Atlantis Launches Four New All-Gay Cruises for Its Fifteenth Anniversary

Atlantis Launches Four New All-Gay Cruises for Its Fifteenth Anniversary

The Leader in Gay Vacations Broadens its Offerings to Alaska, the Mediterranean and Mexico, Following a Record Year of Sold-Out Cruises

WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Jan. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Atlantis Events, Inc., the world's largest company specializing in all-gay and lesbian cruises and resort vacations, kicked off its fifteenth anniversary year by announcing four new all-gay cruises designed to give travelers more variety, choice and value than ever before. In total, Atlantis will offer a record seven all-gay cruises in 2006, handling more guests than any other gay and lesbian tour operator.

Atlantis charters entire cruise ships and all-inclusive resorts for the exclusive use of its gay and lesbian guests. Since 1991, Atlantis has hosted almost 80,000 guests on more than 80 different cruise, resort and tour experiences. In October 2005, Atlantis was voted best-in-category for all-gay cruises and all-gay tours, winning two gold medals in Out Traveler's prestigious Readers' Choice Awards.

The company's four new 2006 cruises are: the Summer in Alaska cruise on Celebrity's #1-rated Infinity; two back-to-back Mediterranean cruises between Barcelona and Athens -- an industry first -- on Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas; and a new San Diego-to-Acapulco cruise on RCCL's Serenade of the Seas.

The four new cruises complement the company's existing winter 2006 cruises -- to the Western Caribbean, South America and the Eastern Caribbean -- all of which sold out in record time.

"With the support of our loyal guests, we've been able to grow our offerings from a single resort in Mexico to nine diverse destinations throughout the world in 2006," said Rich Campbell, chief executive officer of Atlantis.

"Our new 2006 lineup continues our tradition of bringing our guests the most vacation choices in the world of gay travel. Whether they're looking for a casual beach in Mexico or a tour of Istanbul, we have a cruise to suit a wide variety of tastes and traveling styles. We've managed to keep our rates in line with 2005 as we continue to provide the best value for the gay traveler," said Campbell.

Infinity Summer in Alaska Cruise

Atlantis' Summer in Alaska cruise offers guests an unforgettable, seven-night journey departing from gay-friendly Vancouver on June 4, 2006, and continuing through the scenic Inside Passage and on to some of the greatest sights in the state -- from stunning glaciers to majestic mountains to abundant wildlife. The itinerary includes Ketchikan, Hubbard Glacier, Juneau and Sitka.

Celebrity's Infinity was voted world's best cruise ship among all large ships in Conde Nast Traveler's 2005 Readers' Poll. A true premium cruising experience awaits the 2,000 guests with legendary service, deluxe accommodations, and the stellar entertainment that distinguishes an Atlantis cruise. Staterooms start at $999, based on double occupancy, and rates have been held to 2005 levels.*

Brilliance of the Seas Barcelona to Athens Cruise and Athens to Barcelona Cruise

Next summer, Atlantis will make history by offering its first-ever, back-to-back cruises, affording guests the opportunity to choose from two distinct seven- and nine-night Mediterranean vacations, or a once-in-a-lifetime, 16-night odyssey with no repeat ports.

Departing from cosmopolitan and gay-friendly Barcelona on August 27, 2006, the seven-night cruise sails to classic, must-see destinations throughout the Mediterranean, including Cannes, Rome, Santorini, Mykonos and Ephesus, Turkey. The trip concludes upon its arrival at the cradle of Western civilization -- Athens, Greece -- on September 3. Guests wishing to stay in Mykonos may disembark early and extend their vacation with ease.

The second Atlantis Mediterranean voyage is a nine-night adventure that begins on the evening of September 3, 2006 in Athens, en route to five exotic ports of call before disembarking in Barcelona. This cruise blends the mystique of Istanbul and the charm of Dubrovnik with the timeless beauty of Venice and the history of Sicily (Messina). An extra-long day in Naples allows guests to enjoy more of the plentiful sites in this region, from historic Pompeii to the captivating isle of Capri.

All along, guests will enjoy the luxury of Brilliance of the Seas, the newest large cruise ship sailing in Europe today. Brilliance belongs to Royal Caribbean's Radiance family of ships, with more open space, balconies and glass than on any other vessel. Other unique design features of Brilliance of the Sea include a rock-climbing wall, sports deck, multiple theaters and dramatic eleven-story glass elevators overlooking the ocean. Staterooms on these seven- and nine-night cruises start at $1,399 and $1,599, respectively, based on double occupancy.*

Serenade of the Seas San Diego to Acapulco Cruise

Atlantis will bring an all-new ship and a fabulous new itinerary to a perennial favorite, its fall Pacific Coast cruise. Serenade of the Seas is the newest ship in the Atlantis lineup and is also one of Royal Caribbean's most exciting ships, known for its added comfort, greater space, sweeping ocean views and exceptional staff. Serenade offers the highest percentage of outside cabins in the Royal Caribbean fleet.

Atlantis is also bringing back its popular eight-night, Saturday-to-Sunday itinerary, but with an exciting twist -- adding Acapulco to its list of sun-drenched ports-of-call. Long a playground for the rich and famous, Acapulco has recently undergone a rebirth that is restoring much of its original glamour. Other ports of call on this fun-filled odyssey include Ixtapa, Puerto Vallarta, and Cabo San Lucas. This cruise departs from San Diego on October 21, 2006, and staterooms start at $899 based on double occupancy.*

In 2005, Atlantis offered six cruise programs -- all on large luxury ships of 2,000-plus passengers -- and all six sold out well in advance of their departure dates.

"With the extraordinary support of our guests, we sold out all six 2005 cruises in record time," noted Campbell. "This strong demand gives us the opportunity to continue to create even more new and exciting vacations for 2007 and beyond."

In 2005, over 14,000 gay and lesbian guests traveled with Atlantis on their cruise, resort, and tour vacations. Reservations for all Atlantis programs are available through most travel agencies or directly from Atlantis at 1-800-6-ATLANTIS. For detailed information, visit www.atlantisevents.com.

* Port fees, gratuities and airfare are additional

About Atlantis

Atlantis is the world's largest company specializing in all-gay vacations. In its 15 years, the company has hosted almost 80,000 guests on more than 80 different cruise, resort or tour experiences. In 2006, Atlantis will host approximately 16,000 guests on 10 different events. Atlantis creates a unique vacation experience for its gay and lesbian guests by chartering entire cruise ships and all-inclusive resorts around the world for the exclusive use of its guests. Then it completely customizes the experience with unique and diverse entertainment, parties featuring leading DJs, and a team of talented hosts.

Source: Atlantis Events, Inc.

CONTACT: Steve Roth, +1-310-659-4747 for Atlantis Events, Inc.

Web site: http://www.atlantisevents.com/

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