Cruising for Answers
Our large ship cruise specialist Tom Baker recently appeared on his local PBC station in Houston to discuss the recent events surrounding the Costa Concordia disaster.
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News & Expert Advice
A Blog for the LGBT Community Who Love To CruiseRandall Shirley: Editor
Tom Baker: Cruise Expert
The World's Leading Large Ship Specialist!
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Tom Baker
The Costa Concordia Disaster & Safety At Sea
All guests who embark on a ship in the U.S are required to partake in a lifeboat safety drill prior to sailing.
While the Costa Concordia tragedy is still unfolding and the total story is yet to be told, I wanted to share my own shock and horror of seeing this disaster unfold over the past several days. After 200 plus cruises, I could not fathom anything of this nature happening understanding the stringent regulations the cruise industry is held to and their own standards of safety protection put in place to ensure this type of disaster could not unfold.
While the activity of the Costa Concordia’s Captain appears to have made many grave errors, perhaps the only good thing he may have done was beach the ship to keep the ship from completely sinking in deeper water and allowing the guests close proximity to the local port for easier evacuation. I will not comment yet on this major concern until all the facts are in place but it appears, rogue behavior (human error) by the ships Captain, created this disaster.
After nearly 45 years of traveling by ship, this horrendous incident is a first for me but let me share some information about the cruise industry with you.
During the last 10 years – nearly 100 million passengers took cruise vacations – 6 safety related deaths took place during that time until Costa Concordia.
The cruise industry still remains the safest mode of transportation. While there have been other “fender benders” over the years, mostly due to wind activity while docking or un-docking, this industry has a stellar reputation and loss of life has been virtually non-existent.
All guests who embark on a ship are required to partake in a lifeboat safety drill within 24 hours. In the US, this takes place at sailing time due to US Coast guard regulations. Upon embarkation, every ships cabin TV plays the safety video regardless of where the ship is, has complete safety instructions posted on the back of a cabin door, and generally a complete lifeboat drill is held.
The fact that chaos ensued on Costa Concordia is not shocking to me due to the nature of the ships initial accident, loosing power (except for emergency power which did kick in although it is low-level lighting) beaching, turning on its side due to that beaching, the fact the lifeboats on one side were inoperable due to the heavy listing, the lack of instruction for the 500 who had just embarked the ship only a few hours earlier, and the mutual fear factor shared by everyone including the ships crew as this happened so quickly. I believe based on the hull damage caused by the lengthy hole doomed this ship from the initial impact.
The nature of the ship turning so quickly on its side was likely due to the beaching and the laws of physics for a vessel to be in such shallow water.
Do I Think Cruising Is Unsafe?
NO! I think most cruise lines including Costa generally uphold a very high standard of safety, comply with stringent SOLAS (Safety Of Life AT Sea), local coast guard, and all maritime organizations rules. These ships are constantly monitored and crew training takes place continuously. This event was the result of human error and very poor judgment by the ships Captain.
What Would I Do To Assist My Own Safety On My Next Cruise?
- Watch the cabin TV video showing what to do in the event of an emergency-this usually plays all day on the first day of a cruise and is already playing when you enter your cabin
- Review the safety details behind the cabin door that give detailed instructions on what to do in the event of a disaster
- Ask my room steward where the closes evacuation route or staircase is nearest my cabin to ensure I knew where to go
- Attend and listen carefully to the ships safety drill
- Relax and enjoy my cruise as will most all 17 million who will choose to take this exciting vacation!
In the meantime, my thoughts go to those who were lost in this tragedy as well as anyone who endured the agony and fear during this unnecessary tragedy. I know that safety rules will be once again revisited and perhaps changed in the immediate future.
Travel Safe!
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Randall Shirley
Cruise ship safety, and other travel safety
Photos: Courtesy of APThe grounding and capsizing of the Costa Concordia yesterday seems almost unbelievable. But it’s a strong reminder that when we cruise, we’re still on a big machine that floats, in the ocean.
No matter how much we gays travel—be it cruising, hotels, flying—it’s crucial that we pay attention to safety.
I generally do the following, but after yesterday’s disaster am recommitted to do at least these things when I travel. I encourage you to do the same.
On a ship
- During my FIRST visit to my stateroom, study the safety materials in the room.
- Learn the exit routes, as posted in the cabin. Go look at those routes.
- Consider alternate routes for how I would get off the ship if it were dark, or if the ship were listing to one side.
- Discuss an evacuation plan with my partner or other traveling companions.
- Pay close attention to the muster drill.
- Really learn to use the life vest.
On a plane
- Pay attention to the safety briefing.
- Actually look at where the nearest exit is, and count the number of seating rows between me and that exit, because in a smoky or darkened plane you might have to actually find the exit by feel.
In a hotel
- Learn the exit routes.
- In a foreign country, check to make sure the exit routes are not blocked, or worse, locked. It’s unlikely, but not unheard of. Ant it wouldn’t hurt to check on exits even in North America and Europe–just so you know the way and have a plan.
- Keep appropriate clothing ready in case of evacuation—shoes, pants, and shirt/coat near the door.
These are simple things, but in a world where we take travel safety for granted, yesterday’s Costa Cruises disaster serves as an excellent reminder of how wrong things can go.
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Randall Shirley
Reflecting on Azamara: Our own Captain Stubing & Julie McCoy
My partner and I recently cruised in the Mediterranean onboard the Quest of Azamara Club Cruises. The gay-friendly experience raised the cruising bar for us, and if I had to pick a single reason why, I’d pinpoint the captain.
Captain Carl Smith of the Azmara Quest gives instructions before welcome about 100 passengers to join him for a hike in Kotor, Montenegro. The most-amazing cruise ship captain I've ever met. © Randall Shirley
Whoa…the captain? Yes, you read that right. On all my previous cruises, I have never encountered a memorable captain. They’ve all seemed like guys who put up with the time they had to spend greeting the passengers.
Not the captain of the Quest. Carl Smith is a fascinating guy—he’s British, and young, and he loves, loves his job. That showed in everything about the experienced we had on the Quest. I never asked his age, but he can’t be a day over 40. He is incredibly friendly. And during his daily noontime briefings and other encounters around the ship, it’s abundantly clear that he loves being on board a ship and being at sea—and the many things you can see and experience at sea and in port.
Two examples—one today, and one I’ll share in a future blog posting.
Number One. In Kotor, Montenegro, Smith actually guided a hike to St. John’s Fort, a magnificent spot some 4,000 steps above that gorgeous port town. Yes, the ship’s captain served as tour guide. The day prior he announced that in Kotor he and several of his officers would be doing the hike, and invited any passengers who so desired to join them for the hike—basically a “free” shore excursion! Denni and I jumped at the chance, and joined about 100 other passengers along with Captain Smith and many of the staff and crew of the ship. It was a blast!We all met on shore (first time I’ve ever seen a captain on shore), next to the ship, where Smith stood up on a platform and talked to everyone about the hike, letting us know it would be a strenuous hike. Strangely, many passengers decided to do the hike in sandals—big mistake (although most of them did make it to the top and back down). We all were required to sign waivers releasing Azamara from liability, and then we walked through the old city of Kotor, and past the gate to the stairs to the fort (Azamara covered the small entry fee for every one of us!).
Randall and Denni with the ship Azamara Quest from St. John's Fort trail, high above Kotor, Montenegro.
The hike was both strenuous and gorgeous. We could have done it on our own. But we had so much more fun doing it with the captain of our ship and having the chance to visit with him a bit—just like Love Boat passengers used to do with Captain Stubing. We also really enjoyed extra time to visit with Cruise Director Russ Grieve, who does an amazing job with the entertainment staff on board the ship, and by the end of the cruise had become a friend (just like Julie McCoy, Russ was even there as we debarked to bid us farewell).
As we all posed for a photo at the top of the hike, with the ship’s photographer shooting it. Of course, it was for sale back on board, a great memory available for those who were there.
While the Azamara Quest is a gorgeous ship, it is just a ship. Ultimately it is the staff and crew who bring any ship to life. Captain Carl Smith was truly key in making our Azamara trip amazing.
Obviously, Captain Smith isn’t on board every Azamara sailing. They do have another ship, the Azamara Journey, and even on the Quest, Smith rotates with another captain every few months. Staff members on the Questsaid that the other captains are all different, but that the experience of sailing on Azamara is outstanding and the service level remains extremely high.
The ship Azamara Quest from St. John's Fort trail, high above Kotor, Montenegro. © Randall Shirley
Next time: Captain Smith shows us an active volcano…where we didn’t know there was one!
*Note: as is customary in the professional travel writing industry, the author received complimentary travel on Azamara Club Cruises. The author strives to remain unbiased in his reviews. Please see our full disclosure statement here.
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Tom Baker
Cruise Lines – The BEST and those needing HELP
The best and those who need help of 2011 are simply subjective to my own personal experiences and those taken from the many cruise passengers who have booked with me during the 2011 year. I won’t mince words and hold back as honesty is the best policy for a travel professional who must decipher the good, the bad, and the ugly. Yes, all three coexist in the fantasy world of cruise travel. By saying “needing help”, creates a fear that the cruise line is not good. This simply isn’t the case. It just demonstrates an area wherein a particular cruise line did not deliver up to par in 2011.LUXURY LINE
Crystal Cruises – The Best
Consistently the best luxury brand across the board and rates the highest among guests year after year. This cruise line should be the model of the cruise industry while having two older ships. Crystal continuously refurbishes, polishes, and delivers the best all-around luxury product…period!Silversea Cruises – Needing Help
The onboard service continues to be erratic according to sailed guests. It varies from ship-to-ship and sailing. I would hope this issue had rhyme or reason but it appears to be a moving target. Polish that service Silversea and you will have a complete winner as your ships are beautiful, unique, and provide superb cuisine.PREMIUM LINE
Oceania Cruises – The Best
Ocean delivers the best in class with its mid-sized 700-1200 passenger ships that offer excellent food, service, and value. It’s itineraries are superb and country club casual dress code-creates a winner for sophisticated travelers looking for the perfect ambiance. This line consistently delivers a wonderful and innovative product.Celebrity Cruises and Holland America – Needing Help
Both suffer from inconsistent fleets of ships in need of refurbishment and repair. While Celebrity is refurbishing its older ships in a fast track move ( several years overdue), these older ships have been overshadowed and neglected as the new and spectacular Solstice Class ships emerged over the past few years. Celebrity, however, continues to be a brilliant cruise line, innovative, and has the best maritime architecture in the premium sector of the cruise industry. I suspect Celebrity will overshadow its main competitor Holland America in 2012 with a “finally” refreshed fleet of ships.
Holland America has done a mixed job of refurbishing its fleet of elegant mid-sized ships. It appears that the Signature of Excellence 2.0 initiative slowed exponentially in 2011 and guests have returned commenting on how this fleet of popular ships suffers from mismatched décor and partial refurbishment. The word tired comes to mind and is often mentioned by returning guests. While HAL delivers superb onboard value, excellent service, and cuisine, it needs to continue to tend to its fleet a bit more lavishly. This line could out shadow all of its competition as the true winner as is it has the makings of perfection with its brilliant fleet of mid-sized ships –just finish the upgrades properly Holland America.
CONTEMPORARY LINE
Norwegian Cruise Line – The Best
This line is often overshadowed but giants Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises, and Carnival but has been the comeback kid re-inventing itself over and over. The Norwegian Epic although widely criticized for its innovative bathrooms has been a hallmark of the cruise industry in 2011. Its older ships have been upgraded and include the best dining options, spectacular entertainment, and staying true to its ever popular Freestyle dining. The Haven, a series of unique exceptional suites offers a luxury cruise experience and services not offered by the other contemporary brands.
MSC – Needing Help
This new and exciting cruise line with beautiful new spotless ships continues to suffer from inconsistent food and service. It has become the bottom barrel price point in North America and it makes no sense to me why MSC cannot pull itself up by its boot straps and deliver a truly great product. They have an award winning formula but seem to be caught in the doldrums of fine tuning its product. Come on MSC, take heed and deliver! The MSC Yacht Club is one winning piece delivering a unique all-inclusive luxury product on three of its largest ships. This product offers superb value and service and overshadows the experience found throughout the rest of the ships.
Challenges Ahead for 2012
The cruise industry will likely suffer from continued lower price points in 2012 as the world economy continues to languish. The problem is that many lines have indeed cut back and in some cases significantly. While it might be partially acceptable to do so, the problem seems to be that overall delivery by most lines varies from ship-to ship as the customer experience is sometimes impaired by continuous push for onboard revenue, possible cut backs in food, staff, and some services. These are noticeable to avid cruisers who travel frequently and remember every item that is cut back. I suggest the cruise industry stay true to its promises in the brochures which do unfortunately over-glamorize the experience that is actually delivered. This applies to all three cruise categories.
Nonetheless, cruising offers a brilliant vacation and one that cannot be matched value for dollar ashore. Congratulations to the winners and the best to those needing some help.
What is your favorite cruise line and why? Which ones do you think need the most help? You can comment by hitting the reply link at the top of this post.
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Dave Cantrall
Hi Tom,
Thanks for an informative article!
My favorite cruise lines – and why?:
CELEBRITY Cruise lines..
Ever since the time I took Celebrity Infinity from Vancouver, B.C., up the inside passage to Alaska, and return to Vancouver.WHY?
Because the decor is better than most ships. And the “day time” entertainment is great also.
For example, on the Alaska cruise I mentioned, there were classical musical performers – at least two on that cruise – which were above and beyond all the other cruises I have been on.
The four ladies from Prague for example who played violins.And the Russian lady bar-tender (on the same floor and area the ladies from Prague were performing) who were the delight of my companion Col. Wilson – they spoke Russian together while I sat and drank the BEST brandy aboard any ship (recommended by the Russian bar tender).
Celebrity has always – in my experience – been above an beyond most others in her class – in food, entertainment, ships’ decor, and in making one feel welcome.
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Arthur
Hi Tom,
We just got back from the holiday cruise on Oceania’s Marina, an AMAZING ship. The cuisine is unmatched, and our favorite new restaurant anywhere is Red Ginger.
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Jeff
I sailed on the NCL Jewel in October and was very unhappy with the “Free style dining”. The food was inconsistent…even in the extra charge restaurants. The staff rotated between the dining venues and that appeared to cause confusion. Sure we could have dined every night in a certain dining venue but, there would have been different servers. Some bar staff and our room stewardess did a fine job though. The larger lounges were often underused and the really popular entertainment was held in the smaller rooms…no room to move, dance or even get a drink ( come on NCL..we cant get a drinkie then its less profit for you!) . Some people think this is the way to go (free style) but it would need some serious over hauling before I’d try it again. I’ll stick with Princess, Carnival, RCCL and HAL. and assigned seating.
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Randall Shirley
Old Year’s Cruise Gay Reflections
Holland America Oosterdam at Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Photo: © Randall Shirley
Suddenly 2011 is at an end. It’s that strange time when I seem to be simultaneously full of reflection and full of dreams for the future. I’ll write about the future next week (which, as it happens, is the future…).
2011 was a great year for cruising—both for me and for many of my friends. I know from checking out your profiles that it was good for many MMOB friends who I haven’t met yet. My cruise memories include:
- A ride on the Love Boat. Well, not really…but if I twist it enough ways I can say that Holland America is owned by Carnival Corp. which also owns Princess…so sailing Holland America on the Mexican Riviera (the classic Love Boat region) is sort of the same idea! The trip was last March on the Oosterdam*, and the best part, as with many cruises, was meeting new friends—including guys from MeetMeOnBoard.com. I’m proud to say that my partner and I had a MMOB success story—we e-met Jimmi and Kevinbefore our cruise, connected with them and became friends on board, and have been out to dinner with them since…when they came through Vancouver on (another) cruise. That’s what this site is really all about—connecting gay people who love to cruise. I’m proud to say it works.We met lots of other great gay guys and a few gals on that cruise. The ship was pleasant and lots of fun—and much credit for that goes to the inimitable Randall Powell, piano man extraordinaire! Randall made sure we had lots of great LGBT meet ups and that everyone got introduced. Unfortunately for cruisers, Randall is not on the ships anymore.
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Azamara Quest in port, Kotor Montenegro. Photo: © Randall Shirley
Raising the bar on cruising. They say once you’ve flown first class, it’s hard to return to coach. Well, I’ve now cruised at a new level—on the fabulous Azamara Quest. That trip has decidedly raised the bar. The level of service was beyond expectations, the food was beyond expectations, the ship was gorgeous, and best of all it only carries about 700 passengers for a more intimate experience. And those passengers seemed to be more sophisticated than many of the folks I meet aboard big, mass-market ships (not snobby, just interesting). I absolutely loved this trip.* This was also my first cruise outside of North America, and I enjoyed the Italian, Croatian, and Montenegran ports.The gay quotient on that trip was decidedly smaller—and the LGBT meet ups were sparsely attended. We did meet a few gay guys, and overall the ship seemed gay-friendly. A particular highlight was Denni and I slow dancing together, in the middle of all the straight folks. No one batted an eye!
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Glaciers at Prince William Sound, Alaska (day cruise). Photo: © Randall Shirley
A mini-cruise in Alaska. I should be ashamed of myself—I live in Vancouver but have never taken an Alaska cruise. I was lucky to go to Alaska on business last summer, and took a day cruise* to Prince William Sound. Seeing the glaciers there was awesome. There were lesbians on board, and it was a reminder that when you can’t get a full cruise “fix,” a mini-cruise can come to the rescue!
Happy Old Year, so long 2011…
*Note: as is customary in the professional travel writing industry, the author received complimentary travel on Holland America, Azamara, and Prince William Sound Glacier Cruises. The author strives to remain unbiased in his reviews. Please see our full disclosure statement here.
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Jimmi
We had a great time and you know we will always look you up when in the Vancouver area! We had a great time, just wish we had more time to spend with you guys. There are always other cruises though…
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Randall Shirley
Shore time craziness — when the lights went out on Oahu.
What’s the strangest thing that’s happened to you on shore? For me, it was the lights going out on Oahu. Add to the conversation by commenting at the end of this posting.
Aloha cruisers.
Randall Shirley at Honolulu's Aloha Tower, cruise ships dock nearby. Photo: Kevin Spragg.
I’ve just returned from Hawaii. Unfortunately it wasn’t a cruise vacation, but while flying into both Honolulu and Lihue (Kauai) we could see cruise ships in the ports—a Carnival ship at Honolulu and NCL at Kauai.
Seeing the ships in these far-flung islands reminded me that occasionally there are gay group cruises that visit here—I organized one of them a few years ago (did you know you can organize a group cruise? Check out these tips on how to organize your own group cruise.
But it also reminded me of a wild experience that happened on shore during that gay group cruise. Our Honolulu port day had been fairly typical, some Waikiki gay beach time at Queens Surf Beach, some Honolulu gay bar time at Hula’s, and of course some shopping. Toward evening as my partner and I began heading back to Aloha Tower and the ship, all the lights went out in Honolulu—we watched in disbelief as neighborhood by neighborhood, the entire city went black. Traffic turned into a mess, so we walked the hour or so to the ship.
Of course, this was a huge news item worldwide—mostly because U.S. President Barack Obama was on the island at the time. Well, while his compound got it’s power back from generators (most of the island was powerless into the next day) at the cruise terminal of Aloha Tower, things were decidedly dark.
The cruise terminal on Oahu couldn’t board the ship because the lights and security equipment on the shore side were out. The ship itself was lights-ablaze, but 100s of passengers were stuck on the shore side, temporarily denied boarding. I’m sure safety was the biggest concern—security could be handled onboard the ship if needed.
Waikiki gay beach area, photo: Randall Shirley
It seemed to take forever (maybe an hour), but finally someone got really creative—the port workers found some flashlights, and the lighting equipment from the ship’s photo studio was moved onto the shore – strung through the building’s corridors on long extension cords back to the ship. Before we knew it, we were carefully guided back through the cruise terminal and onto the Celebrity Mercury where things were fully powered up. It was strange to look over the side of the ship at the very dark silhouette of Waikiki!
There’s lots of info about Hawaii on this site! Click here to learn more about cruising gay in Hawaii.
What strange things have happened to you while cruising? Comment below!
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Sophie Needelman
Love this post! Thanks for turning a frustrating situation into an entertaining one!
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markdale
The only LGBT Film Festival at Sea!
Do you love film and cruising? If you answered yes then hop aboard the Pride of the Ocean Film Festival, the only LGBTQ film festival at sea.
MeetMeOnBoard member John Scagliotti - creator of the PBS series 'In The Life'
John Scgliotti, one of MeetMeOnBoard’s newest members is putting on this event. If you live in the U.S. then I’m sure you have seen his work. John was the creator of In The LIfe for PBS which was the first gay and lesbian national series in the United States. His 1985 documentary filmBefore Stonewall won the Audience Award at the L.A. Outfest and two Emmy Awards. His companion piece, After Stonewall won a Golden Eagle and the Audience Award at the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Film Festival.
After several years of hosting a LGBTQ film festival in his home state of Vermont, John decided that it would be more fun and less work to host this event on a ship. With close to 1,500 LGBTQ film festivals around the globe, this is the only one held at sea. Not only will you get to see some of the best films and shorts, mingle with filmmakers, network with other film enthusiasts…you’ll also get to enjoy a relaxing vacationand meet some of the stars of favorite LGBT films. While you’re at it, spend an extra week in the New York area and enjoy NYC Pride, which takes place one week after the cruise.
This 7-day cruise aboard the Celebrity Summit leaves June 10, 2012 from Cape Liberty, Bayonne, NJ and sets sail for the beautiful island of Bermuda. You’ll spend a total of 4 days at sea while watching some of the best films by and about our community.
Visit Pride of the Ocean web site (and be sure to tell them that MeetMeOnBoard sent you.)
See this year’s Featured and Short films -
MMOB Marketing
LGBT Travel Hits Calm Water
By: Michael Bradbury
Over the last couple of years the LGBT travel segment like all other travel segments was hit hard by the recession. Now it appears as though things are leveling out. There was no great increase or decrease in LGBT travel in the last 12 months, according to the Community Marketing Inc. Gay & Lesbian Tourism Study, which will be released later this month.
I got a sneak peak earlier this month in Palm Springs. What struck me was the cruise segment of all LGBT travel is still relatively small. I’m not sure if that’s because it’s not being measured or if we are a small subculture within the larger LGBT travel community.According to the new report 55 percent of gay men venture to warm weather climates for vacation. The cruise crowd definitely fits into that category. And 34 percent of lesbians prefer outdoor or adventure travel of which cruising to exotic locales would definitely be a part.
Regardless of how we travel the LGBT traveler goes all over the world and a lot. We tend to travel about twice as much as straight people, going on roughly 5 trips for leisure and 3 for business each year. Almost half of LGBT travelers have a current passport and 39 percent have used it in the last year.
We traveled to Europe, Asia, Australia, South America, Canada and Mexico. And according to Community Marketing CEO Tom Roth, India is getting ready to explode. He says that with the decriminalization of gay behavior there 18 months ago it’s going to be the next nation courting the gay traveler.
And at the same time India is opening up, it appears that the old Iron Curtain is falling in St. Petersberg, Russia. There, a new anti-gay propaganda law bans overt LGBT advertising of any sort. This is a huge social step backwards and will definitely be reflected in future LGBT travel.
As LGBT travelers, we keep up with the news so we know where we can safely travel. As a result we are informed consumers and base many of our travel choices on friendly destinations. When a country or city rolls out the red carpet for the LGBT community, we flock there in droves.
And if there is a gay pride event to be had, we book our trips abroad around those dates and stay for an average of 4 extra days, exploring the culture and city hosting the event. Last year, 20 percent of LGBT travelers went to pride parades and celebrations all over the world.
While we love to support our community and spend money in communities that support us, when we have kids we opt for family-friendly over gay-friendly every time. When kids are traveling with us 70 percent choose a child-accommodating destination over a gay-friendly one. And when staying in hotels, kid-friendly is preferred two to one to gay-friendly.
While we are traveling we like to stay in touch with our friends and family. Facebook is the number one way we do that, by posting pictures and status updates. Almost 70 percent of us post on Facebook while on vacation while a whopping 76 percent of us use our smartphones when we travel.
Joel Simkhai, the president of the gay friend finder Grindr told the marketing pros at the CMI conference that 91 percent of gay men use smartphones, 70 percent bought one in the last year and another 20 percent plan to buy one in the next 12 months
He says, “By next year 100 percent of gay men will have a smartphone.”
That’s hard to believe. But it’s clear we love to use our smartphones when we travel. We look at destination maps, find local restaurants and attractions. We check-in or post comments online, make dinner reservations, check for flight alerts and even use it to meet other LGBT travelers and locals.
When we decide to stay at a hotel, many of us look to see if there is complimentary wireless Internet available.
Looking at the LGBT Tourism study for luxury travelers, Roth says 76 percent of LGBT luxury travelers want wi-fi in their hotels. And those of us who travel by cruise ship are waiting for the day when wireless becomes cost-effective (or free) at sea.
Roth says that according to the 2011 survey about 26 percent of gay men and 20 percent of lesbians consider themselves luxury travelers.
And According to Rick Stiffler, the executive director of leisure sales for the Preferred Hotel Group, the luxury traveler is defined as one who wants discretion, style, amenities, a gay-friendly accommodation and good value for the price. Wait, that’s the description of the MeetMeOnBoard membership.
Whether you have finished weathering the economic storm or still have your financial hatches battened down, it appears that LGBT travel is beginning to pick up again after several years of decline. The CMI study shows flat growth, with increases in stay at home vacations or staycations and a slight decrease in business travel.
And according to the survey 55 percent of us will purchase a major vacation in the next 12 months. Why not make it a cruise.
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Jerry
Norwegian Dawn January 24 to February 5 Southern Caribbean
Marvin Perton, 
Bill McFarlane, and 
Chris are discussing. 
Jeff, 
Arthur, and 
Jimmi is discussing. 
Jerry, and 
Randall Shirley
10 holiday cruise tips for gay passengers
Suggestions for improving your travel and cruise experience during the upcoming holiday season – and mitigating the challenges presented by large numbers of families with children.
If you’ve chosen to cruise during the KwanChrismUkah holiday season (my term for Kwanza, Christmas, Hanukah…haven’t figured out how to tie Festivus into it yet), there are a few things you can do to help make your cruise experience a bit better. I’m assuming that you’re traveling with a spouse or partner, and without children.
- Accept what you’re getting into. If you cruise during the holidays—especially on itineraries traveling to/from U.S. ports, the ship will likely be packed, and that will include families with kids. Accepting this fact and putting on your “patience cap” is a big part of making holiday travel more enjoyable.
- Add extra days. This should go without saying, but arrive in your embarkation city at least one day early for your cruise. If you wait until same-day to travel to the port city, you run the risk of flight, train, or highway delays that could cause you to miss the ship.
- Problems can also arise on debarkation day; if possible, stay a day in your final port city. At the very least, book the latest possible flight home from the port destination. I’ve seen people miss their flights because debarkation was delayed.
- Check the location of your cabin—and consider what is around that cabin! Make changes before the cruise if possible.
- Is the pool deck or jogging track above your room? That could create overhead noise all day long.
- Does your cabin have an adjoining cabin door—noise can easily travel through such doors.
- Do the cabins on either side of you have extra pop-down beds? That type of cabin can be attractive for a family with children who can be quite noisy (this has happened to me).
- Request the late seating at dinner. Families sailing with smaller children are likely to dine on the earlier side.
- Buy the full-week pass for the private pool/spa area. Do this immediately upon boarding the ship (most ships have it, and they may even have a discount package at that point). This will be one place on the ship that there won’t be kids.
- Make sure GLBT Meetup is on the first-day itinerary. If it’s not, talk to someone on the cruise director’s staff immediately. Then attend and make friends! (Don’t forget to tell everyone about MeetMeOnBoard, you could do it by using our handy Cruise Cards).
- Traveling with a group? Talk with the ship’s hotel manager about reserving a small space (library, lounge, conference room) for your own Christmas Eve gift exchange.
- Befriend your cabin steward ASAP—and do it with a bit of cash. Even though I’ve found a $20 bill given to my steward on the first meeting—usually presented by saying “thanks for how beautifully you’ve prepared our room, and we’d like you to keep the ice bucket full,” helps them know I’m a customer who expects and rewards good service. Especially during a cruise that could be especially packed, having your steward on your side could help make for smoother sailing.
- Be yourself. If you’re a gay couple who tends to hold hands, don’t hide that on the ship. In my experience, the cruise lines are very supportive of their gay passengers.
- Wait until January! If you don’t have to travel during the holidays, then wait a few weeks—you’ll likely get better deals and have far fewer families and children to deal with, and probably a less-crowded ship.
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Chris 6:23 pm on January 15, 2012 Permalink |
I’ve been wondering if those of you who have Cruised with Costa perceive that line as being lax on safety. It would seem that emergency training of the crew (and passengers!) would be a first priority.
Again, what has been your experience on Costa.
Bill McFarlane 1:53 pm on January 18, 2012 Permalink |
Great Information Thanks Randall. On a cruise ship we also discuss evacuation routes from areas OTHER than our stateroom…for example how would you quickly get to the boat deck from a higher deck like the Lido restaurant. Evacuating a cruise ship must be very difficult and potentially frightening for people using wheel chairs or coping with physical challenges.
Marvin Perton 7:35 am on January 19, 2012 Permalink |
Thanks for your safety tips, Randall. A friend suggest3ed another tip: PACK A SMALL FLASHLIGHT!