Cruising on DCL

[nordkin]

I thought it would be nice to start a DCL cruise thread. I know many of us cruise on Disney and thought we could share thoughts and concerns.

 

[Viki]

Great idea. I don't currently have a DCL cruise booked (I do have Freedom of the Seas cruise booked for March 2007), but I'm open to it, especially for the right price and/or with the right group. If a gang of us could agree on a cruise, that would be terrific.

 

[iankh]

My partner and I and a friend are booked for the December 10th 4 night cruise (though we are considering switching to the December 3rd).

This will be the first time on a cruise of any kind (other kind of cruising) for any of us. We're going to follow it up with 6 nights in WDW.

Since we've never been on a cruise before we don't quite know what to expect.

 

[Viki]

Freedom of the Seas will be our first cruise too and right now it's so far away that I am totally comfortable with the idea, but as the reality gets closer and closer I am going to freak and need lots of hand holding!

 

[iankh]

Wow Viki, I just noticed your countdown, 20 years! Mazel Tov! We coming up for 19 years.

 

[m4travel]

My partner and I are going to be on the 4-Day Wonder January 22nd sailing followed by a few days at WDW. We've cruised before, both separately and together (Princess, Norwegian, Holland America), but our first time on DCL.

We're a little concerned (I wouldn't say nervous) about the number of children Disney cruises are known for, as we're not really kid-oriented - just not our thing. Posters on other threads assure us that the program is so good that the number of children are not noticeable. We hope so. May spend a lot of time around the adult pool.... We're hoping that it's going to be great, as we're already booked on the October DVC Members cruise!

I must say that we just spent New Years Eve with a couple we met at an FOD gathering on a Norwegian Mexican Riviera cruise. Never thought we'd meet anyone who would be more than just someone to hang around with while on the ship.

 

[iankh]

My partner and I are going to be on the 4-Day Wonder January 22nd sailing followed by a few days at WDW. We've cruised before, both separately and together (Princess, Norwegian, Holland America), but our first time on DCL.

We're a little concerned (I wouldn't say nervous) about the number of children Disney cruises are known for, as we're not really kid-oriented - just not our thing. Posters on other threads assure us that the program is so good that the number of children are not noticeable. We hope so. May spend a lot of time around the adult pool.... We're hoping that it's going to be great, as we're already booked on the October DVC Members cruise!

I must say that we just spent New Years Eve with a couple we met at an FOD gathering on a Norwegian Mexican Riviera cruise. Never thought we'd meet anyone who would be more than just someone to hang around with while on the ship.

This is our first cruise of any kind. We were sort of nervous about all the kids too, but have heard exactly what you have. On the gay friendly thread, several people told me that they had a great time on a DCL cruise.

 

[m4travel]

This is our first cruise of any kind. We were sort of nervous about all the kids too, but have heard exactly what you have. On the gay friendly thread, several people told me that they had a great time on a DCL cruise.

And those positive comments are reassuring, aren't they? I know we've been on average cruises where some people complained and we've been on fabulous cruises where some people still found something to complain about. Guess there will always be complainers amongst us.

[On a recent Norwegian cruise a couple we met on board were very unhappy with the 'FreeStyle Cruising' concept. They preferred set dining times, the 'freestyle' wasn't what they thought it would be, et cetera. (Set dining times in the main dining rooms were available for those who liked.) They even made an appointment with the captain to discuss their unhappiness. Personally, the cruise line's website explains the concept pretty well, the documents sent to you explain the concept well, and there are numerous cruise discussion boards where people write reports of their experiences - sometimes at great length - aboard ship. There is no reason for anyone to be surprised. If you're still unhappy - cruise a different line the next time. (I will now get down off my soap box.)]

We tend to have a good time wherever we go and whatever we're doing. It's just the attitude that you bring with you! Kids or no kids, I'm sure we'll have a great time on the Disney cruise - and hope you do, too!

 

[Viki]

Wow Viki, I just noticed your countdown, 20 years! Mazel Tov! We coming up for 19 years.

Congrats! And I must say, it keeps getting better and better!

 

[nordkin]

We have our 4th Disney cruise scheduled next September and have never experienced any problems on any of the cruises. We have met other gay couples on every Disney cruise we have been on and the September cruise is booked with other couples we met on the Panama Canal cruise. If you stick to the adult areas of the ship, you will not see many kids. The time of year you cruise will have an impact on the number of kids on board. If school is in session then fewer kids. Many of the CM are gay and we have been treated very well when we dined in Palo and on the Panama Canal cruise we had a problem with our Palo reservation and when I went to straighten it out the manager said since you are family we can work it out, just don't tell anyone. We got a good chuckle out of that one. Just go, be yourself, and have fun.

 

[Kevin&Randall]

We have taken many Disney cruises over the past several years including the recent Panama Canal crossing from Port Canaveral to Los Angeles. We have enjoyed every minute.

Disney does such a great job with managing the children that we hardly notice them. Disney tends to put children in the same dining rotation with children and all adult parties in the same rotation. By avoiding Deck 5 when appropriate and knowing where to be on the ship (Spa, Cove Cafe, Beat Street) we hardly know kids are around. We love our neices and nephews and the children of our friends, but don't want children of our own.

We have never had a ship board Crew Member respond in a negative way and the stateroom attendants have always been very gracious. Once we tell them we only need the main bed prepared each night, never again was there a problem. The bartenders and cocktail staff are always a joy to interact with.

Even the other passengers didn't seem to notice or care. If you are questioning if you will have a good time or not, it's all what you make of it. Go in with an attitude you will have a good time and you are bound to walk off the ship seeing that you did.

Randall

 

[Rence]

We also have had nothing but a wonderful time on our 3 DCL cruises. The crew is just great.

On cruise 1 & 2 the room steward nicely asked us if we'd like the bed setup as a queen or two twins. We we responded queen, they didn't bat an eye.

On cruise 3 we didn't see the steward before going to bed the first night so he didn't have a chance to ask. He left the bed as a queen and made up the sofa bed. When the sofa bed went unused, he didn't bother to make it up on subsequent nights.

The photographers have been great as well. We have been asked if we are comfortable putting are arms around each other when posing for a picture. We thought it was handled very well, two same-sex friends traveling together would have been comfortable answering no, and a same-sex couple can get the pose that they want.

The only slightly awkward time was on cruise number 2. It was a family cruise. It was my parents 50th wedding annivesary so my partner and I were traveling with my folks, my sister and her two kids, my other sister, her husband and their three kids. One night at dinner a photographer stopped by the table to take pictures and wanted to get all the couples togheter. He kept trying to match me up with my mother, my sister etc. Finally my sister stood up and took charge, she is with him, he is with her and he is with him. The photographer looked really confused so my sister repeated the pairings and the photographer had a look of realization on her face and set to work taking pictures of all the couples. I think she was more flustered by the confusion then by the fact that we were a gay couple.

 

[LukenDC]

On the DCL, do you have to share a table with other guests? I worry that if I take a cruise with my bf that we will get assigned to a table with unfriendly people.

 

[iankh]

On the DCL, do you have to share a table with other guests? I worry that if I take a cruise with my bf that we will get assigned to a table with unfriendly people.

I worry about the same thing.

 

[mickeyfan1]

Input from a gay friendly person. First, I would book second seating. That is usually more adults. Second, keep checking in on the Cruise Meets boards and see who may be on your cruise. Chat with them ahead of time and you may have table mates before you go. Third, if for some reason you get assigned to a table with people who make you uncomfortable for any reason, ask the head waiter to move you. This goes whether you are gay or straight or anything in between. I know there were a lot of gays, both men and women on the August repo cruise. None of those with whom I hung out had anything even remotely rude happen. And from reading a lot of these post, those with whom I had no chance to talk, (Hi Nordkin!) they seem to be reporting no problems either.

Unless you make a statement that says you are gay, how would anyone know or why would anyone care anyway. There is so much to do on the CL ships that people really shouldn't have time to worry over anything so not their business. I have sailed 13 times, and as far as I can remember, there was more inappropriate behaviour amongst the younger drinking crowd than anyone else. The best behaved were the gay men on the repo cruise.

Go and enjoy, worrying over something that probably won't happen is counter productive to haveing a good time.

 

[OrlandoMike]

Been on numerous cruises, including a few Disney. I have never had any sort of problem with the cast members or my table mates at dinner. Being two adults, we usually get paired up with other adults at dinner, tables with no children. Have always had a great time getting to know other people.
You will not notice the children at all, Disney does a great job of keeping the ship segregated according to age! You will have a blast!

 

[M4travels]

Second, keep checking in on the Cruise Meets boards and see who may be on your cruise. Chat with them ahead of time and you may have table mates before you go.

This is what I have been doing with our upcoming cruise on the 22nd of this month. I've chatted with some great people and we've even linked up our reservations so we think we'll be on the same dining rotation - at least that's the plan. If for some reason that doesn't work they know they'll find at least me (and hopefully Marc!) at the wine tasting, martini tasting, beer tasting, anything tasting! We've had a great time chatting and I believe that we're actually looking forward to meeting each other and having a great time! I'm not one to go looking for children to hang out with, but coming from a family of six kids I do remember what I was like those oh-so-many years ago! Kids are kids and if I wanna get away, off to the adult area I will go!

Michael

 

[nordkin]

I know there were a lot of gays, both men and women on the August repo cruise. None of those with whom I hung out had anything even remotely rude happen. And from reading a lot of these post, those with whom I had no chance to talk, (Hi Nordkin!) they seem to be reporting no problems either.

I guess we missed one another at the DIS meets on ther Repo Cruise. We met several male gay couples on that cruise and had a wonderful time. Although we had two of our children (17 and 20) with us, at dinner we were seated next to the most wonderful couple from San Francisco that kind of adopted the kids on a couple of occassions to give us some private time. It was wonderful and we talk to them weekly. We are in Washington DC and they in San Francisco, but we started what I hope to be a long friendship.

I agree with what you said about the most well behaved on the cruise were the gay men except for the second to the last night when Bill (gay male) did a lap dance for one of the servers (female) in Rockin D and then became the talk of the adults the next day. We had a great time.

 

[spotdog]

I am a happy to be single person who likes to travel alone. If I had ANY problem with my tablemates I would not hesitate to ask to be relocated and explain why.

I have been on DCL 3 times and my biggest fear has been "what will my tablemates think of me being ALONE on a family cruise?". I have to say that I have been seated with 1) 3 heterosexual couples with very divergent lifestyles, 2) a group of 3 mothers escaping from their husbands and children, and 3) a conservative, homeschooling family of 5. I gave a very brief, "watered down" explanation of my reasons for traveling alone and the rest of the conversations were about the food, our jobs, part of the
country(ies) we were from and what activities we had done that day.

I suppose I should be thankful no one asked to be moved to a different table to get away from ME. Palo's was wonderful and if I just wanted to be alone I ate in Port, from the limited room service (I'd recommend the cheese and crackers with tomato soup and lots of dessert), or get burgers and eat by the adult pool and hot tubs.

When I can afford to travel again, I would welcome being seated with gay couples.

 

[LOLA2]

I would say as long as you are not "all over" your mate no one will notice or care. You would be just like every other couple saving it for behind closed doors. But honestly I think that would be the only thing making other people feel uncomfortable as well as straight couples acting that way? Definately 2nd seating as most children would be at first and that would make more straight adults feel uncomfortable.