Aquafest plans Mardi Gras/Valentine’s Day cruise for the GLBT traveler. Straights invited, too.
Aquafest, an affordable GLBT cruise travel option, sets sail Feb. 12 from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on a 10-day Caribbean cruise.
GLBT stands for “gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgendered,” but everybody is welcome to the party, including straight singles and couples.
The islands visited include Puerto Rico, St. Maarten, St. Lucia, Antigua, Tortola and the Dominican Republic. Guests will be featured to live performances headlined by the mistress of ceremonies, Hedda Lettuce, a six-time drag queen of the year award winner.
The cost is $749 a person, based on double occupancy, and includes room, meals, parties and nearly non-stop entertainment. A third and fourth person can be added to a cabin for $399 each.
Aquafest was designed to provide gays and lesbians an affordable alternative to full ship charters, which charge a premium for all-gay cruises. The unique feature of Aquafest is the onboard GLBT program happens on a cruise ship with a mixed clientele.
The Aquafest guest list averages 40 years old, and is a mix of 70 percent men and 30 percent women.



Tom Uhlenbrock has been roaming the Midwest for eons, looking for rivers to float, wineries to visit, trails to hike, saloons to haunt, cozy places to stay. Let's share, and advice is free.