| | |  Travel & Outdoors | January 2009 
Holland America, NCL to Host More Gay and Lesbian Cruises in 2009
 Gene Sloan - USA Today
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| Photo of Holland America Eurodam courtesy Holland America
Here's a list of things that you might not know, or that you need to be sure to do, before taking your first cruise.
1. Get your Travel Documents in order - You will need a passport if you’re going out of the country, and many Cruises do. Travel Document requirements can change from time to time, so you should check out the US Department of State website to make sure you have everything you’ll need.
2. Assigned seating or not? - When I first started looking at cruises I was surprised to see that there is assigned seating on most cruise lines where you and your guests will be sitting with others at large tables. Several cruise ships are starting to handle this differently, allowing you to sit where ever you like, but if they don’t specifically mention a “free style” dining experience, you may be sitting with people you don’t know. If you’re uncomfortable with that, then you should plan accordingly.
3. Great Deals are easy to find - if you’re flexible - If you’re willing to gamble a bit on your cruise, and you have a flexible schedule for when you can leave and when you can come back - you can book your own cruise for a fraction of the cost that you might expect. By hunting for bargains, you can find ships that are still looking to see some of their remaining rooms for the voyage. Ships often reduce to price of rooms as it closer and closer to their date of departure. If you look around online you can find many places that will help you take advantage of this and find some truly great cruise packages for very little money.
4. Just because you buy it, doesn’t mean you can take it home - US Customs has some pretty strict rules on what you can and can’t bring into the United States, and there are many things you can spend your money on in other countries that customs will force you to hand over to them when you come back State-side. So you should take the time before hand to read the US Custom’s “Know before you Go” website. It will save you a lot time and trouble.
5. You can stay connected, but don’t forget to have fun - Most cruise ships these days have Internet connections in either business centers on the ships, or sometimes as wi-fi throughout the vessel. That’s a great way to keep in touch with your family, friends, and yes - even the office. Don’t forget, however - you’re ON VACATION! Have fun! Don’t work! Relax and enjoy yourself. You have plenty of time to files those TPS reports when you get back.
- Michael, TravelBrook | |
Things are looking up for RSVP Vacations, the big gay and lesbian cruise operator.
After cutting back its offerings this year following a change in ownership, the 22-year-old company is expanding again in 2009 with five cruises aimed at the gay and lesbian market.
RSVP says the voyages - three on large ships, two on small ships - will double its capacity for the year. Last year, the company operated just three cruises, only one of which was on a large ship.
As in the past, RSVP is chartering entire ships for its 2009 cruises - from Holland America, Norwegian Cruise Line and river cruise operator Amadeus.
The full-year lineup, announced this month, includes:
• An Eastern Caribbean cruise on Holland America's Eurodam. The 2,104-passenger vessel departs Fort Lauderdale on Feb. 2 for a seven-night voyage to the Turks & Caicos; San Juan, Puerto Rico; St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands; and Holland America's private island, Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas. Cabins strart at $899 per person, based on double occupancy.
• A Mexican Riviera Cruise on Norwegian Star. Departing Los Angeles on April 18, the seven-night voyage calls in Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta. Cabins start at $799 per person.
• Two European river cruises on the Amadeus Amalyra. Back-to-back, nine-night voyages on Aug. 7 and Aug. 14 will explore Central Europe. The first trip follows the Moselle, Rhine, and Main rivers with stops in Cochem, Koblenz, Rudesheim, Frankfurt, Miltenberg, Wertheim, Wurzburg and Bamberg before ending in Nuremberg. The second trip heads through the Bavarian forests of Germany to Regensberg and Passau before continuing along the Danube to Linz and Melk. Cabins for each of the nine-night trips start at $2,769 per person.
• An Alaska Cruise on Holland America's Westerdam. Departing from Seattle on Aug. 23, the seven-night voyage includes a visit to famed Glacier Bay and calls in Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan in Alaska as well as Victoria, Canada. Cabins start at $949 per person.
In December 2007, RSVP Vacations was bought by Atlantis Events, Inc., the world’s largest firm specializing in all-gay and lesbian travel. RSVP's voyages can be booked through travel agents or directly from the company at 800-328-7787. |
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