Lesbian Couples who love cruising

[candiesx2]

:D Sunnyshine: i hope you have a great time too and you'll have to tell all of your trip too!

[candiesx2]

;) Thanx Shan9700 for the welcome back!!!! The weather was great, sunny and warm 90 degrees everyday,the sites and just breath taken and the people and so friendly too.I want to go back now!!:D Well i guess we just have to plan another cruise LOL

[Pussycat]

CandiesX2: We've been on 6 Olivia's & booked for one next year. Highly recommend them. Not cheap but we always feel we definitely get our money's worth.

Glad to help with any questions you might have.........

[candiesx2]

;) Thanx pussycat,,

I havent even started to price on the Olivia yet i was just looking as to what they have to offer.Very pricey huh.

[etoile]

It's good to hear you feel you get your money's worth, Pussycat. My wife and I have never done Olivia...does not mean we wouldn't LOVE to! But financially it's not within reach at the present time. Maybe when we're retired!

 

In fact, for our 10th anniversary cruise in February, we have booked an inside for the first time. The reason is that I am going back to school starting in August and we are anticipating a substantial drop in my income as a result. I will still be working part-time but it won't be the same as what I'm making now.

 

However I would not object to stowing away in your suitcase, Pussycat... ;)

[mithryl]

RV Mamas,

 

Cruise documents usually come within the 30 to 45 day window, depending on the cruiseline. You might want to call them if it's less than 30 days and you haven't gotten anything yet.

 

Our Big News...we just booked a 15 day Hawaii Circle cruise again for 3/2/08 on the Diamond Princess out of LA! Anyone interested in joining us?

We loved it so much this year (2/25/07) on the Island Princess that, after much consideration of other itineraries, We decided to do it again next year on a different Princess ship. If anyone has the time, this is a great trip!

[KL&KR]

Recent article, originally from the Advocate?:

 

"To be gay in Jamaica "to be dead"

 

Tuesday, April 17, 2007 / 10:22 AM

 

SUMMARY: Amnesty International condemns the latest anti-gay attack in Jamaica, an Easter Sunday assault on a church funeral supposedly attended by gays.

Amnesty International has publicly condemned recent episodes of violence in Jamaica, the latest at a church on Easter Sunday, against people who are perceived to be gay.

The organization is particularly concerned by reports of mob violence against people targeted for their appearance or behavior, reports that seem to be increasing in frequency.

On April 8, a crowd surrounded a church in Mandeville where a funeral was being held and hurled objects through a back window. The attacks were directed at mourners whom the crowd believed to be gay.

Following the murder of gay activist Brian Williamson in Kingston in June 2004, the Jamaica Observer published a letter that read, "To be gay in Jamaica is to be dead." Despite the international attention which followed the murder, the situation for LGBT Jamaicans has deteriorated further.

On April 2 of this year, a crowd threw stones and bottles at a group of costumed men who were dancing in the carnival procession along Gloucester Avenue in Montego Bay. According to reports, the crowd was angered because the men were gyrating in a sexually suggestive manner.

Eyewitnesses said the men were attacked, chased and beaten by the mob of around 30 or 40 people. At least one victim was hospitalized for his injuries. These two incidents occurred only two months after a group of men were targeted in a similar manner in a pharmacy in Kingston. A human rights defender told Amnesty that a mob of at least 200 people had gathered outside the store, calling for the men to be beaten to death because they were gay."

 

Rest of article: http://www.planetout.com/news/article-print.html?2007/04/17/1

 

This is not a place I want to visit...:rolleyes:

[RVMamas]

"To be gay in Jamaica "to be dead"

 

I for one, will never visit Jamaica. My dollars will be spent in a more friendly place.

 

 

Cruise documents: Well, I called the travel office and while I was on hold they looked but couldn't find them (my agent is on vacation)! :eek:

They called back about 45 minutes later, and they found the documents and will mail them to the house.:D I leave in exactly one month.;) :rolleyes: :D

 

 

 

Winnie

[RVMamas]

"To be gay in Jamaica "to be dead"

 

I for one, will never visit Jamaica. My dollars will be spent in a more friendly place.

 

 

Cruise documents: Well, I called the travel office and while I was on hold they looked but couldn't find them (my agent is on vacation)! :eek:

They called back about 45 minutes later, and they found the documents and will mail them to the house.:D I leave in exactly one month.;) :rolleyes: :D

 

 

 

Winnie

[KL&KR]

:eek: OMG, thank goodness you called! Hurrah for mithryl, too...

 

mithryl--I am trying to get Kathy excited about the LA-Hawaii trip. (We were thinking of going on the 100th Olivia cruise in the fall, but my phone interactions with them have been kinda disappointing--they're not interested in honoring the twofer that they offered us for the Caribbean trip, and they've been real lackadaisical about securing an accessible room for us). I will do my silver-tongued (ha) best; maybe we'll get to see the lava this time!...

 

Kristen

[RKW]

Hello Everyone-

I just noticed on the RSVP website the pricing for their mid to upper cabins on their most recent Barbados cruise is actually less than the listed price if you were to cruise with the line directly. Seems interesting that RSVP can offer a discount, while Olivia almost doubles the price. Has anyone ever sailed on one of the Star Clippers' ships? Would it be worth checking them out on our own or should we wait for another RSVP cruise offering? Seems from this thread, everyone that has gone on an RSVP cruise has enjoyed it.

 

Thanks!

 

RKW

[etoile]

I definitely enjoyed my RSVP cruise, but I should warn you that it will be 90-95% men on board. As a woman, I saw a LOT of misogyny, and as a femme lesbian there were even snipes about the possibility that I was straight. (Because lesbians are supposed to have short hair, you see, and I don't!)

 

There were plenty of really sweet guys on board and I enjoyed the trip immensely but you will definitely feel the gender gap on board.

[RKW]

Interesting and definitely something to consider. Thanks, Etoile, for the input.

 

RKW

[Pussycat]

KL & KR, I am really surprised that you have had a problem when trying to book with Olivia. I'm not surprised if you are attempting to switch a 2 for 1 in Caribbean for the 100th Anniversary cruise because these offers are exclusive to the original cruise offered , but, they are normally very easy to deal with AND especially sensitive to people with disabilities. I realize from your posting that you are now planning another cruise but if you are still interested in Olivia call Olivia again & ask for Jeri, she's the Director of Guest Services. I'm sure she will take care of your concerns.

[KL&KR]

The representative on the phone at Olivia told me she was new on the job, and apparently she had already booked the room I wanted to an able-bodied couple (Kathy uses a large scooter, and almost all HAL verandah rooms are too narrow for her to maneuver alongside the foot of the bed to get to the balcony). She told me she would try to get the room back, but never returned my call. Also, I understand the particularity of the 2-for-1 offer--we've been in business ourselves!--but since the room accessibility issue impinges on the timing of a booking, I was hoping Olivia would make an exception for us. It was just a combination of disappointments, added to the uncertainty of the room being comfortable (some folks on the Disability Board actually recommend against HAL)--I ended up losing steam for the project.

If we receive another twofer offer for that cruise, I may rev up and try again--but at that point, we will demand the accessible room we need, and some able-bodied dyke couple may get bumped. Or maybe Olivia will just say, sorry we can't accommodate you.

We used to go to Robin Tyler's West Coast Women's Music & Comedy Festival up by Yosemite; I would LOVE to find that feeling again! --but so far this just hasn't felt very oldtime fesbian.

Question for the older crowd: Can you "go home again" on an Olivia cruise? :o

 

Kristen

[mithryl]

KL&KR,

 

Sorry you're having issues with Olivia. I do think they try their best to accommodate, but sometimes things happen.

As far as the feeling of "going home again", I don't know that you can ever really recapture the past, but you can enjoy the "Now" for what it is. Times have changed. This is the "L Word" generation.

My partner (Bonnie) used to work for Robin Tyler and helped coordinate both the West Coast Women's Festival and some of Robin's cruises. Who knows, maybe you all have met? If you've got the time, join us 3/2/08 on the circle Hawaii cruise. Princess is very good about accommodating physically challenged individuals. On our last cruise, there were several folks with scooters (as well as walkers and wheelchairs), and everyone was gracious with elevator space, etc. Even tendering into port was handled with grace and ease for those needing special assistance. I think Olivia is great, but I agree with the comments regarding HAL. Olivia can only get as good as the cruiselines they choose. Since the "circle hawaii" crowd is predominantly seniors (based on length of the cruise and the price), it's a great way to enjoy yourselves and know that you will "blend in". I didn't hear one complaint from anyone with physical challenges on this cruise.

[Gator83]

;) Unfortunatly im already settled in and back to the grind.I wish i was back in the Islands where it was so very beautiful and nice and sunny and 90 degrees and having the times of our lives!! We are already thinking of doing another cruise soon - maybe we will join you all next summer. I am also looking into the Olivia cruise.Has anyone done that?

If anyone has never done a cruise -- you should do at least one but then you are hooked.

The Islands are so beautiful and there is so much to see and do.We did alot of sight seeing and shopping but we also made sure to have fun on the ship as well, especially sun bathing lol I did get a little sun burned but its all worth it LOL:D .

 

I have been on 3 Olivia cruises and am going on another in October. Ask away if you have any questions.

[Gator83]

The representative on the phone at Olivia told me she was new on the job, and apparently she had already booked the room I wanted to an able-bodied couple (Kathy uses a large scooter, and almost all HAL verandah rooms are too narrow for her to maneuver alongside the foot of the bed to get to the balcony). She told me she would try to get the room back, but never returned my call. Also, I understand the particularity of the 2-for-1 offer--we've been in business ourselves!--but since the room accessibility issue impinges on the timing of a booking, I was hoping Olivia would make an exception for us. It was just a combination of disappointments, added to the uncertainty of the room being comfortable (some folks on the Disability Board actually recommend against HAL)--I ended up losing steam for the project.

If we receive another twofer offer for that cruise, I may rev up and try again--but at that point, we will demand the accessible room we need, and some able-bodied dyke couple may get bumped. Or maybe Olivia will just say, sorry we can't accommodate you.

 

 

I agree witht he other suggestion to call and ask for Jeri. Olivia has always been very good with customer service and I really do not believe they will trade a 2 for 1 for one cruise for another one, so I wouldn't even count on that. On the other hand, I would think they would be able to get you the room you need.

[Pussycat]

Question for the older crowd: Can you "go home again" on an Olivia cruise? :o

 

Kristen

 

Well, if there is a chance that you can "go home again" Olivia cruises certainly provide the right atmosphere!

 

Kristen, I'm really surprised about your experience trying to get appropriate accommodation. I do hope you will call Jeri as I suggested, even if you don't plan on going. I'm am positive that she will be quite concerned about it.

 

Julie

[Pussycat]

Gator, I see you were on the seabreeze too. Interesting ship. It had real character!

[Gator83]

Gator, I see you were on the seabreeze too. Interesting ship. It had real character!

 

Pussycat,

 

The Seabreeze, Oceanbreeze and Dolphin IV had the best food. The Princess cruises I went on don't even come close to the quality of food I had on the Olivia cruises. Now of course the ships were not close to the quality of the ships today but a great time was had on those cruises.

[mithryl]

Does anyone know how these advertisements are getting onto my messages? I downloaded my ticker from tickerfactory .com...could the advertising be attributed to that? If anyone knows, please let me know. If it's tickerfactory, I'll remove them right away and go to a different source for my ticker.

Thanks for the help.

[RVMamas]

Mithryl, if you're talking about the advertisement at the top of the page, it's automatically inserted into each page on all boards. You were just unlucky enough to be the first poster on several pages.

 

Winnie

[funlady]

Does anyone know how these advertisements are getting onto my messages? I downloaded my ticker from tickerfactory .com...could the advertising be attributed to that? If anyone knows, please let me know. If it's tickerfactory, I'll remove them right away and go to a different source for my ticker.

Thanks for the help.

Heck, I thought you had a deal going with some company to advertise for them!!!!!

[KL&KR]

Thank you all for your good wishes and the recommendation to talk to Jeri. I think I'll wait to see if we get lucky on the twofer, and then, yes, I will call and ask for her directly.

 

Mithryl, yes, we have done mostly Princess (the Regal, actually, and we have done the 15-day Hawaii, which we really enjoyed). Absolutely agree with you: they have been pretty wonderful--the ship staff especially; Kathy and I always recommend them (admitting our limited experience!) to disabled folks.

 

We never got to know the movers and shakers at the festival, though we helped out with the bookstore booth (A Woman's Place, from Oakland). We were always just really delighted--ecstatic even--consumers. "L Word" generation--I guess so... (mumble mumble mumble; :rolleyes: hmmm, probably I just need some more coffee).

 

Kristen (aka Oscar the Grouch:D )