Holland America, NCL to host more gay and lesbian cruises in 2009

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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