Top 10 gay-friendly cruises

Gay and lesbian travelers are welcome aboard cruise ships, and they are among the most enthusiastic cruisers around. From outrageously out couples and adventurous singles to discreet "marrieds" and groups of gay families, many gay and lesbian cruisers don't want to be "ghettoized" into all-gay charters (the most well-known being Atlantis and RSVP for men, and Olivia for lesbians). They want the freedom to sail anytime, anywhere, and on their favorite ships.

While gays and lesbians on regular cruises might encounter a few awkward moments with fellow passengers or cruise staff members, reports of these incidents are rare today. Maybe it's the Caribbean or Mediterranean sun warming up the typically friendly vibe on board, but frequent gay and lesbian cruisers interviewed for this article report overwhelmingly positive and welcoming experiences on "mainstream" cruise ships.

John, one half of a middle-age gay Miami couple who have been on a dozen or more cruises, said, "We always bond with the heterosexual couples we meet on board -- especially in the casino and Broadway showroom."

All cruise lines covet the gay cruising dollar. According to Community Marketing, a leading gay market research company based in San Francisco, 20 percent of gays and lesbians nationwide have taken a cruise in the past 12 months; the national average for all people is only 2 percent. To court this valuable segment of travelers, cruise lines employ special marketing campaigns, onboard amenities, and programs like meet-and-greets geared just toward gay passengers. Lesbians and gay men with children have become a sought-after traveling demographic in their own right, with the launch of Rosie O'Donnell's R Family Vacations (www.rfamilyvacations.com; 866-732-6822). O'Donnell's inaugural gay family cruise from New York to the Caribbean was fully booked last July, and will be repeated again this July.