Suggest a new board...Getting off the ship

[RMS Olympic]

With so many family cruising on so many ships there is alot of up to date information that can be obtained about ports/ off the ship activitites.

I was wondering if a separate board for Gay and Lesbian ports of call would be of interest. Where to shop, where to eat, bars, tour guides, drivers etc could be listed...both good and bad. Often I look up the islands to see what is available, but often that can be very dated information. Often I have found very gay friendly shops or places to have lunch off the ship that might be of interest to other travelers....but to put it on a review or cruise board might not be readily spotted by someone cruising in the near future.

If not, then perhaps making special notes in our posts would be better......I must admit I like spending my money with gay or gay friendly merchants, businesses.

Comments would be appreciated.

[Raymond91773]

I think it's an excellent idea. We are always looking around to locate "family" owned/operated establishments and to have a board or a link would benefit for all.

[bepsf]

All I know is - stay on the boat in Jamaica...

 

:cool:

[Treven]

Great Idea!!!!

[thulewx]

All I know is - stay on the boat in Jamaica...

 

:cool:

Agree!!! And Grand Cayman...

And we had an incident once at Cancun, Carlos n Charlies (the old one, up the stairs) - about 20 of us were in the stairwell, waiting to get in and the "maitre'D" at the top said, "No room for you maricones! Get out!" I figure they lost about $10,000 in business that afternoon...and I'll never go in one again. We reported it to RSVP management, but not sure what was done about it...

[ecowen]

Avoid Nassau, too. Rosie's cruise was met by 200 protesters on the docks.:eek:

 

Hopefully there will be some place we CAN get off (the ship) and enjoy ourselves!:rolleyes:

 

Seriously, I'll always get off the ship, but I might not buy anything in unfriendly islands. I book an excursion through the ship, or just head to the beach. Nothing worse than cutting off your nose to spite your face on a cruise.

[Bones]

If your cruise ship should port in Roatan, Honduras, make sure you go snorkeling and scuba diving(if certified) in the warm clear waters.

[mcboo]

I have always found the Dutch Islands to be friendly.

mcboo

[MattInFLL]

Tom and Thule! How are you both? I have been so consumed by moving cross country, going to Africa, and finally getting settled in Florida, I hardly have time to visit here. Did you have fun in Tahiti?

 

Thule, your Carlos and Charlie's incident - was that in '99? That happened on our RSVP as well.

 

At any rate, I think Tom's idea is excellent. I've tried the out and about travel guides before and have not found them to be very up to date.

 

Matt

[bepsf]

If your cruise ship should port in Roatan, Honduras, make sure you go snorkeling and scuba diving(if certified) in the warm clear waters.

Hello Bones!!!

:) <waving hello>

 

I agree - the snorkeling in Roatan is great! I forget the name of the excursion company we used, but the guy who runs it is a hoot! (and he looks like George Clooney...)

 

We also had a great excursion in Santo Tomas de Castillo in Guatemala - Manuel was out guide on the tour to the Mayan Ruins and boat ride down the Rio Dulce. He was very informative, the sights were incredible and the local folks along the way were so friendly!

[thulewx]

I figured you were pretty busy lately, being bi-coastal and all...

Tahiti was as near perfect as is possible. Incredible scenery, incredible ship. Only a couple minor flies in the pintment, not even worth mentioning. I even managed to sneak a couple pix of Tommy in his "speedos." :eek: Sort of a Joan Crawford-esque type number, a little off the shoulders (heavily padded shoulders, I might add :p ). Tom thinks he's too heavy, but those arms (what are they, 45" biceps?) have a slimming effect :cool: .

I think that C-n-C incident may have been in '99 - was that YOU holding me up, halfway up the stairs? :o

Are you going to be around in FLL next February? I'm doing the Westerdam for 2 weeks; the RSVP and the week before, then 3 days in town after the RSVP....

[nitnyleo]

When will you be able to get this up and running?

 

Or, as an alternatilve, we could always start "Gay Places in ....." threads in the port-of-call boards

 

(Have to agree that much online info is out of date....there are a number of sites that suggest that I can cavort in the nude on Soloman's Beach, St John, USVI...obviously written b4 the W was selected to be prez.)

 

And, since there are already a couple of reviews coming in....both Winifred (what does the 1st mate look like?) and Fantasy daysails, in St Thomas/St John, USVI are gay friendly.

[Bones]

Hello Bones!!!

:) <waving hello>

 

I agree - the snorkeling in Roatan is great! I forget the name of the excursion company we used, but the guy who runs it is a hoot! (and he looks like George Clooney...)

 

Hello Brian!! Looking forward to tasting your sweet martinis

on the Oosterdam!

 

Inn of Last Resort in the West End of Roatan is a gay friendly place to do your snorkeling excursion.

[bepsf]

Hello Brian!! Looking forward to tasting your sweet martinis

on the Oosterdam!

 

Inn of Last Resort in the West End of Roatan is a gay friendly place to do your snorkeling excursion.

Just remember, Bones - Suite 4185, Upper Verandah Deck.

There will be a quiz afterward...;)

Roatan is a great island. Heck, anyplace where the ships pull into a port town called "Coxen Hole" is good in my book!!

:p ;)

[etoile]

And, since there are already a couple of reviews coming in....both Winifred (what does the 1st mate look like?) and Fantasy daysails, in St Thomas/St John, USVI are gay friendly.

My partner and I did some shopping in the Havensight mall in St. Thomas, and we were rather startled to see rainbow stickers and bars on about 50% of the shops! We commented to each other on it every time we saw one, but it wasn't until the last shop (The Doubloon Company in Bldg 8/Port of Sale) that I finally asked the cashier why the sticker was on the front window. She said that she actually had no idea what it signified, and she seemed a little unnerved by the question so I didn't come right out and ask if it was a gay rainbow.

[canuckcruiser68]

I know that this is a rather old post but do hope your idea for this has not fell to the side. There are some fabulous gay friendly places to go to in most Caribbean destinations. Puerto Rico has many great places to stay, dine and socialize that are more than accomodating. If you would like some ideas please feel free to email me.

Alicia

[nitnyleo]

Is this something that "someone"/Capt Tom is working on?

Couldn't each of us go, independently, to the destination boards and start a thread with "gay friendly" or "gay owned" posts and claim some space that way?

[etoile]

I'd like to, but I'm shy because I'm new...but I would be willing to start one in the PR board for example.

[nitnyleo]

If you like....I can go to the PR destination board, and make a post Titled "Gay Puerto Rico" and ask for info; then you can answer the post with the info you have. I would be interested...the only thing I know is the beach at Ocean Park"

 

(what the heck...I'll make the post now...look for it)

 

Do you have any info on Barbados, Grenada, St Marteen, St Thomas, St Kitts/Nevis,

[southieguys]

St. Thomas - did a google search and came up is Little Magens Bay as a gay/nude beach. The website was gayoutdoors.org. That was all I could find.

 

St. Kitts - nothing specifically gay, but we found Turtle Beach (maybe called Monkey Beach) to be very nice. There is a restaurant and a beach bar. My partner and I were obviously together and no one paid any adverse attention to us. Actually, we did see some gay male flirting going on (who shall remain nameless) and nobody seemed to care. The beach/bar/resto are located on the southeastern part of the island (I think) with a view directly to Nevis across the channel. We just hired a taxi at the port and asked for a secluded but fun beach and he took us there (there were three couples in a van taxi). The drive is nice as it goes through the hills and you can stop to look back at the port or out across the water. We saw monkeys, goats, peacocks, and other animals on the drive.

[mikerg]

It's been almost 2 years since last there, but hit or miss on activity ( gay nude sunbathing). We always waded along the right side of Magens Bay shoreline until we reached the rock jetty (about 100 yards). You need to bring water shoes, and carry your stuff above your head like shurpas.

Sometimes people boated to the small strip of beach, some came down from the road above, and some like us waded to it.

Last time there, there was new residential construction right above that area of the beach, so not sure what's happening there now.

[JeffCoud]

OH darn, I thought this thread was about getting OFF ON the ship lol!

 

Anyhow....like a previous poster, I have seen many rainbow flags on storefronts in St. Thomas, both at Havensight and downtown. In fact, one of the Little Switzerlands downtown usually is swimming with several gay employees, some of whom I've gotten to be chatty with.

 

Am trying to find Little Magens Bay in St. Thomas, supposedly a nude beach, and they say Honeymoon Beach in St. John is as well? In San Juan of course there are tons of things to do.

 

I also plan to find (and or make) a nude sunbathing area on Half Moon Cay...Holland America's private island! They say it can be done!

 

Jeff

[nitnyleo]

Thanks southieguys...after a quick surf of their site, I'm at a loss as to why I've never heard of it before (I'm already a member of the Gorp family of sites, and I still missed it)...it's super!

 

I was thinking of doing Turtle Beach....depends on the person(s) I meet onboard.

[nitnyleo]

Have already heard about Little Magens...apparently ships' crews head there. But the more confirmations I hear, the more confident I feel.

 

As for Honeymoon Beach...

Honeymoon Beach on St Johns is part of the National Park. Considering the current administration, and their record of arrests at neighboring Saloman's Beach, I sort of doubt that. Perhaps, Honeymoon Beach on Water Island is the place to go...it's still the "undiscovered" USVI, and doesn't get much traffic unless there are a lot of ships in port at the same time.

[nitnyleo]

Jeff,

While you take care of HAL's island,

I'll liberate the X island, Cococay.