News & Expert Advice

Randall Shirley 6:09 pm on June 16, 2012 COMMENT
Tags: cruises, Entertainment ( 4 ), Shows   

Why I believe cruise travel is the perfect gay vacation

Do you agree? What are your reasons why cruising is perfect? Comment below!

“What’s your favorite vacation?”

For me, that’s so easy to answer: a cruise! Of course, that’s a different answer than I give for

• What’s your favorite city (New York)
• Where’s your favorite beach destination (Hawaii)
• What’s your favorite cultural spot (Buenos Aires)

Royal Carribean Legend of the Seas. Just one of the many ships where I've been impressed with the entertainment. Photo: © 2004 Randall Shirley

I love land-based travel too, but for the limited amount of time I have for a vacation, a cruise can so easily bring different elements of cities, culture, and beaches into one single vacation. And I can get it all, as the cliché goes, but only have to unpack once.

A few nights ago as we watched the Tony Awards (so wonderfully gay, I thought) broadcast a musical production number from Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas, I was reminded of what a perfect vacation cruising is. I’m not going to say that the shows I’ve seen at sea even begin to rival the overall quality of what I see on my annual pilgrimage to Broadway, but they are still generally very good, and they’re included in the price of my vacation.

I also noted that the Tony’s showed the Oasis of the Seas as being in the Caribbean – the guests on board were able to enjoy Hairspray, plus glorious surf and sand all in one vacation. And on many Caribbean islands, there is actually interesting culture to be found if you peel back a few layers beyond the port area (albeit not always the most gay-friendly culture).

Watching that Tony broadcast, I felt incredibly lucky to be a traveler who has seen Broadway shows on Broadway, and marvelous performers on cruise ships, too.

There are other reasons I think cruising is the perfect vacation—notably the great value, and the high likelihood that I will truly disconnect from home and office for a few days (especially sea days).

Do you agree? What are your reasons why cruising is the perfect vacation option?

• 

  Dave Cantrall 5:47 pm on June 17, 2012 Permalink | Reply

  Hi Randall!

  You can always be counted on for presenting interesting “mini” articles on Meet Me On Board!
  I always enjoy reading them!

  My favorite vacation option IS taking a cruise. It provides for the ability and opportunity to engage in a variety of activities, visiting interesting and intellectually stimulating Ports of Call, and indulging in culinary delights (oops, there goes a few more added pounds).

  You mentioned that cruising can bring to one the different elements of cities and culture. Yes, it does.
  There is one other vacation option that can provide for this as well, and it is the only other vacation travel I really enjoy – and that is taking a long distance passenger train. But unfortunately the U.S. is way behind other countries in providing for truly stimulating, enjoyable and relaxing train travel.

  There is one other reason why a Cruise Vacation greatly appeals to me:
  It provides not only for FUN and interesting activities, but it also provides this in a SAFE and SECURE environment.

  Dave

• 

  Randall Shirley 6:02 pm on June 17, 2012 Permalink | Reply

  Thanks Dave–

  I agree with you on train travel…I absolutely adore it. If you ever have the chance, the trip across Canada on VIA Rail is sublime. Book it in their sleeper class, and it almost feels like a cruise across the land! They have outstanding onboard cultural interpreters who help you understand the regions you pass through. It can be done in many different segments, or you can go all the way from Vancouver to Toronto (called “The Canadian”) and change trains to continue to Halifax (train called “The Ocean”).

  It would be truly decadent to take the train across Canada, and then figure out cruises connecting from Halifax back through the Panama canal to Vancouver…on my dream list!

  Happy cruising (and dreaming). RS

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