lot of bears aboard. However I was an a cruise that had a large group of gay/lesbians aboard that were young adults. They had reserved the lounge on two nights of a seven night cruise for a private party. They were doing karaoke. We happen to talk to some of them around the pool and they invited us to their private party. They were really good singer and performers. We had a good time. We found them friendly but they did sometimes travel in a big group. As long as you are tolerant of other life styles, I think you will find the bears to be really nice people. Just watch your salmon supply! :rolleyes:

 

I used to travel regularly to San Francisco for my job and have probably seen it all or most of it including bears, leather and other modes of dress that I have no idea what it is called. I never had a problem passing them on the street. Yes, I know what prime timers are - a club for older men.

 

I have a friend who is a nudist. He showed me a group picture after I asked that was taken on a cruise ship chartered by nudists. They were all wearing only a smile. I also had to ask out of curiosity and yes, they wear clothes in the food serving areas as well as in port.

[Pia1913]

Any one been on a cruise with the Prime Timers. Check the web and found out that they will be on our TA cruise. Look at their web site and it said that they are sold out on this cruise. I wonder how many will be on aboard.

 

I never heard of the Prime Timers, so I looked it up. Seems they are on the Epic in January. I didn't notice anything about October on the Ruby.

[UtterCaro]

I never heard of the Prime Timers, so I looked it up. Seems they are on the Epic in January. I didn't notice anything about October on the Ruby.

 

They're listed for our Ruby crossing on the Shore Trips site. While I'm "straight but not narrow," I sure hope they don't limit access to public venues.

 

Caro

[hansi]

Should I have any concerns about being on a cruise that is a "bear" (gay)cruise?

 

Just turn the other cheek!

[Minoushka]

What is a bear

[hansi]

It's quite a large animal, comes in grizzly and black varieties and is very dangerous. There is a smaller friendly version called a teddy bear.!!

 

Actually, I think it's an American euphenism for a man with homosexual tendencies. ie one who bats for the other side!

[venicecruiser]

We're booked on the Nov 6 Crown cruise and apparently its also a "Bear" cruise. I took a look at their website and more than once members are reminded that they are to be respectful of other passengers at all times and that they are to tone things down.

 

We are not changing ships as we will also be on Crown the week before the nov 6 sailing. I also don't think it will bother us in any way...We pretty much take the attitude of live and let live..

 

I had much rather sail with "Bears" than hundreds of naked people!

 

 

Claudia and Rod

[dutchess43]

My worse was the mah jong group on the mercury two years ago. They would take over the majority of the tables especially in the buffet area from early morning until very late afternoon. Passengers would be walking around trying to find tables to eat breakfast, lunch & they did not care & would not move. I don't mind anyone playing their game but it should be in areas where it does not create an inconvience for others that are just trying to enjoy their meals. This went on for the duration of the 8 day cruise. One man was so annoyed after several days that he sat down in an empty chair at one of the mah jong tables put his plate down & started to eat & would not move. It was a tense moment.

[stoneharborlady]

Yes, I would be annoyed if a group took over areas of the ship that should be open to all passengers.

 

There was a young man on the RCCL forum, who posted many photos of his Bear cruise a few years ago. He was liked by other forum members, and posted the photos in response to requests. To be very honest, what I saw would make me prefer to be on a ship without a large group of Bears, or any other group for that matter. That particular group, from what I saw in the photos (ie toga parties in the atrium and the like) would have made me uncomfortable if I had small kids with me, who would undoubtedly have questions.

[bhopal21]

We're booked on the Nov 6 Crown cruise and apparently its also a "Bear" cruise.

 

 

Claudia and Rod

 

That is the same cruise the OP is on.

 

Mike:)

[DDDDale]

I do not want to be on a cruise that a group take over and thinks they own the ship. Or do I want to be on a ship when I do not agree with the life style and have it in for 16 days.

 

I have yet to go on my first cruise and have been diligently scouring CC trying to learn everything possible; to anticipate all variables in order to maximize and enhance the experience and prospectively eliminate or minimize any potential problems. I want no surprises (although a good surprise might be acceptable) and I expect a terrific outcome. Now I'm confronted with yet another variable I'll have to address; there may be passengers whose life styles I don't like. Hard to imagine, but there may be other passengers who don't like mine. I'm sitting here trying to figure out what my life style is. I'll worry about that after I finish worrying about what I should wear on formal nights and how much wine I can bring with me.

 

Be that as it may, if I am prevented from totally enjoying my meticulously planned first cruise by a large group of canasta players, cat fanciers, scooter salesmen or hirsute overweight men (or women) who take over any part of the ship that I may want to be in I will be more than just a little annoyed (although I do fancy cats).

[stoneharborlady]

I have yet to go on my first cruise and have been diligently scouring CC trying to learn everything possible; to anticipate all variables in order to maximize and enhance the experience and prospectively eliminate or minimize any potential problems. I want no surprises (although a good surprise might be acceptable) and I expect a terrific outcome. Now I'm confronted with yet another variable I'll have to address; there may be passengers whose life styles I don't like. Hard to imagine, but there may be other passengers who don't like mine. I'm sitting here trying to figure out what my life style is. I'll worry about that after I finish worrying about what I should wear on formal nights and how much wine I can bring with me.

 

Be that as it may, if I am prevented from totally enjoying my meticulously planned first cruise by a large group of canasta players, cat fanciers, scooter salesmen or hirsute overweight men (or women) who take over any part of the ship that I may want to be in I will be more than just a little annoyed (although I do fancy cats).

 

 

LOL, thanks for the chuckle!! We all need to laugh more.

[RickEk]

What is a bear

 

It's quite a large animal, comes in grizzly and black varieties and is very dangerous. There is a smaller friendly version called a teddy bear.!!

 

Actually, I think it's an American euphenism for a man with homosexual tendencies. ie one who bats for the other side!

 

Actually, the gay men that define themselves as bears are usually heavy-set, possibly muscular with facial hair and sometimes hairy bodies. They're usually on the hypermasculine side of the gay spectrum. And the bears that I know... really nice guys and fun to be around. :)

 

I have yet to go on my first cruise and have been diligently scouring CC trying to learn everything possible; to anticipate all variables in order to maximize and enhance the experience and prospectively eliminate or minimize any potential problems. I want no surprises (although a good surprise might be acceptable) and I expect a terrific outcome. Now I'm confronted with yet another variable I'll have to address; there may be passengers whose life styles I don't like. Hard to imagine, but there may be other passengers who don't like mine. I'm sitting here trying to figure out what my life style is. I'll worry about that after I finish worrying about what I should wear on formal nights and how much wine I can bring with me.

 

Be that as it may, if I am prevented from totally enjoying my meticulously planned first cruise by a large group of canasta players, cat fanciers, scooter salesmen or hirsute overweight men (or women) who take over any part of the ship that I may want to be in I will be more than just a little annoyed (although I do fancy cats).

 

Excellent! We all should be more tolerant. But on the other hand, that dang German group on our Coral Princess Panama Canal partial transit... they had group meetings everyday at different venues throughout the ship. You couldn't go anywhere without a lounge or bar closed for their private functions. On the plus side, the ship served extraordinary schnitzel and sauerkraut! :p :D

[sail7seas]

Doesn't matter what the group is, any time there is a large group that makes up a high percentage of the guests, everyone outside the group is negatively effected to varying degrees. I would always do my best to avoid a cruise if I learned there was to be more than 50% of the guests being a part of the group. Even at 25% it can get unpleasant. Most cruise lines try hard to not let out the info that they have a large group booked.

 

 

 

[riffatsea]

Had never heard of this definition of "bear" until I read this thread.

Our RCCL cruise had a group that surprised us but it was a GREAT cruise!! They were a New Orleans dance club who they brought a great band along with them. The band gave dance lessons and I LOVED every minute of it!!:p

[RickEk]

Doesn't matter what the group is, any time there is a large group that makes up a high percentage of the guests, everyone outside the group is negatively effected to varying degrees. I would always do my best to avoid a cruise if I learned there was to be more than 50% of the guests being a part of the group. Even at 25% it can get unpleasant. Most cruise lines try hard to not let out the info that they have a large group booked.

 

 

 

 

From what I understand, you can call Princess and they should be able to give out that information. Also, try googling your cruise date and the word "cruise" and if the group has a website, you'll find the info easily.

[sail7seas]

From what I understand, you can call Princess and they should be able to give out that information. Also, try googling your cruise date and the word "cruise" and if the group has a website, you'll find the info easily.

 

 

It is true you can try googling but depending upon what the group is and how it has been marketed, you may not get a 'hit' for your ship/date. Also, be sure to go pages back.

 

 

As to googling and easily getting info,

For example, enter HAL Maasdam, August 21, 2010 and see what you get. Nothing about a group on google page one. I didn't go back to page two, three etc

That cruise had a group from The Weekly Standard and it was about 250 people. That ship carries about 1250 guests. I had heard nothing about that group being booked.

 

As to a particular cruise line freely providing that info upon inquiry, all I can say is "don't count on it" from all reps, all cruise lines, all the time. It is often a closely held secret for all the obvious reasons.

 

 

Of course, one can always find the 'exception'.

[PescadoAmarillo]

Hmmmm....I'd prefer the Bears to Bill Kristol!!!

[dolittle]

Who is Mah jong , sorry. We went on a cruise with hundreds of blind people with dogs. We at first thought great they were nice people have a great time ,one guy told me he liked cruising because there are no streets to cross. But the thing was they were lost the whole week on the ship.After helping people to their room or M.D.R. 5 or 6 times it got old. The dogs laid all over the lounge the casino the walkways . Sorry but I do not want 40 large dogs on my trip.

[karenem]

Mah Jong is a Chinese board game--hence the taking over of tables.

 

Personally, I'd love to be on a cruise with 40 big (incredibly well trained) dogs, but I suppose it's not everyone's cup of tea

[Latitude 20]

Actually, the gay men that define themselves as bears are usually heavy-set, possibly muscular with facial hair and sometimes hairy bodies. They're usually on the hypermasculine side of the gay spectrum. And the bears that I know... really nice guys and fun to be around. :)

 

We have several self-defined "bears" in our social group and agree with RickEk. At the risk of stereotyping, our "bear" friends are in their 40s or 50s, in very long-term relationships (some since high school!) and as mature and sedate as straight couples of the same generation.

[room010]

I would be wary of taking any cruise on which I knew there was a group booked. No matter how good their intentions not to disrupt or disturb other passengers' enjoyment it does happen to a larger or lesser degree and I object to effectively paying for access to all the ship's facilities, public rooms and venues only to find out that I am prevented or excluded from doing so because a group has officially or unofficially taken over.

[AltarEgo]

Should I have any concerns about being on a cruise that is a "bear" (gay)cruise?

 

If this image disturbs you, you should probably not go on that cruise.

 

[dolittle]

It does!

[griffy116]

Wish I could remember the thread, but there is a high school band director asking advice prior to booking 200...YES...200 high school band members (ages 14-17) on an RCCL week long cruise. His questions aren't about whether it would be appropriate, but on how they can have the most kids to a cabin with chaperones in cabins between them, since they would be booking so many under the age of 21 in cabins without adults. The advice ranged from booking one adult in each cabin with 3 minors and switching room keys once onboard to asking the cruiseline for an exception. All I wanted to know is WHAT SHIP, WHAT DATE. I don't ever want to be on a cruise with a group of 200 band members who already know each other and have a limited number of chaperones (who aren't ever going to be with them anyway). Talk about a disappointing cruise :eek:. I'm hoping that the liability issues will prevent this from happening. I'll take bears, tigers, cougars, mah-jong...anything over this group. This is definetely a cruise where RCCL is forced to put a disclaimer out (which of course is not realistic),.