Norweigan Epic review
NCL Epic
Gay on a “Straight” cruise is this a new trend?
I just got off the new (this year) NCL, EPIC and it was a large ship, the third largest cruise ship in the world, so the name fits!
As an avid cruiser and gay man that was born with the “gene” to decorate and throw great parties, the Epic is a great ship for meeting new people, over 4,300 to be exact and we had a great time experiencing the ship and the many elements to cruising a Mega ship has to offer.
We have cruised on almost every cruiseline including the RSVP and Atlantis Gay cruises. So a couple years ago for work we started cruising the “straight” cruises. Our friends kept asking why we would cruise on a straight cruise and our answer was simple; it fits our schedule and we want to relax. They thought we would he harasses or gay bashed but we have found quite the opposite. Don’t get me wrong, the parties and comradery on the gay cruises are fantastic but don’t always fit my vacation schedule where as a “straight” cruise can be planned any week of the year.
NCL and several other cruiselines have chosen to embrace the gay market and offer “Friends of Dorothy” (code words for gay group) gatherings on every cruise and publish it in their daily program. On this cruise we met some great guys at the first Friends of Dorothy cocktail gathering. We all had a great week haning out and getting to know each other, a mix of couples and singel guys and one great Diva and in fact have already planned our next cruise together.
The Epic offers great cocktail lounges for our daily gatherings and on this cruise, the Hotel Director Sean Wurmhoeringer took our group to the next level and made our experience all the better. It is management like Sean and his proactive measures that will bring NCL to the forfront of gay mainstream cruising. On this cruise we had the first gay bowling event, trying our talents on the ships bowling alleys, yes there are two! They were decorated and themed in the colors of the rainbow with a disco flare. Gay bowling and great cocktails, now that is an Epic Party!
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During our week aboard the Epic, no one in our party had any instances of discrimination or other “issues” from either the guests or staff. We were embraced by most everyone and had other guests join our party. Dancing at the famous NCL White Party to a romantic dinner, we experienced a great cruise. Being gay or straight did not matter. We all relaxed, had great meals, fun and entertainment on an Epic scale.
For our future gay friends sailing on the Epic, I strongly recommend booking one of the 75 suites available as this gives you access to a whole private section of the ship that is much more fitting for the Kings and Queens we are. An alternative to the suite is to make sure you purchase access to an area called the ‘Posh Beach Club’, a private up scale sunbathing area away from the other 4,300 guests.
As a closing note, I encourage all my gay clientele and friends to try a straight cruise and meet some great people. Let us guide you through the straight- gay friendly cruise options and NCL is definetly one of them.
GW Travel and Cruise is a proud supplier of gay and straight vacation options and who support both gay and straight Non- Profit charites.
Club Casa Dorada at Medano Beach features two infinity-edge outdoor pools, a pool designed especially for children, and indoor and outdoor spa tubs. The property sits on five acres of beach in Cabo San Lucas. The hotel also offers two restaurants, two bars, and poolside and beach drink and meal service. Room service is available 24 hours a day.
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