Emerald Waterways is to host the UK’s first Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) river cruise in a move to broaden its customer base and cater for an evergrowing segment of the travel market.
The official announcement was made on the 10th of October this year on gay UK radio station, Gaydio, and was revealed as the LGBT Danube Explorer cruise. For the next week, Emerald Waterways will be offering lucky Gaydio listeners the chance to sail with a competition to win a place on the cruise.
David Winterton, brand manager of Emerald Waterways, stated: ‘We are extremely proud and excited to announce this new cruise which isn’t only a first for the brand, but also in the UK too. For a long time there have been very few options that truly cater for the LGBT community and we hope that this venture will not only be a success, but provide an amazing experience for our guests’.
The river cruise line can reveal that the itinerary will be tailored to include areas and place of interests that appeal to the LGBT community, and efforts are being made to provide activities and entertainment on-board suited to guests’ particular preferences.
Guests will be able to sail into a world filled with authentic architecture and breath-taking historical sights. The LGBT Danube Explorer’s diverse itineraries will include Budapest, Bratislavia, Venice, Durnstein-Melk, Passau (with an optional excursion to Salzburg, the home of Sound of Music), Regensburg-Kelheim and Nuremberg.
Winterton continues: ‘The cruise is fully bookable by all travel agents and offers something new to their customers. With our unique heated indoor pool which turns into a cinema by night, one avenue we’d recommend is marketing to LGBT groups such as sports teams and community groups, and we are able to offer great group discounts in turn.’
The cruise will depart in July 2017 and the company has confirmed that passengers can expect the following to be included in their cruise: return economy flights from London, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow and Edinburgh, 7 nights in a stateroom of your choice with a river view, 6 shore excursions that include visits to 3 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, a free premium drinks package, complimentary Wi-Fi onboard, complimentary bicycles on-board and first class service from English-speaking crew and knowledgeable local guides.
What do you think of today’s news? Are you impressed with the UK’s first LGBT river cruise? Is this something you think should have been introduced a long time ago? How does the itinerary sound to you? Leave us your comments!
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