Lesbians with a love of the open sea have a bewildering number of cruising choices to accompany the diversity of their communities and interests. For those more interested in nonstop partying, intense bonding and gay-friendly ports of call.
The lines that are most successful at attracting lesbian passengers know that a small portion of their heterosexual guests may feel uncomfortable with outward displays of lesbian affection and that some of their more low-key lesbian guests may want to remain in the closet during the voyage. In many cases, cruise lines may know they attract many lesbian passengers but don't have hard statistics, simply because they don't assume anything about two women staying in the same cabin. The following lists the best cruise lines for lesbians seeking the crusie ship vacation experience.
Norwegian Cruise Lines
The cruise line that started an industry trend with its "Freestyle Cruising" (no set dinner times, open seating, relaxed dress codes, etc.) appeals to a broad range of
lesbians. The line offers great value for money, and the staff is generally attuned to gay interests (no problem with FOD meetings on most ships, and some report many large lesbian groups who are sailing with various parents, siblings and friends).
The line has close ties with R Family Vacations. Norwegian reaches almost every popular cruising destination around the world, and those from the Northeast love the year-round sailings out of New York City.
Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines
Partly by sheer dint of having the largest fleet of cruise ships anywhere (21 at last count), any Royal Caribbean cruise will include many Friends of Dorothy. Gay and lesbian "size queens" favor the glamorous, 3,000-plus passenger Voyager- and Freedom-Classes of ships, which include the largest cruise ships in the world.
The big appeal? Active folks love the rock-climbing walls, ice-skating rinks and in-line skating tracks offered on these vessels and have their choices of destinations in America, Europe, Alaska South America and, of course, the Caribbean.
Holland America Cruise Lines
This classy line is set apart from other lines by its strong emphasis on high-quality and diverse cuisine, which certainly appeals to gay gourmands. As with Celebrity, many gay and
lesbian cruisers, who don't want to spend a small fortune for a long cruise, opt for Holland America and its elegant ships, which feature impressive onboard spaciousness and a higher big-ship staff-to-guest ratio.
Particularly popular are the sparkling Vista- and Signature-Class ships (Westerdam, Zuiderdam, Noordam, Oosterdam and Eurodam), with the line's highest percentage of staterooms with private verandahs. Some gay guests report that the "heteros and homos" really let their hair down in the ship's casino, wagering and bonding -- a common occurrence on almost every ship today. The friendliness of the Holland America staff is evident everywhere onboard; one gay couple said that, when they danced together on a Holland America cruise, no one seemed to notice (or care).
Celebrity Cruise Lines
This upscale cruise line gets generally high marks for its treatment of lesbian passengers.
Many lesbians love the mix of passengers onboard, and luxury-seekers book Celebrity's Concierge-Class suites with their menu of pillow choices, duvets, Frette bathrobes and other amenities. Celebrity Xpedition, a small vessel with only 100 passengers, plies the rich waters and islands of the Galapagos Islands and has created a buzz among adventure-seeking lesbians.
Princess Cruise Lines
"There's a reason it's called Princess," reports one loyal fan of the popular cruise line. With the ultra-flexible Personal Choice dining program (in addition to traditional, fixed seating), a lesbian-friendly crew and staff, and large ships, Princess includes just about every feature lesbians are looking for.
Besides high-tech Internet cafes and expansive showrooms, many Princess ships boast pulsating dance floors and clubs that would make West Hollywood or Chelsea natives feel right at home.
Crystal Cruise Lines
This ultra-premium big-ship cruise line boasts many loyal lesbian guests, who return to its two ships for the cocooning luxury and impeccable lesbian-friendly service. While onboard, many gay passengers enjoy the FOD meetings, private events (galley tours, officers' receptions, etc.) or even check out the gay-themed movies in the ship's library, from "Philadelphia" and "Jeffrey" to bluer fare.
Crystal tends to attract a wealthier, more conservative (some would call them "stuffy"), CEO- or Republican-type of clientele, but sophisticated lesbian passengers mix and mingle freely, enjoying the acclaimed gourmet cuisine and the best singers and dancers onboard any ship -- some directly from Broadway. Crystal is the perfect choice for the older lesbian couple, more settled single, or discreet group that wants to experience what true pampering at sea can be.
Windstar Cruise Line
The three Windstar ships (more accurately, small motor-sail-yachts) are renowned for bringing back the meaning of the word "sailing." Despite the ships' small sizes -- 148 passengers on Wind Star and Wind Spirit and 308 on Wind Surf- the total experience is luxurious and classy with fantastic gourmet cuisine, spas and fitness centers, and most other amenities of larger ships.
Key attractions of Windstar are its very active itineraries in the Caribbean and Europe, where passengers can make use of free water sports -- like water skiing or snorkeling -- launched from the backs of the ships. Windstar's staff is very lesbian-friendly, and fellow passengers tend to be younger and more liberal. Windstar's unique combination of small-ship intimacy and relaxed, casual vibe makes it a favorite among the younger, more active set.
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