Our Name

The inspiration for our name began for John, Randle, and Patrick long before their roles in the full-ship/full-resort charter business, even before their eight combined decades of experience in management, marketing, and operations.

The VACAYA concept was sparked on their own vacations, where they encountered two very different experiences. The all-gay cruises were liberating, empowering, and fun, but limited to a small spectrum of people. And while everyone loves a good time, there’s more to a memorable vacation than just parties. Mainstream vacations offered more activities and destinations, and were accessible to a diverse set of people, but didn’t always feel like a friendly, judgment-free environment.

They all shared a sense there was a sweet spot – a great “in between” – one that offered the joy of like-minded people coming together to celebrate, with more activities, destinations, and ways to personalize the vacation experience than ever before. One that capitalized on smart, tech-savvy booking and customer service – just as you might expect with a mainstream vacation.

From this inspiration, VACAYA was born. The name itself speaks to the concept: “VACAYA” is a word from Polari, a centuries-old language used by the gay subculture to discreetly communicate. Alongside that, the slang word “vacay” has become a casual mainstream term for vacation. Put together, the two meanings celebrate our LGBT identity and the inclusive, joyful, and unfettered spirit we cherish.

John, Randle, Patrick, and all of The Vacayans invite you to open yourself up to new experiences, mindful exploration, endless fun, and deeper connections… they invite you to VACAYA.