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For most of us, stuck watching winter warm up for snow, sleet and eventually slush, spring seems terribly far away. Planning a big, gay summer cruise can help heat things up and keep hope alive through the cold, but while Caribbean escapes are certainly abounding, another apparent trend for summer 2009 is to go north! Brr..
R Family Vacations
July 11 -- 18, 2009: Alaska
Rosie's cruises, noted for stellar entertainment for the grown-ups as well as considerations for the kids, will take off again in June aboard the Norwegian Star. Departing from Seattle, Washington, the luxury ship will head towards Juneau, Alaska and forego dropping in on Sarah Palin in favor of chasing massive glacial valleys and unexpected wildlife.
SilverSea Cruises
June -- July, 2009: The Arctic
If, on the other hand, you can't get enough of a good chill -- or untrampled natural splendor -- there are cruises for that, too. SilverSea's Prince Albert II, a comfortably luxurious 132-person vessel combining intimacy and mega-liner amenities, will be touring around Greenland, Norway and Iceland exploring areas like the Falkan and Svalbard Islands. On board will be a team of geologists, ornithologists, biologists, and historians to make sure no one misses a polar bear or ice-floe.
Atlantis Events
July 22 -- August 1: Grand Baltic Cruise
Bucking the northern trend, if only very slightly, Atlantis is going for big and sweaty this summer, co-ordinating its Grand Baltic Cruise to pull into Copenhagen at the end of the World OutGames 2009, just in time for the big finale parties. Departing from Copenhagen and circling back after stops in St. Petersburg, Stockholm, and Estonia, the nearly 3,000 guests will be able to see some of Europe's best under-rated gay destinations in one trip. Note: Once reserved exclusively for Atlantis Alumni, tickets are now available for general purchase.
