Escaping the European winter for a week was surprisingly easy on this trip. In January, we sailed on Mein Schiff 7 around the Canary Islands and Madeira, starting and ending in Las Palmas on Gran Canaria. Sunshine, mild temperatures, and short distances between the islands created a relaxed rhythm on board and ashore. A packed sightseeing schedule was never the goal, quite the opposite: sleeping in, good food, time in the spa, and moments in nature in between. At the same time, we wanted to find out how gay-friendly a regular cruise by TUI Cruises really is and how it feels for LGBTQ+ travelers beyond dedicated theme or event cruises. This Couple of Men article is not a classic day-by-day travelogue, but an honest assessment for LGBTQ+ travelers who are considering a cruise with TUI Cruises.
– paid collaboration with TUI Cruises –
Our Experience as a Gay Couple on a Regular TUI Cruises Cruise
How natural does visibility feel as a gay couple? What is day-to-day interaction with the crew and other guests like? And how important are privacy, wellness, and moments of connection in everyday life on board? How gay-friendly does a regular cruise by TUI Cruises actually feel when you travel as a gay male couple and not as part of a specific LGBTQ+ theme cruise? Which queer highlights genuinely matter? Where do we see the strengths compared to other cruises? And who is the TUI Cruises concept particularly well suited for?
This article is based on a very concrete trip. In January, we sailed with TUI Cruises on Mein Schiff 7 and then extended our winter escape with two more weeks on Gran Canaria. At the same time, we brought in our experience from several previous cruises with very different concepts and target groups. That mix allows us to take a more nuanced look. Instead of a chronological travel diary, this is a clear, structured assessment for LGBTQ+ travelers.
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Why TUI Cruises Works Well for LGBTQ+ Travelers
Our TUI Cruises trip in January was deliberately not a theme or event cruise. We wanted to experience everyday life on board a regular route while traveling as a gay couple, without being wrapped in a ready-made LGBTQ+ format. Mein Schiff 7 offered a calm, well-organized framework that quickly made it clear how naturally visibility is lived, respected, and accepted on board. As a couple, we moved openly, often holding hands, through all areas of the ship: at breakfast, in the spa, out on deck, or in the restaurants at night. Our overall impression was remarkably uneventful in the best possible sense. We never felt we had to explain ourselves, and we didn’t stand out in a heteronormative environment any more than the other queer couples on board.
At the same time, there were plenty of opportunities to retreat. Especially for LGBTQ+ travelers who value relaxation, this balance is crucial. Wellness areas, quiet zones out on deck, and flexible daily routines made it easy to follow our rhythm. The way the crew interacted with us also played an important role: many team members were part of the LGBTQ+ community themselves. The atmosphere was friendly, professional, and genuinely attentive. Our encounters with other guests felt relaxed and respectful. Conversations happened naturally; boundaries were clearly and effortlessly respected. You could connect with people, but you didn’t have to. That freedom of choice is a key difference compared to formats where group dynamics and community activities are at the center all the time.
7 Highlights & Tips for LGBTQ+ Travelers on TUI Cruises
1. A Naturally Gay-Friendly Atmosphere on Board
What stood out most on this trip was how relaxed everything felt. Being visible as a gay couple simply wasn’t an issue because it did not play a special role in everyday life. Holding hands, being close, showing up as a couple: all of that felt completely natural, without stares, comments, or any sense that we should tone it down. This kind of normality does not happen accidentally; it grows out of a clear attitude and a respectful framework on board. Compared to other cruises we have experienced, the overall atmosphere here felt calmer and much less charged.
The crew plays a key role in this. The way they address guests, the level of service, and day-to-day communication were consistently professional and warm, without any distinction based on who we are. That kind of equal treatment creates a sense of safety and allows you to focus on what a cruise is actually meant to offer: switching off, enjoying yourself, and spending quality time together. You can be visible without being the center of attention. You simply belong, without having to explain yourself.
2. Rainbow Meet-Up as a Relaxed Community Moment
There was still a clearly visible LGBTQ+ element that has become a regular part of TUI Cruises’ itineraries over the past few years. It appears quite organically in the daily program and is aimed at all queer guests who want to meet other travelers. The Rainbow meet-up on board offered exactly that: a chance to get to know other LGBTQ+ passengers. The setting is deliberately low-key. You meet in one of the bars, get a welcome drink, and see what happens. There is no fixed program and no pressure to stay long. We quickly found ourselves chatting with other guests about the route, past cruises, and future travel plans.
What we especially liked was that these encounters did not end with this one event. Over the course of the cruise, we kept running into the same people again, on the sun deck, at breakfast, or ashore. Occasionally, we ended up doing things together or making spontaneous plans. The Rainbow meet-up blends into everyday life on board without any fuss. It creates space for connection. If you are seeking company, you will find it. If you prefer to stay in your bubble, you can just skip it.
3. Wellness Focus for Rest and Retreat
Wellness very naturally became part of our daily routine on this gay-friendly trip with TUI Cruises. Even with only one full sea day, it was easy to make good use of the spa, usually in shorter sessions between time ashore, dinner, and quiet moments on board. The sauna area on Mein Schiff 7 is included in the cruise fare and is generously designed. Several saunas, including classic Finnish saunas and steam baths, are complemented by experience showers, an ice fountain, and different relaxation areas. We especially enjoyed the quiet zones with sea views. After returning from shore in the late afternoon, we often headed to the sauna before dinner. It fit nicely into the day and helped us wind down.
The “SPA & Meer” area is set apart from the rest of the ship and feels pleasantly calm. A range of body and beauty treatments is offered here. Moreover, there are multiple pool areas. Besides the outdoor pools, we also used the indoor pool with its whirlpool, especially on windier days. The offer is rounded off by a well-equipped gym and a running track on deck. On this cruise, wellness was not a special event or something you had to schedule around. It was simply part of the day, something you use when it fits and as much as feels right.
Food always plays a big role on a cruise. For us on a Cruise by TUI Cruises, the most important part was the freedom not to plan or calculate every meal. The premium all-inclusive concept made it easy to enjoy the day without hunger or worry about fixed dining times or reservations. There are twelve restaurants and bistros on board. You can choose between classic buffet restaurants, several sit-down venues with set menus, and smaller concepts for a quick bite. For us, this meant real variety. Some days we had a late breakfast. On others, we grabbed a light lunch after an afternoon nap or sat down for a quiet five-course dinner. Everything could be adapted to how the day felt.
We were especially impressed by the options for vegetarian and vegan guests. There were suitable dishes in almost every restaurant. Special requests and food intolerances were handled without any fuss. The all-inclusive concept did not feel random. It felt intentionally designed. Drinks, coffee, beer, or an evening cocktail were simply part of the experience. That is precisely what we find relaxing. You decide in the moment what you feel like having, and you do not constantly run a price list in your head.
5. Onboard Offers and Ship Facilities
Beyond wellness and food, the general onboard offerings shape everyday life on Mein Schiff 7. We noticed how well everything was spread out across the ship. Even on sea days or at popular times, the ship rarely felt crowded. There was always a corner that fit our mood. The pool areas are centrally located on a single deck and clearly organized. The outdoor pool, indoor pool, and whirlpools are close to each other and easy to integrate into your daily routine. Large sun decks and promenades are perfect for a walk or a short break. In the evenings, life on board often shifted into the public spaces. The theater and the Schaubühne offered changing shows that you could attend spontaneously without planning far in advance. We really liked that flexibility.
Smaller details also made a difference. There is an ice cream bar for a treat in between, from a single scoop with sprinkles to a big banana split. There is a quiet reading corner, a hairdresser on board, and plenty of spots for a drink with an ocean view. None of these is spectacular on its own. Together, they create many small ways to shape a calm and varied day. For us, this showed again why this kind of cruise works so well. The ship offers enough choice without feeling overwhelming. You can be active or do nothing, drift along with the day, or make very conscious choices.
6. Shore Excursions, Activities, and Time in Nature
On this trip, we deliberately chose fewer shore excursions, but we made them more intentional. Instead of checking off as many places as possible, we wanted to spend real time outside, move our bodies, and actually experience the landscape. Our most extensive shore day was on Madeira. Together with our friends Stefan and Sebastian from the Nomadic Boys, we rented a car and drove up into the mountains. Our goal was Pico Ruivo, at 1,862 meters, the highest point of the Madeira archipelago and the third-highest mountain in Portugal.
We spent several hours hiking at high altitude, partly above the clouds, with the Atlantic wind in our ears and the sun on our faces. The landscape felt rugged and vast, and the views were simply spectacular. Small, curious red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa) accompanied us for part of the way. We ended the day by the coast. In Jardim do Mar, we watched a sunset that could hardly have been more beautiful. Dinner with an ocean view at the restaurant Osteria Jardim do Mar felt like the perfect way to close a long, intense day.
Even after the cruise, movement and nature stayed important. During our extra time on Gran Canaria, we not only dived into the very gay-friendly world of Maspalomas. We rented another car and drove into the interior of the island with our friends Itay and Erik. We spent several hours hiking around Roque Nublo. The mountain landscape of Gran Canaria showed its most impressive side. Wide views, changing scenery, and a lot of quiet accompanied us on this tour. These two hikes capture what this journey was all about for us. Carefully chosen shore days, plenty of time outside, movement at our pace, and the feeling of really being out in nature. Combined with a relaxed daily rhythm on board, this created a balance that felt just right for us.
7. TUI Cruises’ Clear Commitment to the LGBTQ+ Community
On this trip, it became clear to us that the gay-friendly atmosphere traveling with TUI Cruises extends beyond a few program items. It is part of a broader mindset that you can feel in everyday life on board, and that is visible beyond a single adventure at sea. TUI Cruises clearly positions itself as an LGBTQ+-friendly travel provider. This includes regular offers, such as the Rainbow meet-up on standard itineraries, as well as the deliberate development of dedicated formats for the community.
In June, we will be back on board with Mein Schiff, this time on the theme cruise “Bunte Horizonte – Die Pride Cruise,” which takes place from June 12 to 19, 2026, on Mein Schiff 5. The cruise takes place during Pride Month and is created in cooperation with the Rainbow Festival from Cologne. In addition to the regular onboard program, guests can expect a dedicated Pride program with music, shows, and community events. Among the artists and hosts are Kena Amoa, David Modjarad, Eloy de Jong, Katy Bähm, Wanda Kay, Patrizia Moresco, and the queer Berlin party series PiepShow.
TUI Cruises is also planning a second, independent event cruise with Rainbow Cruise 2027, which is again aimed directly at LGBTQ+ travelers. Under the motto “Rainbow Cruise: the next chapter – A future of unity,” this cruise will take place from September 28 to October 3, 2027, on Mein Schiff 2. We will be on board as well and will continue to support TUI Cruises’ long-term commitment to queer travel.
Beyond the cruises themselves, the TUI Care Foundation works with the IGLTA Foundation to support LGBTQ+ travel and queer travel entrepreneurs worldwide. This work does not take place on board, but for us it is part of the bigger picture when we evaluate how seriously a company takes diversity. That overall mix is what matters to us. An open atmosphere in everyday life, additional offers for queer guests, and visible engagement that goes beyond a single trip. TUI Cruises seems not rely on empty gestures here. The focus is on continuity, and that is what sets us apart.
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Our Experience on Mein Schiff 7 in an LGBTQ+ Context
After looking at all the individual aspects, it is worth taking a step back to reflect on the overall feeling of this trip. Our week on Mein Schiff 7 was neither a Pride cruise nor an event cruise. It was a regular itinerary with a mixed crowd, a wide range of ages, and many reasons for traveling. As a gay couple that feels at home in the bear community, we did not feel especially visible or invisible on board. We were simply part of everyday life. At dinner, on the way to the sauna, or over a drink by the pool, conversations developed the way they would on any other trip. The atmosphere was calm and respectful. For us, that is a reliable indicator of genuine openness and how gay-friendly a TUI Cruises trip was.
The ship’s layout contributed to that feeling. Clear routes, generous public areas, and plenty of quiet corners mean that you do not constantly find yourself in the middle of the action. You can join in, watch from the sidelines, or retreat completely. That balance shaped our daily life on board. The Rainbow meet-up added a conscious queer highlight without dominating the entire trip. At the same time, many small everyday moments showed that diversity is naturally part of the picture here. Whether in how the crew addresses guests or how fellow travelers interact with each other, we never felt we had to explain ourselves or hold back. For us, this week was a wonderful winter getaway and a clear confirmation that a “regular” cruise by TUI Cruises can work very smoothly for a gay couple. Not because everything is explicitly queer, but because the overall environment feels right.
Modern Fleet, Environmental Awareness, and Sustainability
The Mein Schiff fleet is among the most technologically advanced at sea. Processes, standards, and onboard systems are described as state-of-the-art, and environmental aspects are actively considered and implemented. This does not mean that cruises, which account for between 0.6 and 1 percent of global civilian shipping, are environmentally friendly or climate neutral. However, TUI Cruises has set itself the goal of offering the first climate-neutral cruises by 2030 and operating a largely climate-neutral fleet by 2050.
On our blog, we focus on sustainability and how we can directly experience it as guests in everyday life. Single-use plastic is consistently avoided on board, from dishes to cutlery. Drinks are served in glasses and cups. Straws are made of glass. Each stateroom has a glass carafe, which we refilled throughout the trip at water dispensers on every deck. There are no plastic bottles. Fair-Caps, made from natural raw materials, replace traditional plastic or aluminum coffee capsules in cabins. Towels and bed linens are not changed automatically every day, but only on request or at set intervals.
This is complemented by systems for water treatment and reuse, exhaust gas cleaning, modern fuel and propulsion technology, and the use of shore power in ports that offer it. If you want to dive deeper into the topic, TUI Cruises provides additional information about its sustainability strategy on its channels. For us, all of this does not make a cruise “green,” but it does make a noticeable difference in how responsible the experience feels.
Combining a Cruise With Maspalomas: Why Gran Canaria Is a Perfect Fit
For us, our gay-friendly trip did not end when the TUI Cruises ship returned to Las Palmas. We stayed on Gran Canaria for another two weeks and went straight on to Maspalomas. This extension did not feel like a brand-new vacation. It felt like a natural continuation of the cruise. After the days at sea, it was great to arrive in a place where we could stay put for a while. No departure time the next morning and no need to repack. Instead, we settled into a clear daily rhythm. Sleeping in, time by the pool, a walk through the dunes, or simply soaking up the sun. We stayed at gay resorts in Maspalomas, where a relaxed, open atmosphere developed quickly. Conversations start almost automatically in places like that. You do not really have to look for them.
At the same time, Maspalomas is more social than many other destinations. At the nude beach and around the Yumbo Center, you meet men from all over Europe, couples, and solo travelers alike. You can go out, have a drink, run into familiar faces again, or meet new people. There is a mix of familiarity and openness that fits our travel style very well. For us, Maspalomas is a great match with a gay-friendly cruise trip by TUI Cruises. First movement and changing perspectives at sea, then arriving and staying in one place on land. First, structure; then, wide open space. That mix made our winter escape in the sun feel complete.
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Who TUI Cruises Is a Great Fit For, and Who It Is Less Ideal For
After this trip, we would especially recommend a TUI Cruises adventure to couples who value peace, comfort, and a relaxed atmosphere. If you love good food, time in the spa, staying active, and having plenty of options to retreat, this concept will likely work very well for you. This is particularly true for gay couples who want to be visible when traveling without being in the spotlight all the time. Travelers in their mid-30s to 60s who are not looking for nonstop parties and animation but who prefer a clearly structured, high-quality everyday life on board will probably feel at home here. The combination of openness, freedom of choice, and reliable service creates an LGBTQ+ and gay-friendly setting that feels safe and still leaves enough room to breathe on board a TUI Cruises ship.
This kind of cruise is probably less suitable for anyone who expects a consistently queer atmosphere or a strong community program from morning to night. If you are looking for a cruise where parties, shows, and LGBTQ+ events define the entire daily schedule, a dedicated theme or event cruise from TUI Cruises with a queer focus is a better match. For us, the strength of TUI Cruises lies exactly in between. When we think back to this trip, we do not first remember single events. We remember a feeling. Quiet mornings on the balcony, long sauna sessions with an ocean view, conversations at the Rainbow meet-up, the wind on Pico Ruivo, and evenings in the Yumbo Center after sunset. It was not a loud trip. It was a very intentional one.
If you are planning a cruise and wondering whether TUI Cruises is a good and gay-friendly fit for you as a gay couple, our answer after this experience is yes. Especially if you are looking for calm, appreciate quality, and want to move on and off the ship in a natural, relaxed way. That is where the value of this trip lies for us.
Why This Cruise by TUI Cruises Cruise Felt Right & Gay-friendly for Us
When we think back to this week today, there is not one single moment that stands above everything else. It is more like a quiet overall melody. The view from the balcony in the morning. The gentle hum of voices at breakfast. The heat in the sauna after a long day outside. The wind on Pico Ruivo. The warm light over the dunes of Maspalomas.
In between, there was this ongoing feeling of simply being ourselves. Traveling as a gay couple without having to explain who we are. Without having to adapt. Without holding back.
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That sense of normality is one of the main things we look at when we talk about how gay-friendly a travel company or destination is. It does not come from symbols or single program points alone. It grows out of respectful behavior in everyday life. Maybe it was the mix of structure and freedom on this cruise. Maybe it was the way wellness, nature, and encounters did not compete but came together naturally. Maybe it was the fact that TUI Cruises offers a framework that feels open without being loud. For us, this trip was not a spectacle. It was conscious, calm, and close. That is precisely why it has stayed with us.
If you are considering a cruise with TUI Cruises, take a close look at the different routes and formats. Regular cruises, theme cruises like the Pride Cruise, and event cruises like the Rainbow Cruise each have their own character. For us, this combination of winter sun, sea, and Maspalomas showed how good this kind of trip can feel. If this article helps you plan your cruise, we would love to hear from you. Leave us a comment, send us a message, or share this story. And who knows, maybe we will run into each other on board one day.
If you are interested in queer outdoor adventures, ski weeks, or other mountain destinations, take a look at our travel guides or reach out for personal recommendations. You can also follow us on Facebook, Threads, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Instagram. We are always happy to connect. Karl & Daan.
Important note: This gay-friendly cruise was made possible through a close collaboration with “Mein Schiff – TUI Cruises.” As always, our opinions and the text in this article are based only on our personal experiences. All photos and videos in this story were created by us.