Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - (Page 60)

GAY & LESBIAN TR AVEL FAMILY CRUISES R Family Vacations charts new waters AS MORE STATES TAKE STEPS toward recognizing gay and lesbian marriage—and, by extension, families—it seems surprising that there is still only one major tour operator dedicated to family-friendly gay travel. In 2003, Kelli Carpenter partnered with 13-year Atlantis Events vet Gregg Kaminsky to create R Family Vacations (www.rfamily West followed. (A documentary about the maiden voyage, All Aboard, was nominated for three Emmy Awards in 2006.) In all, R Family Vacations has run seven cruises, two in 2008 alone: one trip to the Mexican Riviera, and one to New England and Canada. A return trip to Alaska is already in the works, as are land-based holidays. “We do have a lot of requests for non-cruise BY JENA TESSE FOX book clients on R Family trips. “Their clients continue to book year after year,” he says. “It’s great business for agents.” Although family-friendly, the trips are not just for children. “We design the cruises with everyone in mind,” Kaminsky emphasizes. To that end, much of the entertainment in the evenings is usually geared toward adults. Recording artist Sheena Easton, along with several Broadway stars, were on the most recent trip. For the kids, “Dottie” (as played by Jen Plante) from the children’s video series Dottie’s Magic Pockets—the first children’s program targeted to kids in gay families—was onboard the March cruise to Mexico. Intended Goal The nature of these vacations lets “families make new friendships, enjoy workshops [and visit] all the ports that are welcoming to the LGBT community,” says Joann Mignano, press representative for the company. “R Family Vacations is truly the most inclusive LGBT vacation offered. All of our vacations are designed for gays, lesbians, their families and their friends.” An interesting side note: Although the cruises have always made clergy available to perform wedding and commitment ceremonies, the recent trip to Canada was able to include legally binding ceremonies, thanks to Canada’s recognition of same-sex marriage. The CBC reported that “about a dozen” American couples were married when the Norwegian Dawn docked in Saint John, New Brunswick, on July 15. For more information, call 866-732-6822. I Norwegian Dawn was the vessel used for R Family Vacations’ first cruise vacations.com) with the support—and brand-name recognition—of Carpenter’s thenpartner, and now wife, actress Rosie O’Donnell. Carpenter-O’Donnell and Kaminsky continue to run the company, which remains the only tour operator of its kind, providing travel opportunities for gay families, as well as singles and couples. The first cruise set sail in 2004 to the Bahamas on the Norwegian Dawn, and voyages to Halifax, Alaska, the Eastern Caribbean and Florida/Key 60 | TravelAgent August 4, 2008 vacations,” Kaminsky says. “I think we’ll be seeing some all-inclusive resorts in the future. “It’s risky business, chartering an entire boat and going out and selling it,” Kaminsky says, but the risk has paid off. The most recent sailing had 2,300 people onboard. “We get lots of repeat customers, good press and happy guests.” Kaminsky says that the unique nature of R Family Vacations, combined with the overall quality of the product, means that agents can get plenty of repeat business when they CONNECTING YOU For more information on gay and lesbian travel, visit www.travelagentcentral.com/gay-lesbian http://www.rfamilyvacations.com http://www.rfamilyvacations.com http://www.travelagentcentral.com/gay-lesbian

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Travel Agent - August 4, 2008

Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 Online Now Contents From the Editor Africa Europe Pacific/Asia Hawaii Las Vegas Australia Alaska Central & South America Adventures by Disney comes to Costa Rica Caribbean Cruises Cover Story: Have Food? Will Travel Air Consolidators Hotels Tours Gay & Lesbian Travel Agent Profile Bidding for Business Agenda Caribbean Update India Attacting More U.S. Travelers Fuel Prices Cost Royal Caribbean Jobs ASTA Celebrates Victory Over Airlines Agent Access Classified Marketplace In the Spotlight Editorial Index Advertising Index Trendwatch

Travel Agent - August 4, 2008

Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - (Page Coverwrap1) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - (Page Coverwrap2) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 (Page Cover1) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 (Page Cover2) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 (Page 1) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Online Now (Page 2) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Online Now (Page 3) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Contents (Page 4) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Contents (Page 5) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Contents (Page 6) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Contents (Page 7) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - From the Editor (Page 8) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - From the Editor (Page 9) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - From the Editor (Page 10) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - From the Editor (Page 11) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - From the Editor (Page 12) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - From the Editor (Page 13) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Africa (Page 14) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Africa (Page 15) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Africa (Page 16) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Africa (Page 17) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Europe (Page 18) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Europe (Page 19) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Europe (Page 20) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Europe (Page 21) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Europe (Page 22) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Europe (Page 23) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Pacific/Asia (Page 24) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Pacific/Asia (Page 25) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Pacific/Asia (Page 26) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Pacific/Asia (Page 27) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Hawaii (Page 28) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Hawaii (Page 29) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Hawaii (Page 30) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Hawaii (Page 31) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Las Vegas (Page 32) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Las Vegas (Page 33) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Las Vegas (Page 34) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Las Vegas (Page 35) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Australia (Page 36) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Australia (Page 37) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Alaska (Page 38) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Alaska (Page 39) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Central & South America (Page 40) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Central & South America (Page 41) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Adventures by Disney comes to Costa Rica (Page 42) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Adventures by Disney comes to Costa Rica (Page 43) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Caribbean (Page 44) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Caribbean (Page 45) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Caribbean (Page 46) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Caribbean (Page 47) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Cruises (Page 48) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Cruises (Page 49) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Cover Story: Have Food? Will Travel (Page 50) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Cover Story: Have Food? Will Travel (Page 51) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Cover Story: Have Food? Will Travel (Page 52) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Cover Story: Have Food? Will Travel (Page 53) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Cover Story: Have Food? Will Travel (Page 54) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Cover Story: Have Food? Will Travel (Page 55) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Air Consolidators (Page 56) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Hotels (Page 57) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Tours (Page 58) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Tours (Page 59) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Gay & Lesbian Travel (Page 60) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Gay & Lesbian Travel (Page 61) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Agent Profile (Page 62) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Agent Profile (Page 63) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Bidding for Business (Page 64) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Agenda (Page 65) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Caribbean Update (Page 66) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - India Attacting More U.S. Travelers (Page 67) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Fuel Prices Cost Royal Caribbean Jobs (Page 68) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - ASTA Celebrates Victory Over Airlines (Page 69) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - ASTA Celebrates Victory Over Airlines (Page 70) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Agent Access (Page 71) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Agent Access (Page 72) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Agent Access (Page 73) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Agent Access (Page 74) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Agent Access (Page 75) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Agent Access (Page 76) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Classified Marketplace (Page 77) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - In the Spotlight (Page 78) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - In the Spotlight (Page 79) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Editorial Index (Page 80) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Editorial Index (Page Cover3) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Editorial Index (Page Cover4) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Editorial Index (Page Coverwrap3) Travel Agent - August 4, 2008 - Editorial Index (Page Coverwrap4) 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