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The LGBTQIA+ Community Continues to Shape Changes in the Cruise Industry

by Brandon Schultz

Sep 30, 2024

PHOTO: © VACAYA/ GABRIEL GOLDBERG

September 2024

The LGBTQIA+ travel market is worth more than $200 billion annually — a number expected to soar past $500 billion by the end of the decade. Recent gains in legal equalities, like the rights to marry and start families, may limit some of the demographic’s industry-famous disposable income, but LGBTQIA+ travelers still tend to travel more often and spend more than their counterparts. And that means big business for those savvy enough to cater directly to the market.

Duncan Greenfield-Turk, luxury advisor, Global Travel Collection, attributes the LGBTQIA+ penchant for luxury travel not just to personal taste but to these spaces and experiences historically offering more privacy and inclusivity. On the water he’s noticed upscale lines like Virgin Voyages cornering the ocean market, while luxury ships like those from Belmond continue to draw LGBTQIA+ cruisers to the rivers. Both brands remain supportive of the market and its specific needs — an essential quality for both comfort and safety for these travelers — and continue to reap its loyalty.

Greenfield-Turk is noticing a shift in the market, though, with LGBTQIA+ clients increasingly seeking out European river cruises to romantic destinations like the wine regions of Portugal, Spain and France. While this may just represent a trend in couples’ cruising preferences in general, it’s also likely tied to the growing acceptance of LGBTQIA+ relationships among the public at large, particularly in these destinations, making romantic experiences more comfortable and accessible than ever for alternative couples.

@HOLLYWOODBRUISERS

While “gay cruises” have existed for decades on large ships, there’s an emerging market of brands exclusively devoted to — and run by — the LGBTQIA+ community. Industry leader VACAYA excels at full-ship buyouts that offer the ultimate in tailored programming, privacy and acceptance, and actively seeks to include the entire LGBTQIA+ community in its outreach and experiences.

And this isn’t just a Caribbean party brand. Patrick Gunn, co-founder, VACAYA, also notices LGBTQIA+ cruisers aren’t just looking for stereotypically queer-friendly enclaves like Mykonos or Puerto Vallarta anymore, but seek inclusive ways to travel to top destinations worldwide. Answering the call, VACAYA recently sailed the first full-ship LGBTQIA+ expedition to Antarctica, and it was first to both circumnavigate Iceland and visit the African islands of Seychelles. While the LGBTQIA+ party cruise may not be going away, it’s no longer the sole option for a market with interests and goals as diverse as any other.

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