A first-of-its-kind LGBTQ+ cruise is headed to the Geographic North Pole in 2028
A group of gays are taking the pole — the North one, that is.
Mark
For the first time in history, a gaggle of gays are taking the pole — the North one, that is.
This week, LGBTQ+ vacation company VACAYA announced it will be making gay cruise history with a first-of-its-kind charter expedition to the Geographic North Pole.
Yes, you read that right. We’re talking about the remote and mythic 90° North, known as one of the rarest places on Earth and a destination so extreme that only 0.0006% of humanity has ever visited it. Brrr!
The journey will kick off from Longyearbyen, Norway, and set sail from August 5 to 17, 2028. According to VACAYA co-founder and CMO Patrick Gunn, the trip marks “a historic leap for LGBTQ+ travel.”
“This journey may take us to 90° North, but its meaning reaches far beyond a point on a map,” he said in a statement.
Of course, a once-in-a-lifetime trip (and a sizable ticket price) call for extraordinary accommodations, and the North Pole trip’s ship, PONANT’s Le Commandant Charcot, is no exception. Described as the “world’s first luxury exploration vessel” and its “only luxury icebreaker,” it was notably named after French explorer Jean-Baptiste Charcot, who famously charted the Antarctic Peninsula himself.
Not only are there 122 staterooms and suites, interior design by Jean-Philippe Nuel and Wilmotte & Associés, Michelin-level dining, and an indoor pool and Blue Lagoon, there’s also two onboard laboratories. (How’s that for extravagant?!)
And the demand is there. Over the past few years, VACAYA saw firsthand how many would-be queer polar explorers there are. After previous journeys to Antarctica in 2022 and 2024, their upcoming 2027 cruise reportedly sold out “in a record 18 minutes” into pre-sale. The polar bears want to see the polar bears — are we surprised?!
With only 244 guests and a true top-of-the-world view, it makes sense why the company describes the opportunity as “a history-making, soul-stirring, bragging-rights-forever kind of moment” in a press release.
Indeed, while high-end and luxury Geographic North Pole cruises have long been status symbols among the well-traveled, VACAYA’s expedition will be the first-ever one geared to LGBTQ+ travelers.
It’s a milestone not lost on co-founder and CEO Randle Roper, who stressed they’re in the business of not only creating “extraordinary vacations,” but “visibility.”
“We take our community to places that have historically felt distant, inaccessible, or simply unimaginable for us,” he added. “In August 2028, our community will stand hand-in-hand together at the top of the world — not as a niche footnote, but as a powerful reminder that LGBTQ+ travelers belong everywhere.”
We couldn’t agree more!
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You can learn more about VACAYA’s epic trip bringing the gayest group to Geographic North Pole here.
Below, check out photos of the scenic views travelers may get a peek at.
