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The team at VACAYA have been working non stop with travel partner Celebrity Cruises to find the perfect week of sailing with our LGBTQ family.
They have been able to lock in new dates of January 10-22, 2022 kicking off the 2022 LGBTQ cruise season with much anticipation and with your health and safety top of mind.
AN ALL-NEW CARIBBEAN ADVENTURE FROM VACAYA!
VACAYA has got a never-before-offered adventure waiting for you and the LGBTQ community! Sailing 7 nights from convenient Fort Lauderdale on the beautiful and fully-revolutionized Celebrity Millennium, they are taking you deeeeeeep into the Southern Caribbean to explore two of the most idyllic islands in the world – Aruba and Curaçao! There’s no way to get to these islands in 7 nights on a standard cruise. Only VACAYA can take you there. And with this cruise sailing over the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Weekend, it’s the perfect way for US-based travelers to maximize vacation time!
VACAYA CARIBBEAN 2022 ITINERARY
DAY 1 | MON, JAN 10, 2021 | FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA | 26°N 80°W | DEPART: 4PM
DAY 2 | TUE, JAN 11, 2021 | A DAY OF SHENANIGANS AT SEA
DAY 3 | WED, JAN 12, 2021 | A SUN-SOAKED DAY AT SEA
DAY 4 | THU, JAN 13, 2021 | ORANJESTAD, ARUBA | ARRIVE: 8AM | DEPART: 11:59PM
DAY 5 | FRI, JAN 14, 2021 | WILLEMSTAD, CURAÇAO | ARRIVE: 8AM | DEPART: 4:30PM
DAY 6 | SAT, JAN 15, 2021 | A STAR-STUDDED DAY AT SEA
DAY 7 | SUN, JAN 16, 2021 | A FUN-FILLED FINAL DAY AT SEA
DAY 8 | MON, JAN 17, 2021 | FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA | ARRIVE: 6:30AM
VACAYA day by day exploring the deep southern Caribbean
MON, JAN 10, 2022 FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA – PORT EVERGLADES DEPART: 4PM
Our journey begins in beautiful Fort Lauderdale, one of America’s LGBTQ Meccas! VACAYA traditions are already starting to take shape and we’ll celebrate our coming together tonight in fun new ways. After all, that’s what these vacations are all about – connecting with old friends and making countless new ones, all the while having endless fun. CONNECT. LAUGH. PLAY.
TUE, JAN 11, 2022 A DAY OF SHENANIGANS AT SEA
Our first day at sea gives you the chance to soak in the Caribbean sunshine while we all get a little silly. Will you spend a couple hours with Sister Helen Holy and her bingo shenanigans? Or will you be tempted by our Clothing Optional Deck? Or both?!? Our first V-Dance of the week will be this afternoon and you can be sure it’ll give you endless ways to connect with fellow guests. LIVE. LOVE. DANCE.
WED, JAN 12, 2022 A SUN-SOAKED DAY AT SEA
Now you’re getting it… the VACAYA rhythm is finally starting to wash over you, and it’s as bright and as warm as the Caribbean sun overhead. Millennium offers endless opportunities to fill your day – from The Spa to our poolside fun and games. Today, the choice is all yours. RELAX. INDULGE. FROLIC.
THU, JAN 13, 2022 ORANJESTAD, ARUBA ARRIVE: 8AM | DEPART: 11:59PM
When you hear the word “Aruba,” a few things immediately come to mind: turquoise, clear waters, year-round sunshine, and white sand beaches. And it’s true – Aruba lives up to the hype. It’s an unquestionable oasis. Some say Aruba is difficult to beat as far as paradise goes. The motto of Aruba is “one happy island,” and both locals and visitors make that motto come true every day of the year.
We’ll dock at the island’s capital and port city, Oranjestad. From there, the choices are endless. You could easily spend your entire time in Aruba on a beach or drinking a refreshing cocktail at any of the beachiest bars. However, you’ll also have the chance to discover more history and nature preservation efforts than you might expect, which you’ll experience on excursions to the Aruba Butterfly Farm, a trip to the National Archeological Museum, or at the Santa Cruz Donkey Sanctuary.
If paradise had a flavor, it would taste like Aruba. The food here borrows heavily from Dutch, Indonesian, Spanish, Portuguese, and African traditions, and there are a wide range of restaurants around Oranjestad – from romantic, fine-dining destinations to beachside grills serving fresh seafood and Dutch pancakes. Our favorites include Carte Blanche, Driftwood, and Pinchos Grill & Bar.
Although there’s not technically a “gay beach” on the island, Eagle Beach is incredibly gay friendly and is very popular with both LGBTQ locals and tourists alike.
EXPLORE. UNWIND. FEAST.
FRI, JAN 14, 2022 WILLEMSTAD, CURACAO ARRIVE: 8AM | DEPART: 4:30PM
Bright, airy, and beachy Willemstad may feel like a Dutch city, but don’t let the colonial pastels and European-style streets fool you—you’re on one of the Southern Caribbean’s greatest islands! Beautiful beaches, clear waters, and incredible diving and snorkeling will quickly steal your heart. During your day in Curaçao, stroll along Willemstad’s Old Town and quaint harbor, both designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Soak up the sun at Mambo Beach or take to the floating Queen Emma Bridge for sweeping city views over the water. Savor the fusion of Dutch and Afro-Caribbean cuisine on exclusive culinary experiences with local chefs. And enjoy your time ashore at one of Curaçao’s award-winning eateries. Some of our favorite places for a fantastic lunch are Mundo Bizarro, BijBlauw, and Ginger.
Cas Abao is the island’s gay beach. This is a popular local beach with a great sandy coast, perfect for swimming and snorkeling. There’s a fantastic bar, restaurant, and dive center. Head up to Cas Abao early to get a prime chair so you can swim and sun yourself in total comfort. Cas Abao is about 45 minutes north of Willemstad and can be reached via taxi.
DISCOVER. CHILL. SHINE.
SAT, JAN 15, 2022 A STAR-STUDDED DAY AT SEA
Reviews of VACAYA have exclaimed that our entertainment is our “best kept secret,” but you already knew that… VACAYA is like no other travel company on earth. And today, we roll out the red carpet for a cavalcade of all-star entertainment, followed by our biggest blow-out party of the week! After filling your belly with a delicious meal with friends, then filling your soul with tonight’s shows, you’ll hit the dance floor until the wee hours of the morning! Indulgence has never been as tasty, as colorful, or as easy as it is today. GRAND. EPIC. EXCLUSIVE.
SUN, JAN 16, 2022 A FUN-FILLED FINAL DAY AT SEA
Our final day at sea promises to be one to remember. Soak up those last rays of sunshine, get that much-needed massage you’ve been putting off, or join your playmates around the pool for our final V-Dance of the week. However you choose to spend your day, you’ll do it surrounded by 2000+ new friends. SAVOR. SOAR. ENJOY.
MON, JAN 17, 2022 FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA ARRIVE: 6:30AM | DISEMBARKATION BEGINS AROUND 7:30AM
We say “so long” today, but it’s never goodbye for long. Another VACAYA adventure lies just around the corner. We’ll see you again soon! If you’re flying out from FLL today, we recommend flights at Noon or later. And remember, today is a US holiday – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
MORE THAN YOU COULD EVER IMAGINE
Cruising is a completely worry-free way to travel. And with all of the added VACAYA benefits – from world-class entertainment and welcoming parties to endless social activities and non-stop fun – it’s also an incredible value. With so many inclusions, your precious vacation dollars have never been better spent. And with THIS cruise, we’re announcing a myth-busting, game-changing, value-added benefit just for VACAYA cruisers… the ability to purchase Celebrity’s UNLIMITED BEVERAGE PACKAGES!
Celebrity Millennium will serve as our home-away-from-home for 8 glorious days. And it’s amazing what’s included:
All-star VACAYA entertainment
Endless Celebrity and VACAYA social activities
Warm friendly parties with music you love and can even sing along to!
VACAYA ReachOUT Philanthropic Service Opportunities
Ocean transportation
Shipboard accommodations
Twice daily stateroom service
Flat screen interactive TVs with special VACAYA programming
Personalized service of one Celebrity staff member for nearly every two guests
Meals (Fine Dining Restaurants are an extra charge)
Many beverages
24-hour room service
Fitness center
In addition, each stateroom and suite on Celebrity Millennium includes the following world-class value-added amenities that all contribute to your modern luxury experience: Service
Celebrity’s signature friendly, personalized service with a guest-to-staff ratio of nearly 2:1
Twice daily service (makeup and turndown)
Daily ice service in stainless steel ice buckets
Dining
24-hour complimentary room service
Amenities
Robe
Complimentary tote bag
Custom blended bath products (shampoo, conditioner and lotion), shower cap, cotton balls, and cotton swabs
Celebrity eXhale™ bedding featuring custom premium mattresses, plush duvets and pillows, and 100% pure Egyptian cotton linens
Hair dryer
Stateroom Features
Private mini-bar*
Interactive flat-screen television system to view special Vacaya programming, and to select shore excursions, order room service, and watch movies*
Private safe
Dual voltage 110/220AC outlets
*Additional charges apply. IT’S VACAYA’S FIRST WINTER ESCAPE AND IT’S TIME TO CELEBRATE!
VACAYA has been called a “Game Changer.” Well here’s a great reason why… CELEBRITY’S UNLIMITED BEVERAGE PACKAGES WILL BE AVAILABLE TO YOU ON THIS CRUISE! Once online registration opens shortly before the cruise, you’ll have the opportunity to purchase one of the myriad unlimited Alcoholic or Non-Alcoholic Beverage Packages directly from Celebrity.
At VACAYA we’re all about demystifying the charter cruise experience and one of the first myths we’d like to bust is that it’s not possible to offer drink packages on charter cruises. Let’s be clear… unlimited alcoholic drink packages are difficult to pull off on charter cruises because if they’re offered, everyone onboard is typically required to purchase one. However, working with the fabulous Celebrity team, we’ve come up with a plan to allow you to enjoy the packages usually unavailable on big-ship charter cruises.
The biggest concern with offering unlimited packages has always been that charter cruises are simply different than standard cruises. Charter cruises like those produced by VACAYA are all about bringing people together, with cruisers making many new friends along the way. And based on the industry’s experience, package abuse – where guests with an unlimited package “buy” drinks for guests who don’t have a package – is a real concern. It’s theft. So it’s been easier to simply eliminate the possibility of theft than to deal with the real-world consequences of those abusive actions.
But here at VACAYA, we kept asking ourselves, “Are our guests the type of people who’d walk into a convenience store and put a few beers in their pocket and walk out without paying? Or go to a restaurant and leave without paying their bill?” No matter how we asked the question, the answer for us was always “no.”
We trust you not to abuse the system. Not to steal. And it’s that level of trust, combined with Celebrity’s state-of-the-art monitoring, that will hopefully allow this to become a standard part of all future VACAYA vacations. But now it’s up to you to ensure that all guests play by the rules in regard to these new package offerings.
The Fine Print
Packages can be purchased directly from Celebrity after receiving your Celebrity Booking Number from VACAYA just before the cruise.
All occupants of a single stateroom are required to purchase a beverage package. For roommates where one person drinks and the other does not, the non-drinker is required to purchase the equivalent non-alcoholic package, e.g. Premium and Premium, or Classic and Classic. There is an exception for STEP participants, who may book any package, regardless of their roommate’s selection (or lack there of).
Packages may not be shared, and do not include beverages sold in gift shops, mini-bar (unless part of your specific package), or room service (meaning you can’t order a vodka soda to be delivered to your room).
All listed prices on Celebrity’s site are in USD and are subject to change without notice.
A 20% service charge will be added to Soda, Wine, Water, Classic, and Premium Package prices when purchased.
Packages are sold on a per cruise basis, and not on a per day or any other basis.
Purchased packages may be modified up to four days prior to sailing by canceling and reordering the package.
Cancellations or refunds will not be issued onboard the vessel after embarkation day.
Availability of beverage packages varies by ship.
You must be at least 21 years of age to purchase any alcoholic package and to consume alcohol.
The security systems employed – both point-of-sale and CCTV – will alert Celebrity of any abuses.
The triggers that will immediately raise the red flag of potential abuse with Celebrity include:
Ordering drinks in rapid succession at the same bar
Ordering drinks from different bars within the same area over a short period of time (for example, a drink at the Pool Bar, then 5 minutes later a drink at a satellite bar)
Each night, each guest’s consumption is reviewed. Any abnormalities will result in further investigation, including, but not limited to a review of video surveillance footage.
If caught abusing the system by “buying” drinks for others, the offender will immediately lose their Unlimited Beverage Package and no refund will be offered.
Other terms and conditions apply.
VACAYA and COVID Health and Safety
VACAYA is closely monitoring global developments regarding the Covid-19 coronavirus, and they are fully focused on protecting the health and safety of their guests and team. VACAYA will be working closely with Celebrity Cruises to ensure the health and safety of all guests and crew. Click here to read more about what the Cruise Industry is doing to help keep you safe.
departuresXdean - an independent agent with Personal Travel Mgmt. (BC Reg. 2806) proud members of the IGLTA and the Ensemble Travel Group.
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