
Updated May 2018
As we approach the summer months, we take a look at Pride and how the whole world celebrates lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender culture. Festivals, parades, and parties are taking place all over the world as well as rallies, commemorations, and community days.

Pride unifies, builds communities, and promotes equal rights worldwide and the travel industry strongly supports this. From Pride parades, to Friends of Dorothy groups and all-gay chartered cruise holidays – cruise travel caters for all holiday preferences; each cruise line is as unique as each itinerary diverse.
Have you considered combining a cruise holiday with some of the most notorious Pride festivities? Or booked your cruise already? Look out for celebrations at just some of our favourite ports below.
Gay Pride Port Calendar for Summer 2018:
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Amsterdam, Netherlands |
July 28 - August 5
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Las Vegas, Nevada |
October 19 - 21
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Barcelona, Spain |
June 23 - June 30
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Marseille, France |
July 7
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Belfast, Northern Ireland |
July 27 - August 5
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Montreal, Canada |
June 22 - 24
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Berlin, Germany |
July 28
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Mykonos, Greece |
August 23 - 30
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Calgary, Canada |
August 24 - September 3
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New York, USA |
June 15 - 24
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Copenhagen, Denmark |
August 13 - 19
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Oslo, Norway |
June 22 - July 1
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Curacao, Caribbean |
September 27 - 30
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Rome, Italy |
June 9
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Dublin, Ireland |
June 21 - 30
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Stockholm, Sweden |
July 27 - August 5
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Ibiza, Spain |
June 13 - 16
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Tokyo, Japan |
April 28 - May 6
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Key West, Florida |
June 6 - 10
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Vancouver, Canada |
August 3 - 5
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And the best ships to take you there…
Whether your preference is modern elegance, family fun, partying all night or being a sophisticated single; all cruise lines have their own unique offerings for the wild to the more discreet traveller.
Most cruise lines offer LGBT meet-ups and casual cocktail parties for anyone who wants to identify and socialise with other gay passengers on large ships. These are otherwise known as ‘Friends of Dorothy’ (FOD) meetings; usually held at one of the bars or public rooms onboard – you’ll find these advertised either in the ship’s daily programme or bulletin board.

Thinking about arranging your own meet up onboard your cruise? MeetMeOnBoard.com is a great platform for solo travellers and couples alike; enabling cruisers to connect with each other before boarding, or even find cabin-mates to avoid a single supplement.
Gay and lesbian guests can feel welcome onboard any cruise sailing by all staff and passengers; and faced with unlimited cruise choices, it can be difficult to decide which cruise line is right for you. Below are just a few of our favourite cruise lines who are popular within the LGBT community.
Modern and elegant, Celebrity Cruise ships have a cool vibe with 5* service. There is a huge mix of passengers onboard and their varied dining options, state-of-the-art activities and luxurious spa facilities caters for all of them. If there is not a FOD meeting included in a daily programme, check the community ‘bulletin board’ which can be found near Guest Relations.
A Norwegian cruise is casual, great fun and excellent value for money. Norwegian’s ‘Freestyle Cruising’ appeals to many lesbian and gay passengers due to its informal feel, anytime dining and open seating. NCL hold at least one FOD meeting on every ship, on every cruise.
Creator of the largest ships at sea, Royal Caribbean attracts an adventurous, fun-loving and diverse crowd; it’s popular with gay and lesbian travellers, singles, families and couples alike. With some Royal ships holding up to 6,000 passengers, they truly are ‘cities at sea’. Activities include a zipline, surf simulators, sky diving simulators as well as Broadway shows including Cats, Mamma Mia and We Will Rock You.

Traditionally British, formal, and oozing with luxury, Cunard attracts the more conservative traveller. With White Glove service, 5* cuisine and diverse itineraries, the three Queens definitely embody the finer things in life. All ships are very gay-friendly with LGBT meet-ups on every cruise.
Sophisticated travellers flock to Crystal Cruises’ ultra-luxury ships. You can expect first-class cuisine, Broadway singers and a fantastic variety of entertainment. The Perfect Choice Dining programme appeals to those who want the flexibility of dining when and with whom they wish. Crystal also offers a Friends of Dorothy meeting on every itinerary.
Colourful, casual and vibrant cruises – Carnival ships are FUN for all and suitable for couples and families alike. LGBT meet-ups are frequent onboard most of their ships, sometimes one a day. Refer to your Carnival Hub mobile app for the day’s itinerary which tells you when gatherings will be held. The app is also a forum for you to connect with and ‘chat’ with other passengers you’ve met onboard

All-gay cruises
There are a number of ships chartered specifically for LGBT travellers over the year through companies including Atlantis Events, Source Events and R Family Vacations.
Please share any comments or questions you may have about LGBT cruise travel below – we’d love to hear from you.
Happy Pride!
By Chloe