20 years of lesbian travel with Olivia Cruises and Resorts

ms Ryndam  (Photo courtesy of Holland America Line).

Olivia Cruises and Resorts has released the following press announcement:

Olivia Cruises & Resorts, which started out 36 years ago as a women’s music label, is celebrating 20 years of travel by inviting key lesbian entertainers and celebrities on their 2010 Western Caribbean Cruise (February 28-March 7, 2010). The line up so far includes one of Olivia’s original recording artists, Meg Christian, who will come aboard for the whole trip, and L Word sensation Leisha Hailey, who will join Olivia for an onboard Q&A session one evening. Olivia favorites, comics Vickie Shaw and Karen Williams, are also slated to appear.

“We are so happy to have Meg set sail with us again. She’s been part of the Olivia family for 36 years. She’s been there for so many of our milestones, like our sold-out 10th anniversary concert at Carnegie Hall,” said Judy Dlugacz, Olivia’s President and CEO. “And of course, it’s great to have Leisha Hailey do a Q&A. We are very much looking forward to it!”

Tisha Floratos, VP of Travel, echoed Dlugacz’s comments, adding, “We create such an amazing community onboard our cruises. Everything we do at Olivia is geared towards the lesbian community—from chartering the entire ship so our guests can vacation in an environment that allows them to be out and free, to bringing the best in lesbian entertainment. For the past 20 years, we have taken 100,000 lesbians on more than 150 trips worldwide. We have a lot to celebrate on this momentous cruise.”
Meg Christian remarks, “When we started Olivia Records in 1973, our goal for the music was to celebrate women’s lives in a supportive, loving, affirming environment. Lo these many years later, it’s wonderful to see how this same beautiful goal still steers the Olivia ship! The 20th anniversary of Olivia travel is a great cause for celebration, and I’m delighted to be joining the festivities!”

Leisha Hailey is similarly enthusiastic. “I am thrilled to be a part of the entertainment lineup on Olivia’s 20th Anniversary cruise. I look forward to spending an evening with Olivia’s guests and being a part of the celebration.”

Meg Christian and Leisha Hailey’s appearances continue Olivia’s long tradition of inviting entertainers popular with the lesbian community to perform onboard. Past performers have included Melissa Etheridge, k.d. lang, the Indigo Girls, Margaret Cho, Whoopi Goldberg and Lily Tomlin. An episode of the L-Word was even filmed onboard.

Of course, guests can still do all the things one expects on a cruise vacation to the Western Caribbean, such as snorkeling, scuba diving, taking excursions to ancient Mayan ruins or swimming with dolphins. “The difference,” says Dlugacz, “is that they are doing it in the company of 1,300 like-minded women.”

Olivia’s Western Caribbean Cruise departs from Tampa, FL on Sunday, February 28, 2010 and will call on Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico; Roatan, Honduras; and Belize City, Belize..