We may be a gay tour company, but we are hardly exclusive: lesbians have been known to travel with us. Most recently, Danielle and Cindy Mezera were on our Mekong River cruise. They live in Nashville, have been together nine years, and are avid travelers. We asked them to share their experience so other lesbians (and straight people) know what to expect.
Was this your first gay-group tour?
We did a Baltic cruise for our honeymoon in 2014. They only had seventeen women on the 2500-person ship, and not all of them were lesbians. There were also moms, sisters, and straight friends.
Have you done any other group travel?
We haven’t done any ‘lesbian’ trips, but we went on a straight Danube River cruise last summer (we were the only gay couple).
How would you compare the three cruises?
Our Mekong cruise with Out Adventures was definitely the most personable – we got to know tons of guys really well. It was more lively than the Danube cruise (which had an older crowd), but more sedate than the Baltic cruise (which had raucous nightly parties).
What made you choose Out Adventures?
Our friends have been on three trips with Out Adventures, and invited us along. They’re our go-to travel buddies. We do a big trip with them once a year. In fact, we’re off to Provincetown in July to see Miss Conception (the singing drag queen that was on the trip to host, entertain, and befriend the crowd).
Did you have any anxieties or pre-conceived notions coming into this experience?
CINDY: Nothing with it being a gay trip. My only hesitation was the destination – between long flights, and visiting third world countries for the first time, I didn’t know what to expect or how I’d react.
DANIELLE: But Out Adventures had everything so well laid-out and organized, her anxieties were quickly put to rest.
How did the boys treat you?
From the first night we went to dinner, guys were so welcoming, telling us how excited they were to have us along. We’re Facebook friends with a bunch of them now. It was such a sad day when the cruise was over and we wouldn’t get to see them every day any more.
Did you have any negative experiences?
It took a couple of days for us to feel like part of the gang, but we soon branched off from our friends to sit with new people at dinner and on the tour buses. That said, we don’t carry a ‘lesbian chip’ on our shoulder, or expect to be treated differently. We just love meeting new people and having new experiences. Know what you’re getting into, and don’t be afraid to initiate conversation. The trip will be as fun or boring as you make it.
Do you have any final words for your Sapphic sisters contemplating a gay tour?
Do it! You’ll have such a great time. Some lesbians think gay tours cater too hard to the men. It’s like they think the itinerary is a bunch of orgies. In reality, we got to visit all the must-see sites with an amazing group of guys!
