There is so much exciting news in the world of gay cruises! Check out some of the fun new ways to find adventure on the high seas:
Frohe weihnachten, VACAYA!
VACAYA made quite a splash when they entered the scene in August 2019, winning rave reviews with their New England cruise aboard the elegant Celebrity Summit. The VACAYA gang is headed to a resort in Mexico in October, but then they are going back to the water again—this time on an Emerald Cruises riverboat through central Europe. How do you say “OMG” in German?
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Anyone who watched Downton Abbey on PBS has dreamt of sailing past the cathedrals and palaces in Europe’s capitals, while aboard one of those long, luxurious ships, thanks to the river cruise commercials that were a part of each episode. Well, here is your chance.
The Christmas Markets of Europe cruise will be a 2-week expedition (guests can choose 7 or 14 nights) aboard the extremely glamorous Emerald Destiny, and will stop in the very gay German city of Cologne, as well as postcard-perfect towns like Nuremberg and Passau, before landing in Vienna and finally Budapest.
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What a dream itinerary! Cities in Europe host “Christmas markets” in the winter months, where people can wander among stalls that sell snacks and knicknacks, while drinking warm beverages and cuddling with loved ones in the crisp, chilly air. It is like a Hallmark movie in real-life. Or you can warm up in Budapest’s famous thermal baths, which are open in the winter.
Atlantis Events joins forces with Virgin
There is much excitement in the travel world with the impending launch of Virgin Voyages, the new (adults-only) cruise line by Sir Richard Branson. The first ship in Virgin’s fleet, named Scarlet Lady, is still being built somewhere in Italy, but it will set sail in 2020 and call Miami her home port. The computer-generated imagery of the ship promises some fabulous decor, with cabins that look like Las Vegas hotel suites.
Take a tour of a model cabin in this video, presented by Ben and David, the bear-and-otter duo who have assigned themselves the enviable responsibility of reviewing cruise ships:
Needless to say, the entertainment on any Virgin cruise ship is going to be gangbusters. Let’s all remember, the Virgin brand first started as a record shop, which eventually turned into the Virgin Records music label. Remember the Virgin megastores? Those were fun. Anyway—
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Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady has been tentatively chartered by Atlantis Events (the cruise is not being sold on the Atlantis site yet) for a Caribbean cruise, setting sail on May 31, 2020. So that will be a raucous affair.
Happy Anniversary
Let’s all give a hearty “ahoy, matey” to Olivia Travel, the leading provider of “great cruise, resort, riverboat and adventure vacations for lesbians,” according to their web site. In January 2020, Olivia will celebrate its 30th Anniversary of providing travel to those adventurous lesbians, with a lovely Caribbean cruise.
Also celebrating will be RSVP Vacations, which will celebrate with a 35th anniversary cruise to the Caribbean next year. Take a look at these photos of RSVP cruises from the past, which chronicle the years (and fashion trends) of RSVP gay cruises gone by. A lot has changed in 35 years. Perhaps most importantly, we no longer do aerobics while dressed in Spandex. And that is okay.
Do you have travel news to share? Email danrenzi@gaycities.com.
