Earlier, I covered how an upcoming Atlantis Events cruise (the company organizes cruises intended for LGBTQ+ travelers) faced a major issue on an upcoming Virgin Voyages charter, when Turkey revealed it wouldn’t let the ship dock in the country, citing “moral standards” and “family values.”
The thing is, that cruise wasn’t specifically about Turkey, but instead, it was just one of several stops, with the primary destination being Greece. Well, OMAAT reader Sisyphus pointed me to what’s perhaps an even more interesting cruise concept, which is the first-ever gay cruise from Saudi Arabia. Hmmm…
In this post:
VACAYA hosts “thrilling” LGBTQ+ Saudi Arabia cruise
VACAYA is a vacation company that creates adults-only experiences for the LGBTQ+ community. The company primarily charters cruises for this concept, but also hosts some resort experiences.
As you’d expect, most of the company’s experiences are in gay friendly destinations, but not always. From March 28 through April 7, 2027, the company will be hosting its “Arabian Nights Cruise,” described as the company’s “most thrilling adventure yet,” allowing people to “make and live history.”
The journey takes place on the new Emerald Kaia, featuring 64 cabins and suites.
The cruise visits Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Israel, and Jordan, with Saudi Arabia stops including the origin in Jeddah, and a second stop in Yanbu. Jeddah is described as a “vibrant port city,” while Yanbi “offers pristine beaches and diving adventures in the azure depths of the Red Sea.”
As you’d expect, many people probably see this and think “huh, a gay cruise from Saudi Arabia?!” So VACAYA does have the following message about this, which I think is worth sharing:
Saudi Arabia is in the midst of a profound transformation, cautiously stepping onto the global tourism stage and inviting travelers from around the world to experience its breathtaking cultural heritage and natural beauty. For decades, LGBTQ+ visitors could scarcely imagine setting foot in the Kingdom. Yet, as the country seeks to diversify its economy and reshape its international image in anticipation of hosting the 2034 World Cup, a quiet but notable shift has emerged: visitors of all identities are being welcomed, provided they honor local customs. While full equality is still distant, this opening marks a moment of change – an acknowledgment that the world’s travelers come in every color of the rainbow. It is a delicate step, but one filled with diplomacy, hope, and the promise of a more inclusive tomorrow.
One of VACAYA’s core beliefs is that the world’s treasures belong to ALL of us, and by bringing our community into dialogue with one of the most storied regions on Earth, we celebrate our right to explore, to learn, and to connect. This isn’t just a vacation. It’s a pioneering voyage of understanding and visibility, where the joy of discovery becomes a bridge between cultures and the hope of progress sails alongside us.
My take on this bold Saudi Arabia cruise concept
At least officially, Saudi Arabia claims it’s welcoming to LGBT visitors, under what I’d describe as a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. Here’s how the company addresses this on its tourism website:
Are LGBT visitors welcome to visit Saudi Arabia?
Everyone is welcome to visit Saudi Arabia and visitors are not asked to disclose such personal details.
So I’d be curious to know if any explicit permission has been given for this cruise, or if it’s more just that the cruise has been organized under the assumption that we can take Saudi Arabia at its word here.
In the past, I’ve shared my philosophy on traveling as a gay (and married) man, and I’ve also shared my take on flying Gulf carriers, and the ethics of that. People are of course more than welcome to disagree with me on those points, and I don’t think there are any wrong or right answers. Quite frankly, the only takes I don’t really respect are those from people who get on their high horse and claim that they’re doing everything right, while anyone with a different opinion is wrong.
As a gay person, I’d feel comfortable traveling to Saudi Arabia, and frankly, I’d probably act the same I do anywhere else — being gay isn’t my entire identity, I’m not into PDA in general, etc.
That being said, at least at this early stage of Saudi Arabia opening up more broadly, I’m not sure I’d like to travel on a journey that is explicitly for gay people. As I see it, VACAYA is straddling the line here a bit — the company notes that everyone is welcome in Saudi Arabia, assuming they honor local customs, and in this case, those local customs are basically not disclosing your sexual orientation.
But then VACAYA goes on to describe this as a “pioneering voyage of understanding and visibility.” The thing is, this really isn’t about visibility. Saudi Arabia is explicitly telling tourists not to be “visible” if they’re LGBT. Like, I would even assume local officials aren’t explicitly being made aware of the people on the cruise, or the type of journey this is.
Anyway, this is definitely quite the creative concept. I suspect this cruise will be a bit more “toned down” than some of the other Atlantis Events or VACAYA vacations we hear about, in terms of… well… ummm… you know.
Bottom line
LGBTQ+ vacation company VACAYA is hosting a special “Arabian Nights” cruise in early 2027, which visits Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Israel, and Jordan. This is a first of its kind cruise. I appreciate the concept behind this, which is that Saudi Arabia claims it’s trying to modernize, and is open to all, as long as they respect local customs.
As I see it, the challenge here is that VACAYA is both promoting the concept of “visibility,” while also acknowledging that Saudi Arabia’s policy of welcoming gay travelers is based on what can best be described as a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. I get it, it’s a tough line, and I’m not sure there’s a right or wrong answer. Personally, I’d feel comfortable traveling to Saudi Arabia, but ideally independently, and not as part of a specifically gay group.
What do you make of this Saudi Arabia cruise concept?
That's gay...
I think that to find out which countries are friendly to homosexuals, look up the countries that allow ginormous homosexual orgies. And while doing that, why not bring pork-derived products to Muslim controled countries. That suddenly goes well together.
My partner of 38 years was from Saudi Arabia. I have been there for weeks at a time and never had a problem. When I am there, I do respect their customs and traditions as I do in every country I visit.
I respect customs and traditions too, as long as those "customs and traditions" aren't just cover for discrimination and repression.
Why are we supporting terrorists regimes that sow trouble everywhere they go?
While I realize common sense is often in short supply, I would think it should tell someone gay to avoid certain countries like SA. Could everything go ok? Sure. However, there certainly is a decent possibility that someone could get upset and people end up in trouble.
While some people won't understand this and always want to push the boundaries, often in life you need to pick and choose your battles as well as their location.
I wonder: Is it a dry cruise?
Just like the UAE, it's all lip service until they change the law that says homosexuality is punishable by death. All the gays getting bling blinded by Dubai and Saudi glitz might want to remember that deciding not to kills gay tourists this week because they want to appear modern isn't the same thing as real acceptance. Us older gays lived with that bs in the US and we lived in states with anti sodomy...
Just like the UAE, it's all lip service until they change the law that says homosexuality is punishable by death. All the gays getting bling blinded by Dubai and Saudi glitz might want to remember that deciding not to kills gay tourists this week because they want to appear modern isn't the same thing as real acceptance. Us older gays lived with that bs in the US and we lived in states with anti sodomy laws. It was a never a problem......until it was. I can't see going back to the UAE as I felt uncomfortable there and I won't be setting foot in Saudi Arabia until they show a real acceptance of our basic right to exist.
I fully belief the organizers have good intentions here (spreading the LGBTQ+ community), but I don't think this will broing anything good. The way to convince Saudi Arabia as a country, is to show them gays are like everyone else, instead of shoving them 1000% gay directly in the face.
It doesn't matter to them. We are still luti and major sinners, all because one person misinterpreted the story of Sodom and Gomorrah.
If your "good intentions here (spreading the LGBTQ+ community)", than why not reciprocate by allowing a spread of islamo-fascism in Western societies.
lol this sounds like a trap. Get ready to be Khashoggied
Ben - "I don’t really respect are those from people who get on their high horse and claim that they’re doing everything right, while anyone with a different opinion is wrong"
No need to bring up MAGA peeps. LOL
Really sad you can travel to areas like this and be gay but I would not advise wearing it on your shoulder. Obviously, a gay cruise would do just that. Other than maybe Dubai there isn't much in the Middle East that would ever interest me
Gay, straight, bi, everyone is Cashosexual
I haven't been to Saudi Arabia and have no plans to. Me and my husband have been to Jordan, Oman and UAE as port stops on a cruise. We took private escorted tours and TBH it was a bit awkward. We were traveling with my parents ( I'm 1st generation Chinese American, husband is a New York Jew) and in both Jordan and Oman there were constant questions about who my husband was since he...
I haven't been to Saudi Arabia and have no plans to. Me and my husband have been to Jordan, Oman and UAE as port stops on a cruise. We took private escorted tours and TBH it was a bit awkward. We were traveling with my parents ( I'm 1st generation Chinese American, husband is a New York Jew) and in both Jordan and Oman there were constant questions about who my husband was since he was the only Caucasian out of the four of us. I didn't feel the questions were in malice but genuinely curious. Nevertheless it was awkward and uncomfortable. I think it was in Oman that we admitted we were married to each other and the conversation briefly went that it was OK to be Gay in Oman. Interestingly we never got those questions the two separate times we toured in China.
No one would ask or care in Israel. You should probably align your travels with countries who care for you as a person, and not strategically avoid acknowledging your status.
I want to discuss being HIV+ for a moment. You may not go to Saudi Arabia if you are HIV+, you are not welcome. I was a travel agent for a gay owned travel agency in San Francisco. I'd suggest EVERYONE reads up on the "customs" of Saudi Arabia, before you consider taking this adventure. I'd agree Saudi Arabia is a country where I would much rather be alone or with my husband, than an organized group. Again, just be you.
HIV laws were quietly changed recently so maybe take a look at the update. More importantly though, no one’s gonna ask a tourist for an HIV titre.
I think you're missing the bigger news here, Ben. You could really do a "Living dangerously" cruise with these Saudi stops coupled with... stops in Egypt where you know your celebrity status will cause nonstop CCTV footage of you!
What a rush on this cruise!
1. Detained because of who you are -- sadly, on a few levels in that area of the world
2. Detained because of your writing!
@ MaxPower -- Hah!!
I can fully understand why any Western person would want to push back against the Muslim attempts to force Islam upon them, however, I fail to understand why the LGBTQ community feels the need to push their beliefs onto the Muslims?
Please be assured that I am not trying to promote controversy, I just do not understand the needs of some who feel that their preferences should be universally and openly expressed with impunity.
Ben,...
I can fully understand why any Western person would want to push back against the Muslim attempts to force Islam upon them, however, I fail to understand why the LGBTQ community feels the need to push their beliefs onto the Muslims?
Please be assured that I am not trying to promote controversy, I just do not understand the needs of some who feel that their preferences should be universally and openly expressed with impunity.
Ben, 1990, your takes would be appreciated.
Maybe it's because some guy in the 7th Century BC said that we were an "abomination" (stupid and heretical KJV translation) and should be eliminated from society, a statement that was carried forward in time by a Hellenized Jew circa 50 AD to another group and then to the 7th Century AD by another guy whose word is treated today as inviolable and irrevocable by a billion people. Maybe, just maybe, we don't accept being...
Maybe it's because some guy in the 7th Century BC said that we were an "abomination" (stupid and heretical KJV translation) and should be eliminated from society, a statement that was carried forward in time by a Hellenized Jew circa 50 AD to another group and then to the 7th Century AD by another guy whose word is treated today as inviolable and irrevocable by a billion people. Maybe, just maybe, we don't accept being condemned by three men for who we are and the only way to fight it is to push back publicly.
I think you are missing the point. As a LGBTQ person, I just want to live my life openly without fear of discrimination or persecution for simply being who I am. That, of course, includes feeling comfortable walking down the street with my husband. We have been married for 37 years. And, naturally, there is a physical closeness we exhibit just as any long-term married couple would. It does not mean we express overt PDA....
I think you are missing the point. As a LGBTQ person, I just want to live my life openly without fear of discrimination or persecution for simply being who I am. That, of course, includes feeling comfortable walking down the street with my husband. We have been married for 37 years. And, naturally, there is a physical closeness we exhibit just as any long-term married couple would. It does not mean we express overt PDA. However, anyone walking by might immediately recognize this familiarity and likely assume we are “together”. I just don’t want to be in place where I have to edit my natural behavior to satisfy the expectation of others. It is not pushing anything onto anybody.
@MichaelB Lots of Saudi men walk along holding hands – it's more common that anywhere I've travelled. If you're not openly expressing PDA, it's hard to see how you'd stick out to any notable degree.
The phrase "push beliefs" is an inaccurate description here. The cruise is not a bunch of missionaries. They aren't door knocking.
I think there is a big tension between wanting to see the world and wanting to be yourself. My spouse has made it clear certain places are off limits for her -- the asks to visit violate her sense of self and of comfort. Visiting the Blue Mosque in Istanbul was a bit uncomfortable...
The phrase "push beliefs" is an inaccurate description here. The cruise is not a bunch of missionaries. They aren't door knocking.
I think there is a big tension between wanting to see the world and wanting to be yourself. My spouse has made it clear certain places are off limits for her -- the asks to visit violate her sense of self and of comfort. Visiting the Blue Mosque in Istanbul was a bit uncomfortable for her because of the head covering requirement. But she has no problem covering shoulders or wearing pants when visiting a cathedral -- it is a type of conservatism that is more familiar.
We are all now doing this dance with mass tourism. Western countries (and increasingly China) are loaded with cash. Tourism is a revenue source for lower and middle income countries, as is business travel (otherwise it is just a massive inconvenience to your society). Societies are trying to thread a needle between their own values (right or wrong) and being flexible to accommodate business interests (including mass tourism). It produces some uneasy compromises that ask things of the visitor (cover your head; avoid PDA, etc.). Some visitors will find that acceptable, others not. Some will do it for a business trip. Some will be willing to do it for nice leisure opportunities or for just the cultural exposure. Some won't want to go at all. There are no right answers per se, just compromises.
A lot of the elites of these countries could likely care less -- they care about money and business interests. But just like in our own country, pandering to "family values" is a good way to maintain power by placating cultural conservatives. The Erdogan example in Turkey is pretty clear on this -- his political base is outside the big multicultural cities. So he panders to the values of people that don't get much revenue from tourism.
Since when is being gay a “belief“?
But in any case, this is kind of a half-hearted invitation by Saudi Arabia, if you can only come as long as you’re not visible.
Just imagine any western democracy would publish an invitation like that to Muslim travellers: you’re welcome but only if you don’t „disclose such details“…
Laughable!
Take your dollars elsewhere!
Because sexuality just like your ethnicity, hair colour etc isn't a choice, it's an inherent part of you. Religion on the other hand is wholly a choice once you're an adult.
Great . Saudi Arabia is serious about opening up to the west. Women are now driving and allowed to dress less conservative. You are safe and welcome as LGBT . Wouldn’t think twice about taking that cruise if I were gay and wanted to. You are safe no one would dare mess around with MBS. Saudi Arabia also shares close ties with the U.S.
Saudi Arabia is becoming more progressive while the USA is becoming more regressive.
Just returned from a short trip to AlUla, Saudi Arabia. Flew there on FlyDubai. As a gay male I thought I'd never visit Saudi. I'm from the USA and qualified for an eVisa, which took hours to be granted. Yes, the visa form asked if I was married, but not to whom. Same at hotel check in - married Yes/No. We stayed at the Chedi. The hotel and the archeological sites are all stunning. There's...
Just returned from a short trip to AlUla, Saudi Arabia. Flew there on FlyDubai. As a gay male I thought I'd never visit Saudi. I'm from the USA and qualified for an eVisa, which took hours to be granted. Yes, the visa form asked if I was married, but not to whom. Same at hotel check in - married Yes/No. We stayed at the Chedi. The hotel and the archeological sites are all stunning. There's even an Aman property under construction. The $19 non-alcoholic Corona beer is probably the most expensive beer I've ever purchased. Alcohol is forbidden in the Kingdom, even on the flights to/from as the flights enter Saudi airspace.
Best wishes to the cruise passengers... I'll be watching the news.
This is awesome!
Next, we should go over there and build them a shiny, new, fabulous skyscraper for them to push us off of!
Oof.