GLBT meetings on Carnival

[f1rstclass]

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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[t8te]

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.

[paulypride]

Best FOD meeting we ever had was on our first CCL cruise in January 2012 on the Fascination. Nothing really was going on our second on the Glory, not to mention we were kind of shy that trip due to the obscenely homophobic comments of some fellow passengers. We met a few folks at the FOD on the Miracle in 2013 and this past January on the Splendor there were a few folks, some crew at them most nights.

[Wvwildcpl]

my first post here....

i am bi female and my husband and i are swingers, hi yall ;)

we just learned about the FOD meetings and i was looking forward to going on our last cruise (in aug on the Conquest). the first night at dinner one of our vanilla friends mentions it and everyone at the table perks up. oh boy..i'm thinking, thanks alot! now everyone is curious and will probably be stalking the meetup spot to see whats going on. i chickened out and didn't go. we were sailing with a large group and are known to cruise often so i couldn't exactly say we accidently stumbled upon the meetup. on our next cruise i will check it out. we've sailed probably 30 times and yet to find another lifestyle couple, i'm hoping the FOD will help us connect with other open minded couples

 

Are you guys on the November lifestyle cruise? http://www.independenceoftheseas2014.com

[Wvwildcpl]

are there ever any swingers that do attend?

[shawne71]

https://www.********************/carnivalgaycruisers/ Edited June 6, 2014 by shawne71

[Crusinpj]

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.

[t8te]

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.

[Crusinpj]

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.

 

Good to know, I look forward to a group on the Conquest on the September 7th sailing, we are going with about 30 friends!

[shawne71]

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.

 

January 2014 Carnival Valor also had them listed as "LGBT Gathering" in the Fun Times.

[IslandExplorer]

I like the idea of a gay group hanging out together somewhere on board so that I can join them whenever I feel in the mood. I'm grateful if a fun group does emerge on a cruise. I find it tends to centre on a group of gregarious guys who are totally out and don't give a ****.

 

However, it's not easy for everyone. If you're an educated, fairly well-off WASP type (ie the type who tends to go on expensive cruises), you're probably someone who identifies as straight-acting and who has spent a lifetime avoiding PDA and trying to blend in. Of course, you're automatically going to do the same thing on a cruise. You're going to avoid obvious groups of gay men like the plague. It's a huge shame, because a cruise is a place to relax, to meet new people, to be yourself but also to try on a different persona, and maybe even to get romantic.

 

And even if you don't find gay gatherings toxic, you may just want your freedom and don't want to feel compelled to join a group of strangers if you don't have to (especially if there's no eye candy in the group!) This is my partner's issue.

 

Part of it is cultural too. Sometimes it's too difficult to overcome the gender, language and cultural gaps. What do I have in common with Spanish-speaking lesbians? Or hard-core drinkers and gamblers? Or even Americans? The truth is that American gay guys (whom I generally love) sometimes have a certain world view that is hard to take sometimes. You have to have something in common other than just sexual orientation.

 

On one recent cruise, we were on, there was a gay couple that I thought we could become real friends with. I knew all the islands well and was willing to share my insights with them. We had dinner together once. However, they simply blew us off. I don't know why. Each to his own. They wanted to do their own thing. Maybe they were late risers. However, I was a little upset so this experience cast a small shadow on the cruise, something I remember today, six months later. Maybe this is part of it too: it's just easier to stick to your own group than to try to ingratiate yourself to gay people who are not into it and who you really wouldn't talk to on shore.

 

The "FOD" thing is cute, but it smacks of the 1950s and doesn't translate well into other cultures. We no longer live in hiding, do we? We're not Christians drawing fish in the sand.

 

I also think that another problem is that many of us are reluctant to find each other on Grindr, Scruff, etc. even though that's how many of us do it now. We're unwilling to pay the exorbitant internet fees for our smart phones.

Edited June 11, 2014 by IslandExplorer

[dcikon2]

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.

[t8te]

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).

[dcikon2]

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

[t8te]

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.

[shawne71]

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.

 

They have been held at the Wine Bar on our last two cruises.

[MiamiSpartan]

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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[t8te]

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.

[tncap]

Most 2.0 ships have them at the Alchemy Bar now.

[t8te]

Most 2.0 ships have them at the Alchemy Bar now.

 

What's the Alchemy Bar like?

[tncap]

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.

[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.

[MalibuBoi804]

I think everyone experiences the same feeling I did. I saw it posted in the Fun Times each day, so figured my partner and I should check it out one night. He's the introvert but agreed to go along with me. Our plan was to check out the scene first and determine if we would actually go in. When we got down there we found it was being held in the Alchemy Bar on Deck 5, right across from the White Heat night club, of course in one of the busiest walkways on the ship. Epic Fail! There were about four or five people in there chatting, but I wasn't about to sit there on display in front of everyone walking by. It was also held at 11pm so like many have said, that's way too late folks are already doing other things by then, and I am ready to hit the dance floor by that time. I ended up meeting way more folks in other areas of the ship (Deck 9-Lido) and had a blast! On the other hand, I don't know if anyone really cared what the folks at that bar was doing because everyone is usually rushing off to their next adventure on the ship, so maybe on my next cruise I'll stop in and check it out.

[aj1982]

Ah yes, the FOD meetings... or lack there of. My partner and I are experienced cruisers, going on number 13 shortly. We typically try to attend the first meeting. Only on a few cruises did we actually meet other family at these meetings.

 

The first was with Princess they had a crew member there with champagne to help break the ice. This was way back in 2006, I don't know if they do that anymore. The second time was maybe 4 years ago, on a cruise out of New Orleans. There ended being about 8 of us and we had a blast, commandeered the hot tub from the straights for a couple nights, went to dinner as a group for a couple nights, just a very good time all around. There was another time where we met a couple like ourselves as well, and that was fun too.

 

So, yes, these can have value but has been pretty rare for us . On many of the other cruises we have found that we did see people there but didn't realize it. Basically you see a couple and your like "maybe they are here for FOD? Hmmmm, not sure" and you leave it alone to not embarrass a couple of straight guys or girls who just happened to wander in. Come to find out you see them around the boat and realize that they were there for the meeting but they were just as unsure about you as you were about them, so nothing came of it.

[tncap]

On many of the other cruises we have found that we did see people there but didn't realize it. Basically you see a couple and your like "maybe they are here for FOD? Hmmmm, not sure" and you leave it alone to not embarrass a couple of straight guys or girls who just happened to wander in. Come to find out you see them around the boat and realize that they were there for the meeting but they were just as unsure about you as you were about them, so nothing came of it.

 

Oh I don't mind asking. :)