We Went on an LGBTQ+ Cruise in the Seychelles – Here’s How We Did It!
Out of the more than 50 countries in Africa, only a handful recognize and or provide legal LGBTQ+ protections. This makes travel to this culturally and geographically diverse part of the world tougher for queer travelers, who have to balance safety, ethics, and practicalities when considering a vacation there.
An island country located off the continent’s east coast and north of Madagascar, the Seychelles is one of the few places in Africa where things are changing for the better. Same-sex intercourse between men has been legal here since 2016 and employment discrimination protections for queer people have been the law for more than 15 years.
Variety’s LGBTQ+-Themed Cruise, but “Straight-Friendly”
Our cruise was the soft launch of Variety’s new LGBTQ+-themed cruises, which the company intends to make it an annual event, and more! The cruise line has always been gay-friendly and has frequently leased its ships to queer travel companies for private tours. But Constantine Venetopoulos, part of the third generation of the family-owned cruise line and an out gay man, said that the goal is to eventually have an annual LGBTQ+ cruise in each of the company’s destinations, but with the witty “straight-friendly” moniker.
“It’s an additional way to create awareness that we are a very inclusive company, and that all of our programs are LGBTQ-friendly,” said Venetopoulos, Director of Sales for Variety’s US operation. “But I still think it’s important to highlight it; not just to say we’re LGBTQ-friendly, but to create some scheduled departures, where people who want to go on a themed cruise are able to. I also wanted to play with a straight-friendly theme. All of our departures are gay-friendly, but I wanted to reverse the concept.”
Firsthand Experience in the Seychelles with Variety Cruises
My husband and I cruised to the stunning archipelago with Variety Cruises, a Greek line that operates small cruise ships and yachts. We arrived in Victoria on the island of Mahé, a four-hour flight south from Dubai. Once there, we were greeted by friendly representatives and a driver from Mason’s Travel, which is a one-stop shop for everything from transfers to accommodations to excursions throughout the country.
Upon hearing this was our first time in Seychelles, our driver mentioned he had extra time before his next pickup and took us up winding roads to see a stunning overlook of the harbor and offshore islands — a kind and thoughtful gesture! We spent a night at the lovely Eden Bleu hotel and we were able to explore more of the Seychelles’ largest island, including a tour through the fascinating National Botanical Garden.
Variety’s cruises to the island nation are usually seven-day affairs, lasting from Saturday to Saturday, aboard the lovely Pegasos ship, which holds 44 guests and 18 crew. Our cabin, on the second deck near the bow, was roomy and well-appointed, with beautiful light blue accents that reminded me of the Greek national flag. Our cruise was a nice mix of queer and straight travelers, with guests from New York, Toronto, and London, as well as Greece, Wales, Germany, and Switzerland.
Diving in to Meet Other Passengers
The Seychelles is known for its stunning green and blue waters and is the only oceanic granitic island group in the world. Thus, the country is synonymous with the dramatic granite rock formations along its already picture-postcard beaches, something you won’t find anywhere else in the world.
We got right into the cruise’s weeklong vibe – focused on water activities – by jumping off the rear of the ship shortly after the cruise left the marina. It was a wonderful way to get to know our fellow passengers even before our first group dinner. The warm Indian Ocean waters here are unbelievably clear, and we all frolicked in the water for a bit before climbing back aboard, gawking at the sunset, and toweling off as we all introduced ourselves.
Except for two paid optional tours, the daily excursions and activities are all included here, including high-quality snorkeling gear, stand-up paddleboards, and see-through kayaks — ideal for watching the marine life below. Meals vary between buffet style and menu-driven, and although the selections are limited compared to massive cruise ships, everything we tried was excellent and flavorful.
Seychelles Cruise Highlights
We participated in all the excursions, as we sailed in and around about 10 of the country’s 115 islands. Here are our trip highlights:
Curieuse
This protected island is part of the country’s Marine Park and was once a leper colony. Today, the island is home to 250 giant tortoises and is part of a conservation scheme to protect the creatures. The tortoises are adorable and friendly, and we could have spent all day feeding them leaves we picked from nearby trees and bushes. They seem to love the interactions with humans, and we learned one of the secrets to getting in their good graces: gently rub the back portion of their rear legs, and they almost go into a trance from the pleasure.
In addition to the tortoise fun, we hiked as a group to the top of Curieuse and then over to the far side of the island, where the ship staff was cooking a BBQ lunch. We swam at the lovely beach there and then ate heartily before retiring to the beach. After some relaxation, we enjoyed an impromptu beach yoga class run by instructor @elykmada876 to end a perfect day.
Praslin
In Praslin, we visited the Vallee De Mai Nature Preserve and learned about the coco de mer, which is a tall palm tree native only to the Seychelles. The indigenous tree contains the largest nut in the world. Interestingly, the nut looks strikingly similar to a woman’s buttocks on one side and to a woman’s front side on the other, making it a source of endless off-color jokes. Making matters worse, these are the only palm trees that are designated as male and female. The male trees have seeds of their own that look very long. Well, let’s just say you don’t have to use your imagination too much here.
La Digue
When I pictured the Seychelles, I had this in mind. While Mahé has a slight Caribbean vibe, La Digue was closer to a Hawaiian or French Polynesian feel with a lovely Creole charm. Adding to the atmosphere, most people get around the island by bicycle. We toured some old homes and a coconut factory. The beaches are considered some of the world’s finest, and we spent several glorious hours at Anse Source d’Argent, where the shallow clear waters seemed to stretch out for hundreds of feet before getting deeper.
What’s Next for Variety Cruises?
For 2024, Constantine Venetopoulos is looking at French Polynesia for the next LGBTQ cruise.
“There is a lot of great history around LGBTQ issues there,” he said. “In French Polynesia, there is a very interesting history around gender status. With trans people, they have this whole idea that they’re very spiritual, like a higher species. So, there’s a lot of interesting ways to merge being on a ‘straight-friendly’ cruise, but also learning about the culture and dive deeper into the country and what it means for them.”
Click here for more information about Variety Cruises or follow them on Facebook, X , and Instagram. You can also check out Vacationer’s list of hot 2024 LGBTQ+ cruises to book right now!
