Photo courtesy of Atlantis. From Hawaii's cliffs. Courtesy of Olivia._________
Atlantis, RSVP Vacations and Olivia Cruises are among the top companies the LGBT community turns to when it wants to get away. Windy City Times writer Ross Forman profiles each of these top-notch businesses to find out what makes them tick.
Atlantis
Atlantis—the leader in all-gay vacations, as its slogan says—is celebrating its 15th season. And the California-based company is kicking off the milestone in grand fashion.
Atlantis chartered the world's largest cruise ship, Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seasons, for a late January sail from Miami to the Caribbean, with 3,800 passengers aboard. The waitlist closed in 2006.
The ship sold out in four weeks last May, and Atlantis didn't even do any marketing for the cruise.
'What we're doing is creating a community that just doesn't exist anywhere else,' said Atlantis president and founder Rich Campbell. 'In the real world, there really isn't anything that parallels the experience of being around a few hundred or a few thousand gay men and women in a completely relaxed environment. It's a very strange, very liberating feeling … and that's why it's taken off.'
It's taken off so well that Atlantis will offer nine cruises in 2007, with stops in Hawaii, Greece, Italy, Argentina and other ports of call.
'We keep people happy; that's what it comes down to and why we've been so successful over the years,' Campbell said.
Atlantis' cruise business had a fortuitous start. Atlantis was an all-gay resort vacation company that started in 1991 for 450 people at Club Med Playa Blanca. The following year, Atlantis offered two all-inclusive gay resort vacations—in Playa Blanca and in Sonora Bay, Mexico. In 1993, Atlantis hit its first Caribbean resort destination, Punta Cana.
In 1994, 'we could not find the right fit for us at a resort in our traditional January slot, so it was suggested that we try a cruise,' Campbell said.
In September, 1995, Atlantis set sail on its first ever all-gay cruise, a Club Med 1 Europe outing.
'We've approached it from an entertainment perspective all along, not as a travel company. I think that's one of the main reasons Atlantis has taken off,' Campbell said. 'When we first started in 1991, I never, ever thought we'd still be doing this. I thought we'd do it for a year or two; that's it. The thing that stands out to me about that first cruise in 1998 was, the incredibly friendly people, which is still the case today.'
Atlantis, based in West Hollywood, Calif., has welcomed more than 80,000 guests over the years, and 40 percent of Atlantis' customers are return customers. Atlantis cruises in the past have hit Jerusalem and Copenhagen as well as Alaska and Tahiti.
'When we started back in 1990 and 1991, we were basically flying blind without an airplane,' Campbell said, laughing. 'I had no experience in the travel industry. We just wanted to create something that would be unique for people. We were trying to create a lively, friendly gay environment.'
That still exists today on all Atlantis events—cruises, resorts and tours.
Atlantis events usually are all filled with gay men, singles and couples though, depending on the cruise, up to 10 percent can be female ( lesbian and straight ) , 'and they have a blast, too,' Campbell said.
Atlantis cruises are truly worldwide events, in terms of destinations and customers. On a recent cruise, Campbell said 40 countries were represented along with all 50 of the United States. The ages and income levels of passengers vary dramatically, he said, ranging from their early 20s to mid-80s.
Atlantis cruises range from $999 to $25,000, depending on numerous variables, including destinations, length of trip and guest quarters, among other things. The average price for an Atlantis cruise is $1,400.
'The ships are built like small cities. Heck, there are theatres that hold 1,400 on some ships, much the way there are small lounges that hold a dozen [ people ] ,' Campbell said. 'The beauty of a ship is [ that ] you can pick and choose, mix and match—do whatever you want to do. The cruise industry as a whole continues to grow, which means new boats and new destinations. For us, it's a world of opportunity.'
And who's your competition?
'Uh, everything … anything that people would do with their leisure time,' Campbell said. 'All of the gay cruise companies do very similar things, but I think our advantage is that we just have more to offer. We're a larger company than everyone else with the best ships in the industry, period.'
Campbell, 44, himself was born and raised in suburban Lake Forest, and was a 1980 graduate of Lake Forest High School. He then attended the University of Pennsylvania.
Campbell's partner of almost six years is Marino Maranion.
After college, Campbell went to Los Angeles and went to film school. Eventually, he was looking for something 'completely different to do and I had this crazy idea of doing gay weeks at Club Med.' And so was born Atlantis.
'Lake Forest was a good place to grow up, though I don't remember much about it,' said Campbell, who was in Chicago last summer for Gay Games VII, where Atlantis produced a few major parties.
'Chicago is a big market for us; it's been one of our fastest-growing, most loyal markets. It's always been a good market for us. Lately it's become a great market for us.'
Atlantis is now handling about 20,000 people annually, mostly on cruises.
RSVP
Jeff Soukup was standing near the intersection of Halsted and Belmont one day in the late 1990s when he saw the first billboard he had ever seen for a gay or lesbian business.
It was for RSVP Vacations and it was 'pretty shocking to see,' he said, 'because, at that time, you didn't really see widespread outdoor advertising for gay and lesbian businesses and products.'
Flash forward to the present and Soukup is looking at RSVP Vacations ads—and more on a daily basis. He is the president and COO of Planet Out, Inc., and the CEO of RSVP, Inc.
In March 2006, RSVP Vacations was acquired by media conglomerate Planet Out, Inc.
'Of all of the [ cruise ] operators, RSVP is the one that has the most diverse mix of guests and clients,' Soukup said. 'It has the most balanced proportion of men and women on trips. It doesn't just target men or women. And that's just part of Planet Out's whole approach: being very inclusive. We feel we need to serve the needs of the entire gay and lesbian population, not just a portion of it.
'We cater to a very diverse mix of men and women. RSVP has always served the entire LGBT community. We try to provide an inclusive vacation where gays and lesbians, along with their families and friends, can come on board and everyone can feel comfortable, welcome and accepted … and have an extremely memorable vacation,' he said. 'RSVP was the pioneer in the idea of all-gay and lesbian vacations, dating back to 1985.'
And it is still sailing strong. This year, for instance, RSVP kicks off with its Caribbean Fantasy starting in late February. Then, in May, there will be a historic crossing aboard the Queen Mary 2 from New York City to Southampton, England, marking the first all-gay transatlantic cruise ( starting price: $1,595 per person ) .
Also, RSVP has planned its Mediterranean Odyssey in August and the Alaska Gold Rush cruise in September.
'We take the best of the best, such as the QM2, and make it even better for our guests. We're planning to be the very best operator of vacation packages for the gay and lesbian community, bar none,' Soukup said. 'When I was going on my first cruise, I'll admit, I didn't want to go on it. I had some of the same pre-cruise thoughts that others do. I was concerned, for instance, that it might be too expensive, or that I would be trapped on board. But, in reality, the trips are extremely cost-effective and, bottom line, they're a blast. The choices, the entertainment, the shore excursions, the people, the fun, the excitement…they're wonderful.'
Cruising with RSVP starts at about $500 per person for a week, up to $72,000 for two in the Balmoral Suite on the QM2. The average cost is $1,200 to $1,500, Soukup said. There are singles and couples on all cruises.
'One of my favorite cruise memories happened on the last day of the Panama cruise last March,' Soukup said. 'I was eating breakfast on my balcony when I heard someone talking [ in the suite next to me ] . He was leaning over his railing, talking to a friend, and said, 'This was the trip of a lifetime.' Well, our hope at RSVP is that he has a whole lifetime of trips-of-a-lifetime with us.'
Planet Out, Inc., went public in October 2004, thus becoming the first gay and lesbian company to go public on a national stock exchange. Planet Out also owns Gay.com, PlanetOut.com, The Advocate and The Out Traveler, among other gay-oriented companies.
Planet Out sells under the ticker LGBT, which the Wall Street Journal listed in 2004 as one of the most creative tickers.
In November 2005, the company bought LPI, which owned the leading gay and lesbian magazines, such as Out Magazine, Out Traveler and The Advocate, as well as numerous Web sites.
'We have the ability to meet the gay and lesbian community's needs on a lot of different ways, especially travel and vacation opportunities,' Soukup said. 'What you see now that RSVP is under the Planet Out banner is, a broadening of the opportunities, letting gay and lesbian travelers choose what they want to do. We also have dramatically expanded the entertainment budget, bringing in even bigger name entertainers and acts.
'Using the strength of Planet Out, we can truly reach to the worldwide gay and lesbian population, and also use its financial strength to offer unique packages that have never been offered before.'
RSVP is a 12-person staff, mostly based in Minneapolis; however, it also has the resources of the near-300-employee family at Planet Out.
'You're going to see RSVP be a bigger and bolder company in 2007,' Soukup said. 'That means new destinations and itineraries, along with new, different programming on trips. Much bigger-name headliners. We want to create more choice and more opportunities for our guests.
'The gay and lesbian travel business is about $65 million annually. So, we think there's a great opportunity for all boats to ride together, for all businesses to grow. And there's definitely huge growth opportunity for RSVP.'
Soukup speculated that about 10 percent on all RSVP cruise passengers are straight, such as brothers or friends of gay cruisers, 'and [ they ] are comfortable and having just as much fun,' as the gays.
Like Atlantis' Campbell, Soukup has local ties. Soukup, 41, grew up in suburban Medinah and graduated from Lake Park High School in 1983, where he ran track and cross country. He then attended Stanford ( Class of 1987 ) , where he competed on the crew team. He received his MBA in 1991 from the University of Chicago.
Soukup was a lawyer for two years in Chicago and his partner of 12 years is Jeff Anderson, 40.
Years ago, 'I had always thought and assumed that I'd be running a company; I just didn't know that I'd be focused on the gay and lesbian community,' he said.
RSVP generated about $10 million in revenue in 2005, and early speculation for 2006 put that total at closer to $12million. Soukup estimated it'd be close to $20 million in 2007.
Soukup said Planet Out plans to double the size of RSVP over the next year, 'in terms of sales and its opportunities, and also expanding its offerings,' he said.
Olivia
It truly is an eclectic mix that cruises with San Francisco-based Olivia, the top travel company for lesbians. They range from their mid-20s to mid-80s. Some even in their 90s, though the medium age is late-30s to late-40s. The ethnic and racial makeup runs the gamut, and they come from all different economic backgrounds.
The vacationers are mostly from the U.S., though Canada, Germany and Australia are always well represented. Some are out and have been their whole lives. Others are not out at all—to family or co-workers. There are couples and about 20 percent of every adventure is single.
'We have created this opportunity for lesbians to travel with each other, feel safe, and just have a great time in a space that was created for them,' said Olivia president and founder Judy Dlugacz. 'We're trying to create an environment for our community to have the trip that everyone else gets to have which is, to be yourself on every minute of every day.'
In any number of exotic locations. From Alaska to Antarctica. From Hawaii to India. Not to mention the Netherlands and the Greek Isles. There also have been trips to China, Vietnam and Thailand, among other places.
'The travel [ business ] is doing fantastic these days,' said Dlugacz.
Olivia has about 15 trips scheduled for 2007 and an estimated 10,000 people will be on those excursions. There are, of course, cruises, but also exotic adventure trips, including a safari.
'We've gone from a record company to a travel company, but we continue the entertainment aspect. The entertainment remains a very large calling card for what Olivia does. Now, we're a lifestyle company for lesbians and over the past five years, we have grown tremendously,' Dlugacz said.
Headquartered in downtown San Francisco, Olivia has doubled its staff size over the past five years and continually looks for new ports, new destinations, Dlugacz said.
The company has many 'success stories' of couples formed from Olivia adventures. Olivia holds commitment ceremonies onboard many cruises, not to mention Speed Dating and gay Bingo. Heck, every cruise or adventure receives the overall Olivia make-over. 'It's nothing like a normal cruise, not at all,' Dlugacz said.
That certainly includes remarkable entertainers.
But what about men?
Yes, there are a few onboard Olivia cruises—paid cruisers, that is. 'Usually, it's men who did not know there are gay men's cruises,' she said. There also are 'male friends,' who regularly travel aboard Olivia cruises. 'It's more of a women's experience. We look at ourselves as the L in LGBT,' Dlugacz said.
The cruise ship staff is primarily straight males. 'The interaction between the staff and those on the cruise, namely, the lesbian women, is extraordinary,' Dlugacz said. 'And wherever we go, we bring a lot of positive lesbian cheer to the world, and often change the way people see our community.'
Olivia is in its 33rd year, initially forming as a record company, producing albums for years. Someone years ago mentioned to Dlugacz that it'd be cool to someday have a concert on the water. She immediately thought, 'I can do that.'
Olivia was soon in the cruise business.
'We thought we were going to change the world by creating an environment where women would get to find out how great it was to be strong and independent, and then come out as lesbians,' she said. 'It's been great to see the development of the gay and lesbian movement, to see how much has changed since 1973.'
Olivia has some of the most famous lesbians in the world on its cruises. Melissa Etheridge, for instance, is going in April to the Caribbean. Past trips have included Whoopi Goldberg, The Indigo Girls, Wynonna, Mary Chapin Carpenter, k.d. lang and Shawn Colvin.
'The celebrities are women who are heroes to us, and heroes are very important to be involved in what we're doing,' said Dlugacz, whose resume of past cruisers also include Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova.
'We're a company that's looking to advance change. What a great honor for Olivia as a company to help change the sports world in terms of how they view lesbians. We basically asked her ( Swoopes ) , 'Would you like to come out?' She said 'yes,' and we told her that we'd stand by her, support her 100 percent
'The visibility and the publicity that Sheryl brought to Olivia was great.
'As for Rosie, she is so well loved and respected.'
Dlugacz and Olivia CEO Amy Errett in June received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the Consumer Services category in Northern California. The award recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs who are building and leading dynamic and growing businesses.
Dlugacz and Errett are now eligible for consideration for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2006 national program, to be announced Nov.18 in Palm Springs, Calif. The overall national Entrepreneur of the Year award-winner is then considered for the world event, held in Monte Carlo.
'It was very exciting receiving the award, especially because it was the first time Ernst & Young has given an award to a lesbian or gay company,' Dlugacz said. 'We didn't know in advance that we were getting it and it truly was a historic moment when we won.'
See www.atlantisevents.com, www.rsvpvacations.com and www.oliviacruises.com, respectively, for more information about these companies.
