(This article originally appeared on News is Out.)
“I feel like I’m in that scene from Under the Tuscan Sun,” my wife whispered to me as we boarded a G Vacations bus in Bordeaux, France.
She’s not wrong. It reenacts a scene in which Frances Mays (Diane Lane) goes on a queer European adventure in place of her lesbian best friend. We were sitting in a crowd of gay men (and two very committed lesbian Brand G patrons) on our way from the InterContinental Hotel Bordeaux to lunch at the famous Château Smith Haut Lafitte. I did. One of our many excellent guides that week tells us that King Charles III recently visited the winery. This visit sets the tone for the rest of the Loire Valley river journey. Sometimes decadent, sometimes loud, but always fun.
Founded in 2011 as “the next generation of gay travel,” Brand g Vacations offers an alternative to queer vacation companies that host large-scale cruises and resort trips. If 1,000-person party-oriented cruises aren’t your thing, Brand g offers more intimate, excursion-oriented options. This is popular with Brand g’s customers, many of whom have traveled with the company many times.
Eric Poole, Brand g’s director of marketing, says the company’s success lies in four key elements: service, quality, inclusivity and destination.
“Our commitment to high-touch service is unmatched in the industry,” said Poole. “The surveys we receive from our guests after each trip regularly point out the very high level of personal service and their appreciation for the fact that they come. We will take care of it.”
Mark W. from Fort Lauderdale was one of about 80 guests on our trip. The service level mentioned by Mr. Poole is what led Mark to book 17 trips with brand g. Mark says door-to-door service and like-minded LGBTQ guests keep him coming back.
Couple Steve M and David P also praised the service they experienced at Brand g. Originally on a cruise within the United States that was canceled (by the charter company), the couple turned around and booked a spot on a Loire Valley trip. This was their third Brand G adventure.
On our special trip, we arrived in Bordeaux and spent the next six days experiencing the beautiful towns of the Loire Valley, including Nantes, La Rochelle, and Clisson. During our visit to Clisson, we encountered the 13th-century town’s Italian-style festival, with masked drinks, music, and lots of tourists.
Our trip was led by our host and cruise director, Jonathan Gallagher. Hailing from Scotland, Gallagher is a staple on many brand trips. Vulgar and friendly, it’s easy to see why Gallagher is a popular touchpoint for guests. Steve M. and David P. told me that one of the reasons they booked again was because of Gallagher and how much he added to their previous trip.
Gallagher is a very funny guy, but he wasn’t the only top talent. Guests were treated to a musical performance by West End star Emma Linders, along with musical director/composer Tom Knowles. Linders and Knowles performed everything from disco hits to Broadway ballads, captivating guests every time. The duo was kind enough to let some of the guests (myself included) sing a little.
Leigh Gilbert, a dynamic Welsh-based performer, also performed to the cheers of the audience. Gilbert, who was previously a guest on Brand G Travel, now works as a host and performer after impressing the team with his serious chops.
I asked Mr. Poole what brand g is looking for when booking talent on these cruises.
“The ability to wow guests. The ability to perform multiple shows during a cruise and keep the audience engaged with new content with each show. And someone who is a nice human being.”
At Château Smith Haut Lafitte, wine barrels await their time to shine. (Photo provided by Dana Piccoli)
What made this trip special for me was the opportunity to get to know so many of the guests. I sat with various guests at meals and excursions and tried to get to know groups of people from places like Palm Springs, Fort Lauderdale, and even Melbourne, Australia.
It would be impossible to write about my experience without mentioning some important demographics. My wife and I were two of the four female travelers on this trip. We were also the youngest travelers on the ship. When I asked about marketing to queer women, Brand G was transparent about this.
“We’re very male-biased, so we attract women travelers who have a lot of gay male friends, or women travelers who enjoy traveling in mixed groups, rather than just women traveling like Olivia. “I don’t mean to disrespect Olivia, there’s a place for all kinds of LGBT+ travel experiences,” Poole said.
“This tends to happen through referrals rather than through marketing because we want the lesbian part.”
Poole points out that there are usually more women on brand g trips, sometimes 15 to 20 on a trip of 80 to 120 people.
Brand g Travel guests tend to be over 55 years old. The average age on our trip was about 62 years old.
“While our trips tend to appeal to an older, more affluent demographic thanks to the fact that they are luxury all-inclusive packages, we are always looking to attract more guests in their 30s by increasing our offer. “I’m in my 40s,” Poole said. “And each trip is somewhat different based on destination, length, and cost. Exotic trips require more extensive travel to reach the destination or feature more physical activities ( For example, our trips to Africa, Nepal, Bhutan and Peru attract younger customers. So do our trips to India, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia, which offer luxury at a low price.”
Sometimes things are out of our control, like the rising waters of the Loire, we were anchored in Nantes for longer than expected, and some of our plans changed. But Brand g did their best to pivot and provide an adventure for their guests, even if the bus time was longer than expected.
Our experience with Brand g Vacations was memorable and the personal highlight was our dear friends. I have now found family in Palm Springs and Melbourne and plan to visit. At the core of it all, Brand g offers something that non-LGBTQ focused holidays cannot: a celebration of heart, community, and LGBTQ+ culture.
Brand g offers a more intimate and immersive alternative to large party-focused cruises, making it a great choice for LGBTQ+ travelers who value adventure and connection.
Brand g has 24 trips planned by 2025, including adventures in Japan, Australia and Scotland. See the full list of trips here.
