Where does Golden go when there are no cruises planned?

[SwimCarrie]

I noticed on the Golden's schedule there are a lot of gaps in their itineraries. A day here, three days there...over a week in October. Where is it going? Do they really charter private cruises? Man, how do I become friends with them??? How does that even work?

 

"Yes, I'd like to make a reservation for 2,600 on October 31st. Thank you."

 

I can't even imagine how that works, but I want to be a part of it!!! LOL. I need to make better friends. LOL.

 

SwimCarrie

[BrandiGreg]

I know the 8 day Mexican cruise on the Golden is a chartered cruise by an organization called Atlantis Events, and is advertised as an "all-gay" cruise, and I think one has to go thru their website to reserve it. The prices are usually higher than what Princess normally charges, so I imagine there is a financial incentive to allow itineraries to be chartered. I doubt if individuals charter a cruise for their buddies, but for sure I want to have that kind of friend!

[COMBOY]

I noticed on the Golden's schedule there are a lot of gaps in their itineraries. A day here, three days there...over a week in October. Where is it going? Do they really charter private cruises? Man, how do I become friends with them??? How does that even work?

 

"Yes, I'd like to make a reservation for 2,600 on October 31st. Thank you."

 

I can't even imagine how that works, but I want to be a part of it!!! LOL. I need to make better friends. LOL.

 

SwimCarrie

 

LOL...I just booked this morning the Oct 5th Golden Princess full ship charters with Atlantis Events - 8 night Mexico cruise which is catering GLBT community. It's mostly men with a small amount of women and straights along for the ride usually with traveling their gay friends. Atlantis Events is a tour company that charters the ship, brings on there own entertainers and cruise staff and along with the cruise lines cruise staff tailors the on board activities & entertainment to the specific needs on the group. The cruise before ours is a 3-night Electronic Music and dance cruise (The Grove Cruise) which I'm assume is catering mostly to a younger straight party crowd. Both charters are open to the public for sale, but are only sold through a private tour company. Doing a full ship charter is not usual although organizing such a trip requires backers with a lot of $$$ such as a tour company or a major corporations. All you have to do find these cruises is to Google the ship and sailing date.

[SwimCarrie]

An all LGBT cruise?! That would be quite a party! Yes, I would be the straight friend, but that sounds like a blast! Don't think hubby would agree. LOL. :confused: Have a great time!

[Thrak]

From what I've read there are also nudist cruise charters. If that's your thing then you can book through the specialty folks. If it is not your thing then you are likely to be very unhappy on the cruise.

 

I agree that it must take a lot of money to book an entire ship. They must line people up well in advance in order to pull something like this off.

[RickEk]

From what I've read there are also nudist cruise charters. If that's your thing then you can book through the specialty folks. If it is not your thing then you are likely to be very unhappy on the cruise.

 

I agree that it must take a lot of money to book an entire ship. They must line people up well in advance in order to pull something like this off.

 

From what I understand, the charter company has to guarantee that all lower berths will be filled. We're talking a few million dollars...

[shredie]

From what I've read there are also nudist cruise charters. If that's your thing then you can book through the specialty folks. If it is not your thing then you are likely to be very unhappy on the cruise.

 

Oh dear, I can think of about 100 people off the top of my head I would not want to see in the nude! Can you imagine? Princess would have to make sure this info was disclosed up front (haha) wouldn't they?

[Mingus]

Oh dear, I can think of about 100 people off the top of my head I would not want to see in the nude! Can you imagine? Princess would have to make sure this info was disclosed up front (haha) wouldn't they?

 

Formal nights would be really easy.......birthday suits :eek:

[iceleven]

I am no prude by any imagination and would not feel uncomfortable with either gay or nude cruises but I feel badly for the crew whose religions (Christian and Muslim) and/or their greater sense of modesty would find some of these cruises difficult to work. I wonder if there is ever any chance they can take some time off during these cruises.

[RickEk]

Oh dear, I can think of about 100 people off the top of my head I would not want to see in the nude! Can you imagine? Princess would have to make sure this info was disclosed up front (haha) wouldn't they?

 

A nudist cruise would involve chartering the entire ship...

[chengkp75]

I am no prude by any imagination and would not feel uncomfortable with either gay or nude cruises but I feel badly for the crew whose religions (Christian and Muslim) and/or their greater sense of modesty would find some of these cruises difficult to work. I wonder if there is ever any chance they can take some time off during these cruises.

 

Most of the time, when a cruise like a nudist cruise is chartered, the crew is given the option of staying on or getting off. This is another reason that the whole ship charter is at a premium price, as the line has to arrange for transportation and replacement crew.

[guemmerzeng]

I doubt if individuals charter a cruise for their buddies, but for sure I want to have that kind of friend!

[Vacationdreamer<><]

From what I've read there are also nudist cruise charters. If that's your thing then you can book through the specialty folks. If it is not your thing then you are likely to be very unhappy on the cruise.

 

 

I hope they clean EXTRA well after said cruise.

 

Oh dear, I can think of about 100 people off the top of my head I would not want to see in the nude! Can you imagine? Princess would have to make sure this info was disclosed up front (haha) wouldn't they?

 

 

I don't even like to see myself naked! LOL.

 

I feel badly for the crew whose religions (Christian and Muslim) and/or their greater sense of modesty would find some of these cruises difficult to work. I wonder if there is ever any chance they can take some time off during these cruises.

 

 

Excellent thought....

 

Most of the time, when a cruise like a nudist cruise is chartered, the crew is given the option of staying on or getting off. This is another reason that the whole ship charter is at a premium price, as the line has to arrange for transportation and replacement crew.

 

 

Glad to hear this is planned for.

 

I doubt if individuals charter a cruise for their buddies, but for sure I want to have that kind of friend!

 

 

Me too!

 

 

<><

[JF - retired RRT]

I doubt if individuals charter a cruise for their buddies, but for sure I want to have that kind of friend!

:D:D People with that kind of $$$ own their own yacht and take 50-100 of their best friends for a ride:D:D

[Thrak]

Formal nights would be really easy.......birthday suits :eek:

 

No "white ties" but lots of "tails"... :D

[SwimCarrie]

A nudist cruise? Oh, no! So many tushies in so many chairs!!! Ewwww. I hope they put something like a seat cover down first!!!

 

But naked dance classes and skinny dipping sound pretty fun. :D:D:D

 

Naked karaoke? Shuffleboard (careful!)? Would love to be in the back of the room for Bingo. (If you have 4 numbers, stand up!) LOLOLOL. MUTS might get a little chilly. Imagine the Captain's Party. Hold it together, Captain, stop laughing!!!

 

No wonder cruise ship employees have so many awesome stories!

 

Tip them well, folks. Look at all they have to deal with! :)

[geoherb]

A friend of mine's husband chartered a cruise ship a few years ago for his company's top employees and their families (out of more than 70,000 employees). She got to stay in the best suite. Nevertheless she described it as the cruise from hell because her husband spent most of his time dealing with a problem employee.

[RetiredNTraveling]

No "white ties" but lots of "tails"... :D

I would bet that packing for a "nude" cruise would be taking only the "bare essentials"! :o Never wondering if someone else has a dress like yours! :confused::rolleyes:

 

Wonder how you would find your pictures? I usually look for the color of what we were wearing that day! :confused:;)

[helenb]

Formal nights would be really easy.......birthday suits :eek:

 

Don't forget the bling! ;)

 

I gather the crew remains dressed? I wouldn't want naked cooks or waiters!

[COMBOY]

Don't forget the bling! ;)

 

I gather the crew remains dressed? I wouldn't want naked cooks or waiters!

 

Sorry to burst your fantasy...but no nudity allowed inside the ship's public areas including the dining room. You must be covered up. Only nudity allowed on the open decks and pool area when the ship is at sea or anytime in your private cabin. Passenger must sit on towels. On the GLBT charters nude sunbathing is tolerate on the upper most deck or extreme forward, but not around the pool areas. Both charters are adults only with no one under 18 allowed.

[RetiredNTraveling]

In reality, check out this link. It might be a little help! https://sites.google.com/site/princesscruisesfaq/ships/fleet-drydock-schedule

 

[donaldsc]

Oh dear, I can think of about 100 people off the top of my head I would not want to see in the nude!?

 

I would not want to see me nude and would definitely feel sorry for someone who wanted to see me nude.

 

DON

[helenb]

I would not want to see me nude and would definitely feel sorry for someone who wanted to see me nude.

 

What about your spouse? ;)

[SingerEsq]

We have never done an Atlantis cruise, but I have read that the crews usually love working these cruises, although I am sure there are exceptions. But they draw a much younger (often affluent) and generous crowd. Great entertainment (often headliner names that fly on and perform in the main rooms). And the alcohol consumption (with its auto gratuity for each drink) goes through the roof, as opposed to (many) a cruise where the ship is dead by 10 p.m. :)

 

I saw the cruise on the Golden advertised. I believe Atlantis usually uses NCL, so it caught my eye. :cool:

 

Edit: Actually just went to the website. This is Atlantis' first cruise on Princess.

Edited September 10, 2014 by SingerEsq
More information

[helenb]

We were once on a Celebrity cruise, right after a chartered Atlantis cruise. The phone in our stateroom had some interesting voicemails on it when we arrived, but outside of that, everything appeared fine.

 

During the cruise, we became friendly with some of the cruise director's staff, and they told us some interesting stories! The guys were apparently whistled at constantly, to the point where they began to feel uncomfortable about it. And there were many reports of 'unauthorized sexual activity' happening in various places. One such occasion called for shutting down the entire sauna in the spa for 'disinfecting.

 

Now I'm fairly certain that not everyone who goes on one of these cruises behaves in this manner, but I can see this happening! Regardless, the cruise staff sure had interesting stories to tell!