Gay Sail Away - Best Cruises for the Decerning Lesbian

For mass-marketed cruises your purchase price will generally include:

Shipboard Accommodations in the category of stateroom or suite that you have chosen; inside stateroom, outside stateroom, balcony/veranda stateroom, junior suite, suite, owners suite, or variations on these rooms. The earlier you book your cruise the better the chance that you will receive an upgrade to the next higher stateroom/suite category.

Three full-service Meals served in the main dining room (breakfast, lunch, dinner) with alternative choices for meals in other price-inclusive dining areas such as buffets and cafes, midnight buffets and/or late night snacks.

In yesteryears the cost for your transit on a cruise ship pretty much included everything that you’d require on board. Accommodations, meals, entertainment…except for BINGO, casino costs, bar tabs, shore excursions, shopping and tipping you were all set to cruise.

Today the costs of taking a cruise can be substantially different if you start adding on all of the fabulous and must-do add-ons like specialty dining rooms, wine bars, martini bars, world-class spas, cafés, coffee houses, ice cream parlous, personal trainers, yoga, Pilates, spinning class, internet access, acupuncture, amazing salons, mani-pedis, SCUBA lessons, outrageous shore excursions and all of the on-board shopping.

- On many newer ships there are “for-fee” alternative dining venues offered on some ships, from separate, upscale lunch and dinner options, pubs, coffee houses, patisseries, bakeries, sushi bars and ice cream parlors. These are not included in your cruise-booking price

- Room Service fees vary from “for free” (with a small tip) to “for fee”. The “for fee” rates vary from cruise line (some from ship to ship within a cruise line) and may only be during specific times like after midnight until 6am

- Some Gay Gay Cruise operators will have specific entertainment and parties available only to their group members

- NCL is going to be initiating cover fees for some of the evening venues on their soon to be launched Norwegian Epic. This is an industry first and if successful may soon be adopted by other cruise lines and ships

- Due to unforeseen events, such as weather and emergency medical evacuations the ships itinerary may change with some ports being deleted, routes being changed and times in-port being abridged

When a change in itinerary occurs due to mechanical problems with the ship the cruise line will compensate you for the inconvenience. Compensation varies by the severity of the interruption and may be a refund (full or partial) of your cruise price and a discount on booking a future cruise. Rarely is a cruise itinerary affected where a ship is incapable of returning to its final destination/port of disembarkation. In the case that your ship is incapable of reaching it’s final destination, due to mechanical problems, the cruise line generally will provide transportation to your final destination/point of disembarkation and may provide emergency accommodations for you until you can be transported back to your final destination/point of disembarkation

Transportation to and from the ship, to and from your home is not included in your cruise booking cost unless you purchase an air/hotel add-on option from the cruise line upon booking your cruise. If you purchase an air/hotel add-on from the cruise line they most likely will be liable, unless notated in your add-on contract, to get you to and from your ship in the unlikely event that your flight is canceled or arrives late and you miss your embarkation. If you arrange air transportation for yourself to get you to and from your port of embarkation/disembarkation and your flight is canceled or delayed, it will be at your own cost to arrange transportation to the next destination that is on your ship’s itinerary, including accommodations while you await for the ships arrival

All costs that you incur due to shopping, bar tabs (alcohol and soda), alternative dining options, “for fee” entertainment and recreation options, babysitting/after hours child care, shore excursions, transportation to and from the ship from your home and while ashore at the ports that you will visit, gaming costs, internet access, spa fees, beauty salon fees; anything that is not includeded as inclusive in your cruise documents.

- During your embarkation you will be asked to provide a credit card for onboard purchases. Once onboard the ship you will use your room-key, identification card, as your means to pay for purchases and activities. At the end of the cruise your “tab” will be settled through payment on to your credit card. If you prefer to settle with cash you may visit the Purser’s desk on the last night of the cruise and settle your tab with cash. Throughout the cruise you may check your ‘tab” using your in-room interactive television. If there is a discrepancy you can address it as soon as it has been added to your tab

Tipping, or gratuities, is required on most cruise lines. Some lines will automatically add a daily fee for your hotel and dining staff’s tips on to your “tab”. Upon booking your cruise you will receive your cruise documents including a brochure that will advise you on the ships tipping policies, who to tip and what is a standard tip. Bar tabs (including soda) usually incur a 15% gratuity which will added to the receipt that you will sign when accepting your beverage.

Taxes and port charges are usually not rolled into the cruise booking cost. Depending upon your destinations, and where you are departing from the costs can be upwards to 10% of your initial cruise booking cost. There may be destination fees added to your cruise. Recently ports in Alaska have recently added a $50 per passenger fee for all travelers visiting the state via cruise ship. The cruise industry is protesting the fees and trying to get the state to renegotiate the fees. Some cruise lines are repositioning some of their ships for 2011 itineraries to other destinations in protest.

Air Transportation to and from your cruise - Most Cruise Lines have an air add-on package for a fee. Pro’s: Prearranged by the Cruise Line so hassle free and include transportation from airport to pier and back to airport for your return. Con’s: Few Cruise lines allow you to select your air carrier, some flights will not be as direct as the one’s that you or your travel agent can book, sometimes these flights end up being more expensive than flights that you can book yourself, Note: Remember to add-on air carrier baggage fees for checked bags

Taxi’s – The cost for a taxi can be a world of difference from city to city. From San Francisco International Airport to Pier 35 (about 13 miles) costs about $35.00, the cost of a taxi from San Diego International Airport to the Port of San Diego (about 1.5 miles) costs about $15.00 and the cost of a taxi from Los Angeles International Airport to the Port of Los Angeles (about 22 miles) can cost upwards to $80.00 or more depending upon traffic. A better alternative is to book a Shuttle Bus (check with your travel agent for a reliable, gay-friendly shuttle bus). They have set costs and because you are sharing your ride with other people the costs can be greatly reduced, especially in Los Angeles and New York City.

Hotel Accommodations – Depending upon where you stay in the city and what style you’re looking for. Most SailAway Cities have gay or gay-friendly bed and breakfasts and most are budget friendly. Depending on what Sail Away city you are sailing from, some ports are far away from accommodations. Make sure that your accommodations either have a shuttle bus to the pier or budget for a taxi.

Red Cap Services – Once you get to the pier you’re going to have a Red Cap or Porter take your bags from your taxi, car or bus to check-in. Depending upon the number of bags you’re bringing, and steamer trunks for some, $2.00 a bag is an acceptable tip for their services (yes, even in Ft. Lauderdale where they move your bags about 50 feet-it’s hot out there and better to have your bag arrive safely than to be on the Carnival ship docked next door).