Summer is finally here, but it’s not too late to book a gay cruise. I know, gay cruises aren't for everyone, but it IS something you should experience once in your lifetime before writing them off completely. They do offer something for everyone. Be sure to research the company and the cruise itinerary thoroughly before you book as some cruises may cater more towards certain demographics in the LGBTQ spectrum. Here are some of the world’s top LGBTQ cruises and travel companies.
VACAYA completely reinvents the all-gay cruise and all-inclusive gay resort concepts by opening up the experience to lesbians, bisexuals, trans persons, queer men/women, those questioning their sexuality, intersex, asexual, pansexual, and polyamorous individuals, as well as gay men who’ve enjoyed the typical gay cruise experience. VACAYA is the only large-scale vacation company on earth built for the entire LGBTQIAPK community and their straight ally friends. VACAYA offers fun easy vacations with customized itineraries, personalized service, tailored entertainment, welcoming activities, friendly parties, and transformative moments. Shared experiences with like-minded LGBT+ adults and friends give us a new perspective on the world and remind us how lucky we are to be alive. VACAYA charters the entire ship or resort so guest have the freedom to express their individuality, make personal connections, celebrate life, rev up, or simply relax… together. This is the spirit of VACAYA. open sea. open mind.
In 1991, Atlantis Events held our first all-gay resort event with 300 guests at a Club Med Resort in Playa Blanca, Mexico. What started with the very simple idea of "a gay week on the beach with friends" has blossomed into a company producing all-gay cruise and resort vacations all over the world. Today, they are the largest company in the world dedicated to creating unique vacations for the gay and lesbian community.
Since 1990, Olivia has taken nearly 300,000 women on cruise, resort, adventure and riverboat vacations all over the world, including Antarctica. The company always charter entire ships or buy out whole resorts to provide a safe space for women to be out and feel free. Women of every ethnicity, nationality, age, ability, relationship status and profession travel with us for an extraordinarily unique experience – to have an all-woman, all-lesbian vacation. Olivia tailors specific programs to different types of travelers. Whether it’s an intimate riverboat cruise from Switzerland to Amsterdam, an African Safari adventure, an all-inclusive resort vacation in Puerto Vallarta, or a cruise with 1,900 lesbians to Australia and New Zealand, you are sure to find an Olivia vacation that’s perfect for you.
Since its inception, RSVP has stuck to one of our core principles: to appeal to a broad spectrum of the community. From age 21 to 95, from Buenos Aires to Boston, single or coupled, thousands have joined in celebrating our diversity. Every RSVP vacation has its own unique flavor, driven by the wide variety of gay-focused activities provided. Whether it is our outstanding entertainers, famous T-dances, raucous Bingo sessions, hot leather and underwear parties, or our infamous costume contests, there is always something for everyone—even if it means just being yourself for a week, with 120 to 3500 likeminded people in a completely welcoming and comfortable environment.
For 17 years, Source Events has made dreams come true by taking clients on journeys to the world’s most exceptional destinations, perfectly curated with only the most unique experiences. The team builds lifelong bonds between their guests that make them feel like they are part of the Source Events family. Their guests are explorers, learners and possess a deep curiosity about the world around them. Guests enjoy experiences that are like ourselves – unique and original. They celebrate new points of view found in faraway places that challenge our mind, shape our body and strengthens our spirit.
Since its founding by Chris Winkle in 1991, Undersea Expeditions has offered group adventures for gay and lesbian divers to the world's best dive locations. Their mission continues today under the management of Greg Hamman, an avid diver with a background in international business and a belief that bringing more gays and lesbians into scuba diving offers our community a vacation alternative, while benefiting conservation by adding our collective voices and economic power to those who are helping to protect these amazing ecosystems. Undersea Expeditions will help you find the best flights to any of their destinations. The company is paid by commission from thier suppliers, not fees from the divers, so the price you pay matches the best price available for that week online.
A 35-year cruise industry veteran, Tom Baker, president of Aquafest Cruises, has over 250 cruises under his belt and has traveled all corners of the globe. Tom is also a partner in CruiseCenter.com, one of the leaders in selling luxury travel. He has been awarded a Conde Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist since 2008, is a Wendy Perrin WOW Agent, and was awarded a coveted Adrian Award in 2009 as One of The Most Brilliant Minds In Sales and Marketing. Tom is the founder of Aquafest LGBT Events since 2001. He continues to contribute to many LGBT charities over the years and continues to be an activist for LGBT Rights. He looks forward to meeting you on one of our varied travel programs whether by sea or by land.
In late 2014 Out Quest Global Adventures (formerly Out West Global Adventures) joined the HE Travel family. HE Travel carries on the traditions of founders Aaron Kampfe and David Heinzen, and more recently Ron Wilcoxson. HE Travel has been offering unique adventure tours for gay men, lesbians and open-minded friends and family who enjoy tours with a gay flair. The company continues to offer exciting vacations to destinations as varied as France, Italy, Iceland, Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam and Antarctica. The company’s Adventure division (previously known as Alyson Adventures) was founded by Sasha Alyson in 1995, after he sold his pioneering publishing company, Alyson Publications. Alyson sought to break stereotypes while enhancing travel experiences for his friends and their loved ones. Today, the two brands are merged under the name of HE Travel and they still offer the popular trips down the Grand Canyon as well as others to destinations as far flung as Laos and Cambodia, as remote as Easter Island, and as popular as Tuscany and Provence.