A white cruise ship flying a rainbow flag.

Floating Pride: The First LGBTQ+ Cruises

I know…gay cruises are something of a stereotype. They’ve been the butt of many jokes over the years (I’m looking at you, Boat Trip). But the truth is that cruises are very popular with the LGBTQ+ community. Nowadays, passengers have a lot more freedom to openly express themselves and their sexuality.

Cruise lines are only too happy to accommodate and see the LGBTQ+ community as a lucrative market. Meetups are regularly advertised during voyages. Entire ships are chartered out for LGBTQ+ cruises with regularity. And of course, cruise line logos are transformed into rainbow versions of their usual selves every June for Pride Month (though not nearly as much this year as in past years, I’ve noticed).

Courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line.
Courtesy of Celebrity Cruises.
Courtesy of Cunard.
Courtesy of Princess Cruises.
Courtesy of Virgin Voyages.
Courtesy of P&O Cruises.
Courtesy of Royal Caribbean International.
Courtesy of Silversea Cruises.
Courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line.
Courtesy of Holland America Line.
Courtesy of Azamara Cruises.
Courtesy of Seabourn Cruise Line.

But it wasn’t always like this. For decades, LGBTQ+ travelers often had to keep their identities hidden. Things started changing in the wake of Stonewall. As Pride grew into a global event, LGBTQ+ tourism started taking off. There seems to be some debate as to when the first dedicated LGBTQ+ cruise was. Most sources cite a February 1986 sailing aboard the Bermuda Star as the first. But it appears that it was likely a December 1974 cruise aboard the MS Renaissance. Regardless, both are important events in the history of LGBTQ+ cruises.

Prejudice & Pride

In its April 6, 1975 edition, The New York Times ran an article titled “The All-Gay Cruise: Prejudice and Pride.” The previous December, over 300 men and a small (unspecified) number of women boarded Paquet Cruises’ MS Renaissance (built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique and launched in 1965) in Port Everglades, Florida. The ship was bound for the Caribbean. Most of these passengers were under 35 years old and largely came from California, New York, or Florida. But this wasn’t just a regular cruise.

The Islanders Club in New York City chartered the voyage specifically for the LGBTQ+ community. Over 5,000 cruise folders were sent out to potential travelers, and nearly every cabin was sold out (the Renaissance could carry 474 passengers). Discretion was the order of the day, and no reporters seem to have been present when the ship set sail. This was exactly what the organizers had wanted: the cruise folders asked prospective passengers to remember that “discretion is the better part of Folic.”

Streamers and confetti filled the air as the ship pulled away from the dock and headed out to sea. LGBTQ+ and maritime history was about to be made.

Paquet Cruises’ MS Renaissance. Author’s collection.

The cruise, according to writer Cliff Jahr, started normally enough. The main dining room that first night had “the exotic air of a Kiwanis Club father-and-son banquet: penny loafers and baggy slacks, cotton pullovers and army fatigues, even Johnny Carson double-knits.” He added that the “queens, those dyed and cosmetized symbols of homosexuality,” were notably absent. Jahr added, “Effeminacy, seen by the younger gays as a symptom of needless guilt feelings, (was) considered embarrassing and old-fashioned.” This stiff awkwardness gave way as the cruise went on.

On the second night, a group of leather-clad men came to the dining room and sat next to the captain’s table. Thier outfits were complete with studs, zippers, and chains. The atmosphere onboard relaxed. Young men showed up to dances resplendently dressed in drag. An S&M fashion show took place one afternoon, complete with sound recordings of cracking whips, shrieks, and moans. At one point, the announcer saw the captain watching from the bridge and said, “Of course these clothes have no interest for the crew–they’re all STRAIGHT.” The ship’s master reportedly smiled and shook his head to the contrary. On the last day of the cruise, 25 passengers competed for the title of Mr. Renaissance. It was, in essence, a floating Pride festival.

Academic Fred Fejes noted that:

Many of the men expected that a cruise of 300 gay men would sink into a week of bitchery, pretensions, and bad manners. Instead, the week passed in a warm spirit of moderation, mutual respect, and newfound friendships. As one of the organizers of the cruise noted, “Something happened out there on the Renaissance—everyone keeps telling me. While we were having the laughs, we were sort of changing our minds about each other.”

There doesn’t seem to be much else written about the Renaissance cruise. That’s not surprising given how much the Islanders Club emphasized discretion. Stonewall had only taken place four years before, and most in the LGBTQ+ community preferred to remain in the closet at this time. But this cruise seems to have been a resounding success and was undoubtedly a highlight in many of the passengers’ lives.

But while the Islanders Club may have originated the idea of LGBTQ+ cruises, it was Kevin J. Mossier and RSVP Vacations that perfected the concept.

A Cruise to Remember

Kevin J. Mossier founded RSVP Vacations in 1985, just over a decade after the Islanders Club chartered the Renaissance. Almost 40 years later, the company is still in business and frequently credited as the “originator of the gay and lesbian cruise concept.” As stated on the company’s website, “Our first cruise – “A Cruise to Remember” – sailed out of New Orleans, February 15, 1986 with 750 guests ready to create and enjoy the overwhelming experience that only can happen on an all-gay vacation.”

Bermuda Star Line’s SS Bermuda Star. Author’s collection.

RSVP approached several cruise lines for their first LGBTQ+ cruise, but most of them were hesitant. Finally, the Bermuda Star Line agreed. They chartered the SS Bermuda Star (built as the SS Argentina by Ingalls Shipbuilding and launched in 1958). For this cruise, however, the ship was nicknamed the Brenda Starr.

Writer Robert Julian was aboard RSVP’s second LGBTQ+ cruise in 1987, which also took place aboard the Bermuda Star. His account makes several references to what’s presumably the February 15, 1986 sailing, which seems to provide the most details about the cruise. When the Bermuda Star set sail in 1987, however, it was decidedly not discreet like the Renaissance’s had been. Julian notes that for his sailing:

We shove off with champagne and hors d’oeuvres on the promenade deck while the crew releases hundreds of purple balloons, kept under wraps in the empty swimming pool. Tourists stand at the pier and stare open mouthed while a boatload of queens tosses streamers to the musical accompaniment of “Tara’s Theme” from Gone with the Wind.

It’s unknown if the 1986 cruise started in a similar manner.

But what a difference a decade makes. By 1986-1987, and in the midst of the AIDS epidemic, the LGBTQ+ community was perhaps the most visible it’d ever been. Staying the closet was no longer an option for many. According to the Pride Shack blog, “Activists sought to dismantle societal prejudices, promote comprehensive sex education, and advocate for inclusive healthcare policies that considered the unique needs of the LGBTQ+ community.” The Bermuda Star’s departure was likely related to the community’s rising visibility in the wake of the AIDS epidemic.

According to Julian, AIDS was understandably a topic of conversation throughout his cruise. At least one passenger traveled solo because his partner died of the disease just seven weeks before. It’s unlikely that he was the only one in that situation: this devasting epidemic had already been going on for a few years. Researchers say that by 1995, one in nine gay men were diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and one in fifteen had died. The disease would ultimately kill 324,029 American men and women between 1987 and 1998.

Although the 1986 and 1987 cruises took place under the specter of the AIDS epidemic, it seems that it was a good time. Julian noted that there were “some snafus last year, but RSVP obviously has their act together this time.” Alcohol was free flowing, food was never-ending, and hookups took place all over the ship. Julian recounted:

According to the boys from Denver, last year the ship left port with the normal amount of liquor for one week and ran out on the second day. Based on what I’m observing this year, I have no reason to question the story. I can’t decide if something is radically wrong here, or if everyone is just having a good time.

Julian also added:

The empty top level of the ship, which has no name, has been dubbed the “fun deck.” After hours it is apparently hopping. Last year’s inaugural gay cruise, they made the mistake of painting it late in the evening; the next day passengers showed up with green deck paint on the knees of their jeans. The RSVP people know who they’re dealing with and constantly restock the two large bowls of condoms at the information desk. You help yourself, like after dinner mints, only different.

Eventually, RSVP started patrolling the “fun deck” and forbid passengers up there after dark. It’s unclear whether or not they had to also do this in 1986.

Overall, however, it sounds like the Bermuda Star was another floating Pride festival. It was undoubtedly successful because, as Robert Julian’s account shows, there was another cruise the following year. By 2014, RSVP Vacations has hosted more than 100,000 guests on more than 200 vacations.

RSVP celebrated its 30th anniversary with a cruise aboard the then-new Regal Princess. According to Jeff Guaracino of Philadelphia Gay News:

Princess Cruises — the cruise line made famous as the backdrop of the iconic “Love Boat” television series — christened its new Regal Princess with a gay campy tribute. All six “Love Boat” cast members — Gavin MacLeod (Capt. Stubing), Fred Grandy (Gopher), Ted Lange (Isaac), Bernie Kopell (Doc), Lauren Tewes (Julie) and Jill Whelan (Vicki) — pulled a lever that sent a record-breaking 50 champagne bottles smashing against the ship’s hull. Frequent show guest-star Florence Henderson served as the master of ceremonies.

The Regal Princess’ naming ceremony. Courtesy of Midlife Road Trip.

Final Thoughts

This December marks the 50th anniversary of that first cruise aboard the MS Renaissance. Things have changed dramatically since then. Cruise lines are no longer reticent like they were when RSVP Vacations first approached them in the 1980s. Quite the opposite! Today, LGBTQ+ cruises are a big part of the market. Most of the major cruise lines charter their ships for the purpose. LGBTQ+ travelers have so many options nowadays, which is fantastic. It’s hard to remember that passengers once had to be reminded that “discretion is the better part of Folic.”

References