
It still has not sunk in that I'm going to be on the Olivia Caribbean Halloween Cruise in less than three weeks. This is my chance to experience an Olivia cruise "up close and personal" and to report about it right here at Examiner.
Founded in 1973 by Judy Dlugacz, Olivia is a travel company that caters to lesbians and that not only sells all-women cruises but also all-women resort vacations. Olivia has been endorsed by lesbian celebrities and has featured entertainers such as the Indigo Girls, Melissa Etheridge and Margaret Cho. The cruise is welcoming to not only women couples but also solo women travelers.
This October 25 - November 1 is the Olivia Caribbean Halloween Cruise. Olivia will charter an entire ship by the name of ms Ryndam. The ship is billed as having a casual, comfortable atmosphere with staterooms that are larger than most. Guest on the Olivia Caribbean Halloween Cruise will enjoy the following itinerary:
Sunday, October 25 - Depart from Tampa, Florida
Monday - Key West, Florida (There during Fantasy Fest)
Tuesday - At Sea
Wednesday - Belize City, Belize
Thursday - Santo Tomás de Castilla, Guatemala
Friday - Cozumel, Mexico
Saturday - At Sea
Sunday, November 1 - Return to Tampa, Florida
In addition to the great line-up of entertainers on the Olivia Caribbean Halloween Cruise, this year Leisha Hailey, of the L Word, will be joining the cruise. Also, one of my favorites, Dr. Carol Queen of Good Vibrations, will be on board with workshops, such as Flirting 101 and lots more. There's also a Halloween costume contest with a prize of $1,000.
Diversity is important to Olivia. As a result, the successful OliviaSisters was created as a way to reach out to lesbian women of color. The program is not an exclusive program, but an inclusive one where women of all races are welcome to participate. This program will be of particular importance to me as I record my Olivia experience.
There is still room to join the Olivia Caribbean Halloween Cruise.
Tomorrow, Part 2 - OliviaSisters