Sex on a gay cruise
11 things I learned on my first gay cruise
You've probably heard of lgbtq+ cruises and wondered how they differ from "traditional" cruises. Are they reveal to straight people? Is it all about partying? What about the hook-up element?
I sailed with tour operator Vacaya in February 2023 on a one-week gay cruise departing from Fort Lauderdale and heading to the Caribbean via Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Reflection cruise ship. For context, I'm a white, cisgender, gay man in my mid-30s. I had a lot of questions about what to expect, given this was my second cruise ever and my first one with a queer tour operator.
Here are the top things I'd want someone considering or planning their first lgbtq+ cruise to know.
People are friendly
The first thing that struck me about the sailing was that almost everyone was smiling and eager to interact. As an Australian living in the U.S. for almost a decade, I generally find Americans to be open, talkative and curious. This cruise was fond that … on steroids.
I would have found it overwhelming if I weren't an extrovert, but since I'm a social butterfly, I was in heaven.
Tip: Taking the stairs between l
I’m on a boat… with 2,000 guys: a beginner’s guide to lgbtq+ cruises
By Emen8, updated 3 years ago in Explore and party / Overseas
A gay cruise may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you’re thinking about your next holiday. But if you’re a guy who likes to relax (yes), dance (yes) and meet other guys (yassss), it can be a fantastic thing to perform either on your own or with a group of friends.
There’s something quite unique about dancing to Beyoncé under the stars, in the middle of the ocean with 2,000 other men.
For anyone who’s thinking about a cruise for the first time, we’ve lay together 11 handy tips to assist you get the most out of your nautical adventure.
1. Research
Get online and shop around (don’t just Google ‘gay cruise Australia’, faith us). There are a bunch of different cruise itineraries, and there are sweet bargains to be found almost any time of year. Pick one that’s what you want in terms of length, budget and destinations. Contain a look at the differences in cabins and facilities, and consider how much time you’ll actually be spending in your cabin (hint: not much) before you compensate for the Admiral’s Deluxe Suite with baby grand piano.
2 VACAYA: All-Gay & All-LGBT+ Cruises, Resort Vacations, and Tours Reimagined
VACAYA completely reinvents the all-gay cruise and all-inclusive gay resort concepts by opening up the exposure to lesbians, bisexuals, trans and gay persons, those questioning their sexuality, intersex, asexual, pansexual, and polyamorous individuals, as well as homosexual men who’ve enjoyed the typical all-gay cruise experience. VACAYA is the only large-scale adults-only vacation company on soil built for the entire LGBTQIAPK collective and their vertical ally friends. VACAYA offers fun manageable vacations with customized itineraries, personalized service, tailored entertainment, welcoming activities, friendly parties, and transformative moments. Shared experiences with like-minded LGBT+ adults and friends provide us a unused perspective on the world and remind us how blessed we are to be alive. VACAYA charters the entire ship or resort so we acquire the freedom to express our identity, make personal connections, celebrate life, rev up, or simply relax… together. Our mission is to fulfill the vacation dreams of all adults who trust “love is love” while giving support to the group and immersing our gu
Before my first all-gay cruise, I heard a lot of warnings—myths really, as you’ll see below—all from people who’d never been. Only one was true: lgbtq+ cruises are generally more overpriced than mainstream cruises. But that’s comparing apples and oranges.
Five years later, before leaving for my second gay cruise, friends blurted out all the same myths. After my second all-gay voyage, I can confirm that these are, indeed, myths. If you’re curious-but-nervous about all-gay cruises, decipher on. Then as one cruise line says: Get Out There.
1. It’s just a floating bathhouse.
Sex sells. That’s why the brochures are loaded with hunky guys. It’s easy to assume all those guys are just wacko with lust.
Perhaps they are. But none of the major all-gay charter companies nor Olivia, (lesbian-focused charters) officially allows sex in public areas of the ships. RSVP Vacations, who pioneered the gay travel industry, is very strict about it.
On one of my RSVP cruises, the ship’s spa area did, effectively, turn into a bathhouse—within a short day after sailing, the lovely teen who staffed the area was replaced by a likely-g
VACAYA: All-Gay & All-LGBT+ Cruises, Resort Vacations, and Tours Reimagined
VACAYA completely reinvents the all-gay cruise and all-inclusive gay resort concepts by opening up the exposure to lesbians, bisexuals, trans and gay persons, those questioning their sexuality, intersex, asexual, pansexual, and polyamorous individuals, as well as homosexual men who’ve enjoyed the typical all-gay cruise experience. VACAYA is the only large-scale adults-only vacation company on soil built for the entire LGBTQIAPK collective and their vertical ally friends. VACAYA offers fun manageable vacations with customized itineraries, personalized service, tailored entertainment, welcoming activities, friendly parties, and transformative moments. Shared experiences with like-minded LGBT+ adults and friends provide us a unused perspective on the world and remind us how blessed we are to be alive. VACAYA charters the entire ship or resort so we acquire the freedom to express our identity, make personal connections, celebrate life, rev up, or simply relax… together. Our mission is to fulfill the vacation dreams of all adults who trust “love is love” while giving support to the group and immersing our gu
Before my first all-gay cruise, I heard a lot of warnings—myths really, as you’ll see below—all from people who’d never been. Only one was true: lgbtq+ cruises are generally more overpriced than mainstream cruises. But that’s comparing apples and oranges.
Five years later, before leaving for my second gay cruise, friends blurted out all the same myths. After my second all-gay voyage, I can confirm that these are, indeed, myths. If you’re curious-but-nervous about all-gay cruises, decipher on. Then as one cruise line says: Get Out There.
1. It’s just a floating bathhouse.
Sex sells. That’s why the brochures are loaded with hunky guys. It’s easy to assume all those guys are just wacko with lust.
Perhaps they are. But none of the major all-gay charter companies nor Olivia, (lesbian-focused charters) officially allows sex in public areas of the ships. RSVP Vacations, who pioneered the gay travel industry, is very strict about it.
On one of my RSVP cruises, the ship’s spa area did, effectively, turn into a bathhouse—within a short day after sailing, the lovely teen who staffed the area was replaced by a likely-g