RSVP vs. Atlantis

[Cruznboy]

Hi,

I am considering taking a gay cruise in 2008 and would like to know which company offers the better gay cruise. Atlantis of RSVP...to be honest I have heard that RSVP is a meat market which I don't want. And Atlantis seems to use the better ships....am I correct on this? Also are the pool areas on the gay cruise nude or optional? Also what else can you all tell me about them......so far I'm going solo and would also like to know some people. Thanx

[Beachbook]

good afternoon. I have not been on one but know people who have been on both and I am told that RSVP has a wider range of people and Atlantis is a lot of circuit boy types. I would get a few more first hand opinions :-)

[Boytjie]

...to be honest I have heard that RSVP is a meat market which I don't want.

 

And others say they have heard that about Atlantis!

 

I have been on an RSVP cruise and an Atlantis land resort and they seemed fairly similar: wide ranges of ages, body types, partying levels, singles/couples etc.

 

On the RSVP Caribbean Fantasy there was one small deck area that was clothing optional - in the pool areas it was clothed.

 

The cruise was what you wanted to make of it: party all the time or relaxed and laid back.

 

There was a great group of Cruise Critics on theat cruise: some hung out together a lot, some were only seen once (or never!).

[Smallships]

Atlantis and RSVP sail on huge, mega ships My partner and I have gotten hooked on smaller ships. We've sailed with Travelpride a few times on 150 passenger ships and loved it. Can't imagine going back to the big ones.

[Boytjie]

Atlantis and RSVP sail on huge, mega ships My partner and I have gotten hooked on smaller ships. We've sailed with Travelpride a few times on 150 passenger ships and loved it. Can't imagine going back to the big ones.

 

RSVP has cruises on small ships too: in 2008 they have cruises in Barbados and Tahiti on ships of 227 and 170 passengers.

[Beachglass9]

I have been on 2 Atlantis Med. Cruises and leaving Aug. 25th on my 3rd. I am a 61 yr old man and "NO" circuit boy for sure. I love Atlantis cruises. There are all types of people, young, older, bears and bb's. I would say the average age is mid-40's (med. Cruises). I think the Caribbean cruises tend to attract more of the circuit boy crowd just because of the lower prices.

As far as the pools are concerned, they are NOT clothing optional.

[jjtsfca]

Cruznboy - first, you may want to do a search on both companies on this board - there is a wealth of information on both companies and their vacation product(s). There are many in-the-know gay posters on CruiseCritic.com.

 

I did RSVP cruises and land trips from about 1994 to 2000, and then changed to Atlantis cruises. Both use outstanding ships/hotels and offer an excellent product. I find (for me) that the Atlantis product is superior for my needs. There is a wide range of people on both products. Contrary to a rumor that seemingly refuses to die (I'm convinced it is perpetuated by one queen somewhere 15 years ago who went on a cruise and was unsuccessful in getting laid ;) - they are not floating bathhouses. It is 2000 or so gay men (and 10 very hardy lesbians) on vacation together on a luxury cruise ship, seeing some beautiful and interesting ports, enjoying each other's company, meeting new people, going to shows, eating quite well, and attending some excellent dance parties. It can be quiet and restful or go go go 20 hours a day - the gay cruise vacation can be whatever you want it to be. I love them, and I find them strong channels for our community building, in addition to all the fun.

 

Caribbean and Mexican Riviera skew younger, slightly less coupled, somewhat harder partying. Mediterranean/Alaska/Baltic skew older, more coupled, more expensive and little less frenetic.

[etoile]

After reading these boards for a few years, I am pretty certain that 50% of people will tell you Atlantis is the "circuit party boat" group and 50% will tell you it's RSVP. Personally I have only been on RSVP, and I did not find it too terribly party-like. Sure, there were lots of parties, some of them are circuit party style parties, but there's a lot to do that isn't as well. Based on the advertising alone, I would say Atlantis is targeting the hardbody type more - the guys in the RSVP ads are not quite as buff as the ones in the Atlantis ads. That's just an observation though.

[emjsea]

I'm not a circuit party boy, and I don't like their "lifestyle" either and that said, I love Atlantis cruises. Their advertising aside, there are all kinds of ages, colors, and body types on Atlantis cruises. I'm a little chubby and a little "alternative" and I never felt out of place, unwelcome, uncomfortable. Both times I had the time of my life and, in fact, I'm going on two Atlantis cruises next year (Biggest Gay cruise ever, part 3 and a Med cruise).

 

From what I've read, both Atlantis and RSVP are pretty much the same, but with a lot of RSVP guys saying the Atlantis cruises are just 24 hour circuit parties (with a lot of uninformed condescension).

 

My biggest concern for you about booking RSVP is that the company is doing poorly financially and could go out of business before your cruise. If you do go with RSVP, be sure and get cruise insurance. But, I think either way, you'll have a great time no matter which you choose. It's just great to be on an all-gay cruise!

 

The advertising complaint, to me, is just silly. Atlantis knows what sells and that's hot muscle boys. Sorry, but that's just a fact of life from selling tennis shoes to soda to cars, etc. It attracts people to see that kind of thing.

[Boytjie]

The advertising complaint, to me, is just silly. Atlantis knows what sells and that's hot muscle boys. Sorry, but that's just a fact of life from selling tennis shoes to soda to cars, etc. It attracts people to see that kind of thing.

 

Just look at any commercials for cruises, Disney World, Sandals resorts etc: do the people in their ads reflect how the majority of their customers look? Well, that actually goes for all marketing!

[etoile]

From what I've read, both Atlantis and RSVP are pretty much the same, but with a lot of RSVP guys saying the Atlantis cruises are just 24 hour circuit parties (with a lot of uninformed condescension).

Yep, that's what I meant when I said 50% of people prefer RSVP and 50% prefer Atlantis. The RSVP guys say Atlantis is the circuit party, and the Atlantis guys say RSVP is the party. :)

The advertising complaint, to me, is just silly. Atlantis knows what sells and that's hot muscle boys. Sorry, but that's just a fact of life from selling tennis shoes to soda to cars, etc. It attracts people to see that kind of thing.

I'm sorry you took my comment as a complaint, it was not intended as such! I know perfectly well that "beautiful" bodies are what sell all kinds of products. But actually, looking at their websites, they both have pretty much the same style of guys pictured in their front-page slideshows. The only difference I note is that RSVP has a female couple on their front page and Atlantis does not...but RSVP and Atlantis have about the same amount of women on their sailings from what I have heard. (Usually 5-7% of pax.)

[emjsea]

Etoile... sorry about that. I didn't mean you were complaining. Your post just reminded me of the complaint that I've heard so many times about the advertising and I wanted to cut off the complaining at the pass!

 

And, yes, Sandals is a good example, does anyone think the couples that go to Sandals actually look like the ones they show on the ads? Ads are misleading... heck look at the people on the cruise advertisements that show people enjoying a beach with no one else on it or the pool on the cruise ship with just a few people in it. Usually the pool is as crowded as a jar of olives.

[bepsf]

...since the $700K losses on the QM2 crossing and the lack of sales for the (overpriced) Westerdam Med cruise.

PlanetOut (which owns RSVP) needs a $15MM cash infusion by August just to stay in business. Needless to say, they're actively looking for someone to take RSVP off their hands...

[etoile]

Good to hear from you Brian...wish it were with better news. I hope RSVP can hang in there.

[MattInFLL]

A cruise with either company will be what you make of it. If you want the big party younger skewing wilder atmosphere, then Atlantis's January cruise is for you... although you could have a romantic cruise for two on that sailing as well. The cheaper the fare, the easier the port is to get to, the younger the crowd... I would choose based on my schedule and the itinerary.

 

And don't get bogged down in all the negativity about RSVP... there was a time when Atlantis was teetering, too... some people really should try the experience before being so completely negative about it. I always feel like I get my money's worth on an all gay vacation, and any premium is worth it.

[bepsf]

Good to hear from you Brian...wish it were with better news. I hope RSVP can hang in there.

 

Hi there Miss E!

 

Yes, I too hope that RSVP somehow makes a turnaround.

 

I've had great experiences on the two trips I've taken with them and would like to do so again sometime.

[BostonBud]

My husband and I wanted to take a gay cruise and we researched RSVP and Atlantis. We decided to go with Atlantis and took our first cruise this past March. We are both in our early 40's but not big partiers either. We had a great time. Atlantis provided lots of additional entertainment in addition to what's provided by the cruise line. The crowd was 50% singles and honestly, I never felt the "overly sexual tension" that is supposed to be on these ships. Everyone was friendly and happy and just having a good time.

 

One of the big differences that made us go with Atlantis was the cruise lines they work with and also their "freestyle" dinning with no official formal dinners. We wanted to go on vacation and not have to dress in a suit and tie.

 

Malcolmn the cruise director (I think he's on all the atlantis cruises) was absolutely fabulous too. He was everywhere and did such an amazing job. We booked the January cruise already too (even with the knowledged that it can be on the younger side because it leaves from maimi) and it is almost all sold out already.

[BrianTom]

After reading these boards for a few years, I am pretty certain that 50% of people will tell you Atlantis is the "circuit party boat" group and 50% will tell you it's RSVP. Personally I have only been on RSVP, and I did not find it too terribly party-like. Sure, there were lots of parties, some of them are circuit party style parties, but there's a lot to do that isn't as well. Based on the advertising alone, I would say Atlantis is targeting the hardbody type more - the guys in the RSVP ads are not quite as buff as the ones in the Atlantis ads. That's just an observation though.

 

You could not have been said better.

 

I have done both and would agree you. The Atlantis cruises I have been on were out of Miami in the month of January and they are definitely a circuit party crowd. I did the RSVP in Feb out of Ft. Lauderdale and that crowd was not as Circuity, but rather a full representation of the men in the gay Community. RSVP is more like being in Provincetown in the summer and the January Atlantis cruise is more like being at Viscaya in Miami during the white party. I have not done the Atlantis med cruises or the Atlantis South Caribbean out of San Juan, but my friends who have done both say those trips have a crowd more like RSVP than the Atlantis January Cruise. There are hardly any women on Atlantis trip while it seemed about 10-20% of the RSVP trip are women.

 

I hope that helps.

 

Tom

[HotlantaCruiser]

good afternoon. I have not been on one but know people who have been on both and I am told that RSVP has a wider range of people and Atlantis is a lot of circuit boy types. I would get a few more first hand opinions :-)

 

You mean, to combat your second hand one?

 

 

As for the OP, there are a TON of threads on CC on this very subject. Many will answer every possible question you could have.

 

I have sailed on over 10 Atlantis charters, and loved every one of them. All types of people, etc. I have not sailed with RSVP, but wouldn't hesitate to if the itinerary/timing and ship met my needs