ROSIE'S BIG GAY BOAT ROCKS!!!

[JamieMcG]

Posted: 7/17/05 at 1:31pm

Hey all,

Just a quick note-Rob will be posting my cruise journal along with some fun pics soon, but just wanted to share some of the amazing highlights of the cruise.

First and most surprisingly, last night following a movie Ro made with a collage of some amazing photos, the movie screen rose to reveal the live film score being played by Melissa Etheridge. She sang a great set and the crowd was on it's feet the entire time.

Also Cyndi Lauper's concert was simply unreal-After seeing her it saddened me to think I won't be seeing her in Sweeney Todd-she would be absolutely ideal.

Johnny T's AD-Liberty rocked, as did Darius DeHaas' WONDER Concert singing the songs of Stevie Wonder.

But one of the most amazing performances came from last night's Broadway Belters Concert hosted by Rosie and all put together by Seth Rudetsky. A young lady named simply Ledici (who I apparently missed in "Caroline, or Change") stopped the show dead in it's tracks. The audience wouldn't stop applauding until she came back and sang a second number!

Other amazing hilights were Liz Callaway singing "The Story Goes On"-it amazes me that she sounds EXACTLY like she did more than 20 years ago-it's amazing to hear someone like her next to all these singers who are all about vocal acrobatics. Almost relieving sometimes to hear something so pure and clear-few people can perform a song like Liz.

Orfeh of course knocked everyone's socks off in her concert as well as last night at Belters...

Overall, it was just an amazing week.

My journal focuses a lot on the power of the cruise on the community as a whole, as well. Go sign up now for the Alaskan cruise next year!

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/17/05 at 1:48pm

Who cares if I'm not gay - I'LL BE ON THE NEXT BOAT!

I hated missing the first, I hated missing this one. I will go out of my way to free my schedule for this. LOVE Rosie. LOVE this idea of hers.

Sounds like a fabulous trip was had by all! I also read the Playbill.com report - Andrew Gans was on the ship.

[JamieMcG]

Posted: 7/17/05 at 3:19pm

Yeah Andrew was there with his friend, Zeke. Fun was had by all. Most moving of all though was the documentary film made on last year's cruise by HBO. "All Aboard" is being sent around to several of the major film festivals and hopes for it only get bigger after that. It's a moving film that not only documents all the fun people had on the ship, but the stories of the families who took part. It's a fascinating film featuring several performances from faves such as Julia Murney, Billy Porter, Gavin Creel and Jose Llana...

Once it's out and about make sure you don't miss it.

And book your reservation for next year NOW...seriously. There were more than 2000 people on board this year and I'm sure there will be even more next year.
r family vacations

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 7/17/05 at 7:07pm

Here are two pics from last night - Gavin and Melissa. I just got home from the cruise. Jamie hit most of the highlights. Ledici, Liz and Darius were fantastic. Gavin Creel's solo show and performance in the Belters concert were outstanding. I'm a huge Cyndi Lauper fan, and she was at her peak on Wednesday night in two shows. As Jamie mentioned, the documentary of last year's cruise was very moving. The comedy show by Judy Gold was HYSTERICAL. Sharon Gless joined Rosie one evening to screen scenes from the three Queer as Folk episodes that Rosie appeared in, then held a Q&A. Melissa's appearance last night was truly exciting. Even the staff of the cruise line came in and enjoyed the show.

It was thrilling. In addition to the amazing entertainment, we also got to spend time in beautiful Halifax, Boston, Provincetown and Martha's Vineyard. The families on the cruise were inspiring, and anyone who spends seven days on this trip won't be able to help being changed. I've already reserved space on next year's Alaskan cruise and hope to see many of you there.
Updated On: 7/17/05 at 07:07 PM

[JamieMcG]

Posted: 7/17/05 at 7:34pm

Well said, Menken Fan!

One can't help but be changed. Another observation was that many staff members of the ship's crew were not only amazed by the shows, but they were also taken back by the politeness and friendliness of all the passengers. The ship's captain even got onstage last night and said this was the best voyage he'd ever captained in his 25 years of service.

It's just so clear that the people here are a community, as opposed to another cruise that happens to be a bunch of strangers who oftentimes come expecting to be waited on hand-and-foot. I was always pleasantly surprised that someone came and cleared my tray in the garden cafe!

Also-I did catch the Q & A on Queer as Folk. Sharon Gless was delightful, a very nice, humble lady. I think with a ship full of men and women that wished a character she played was THEIR mom, must have been a tad overwhelming...but she seemed to handle it all beautifully.

Menken-I'm glad you were there-I wish we'd met!!!

It's great to encourage non-members of gay and lesbian families to come on this cruise. They are the ones that will go back into the unreal world and spread the word of the love on this boat. I'm still on cloud nine and will be in a very sappy mood for a while, I am sure.

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 7/17/05 at 7:49pm

I went on this cruise to spend a vacation where my partner and I could be ourselves and enjoy the first-class, non-stop entertainment. We got SO much more out of it.

I forgot to mention the presentations and performances by Esera Tuaolo, the gay ex-football player. Very inspiring, and on the first night, he sang the hell out of "I Know Where I've Been" from Hairspray.

We'll make sure we meet you and more of the others next year.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/17/05 at 7:53pm

My father grew up with the Jewish faith and is now a Christian, and my mother was raised very Christian. They are both in favor of a ban on gay marriage.

I've been trying to make them become more open-minded, but when I mentioned a mostly all gay cruise - they're first response was "WHY?!" Excuses, excuses, excuses. They wouldn't do it - and we wouldn't probably be able to afford it. When I mentioned it was an Alaskan cruise next year - my mother's eyes for the first time seemed to consider the idea. All her life she's wanted to do one.

I just don't think they'd do it.

Sad - but I would do it. I'll be alone, but I'll be there. Somehow.

By the way - what did the cruise offer in terms of facilities, entertainment, amenities, etc.?

[sassypanz]

Posted: 7/17/05 at 7:56pm

Gavin Creel is gay?

[JamieMcG]

Posted: 7/17/05 at 9:30pm

LOL no, not everyone on the cruise is gay...actually a lot of straight singles, couples and families are on board. One family I spoke with (with a mom, dad, 2 boys and a baby girl) came simply because they wanted their kids to experience a place without judgement, which they knew they would on this cruise.

CapnHook-you may come on the cruise alone, but you won't leave that way. I came on my own this year and was with a boyfriend last year. This year, I was able to take the time to really become part of a family...you can't help but feel a part of that community.

If you can find ANY way to talk one or both of your folks to come along, do it. There is just NO WAY someone would be able to walk off this ship, not having experienced the love on this ship. Every child on the boat is not only wanted but in many cases, has been fought hard for. The pride in all these parents' eyes is unmistakeable.

As far as the cruise facilities, etc...The Norwegian Dawn is the second largest cruise ship on the ocean. There must be more than a dozen different restaurants and as many bars, a full casino, a large theatre and several other perofrmance spaces, a pool with4 hot tubs on the main deck, another hot tub on the bow, and a lie-in hot tub and smaller lap pool in the full-size fitness center. The staterooms vary in size depending on how many are in your party and how much you pay. And many of the staterooms have balconies.

As far as entertainment goes, you won't find better entertainment on a cruise. period. It's the best of Broadway not to mention people like Cyndi Lauper, Melissa Etheridge, stand-up comic greats like Judy Gold...and according to the staff on the ship, this is the first cruise on which many of them even watched the shows.

Sign up now

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/17/05 at 9:33pm

How are the restaurants? Details on the food, please!

It just sounds perfect to me. My Neverland.

[Phantom2]

Posted: 7/17/05 at 9:39pm

Is that Gavin's purple Prom King shirt?

[harris007]

Posted: 7/17/05 at 10:07pm

ROSIE O'DONNELL IS GAY???????

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 7/17/05 at 10:28pm

The food was endless. The buffets were plentiful and open practically around the clock. The buffet food was above average for buffet food. There were about 10 specialty restaurants (Asian, Italian, Seafood, etc.) and the food there was fantastic. All food was included in the package price, and only the beverages were extra $$. (And I had quite a "beverage" bill when I left the boat this morning.)

Yes, that was Gavin's purple tuxedo shirt.

And yes, Rosie's wife told me she suspects that Rosie likes the ladies.

[JamieMcG]

Posted: 7/17/05 at 10:28pm

I don't feel comfortable discussing Rosie's sexuality...you should maybe ask her.

Details on food...hmmm...there's a LOT of it. My favorite place to eat was the Steakhouse. Surf and turf was a filet mignon and half a lobster...desserts were just wrong. Once in a while a meal in the Garden Cafe won't be all that, but for the most part, the food is pretty great...TONS of options. Mexican, Japanese, French, Italian, Steak, Seafood, Burgers, Diner food...it's really all over the place.