VACAYA
VACAYA is a U.S.-based, privately held travel company that charters entire cruise ships and resorts to operate adults-only vacations for the full LGBTQIAPK+ community and their straight allies, distributed primarily through a direct-to-consumer online booking system and a tiered travel agent network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersS Central Washington Co, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What VACAYA does
VACAYA is a privately held U.S. travel company (VACAYA LLC, California, founded 2018) that designs and operates adults-only vacation experiences for the full LGBTQIAPK+ community and their straight allies. The company charters entire cruise ships and resorts from major operators and resells them as exclusive, fully LGBT+ branded experiences, supplemented by land tours (e.g., Chile & Easter Island, Rwanda Primate Safari) and small-ship expeditions to destinations including Antarctica and (planned) the Geographic North Pole.
The product portfolio is organized into four categories: Big-Ship Cruises (701+ guests), Small-Ship Cruises (1-700 guests), Resorts & Tours (all-inclusive VACAYA Oasis properties), and Land Tours. Distribution is primarily direct-to-consumer, with over 99% of guests self-booking through a 24x7 online reservations system; a secondary channel is an Authorized Travel Professional Program for CLIA/IATAN/IATA-registered travel agents earning 10-14% tiered commissions. The company supports its DTC flywheel with a biweekly eNewsletter, VTV Podcast, multi-platform social media presence, pride-event activations, and earned media. There is no proprietary technology platform beyond the booking portal and agent-only reservations system; core technology is operations-led rather than engineering-led.
Revenue is generated one-time per booking through stateroom fares on chartered ships, all-inclusive resort packages, and tour pricing, with flexible payment plans (Pay in Full, Monthly Billing, Deposit Now Pay Later). The company is a member of CLIA, IGLTA, and IATA, and is registered as a California Seller of Travel. There is no disclosed outside funding, suggesting the business is either founder-financed or self-funding from operating cash flow. The 1-10 employee headcount indicates a lean operation that relies on contracted cruise and resort partners for capacity.
VACAYA firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- VACAYA
- Legal name
- VACAYA LLC
- Website
- https://myvacaya.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- VACAYA is a U.S.-based, privately held travel company that charters entire cruise ships and resorts to operate adults-only vacations for the full LGBTQIAPK+ community and their straight allies, distributed primarily through a direct-to-consumer online booking system and a tiered travel agent network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
VACAYA industry classification
Industry- Product category
- LGBTQ+ Travel & Leisure Services
- NAICS
- Tour Operators (561520), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721)
- SIC
- Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Specialty-Themed Private Cruises (Wellness, Diving, Culinary, etc.) (THAEAEAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Adults-Only All-Inclusive Resorts (THAGAKAB)
Keywords
Where VACAYA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- S Central Washington Co
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
VACAYA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Personnel, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Full-Ship Cruise Charters: VACAYA generates revenue by chartering entire cruise ships and operating them as dedicated LGBT+ vacations. Guests pay for stateroom fares, which include the charter experience, onboard activities, entertainment, and themed parties. The company sells directly to consumers and through travel agents who earn commissions.
- Full-Resort and Resort Charters: VACAYA charters entire resorts or operates at all-inclusive resort properties, selling vacation packages that include accommodations, dining, activities, and entertainment. These are marketed as VACAYA Oasis experiences with nearly everything included in one price.
- Small-Ship and Expedition Cruises: VACAYA operates small-ship and expedition-style cruises including unique itineraries such as Antarctica and the North Pole, generating revenue through stateroom fares sold directly and through travel agents.
- Land Tours: VACAYA offers land-based tours (e.g., Chile & Easter Island Tour, Rwanda Primate Safari) as part of its vacation portfolio, generating revenue through tour package sales.
- Travel Professional Commissions (Cost): VACAYA pays commissions to authorized travel agents ranging from 10% to 14% based on rooms sold and qualifying minimum sales thresholds across three product categories: Big-Ship Cruises, Small-Ship Cruises, and Resorts & Tours. This represents a cost structure rather than a revenue stream for the company.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Multi-year contract | Commission tier for Big-Ship Cruises (701+ guests): 10% at 0.5-15 rooms sold ($1,000 min) scaling to 14% at 151+ rooms sold ($362,400 min). |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Multi-year contract | Commission tier for Resorts & Tours: 10% at 0.5-10 rooms sold ($1,000 min) scaling to 14% at 41+ rooms sold ($98,400 min). |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Multi-year contract | Commission tier for Small-Ship Cruises (1-700 guests): 10% at 1-2 rooms sold ($4,800 min) scaling to 14% at 16+ rooms sold ($92,160 min). |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels12 records
VACAYA product offering
Product offeringCore offering
VACAYA designs and operates adults-only LGBT+ charter cruises, all-inclusive resort vacations, and land-based tours for the entire LGBTQIAPK community and their straight allies. It charters entire cruise ships and resorts from major cruise lines and resort operators, then sells stateroom and resort packages directly to consumers and through a tiered-commission network of authorized travel professionals.
Product overview
VACAYA is a comprehensive LGBT+ travel company offering a portfolio of vacation experiences: Big-Ship Cruises (full-ship charters), Small-Ship Cruises (expedition vessels), Resort Vacations (VACAYA Oasis all-inclusive properties), and Land Tours. The platform is supported by a Reservations Management System for online booking, an Authorized Travel Professional Program for travel agent partnerships, a Marketplace for promotional materials, and the VTV Podcast for community engagement. Founded in 2018, VACAYA serves the entire LGBTQIAPK community and their straight ally friends, positioning itself as the first large-scale adults-only vacation company built for the entire community.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Big-Ship Cruises Full-ship charter cruises where VACAYA charters entire vessels for the exclusive use of LGBTQ+ guests and their straight allies, with onboard entertainment, themed parties, and complete freedom of self-expression.
- Small-Ship Cruises Intimate expedition cruises to remote and exotic destinations including Antarctica, Kimberley, North Pole (planned 2028), and other unique ports, offering a more personal onboard experience.
- VACAYA Oasis Resorts
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 99% of guests book via the online reservations system
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use VACAYA
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
VACAYA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
VACAYA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered notable, core and flagship.
- Santorini SkynotableVACAYA partnered with Santorini Sky to launch an inaugural LGBTQ+ Pride event on Santorini in August 2022, marking a notable collaboration in the LGBTQ+ tourism space for Greece. Santorini Sky is a sustainable luxury provider in Santorini, Greece.
- Celebrity CruisescoreVACAYA collaborated with Celebrity Cruises on a 'Celebrity Cruises Pride Party at Sea,' a branded Pride event at sea featuring LGBTQ+ entertainment and programming. This partnership expanded VACAYA's reach and leveraged Celebrity's cruise infrastructure.
- Lord Ivar Mountbatten (First British Royal Customer)flagshipVACAYA hosted Lord Ivar Mountbatten (the first openly gay British royal) and his husband James Coyle on a Polynesia cruise in August 2023, marking the first time a British royal couple vacationed with an all-LGBT+ travel company. This high-profile booking generated significant press coverage and brand credibility.
- Major Cruise Lines (Unnamed)coreVACAYA charters entire ships from major cruise lines, making them strategic operational partners. The company works with all major cruise lines and some independent resort properties to deliver fully chartered vacation experiences. Specific cruise line names are not publicly named on the website.
- IGLTA (International LGBTQ Travel Association)notableVACAYA is a member of IGLTA, the International LGBTQ Travel Association. The company was featured in IGLTA communications (e.g., highlighting VACAYA's 'Saturday Night Spotlight' initiative during COVID-19). Membership provides credibility and access to the LGBTQ+ travel industry network.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
VACAYA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Atlantis Events: The original and largest all-gay cruise and resort operator, chartering full ships for gay men globally. Directly comparable to VACAYA's Big-Ship Cruises and Resorts business, but historically narrower in audience (gay-male-focused) and longer-tenured.
- Olivia Travel: Pioneer LGBT+ travel company chartering cruises and resorts primarily for lesbian and queer women. Same charter-ship, all-inclusive vacation model as VACAYA, with a complementary (rather than overlapping) audience segment.
- RSVP Vacations: Long-running LGBT+ cruise and tour operator chartering full ships for gay men. Overlaps directly with VACAYA on full-ship charter cruises and resort vacations, serving a similar high-spend, experience-seeking LGBT+ traveler.
- R Family Vacations: LGBT+ family-friendly cruise and resort operator with full-ship charters (e.g., with Celebrity Cruises). Operates the same charter-cruise playbook as VACAYA, though targeting a sub-segment (LGBTQ+ families with kids).
- Brand g Vacations: LGBT+-focused cruise and resort operator offering full-ship charters and themed events. Closely comparable to VACAYA on product type, community positioning, and travel-agent distribution model.
Broad incumbents
- Celebrity Cruises: Major mainstream cruise line and named charter partner of VACAYA (e.g., Celebrity Summit inaugural cruise, Celebrity Equinox 2026 Eclipse sailing, Pride Party at Sea). Overlaps on the cruise product category but serves a much broader, non-segmented customer base.
- Royal Caribbean International: One of the world's largest cruise operators and a likely source of full-ship charters for VACAYA. Operates the same cruise category at vastly larger scale and broader audience, but enables VACAYA's charter business model.
Emerging players
- Temptation Cruises / Temptation Resorts: Adults-only, couples-oriented cruise and all-inclusive resort operator. Comparable to VACAYA's adults-only positioning and resort product (VACAYA Oasis) though targeting a different lifestyle segment.
- Out Adventures: LGBTQ+ small-group adventure tour operator offering land-based trips worldwide. Comparable to VACAYA's Tours product line (Rwanda Primate Safari, Chile & Easter Island, Madagascar) but on a small-group, non-charter model.
Others
- IGLTA (International LGBTQ+ Travel Association): Industry trade body of which VACAYA is an affiliate member. Not a competitor, but a key ecosystem enabler: IGLTA membership provides VACAYA industry credibility, distribution to LGBTQ+ travel agents, and marketing amplification across the LGBTQ+ travel community.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
VACAYA social profiles
Digital presenceVACAYA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
VACAYA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
VACAYA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
VACAYA M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about VACAYA
What does VACAYA do?
VACAYA designs and operates adults-only LGBT+ charter cruises, all-inclusive resort vacations, and land-based tours for the entire LGBTQIAPK community and their straight allies. It charters entire cruise ships and resorts from major cruise lines and resort operators, then sells stateroom and resort packages directly to consumers and through a tiered-commission network of authorized travel professionals.
Is VACAYA a public or private company?
VACAYA is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was VACAYA founded?
VACAYA was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is VACAYA based?
VACAYA is headquartered in S Central Washington Co, United States, in the North America region.
How does VACAYA make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Full-Ship Cruise Charters are the primary driver. The others are full-Resort and Resort Charters, small-Ship and Expedition Cruises, land Tours and travel Professional Commissions (Cost).
Who are VACAYA's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Atlantis Events, Olivia Travel, RSVP Vacations, R Family Vacations and Brand g Vacations. Broad incumbents are Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean International. Emerging players are Temptation Cruises / Temptation Resorts and Out Adventures. IGLTA (International LGBTQ+ Travel Association) is listed as an others.
Does VACAYA have an API?
No public API is recorded for VACAYA.
What industry is VACAYA in?
VACAYA's product category is LGBTQ+ Travel & Leisure Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAEAEAG, Specialty-Themed Private Cruises (Wellness, Diving, Culinary, etc.), with a secondary code of THAGAKAB, Adults-Only All-Inclusive Resorts. Its NAICS code is 561520 and its SIC code is 7000.