Does anyone do the FOD/LGBT gatherings?

[Cruiser Bruiser]

Thanks, my young teen kept bugging me about him going but I told him that as it was in a bar he couldn't go anyway. He was more looking for a social support group.

 

You could always go with him. I took my 70-something dad on the last night of our Princess cruise, and I think he had more fun than I did. :rolleyes: I would be impressed if a teen attended, and you could help make sure that folks are on their best behavior and remembering to keep commentary in check in the presence of a kid.

 

It's usually a friendly group of folks who attend, but participation varies by the cruise and by the night. And because these events typically are not hosted, the first step is always to figure out who is there for the meet up.

Edited February 20, 2016 by Cruiser Bruiser

[Swissmiss6253]

Thanks, I will, he has recently come out as FTM transgender and being around friendly folk is so good for him.

Edited February 21, 2016 by Swissmiss6253

[ged1967]

We have mainly cruised with Thomsons (well the first few were) Didn't notice any announcements in the paper. Don't know if they do FoD meetings.

 

We were on Adventure of the Seas and there was a FoD posted daily on a "stand" by pursers desk.

 

It was daily can't remember the time (7pm. Maybe) first night no one in Campagne bar but as we stood outside looking in two guys started chatting to us and the 4 of us went in. Over the next few days one or two appeared but that was it. It was never busy. Even though there were plenty around the ship!

Perhaps the secretive Friends of Dorothy is just too old fashioned for the modern day poof. The same as the hanky code. I'm 49 and don't know what it all means! Hanging from right side means you top, or is it bottom? and as for the colours :confused:

 

Anyway Christmas passed we were on QM2 on a TA to NYC. FoD daily 5pm in Comodores Club advertised in Daily Programmed. Very well attended, still not everyone. Canapés served by the staff who seemed to be genuinely happy to be in amongst us. Perhaps the pink pound helps!

 

We'll see what NCL Epic is like next year.

[Cruiser Bruiser]

We were on Adventure of the Seas and there was a FoD posted daily on a "stand" by pursers desk. [snip] Perhaps the secretive Friends of Dorothy is just too old fashioned for the modern day poof. [snip] We'll see what NCL Epic is like next year.

 

Thanks for your post, because I always forget that RCI refuses to put an LGBT gathering in the daily. Gay people can get married, but they can't get their gathering published on Royal Caribbean. That really annoys me.

 

That said, "Friends of Dorothy" has gone the way of the dodo, at least on NCL and HAL. They both list a daily LGBT Gathering or Get Together.

 

I hope you have a nice time on Epic. I love that ship. I sailed her last October, and not only was the LGBT Gathering posted in the Freestyle Daily, but the event was hosted the first few evenings. That was nice. I think we even got a bottle of bubbly, or two.

 

Cheers. :)

[CrusingJoe]

Thanks for your post, because I always forget that RCI refuses to put an LGBT gathering in the daily. Gay people can get married, but they can't get their gathering published on Royal Caribbean. That really annoys me.

 

That said, "Friends of Dorothy" has gone the way of the dodo, at least on NCL and HAL. They both list a daily LGBT Gathering or Get Together.

 

I hope you have a nice time on Epic. I love that ship. I sailed her last October, and not only was the LGBT Gathering posted in the Freestyle Daily, but the event was hosted the first few evenings. That was nice. I think we even got a bottle of bubbly, or two.

 

Cheers. :)

 

We just sailed RCL Vision in January and they posted the LGBT in the Compass every day of the 21 days we were on. The turn out was next to nothing. This is the first time we have see it posted on Royal in years. Maybe things are changing.

[Cruiser Bruiser]

We just sailed RCL Vision in January and they posted the LGBT in the Compass every day of the 21 days we were on. The turn out was next to nothing. This is the first time we have see it posted on Royal in years. Maybe things are changing.

 

Good to know. I hope you're right. :) I'm very intrigued by Quantum-class, but RCI doesn't make it easy to find available solo cabins. And the prices!:eek:

[sphsjags]

My first cruise was in 2014 on the MSC Divina from Miami to the Caribbean. I attended the LGBT Meet, which was hosted by a crew member, and met several couples. We didn't hang out afterwards but it was nice to have someone to say hello to when you passed each other on the ship. MSC, being Italian/European, was very friendly in my opinion. My boyfriend and I were always together and we didn't notice any glares or comments.

 

My second cruise was 2015 on the Carnival Liberty from Puerto Rico to the Caribbean. I tried to attend the LGBT event but I'm not sure if it even happened. I arrived a minute or two late and all I arrived to were some people drinking at a bar. There was no leader, no big group talking, etc. It made me uncomfortable and deterred me from asking anyone if I was in the right spot.

[Midnight Blue]

"Perhaps the secretive Friends of Dorothy is just too old fashioned for the modern day poof. The same as the hanky code. I'm 49 and don't know what it all means! Hanging from right side means you top, or is it bottom? and as for the colours :confused:"

 

Right is bottom, left is top. Happy to answer color questions as well. :D

 

But back to the topic...

 

My partner and I have tried the FOD meetings on several of our cruises on different cruise lines (Carnival, Royal, NCL). Poor to zero attendance on all of them. I'd love to have more interaction with LGBT couples on board, of any gender. We're on the Celebrity Solstice June 3 Alaska cruise next....

[Cruiser Bruiser]

"Perhaps the secretive Friends of Dorothy is just too old fashioned for the modern day poof. The same as the hanky code. I'm 49 and don't know what it all means! Hanging from right side means you top, or is it bottom? and as for the colours :confused:"

 

Right is bottom, left is top. Happy to answer color questions as well. :D

 

But back to the topic...

 

My partner and I have tried the FOD meetings on several of our cruises on different cruise lines (Carnival, Royal, NCL). Poor to zero attendance on all of them. I'd love to have more interaction with LGBT couples on board, of any gender. We're on the Celebrity Solstice June 3 Alaska cruise next....

 

On all of my most recent cruises on Norwegian, Princess and HAL, the event was listed as LGBT Gathering or some such, but always LGBT. I think the cruise lines have mostly retired Friends of Dorothy. And I don't get the hanky code, either. ;)

[zackarykeef]

We were on the NCL Getaway in August and went the first evening at the time listed in the Daily (~7pm I think). As others have said, we weren't sure who was all there for it, but some people called us over, and we soon realized there were a good bunch of us there! It was right after the singles meet and greet, and a lot of them stayed, so we met a bunch of them as well. Some of us hung out, some of us didn't...but we kind of made that bar our "spot" every night, and everyone would swing by for at least a drink each night, so it was nice to catch up and chat about everyone's day.

 

We definitely saw other LGBT around the ship, but I know some people have different ideas in vacation and may want time to themselves/with their partner, etc. I'm pretty social and think meeting people is the best thing about cruising! When we booked our upcoming cruise in 3 weeks, we actually messaged someone we met on the last cruise, and she decided to book as well! Can't wait!

 

I really hope this thread inspires more people to go...I think it's a great way to show your camaraderie and meet awesome people. And the bartenders love us :D

[Cruiser Bruiser]

We were on the NCL Getaway in August and went the first evening at the time listed in the Daily (~7pm I think). As others have said, we weren't sure who was all there for it, but some people called us over, and we soon realized there were a good bunch of us there! It was right after the singles meet and greet, and a lot of them stayed, so we met a bunch of them as well. Some of us hung out, some of us didn't...but we kind of made that bar our "spot" every night, and everyone would swing by for at least a drink each night, so it was nice to catch up and chat about everyone's day.

 

We definitely saw other LGBT around the ship, but I know some people have different ideas in vacation and may want time to themselves/with their partner, etc. I'm pretty social and think meeting people is the best thing about cruising! When we booked our upcoming cruise in 3 weeks, we actually messaged someone we met on the last cruise, and she decided to book as well! Can't wait!

 

I really hope this thread inspires more people to go...I think it's a great way to show your camaraderie and meet awesome people. And the bartenders love us :D

 

Thanks for sharing your experience. I'm booked on Getaway in September, and it's good to know folks are having a good time. I'm booked in September 2017, too, as NCL is sending Getaway to the Baltic, and that's on my list of places to go. I'm trying to convince a gay buddy to sail with me. It will be his first cruise, and I'm going to show him your post. Cheers.

[Showboy]

I agree with many posts - it depends on the cruise company and the ship. Gatherings on the NCL Epic and NCL Breakaway were well attended but unfortunately meetings on the NCL Jade were not. From my experience having cruise with 10+ different lines, that NCL does a better job than others.

[Hal&Rob]

We travel on HAL. The LGBT meetings are posted daily and are usually at 4 or 5pm in 2-4-1 cocktail lounges and always seemed well attended. Made some wonderful friends over the years. We are an older couple (45yrs together); and HAL, it seems, caters more to us older farts. ;)

Edited March 17, 2016 by Hal&Rob

[nz1]

On the RCI Voyager of the Seas we took earlier this month, LGBT gatherings were in the Cruise Compass each day, and we saw separate gatherings named 'Friends of Dorothy' on the Community Noticeboard.

 

We didn't go to any but I had a laugh when I passed a group of people at one point who were trying to work out who 'Dorothy' was! :D

[Trcarpenter]

HELP!!! So, my husband, daughter, and myself leave on Saturday on the Carnival Conquest for 8 days. Our daughter is 26 and we were told that there are LGBT get togethers on the ship. But I cannot find ANY information about them anywhere or how to find them!!! She and I are both on the Board of Directors for Pride Houston and my husband and I have always been very supportive of our daughter! It would absolutely break my heart if the information I had been told wasn't true!!!! :( Can anyone help me????

[sphsjags]

The Carnival ship I was on last year had an LGBT gathering. It was listed on the daily brochure they give out. However, it did not appear to be structured at all. It seemed like more of a "show up at this bar and it's likely everyone else is LGBT, too." I arrived just a few minutes late and it didn't seem like a group/structured event. Not like it was on MSC.

[Trcarpenter]

Thanks for the reply! Hopefully she will meet up with some people her age! I'd hate to have to come back and beat a cruise bookers a** for lying to me about LGBT meet ups on Carnival! LOL!!!!

[sphsjags]

Some kind person posted all of the schedules from the itinerary we're going on this next week (Ruby Princess, Sea of Cortez). I see that Princess specifies when events are not hosted. Their LGBT gatherings are not hosted.

If only Carnival had been so nice as to specify.

[Riknpat]

Most of the LGBT gatherings I have attended were good - only two busts -a port intensive Baltic cruise on the Vision and a transatlantic to Rio on the Splendour where most of the LGBT crowd were Portuguese speaking Brazilians who already knew each other. Otherwise on Noordam, Westerdam, Splendour, Navigator, Adventure, Grandeur and Allure it was pretty good. That said we weren't passively letting the ship do it. We met folks and networked and decided ourselves where and when we wanted to meet. When the group got big enough we asked for little extras like snacks. Got them. We asked the CD on Allure to put our meeting in the daily compass and it was done. There are little complications. A lot of the regular LGBT crowd are cruise regulars and are entitled to free drinks somewhere because of their loyalty status. RCI has been loading 3 extra drinks on Diamond level room keys to have anywhere so on Allure a great group of us met in the Diamond lounge at 7 and migrated on mass to the Champagne bar at 8 to meet everyone else. Good fun. On Adventure the group got so big it had to split between two bars. I guess my point is - be proactive both in meeting other LGBT folks and with the ship. I am on a TA on Spirit this month - my first on Norwegian so I was interested in everyone's comments about NCI. We are a funny crowd though. There have only been three of us chatting on the Spirit Roll Call but we have 1,260 views. Where are those other folks? Laff!

[Cruiser Bruiser]

Some kind person posted all of the schedules from the itinerary we're going on this next week (Ruby Princess, Sea of Cortez). I see that Princess specifies when events are not hosted. Their LGBT gatherings are not hosted.

If only Carnival had been so nice as to specify.

 

I hope you have fun on Ruby Princess. I just returned from four nights on Star Princess. We sailed up the coast from LA to Vancouver, and there were lots of the gays on board, all ages and all types. The first "LGBT Gathering" was hosted by a member of the cruise staff. The remaining nights, as you observe, were listed in the Patter specifically as "unhosted." Attendance was fantastic--anywhere from 22-30 each night.

[sphsjags]

It just so happens that all of the LGBT events are scheduled when we have dinner. Maybe I'll get a chance to catch one.

 

 

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[posspet]

We always try to partake of the LGBT drinks on the ship. Trouble is that sometimes it interferes with dinner, shows or other arrangement.

It is also a great time to meat up with straight friends. Sometime our group has outnumbered everyone else.

I always seem to run out of time on a holiday to do everything.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

Hopefully I will be able to make them on my upcoming Brilliance cruise. Especially with MTD it would be nice if they would have a definitive time for them so I could reschedule my dinner if it interferes with the gatherings somehow publicized BEFOREHAND embarkation day as while I know I could reschedule on board, the first night seems like it would be more difficult to do it, and it would just be awkward I think to show up the second night. :/

[GlasgowGuy]

We've met some wonderful folk at the FOD LGBT events on previous cruises. In our experience RCL seems to list it more often in the daily cruise planner than the other lines we've cruised on. P&O will probably have one mention of an LGBT meet during a two week cruise. On RCL ships the Champagne Bar seems to be the venue of choice.

 

As a previous poster mentioned, you will bump into other family members throughout the cruise. A friendly hello usually breaks the ice and before you know it you'll be enjoying drinks or a meal together.

 

If all else fails just have half a dozen hankies of various colours protruding from each and every pocket......that will get them guessing, lol ;)

[Cruiser Bruiser]

We've met some wonderful folk at the FOD LGBT events on previous cruises. In our experience RCL seems to list it more often in the daily cruise planner than the other lines we've cruised on. P&O will probably have one mention of an LGBT meet during a two week cruise. On RCL ships the Champagne Bar seems to be the venue of choice.

 

As a previous poster mentioned, you will bump into other family members throughout the cruise. A friendly hello usually breaks the ice and before you know it you'll be enjoying drinks or a meal together.

 

If all else fails just have half a dozen hankies of various colours protruding from each and every pocket......that will get them guessing, lol ;)

 

I'm sailing on P&O for the first time in December, and I have the clear impression that the line doesn't offer LGBT gatherings. I was surprised to read that you've seen a mention at all. With four formal nights, I guess I will have to invest in some colorful pocket squares. Since British guys don't seem to be quite as hung up as Americans, it's going to be an adventure in "European or gay?" I'm sure I'll manage to have fun, regardless.