R Family Vacations
Encyclopedia
R Family Vacations is a LGBT
vacation entertainment company that provides luxury cruise ship
trips with a focus on inclusive activities for children and services including same-sex marriage
ceremonies.
and her then partner Kelli Carpenter-O'Donnell
partnered with travel entrepreneur Gregg Kaminsky to launch R Family Vacations catering to both gay
s and lesbians, "the very first all gay and lesbian family vacation packages" where "gays and lesbians can bring their kids, their friends, and their parents." O'Donnell is not involved on a day-to-day basis, but provides marketing and promotional advice. She came up with the idea for the company when she filled in as a last-minute replacement headliner on a gay cruise being promoted by Kaminsky.Kaminsky's partner is a business partner of O'Donnell's.
with 1600 passengers including 600 children. By the third year, the cruise was selling out to a maximum capacity of 2,600 passengers. In addition to traditional entertainment and recreational activities, the company partnered with Provincetown’s Family Pride
, a 25-year-old Washington, D.C.-based organization that advocates for GLBT families
, to host discussions on "adoption
, insemination
, surrogacy
, and everything else that would be helpful to gay parenting. Metropolitan Community Church
, the predominantly GLBT Christian
denomination, had clergy on board to perform wedding
ceremonies and conduct interfaith
services and there was also discussion groups for kids and a panel discussion where teens could share their experiences of growing up with gay and lesbian parents.
"protesters chanting anti-gay
slogans" in Nassau, Bahamas
, Kaminsky claimed that Bermuda, which he incorrectly believed had tourism as its main industry, would face economic repercussions if a similar event occurred in the British overseas territory, which has long held a reputation for being anti-gay and only the year before the local legislature
refused to even consider outlawing sexuality-based discrimination. While the trip was supported by Premier
and Minister of Tourism and Transportation Dr. Ewart Brown
, it was opposed by one of his close political allies, Andre Curtis, the organiser of a controversial "Faith-Based Tourism" initiative, who organised some eighty churches into an interfaith group called "United by Faith" to oppose the planned visit alongside local African Methodist Episcopal churches. R Families decided to change the itinerary to replace Bermuda with two stops in Florida
and a private island. Kaminsky stated Ironically, Bermuda has actually been the host of gay tourism for many years. The LGBT travel company Pied Piper, for example, has been organising trips — albeit on a smaller scale — to the country since 1990, without incident.
In January 2008, Pink Pea, a production company, announced that "Dottie", "the star of Dottie's Magic Pockets
— the first children's program for kids in gay and lesbian families" will be part of the entertainment. Dottie's Magic Pockets is "set in a lesbian household" and started airing in September 2007. "Dottie", portrayed by actor Jen Plante, will appear on the cruise to the Mexican Riviera
, March 15-22, 2008 and marks the first time the LGBT families and friends will be "entertained by the main character of a kids' show that is set in a lesbian household". Also in 2008 a cruise to Canada
and New England
took place from July 13-20 with "gay-friendly" stops including Provincetown, Halifax and Bar Harbor
.
about the trip looked inside the lives of some of the 500 families that cruised from New York to the Bahamas. The documentary, All Aboard: Rosie's Family Cruise, debuted 6 April 2006 on HBO and is now available on DVD. The film was nominated for three Emmy Awards. Of the experience O'Donnell stated "We didn’t really realize the magic that was going to take place. People who had never met another gay family met other families and it was powerful."
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
vacation entertainment company that provides luxury cruise ship
Cruise ship
A cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way...
trips with a focus on inclusive activities for children and services including same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
ceremonies.
History
In 2003, Rosie O'DonnellRosie O'Donnell
Roseann "Rosie" O'Donnell is an American stand-up comedian, actress, author and television personality. She has also been a magazine editor and continues to be a celebrity blogger, LGBT rights activist, television producer and collaborative partner in the LGBT family vacation company R Family...
and her then partner Kelli Carpenter-O'Donnell
Kelli Carpenter-O'Donnell
Kelli Carpenter-O'Donnell is a former Nickelodeon marketing executive and co-founder of R Family Vacations. She is the former partner of talk show host Rosie O'Donnell.-R Family Vacations:...
partnered with travel entrepreneur Gregg Kaminsky to launch R Family Vacations catering to both gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
s and lesbians, "the very first all gay and lesbian family vacation packages" where "gays and lesbians can bring their kids, their friends, and their parents." O'Donnell is not involved on a day-to-day basis, but provides marketing and promotional advice. She came up with the idea for the company when she filled in as a last-minute replacement headliner on a gay cruise being promoted by Kaminsky.Kaminsky's partner is a business partner of O'Donnell's.
Maiden voyage (2004)
On July 11, 2004, the first cruise was held aboard Norwegian Cruise Lines's Norwegian DawnNorwegian Dawn
Norwegian Dawn is a cruise ship that entered service in 2002 and is in operation with Norwegian Cruise Line.-History:The ship entered service at the end of 2002. She was intended to operate with Star Cruises under the name SuperStar Scorpio, but it was decided that she would be delivered to Star's...
with 1600 passengers including 600 children. By the third year, the cruise was selling out to a maximum capacity of 2,600 passengers. In addition to traditional entertainment and recreational activities, the company partnered with Provincetown’s Family Pride
Family Equality Council
Family Equality Council is national American advocacy organization committed to securing family equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning parents, guardians and allies.- History :...
, a 25-year-old Washington, D.C.-based organization that advocates for GLBT families
LGBT parenting
LGBT parenting refers to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people parenting one or more children. This includes children raised by same-sex couples , children raised by single LGBT parents, and children raised by an opposite-sex couple where at least one partner is LGBT.LGBT people can...
, to host discussions on "adoption
Adoption
Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting for another and, in so doing, permanently transfers all rights and responsibilities from the original parent or parents...
, insemination
Insemination
Insemination is the deliberate introduction of sperm into the uterus of a mammal or the oviduct of an oviparous animal for the objective of impregnating a female for reproduction...
, surrogacy
Surrogacy
Surrogacy is an arrangement in which a woman carries and delivers a child for another couple or person. This woman may be the child's genetic mother , or she may carry the pregnancy to delivery after having an embryo, to which she has no genetic relationship whatsoever, transferred to her uterus...
, and everything else that would be helpful to gay parenting. Metropolitan Community Church
Metropolitan Community Church
The Metropolitan Community Church or The Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches is an international Protestant Christian denomination...
, the predominantly GLBT Christian
Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement
The Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement describes itself as "a UK-based international Charity who are praying for an inclusive church".The Gay Christian Movement was founded in 1976 with the Revd Richard Kirker as its first General Secretary...
denomination, had clergy on board to perform wedding
Wedding
A wedding is the ceremony in which two people are united in marriage or a similar institution. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes...
ceremonies and conduct interfaith
Interfaith
The term interfaith dialogue refers to cooperative, constructive and positive interaction between people of different religious traditions and/or spiritual or humanistic beliefs, at both the individual and institutional levels...
services and there was also discussion groups for kids and a panel discussion where teens could share their experiences of growing up with gay and lesbian parents.
2007
In 2007, the company considered making Bermuda one of its stops. Recalling a 2004 incident between Norwegian Cruise Lines' all gay cruises and ChristianChristian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
"protesters chanting anti-gay
LGBT rights opposition
LGBT rights opposition refers to active opposition to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender civil rights. Organizations influential in LGBT rights opposition frequently challenge judicial rulings, and legislative initiatives, and dispute findings that sexual orientation is an immutable...
slogans" in Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau is the capital, largest city, and commercial centre of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The city has a population of 248,948 , 70 percent of the entire population of The Bahamas...
, Kaminsky claimed that Bermuda, which he incorrectly believed had tourism as its main industry, would face economic repercussions if a similar event occurred in the British overseas territory, which has long held a reputation for being anti-gay and only the year before the local legislature
Parliament of Bermuda
Parliament has two chambers. Originally, there was only one, the House of Assembly, which held its first session in 1620, making Bermuda's Parliament amongst the World's oldest legislatures. An appointed Privy Council originally performed roles similar to that of an upper house, and of a cabinet...
refused to even consider outlawing sexuality-based discrimination. While the trip was supported by Premier
Premier
Premier is a title for the head of government in some countries and states.-Examples by country:In many nations, "premier" is used interchangeably with "prime minister"...
and Minister of Tourism and Transportation Dr. Ewart Brown
Ewart Brown
Ewart Frederick Brown, Jr. was Premier of Bermuda and leader of the Progressive Labour Party from 2006 and 2010. He served as Member of Parliament for the constituency of Warwick South Central for 17 years until his retirement from politics in October 2010.Brown was elected leader of the ruling...
, it was opposed by one of his close political allies, Andre Curtis, the organiser of a controversial "Faith-Based Tourism" initiative, who organised some eighty churches into an interfaith group called "United by Faith" to oppose the planned visit alongside local African Methodist Episcopal churches. R Families decided to change the itinerary to replace Bermuda with two stops in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and a private island. Kaminsky stated Ironically, Bermuda has actually been the host of gay tourism for many years. The LGBT travel company Pied Piper, for example, has been organising trips — albeit on a smaller scale — to the country since 1990, without incident.
2008
Dottie's Magic Pockets
Dottie's Magic Pockets is a children's show featuring Dottie and her magical friends as they sing, dance, and learn. Dottie's Magic Pockets is the first LGBT children's programming created for gay families, single-parent families, adopted families and traditional families.The Dottie's Magic Pockets...
— the first children's program for kids in gay and lesbian families" will be part of the entertainment. Dottie's Magic Pockets is "set in a lesbian household" and started airing in September 2007. "Dottie", portrayed by actor Jen Plante, will appear on the cruise to the Mexican Riviera
Mexican Riviera
The Mexican Riviera refers collectively to twenty cities and lagoons lying on the western coast of Mexico. Although there are long distances between these cities, they are often referred to as the Mexican Riviera because of their popularity among tourists. Cruise ships often visit three or four of...
, March 15-22, 2008 and marks the first time the LGBT families and friends will be "entertained by the main character of a kids' show that is set in a lesbian household". Also in 2008 a cruise to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
took place from July 13-20 with "gay-friendly" stops including Provincetown, Halifax and Bar Harbor
Bar Harbor, Maine
Bar Harbor is a town on Mount Desert Island in Hancock County, Maine, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population is 5,235. Bar Harbor is a famous summer colony in the Down East region of Maine. It is home to the College of the Atlantic, Jackson Laboratory and Mount Desert Island...
.
All Aboard: Rosie's Family Cruise
A documentary filmDocumentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
about the trip looked inside the lives of some of the 500 families that cruised from New York to the Bahamas. The documentary, All Aboard: Rosie's Family Cruise, debuted 6 April 2006 on HBO and is now available on DVD. The film was nominated for three Emmy Awards. Of the experience O'Donnell stated "We didn’t really realize the magic that was going to take place. People who had never met another gay family met other families and it was powerful."
See also
- List of gay resort areas
- LGBT marketing
- LGBT tourism
- Olivia cruise lineOlivia (company)Olivia is a travel company which sells cruises and resort vacations marketed towards lesbian customers. It was founded by Judy Dlugacz in 1973 as a women’s record label, Olivia Records. It offered its first all-woman cruise in 1990 and remains the only company in the world offering cruises catering...
for lesbianLesbianLesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
s