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The Norwegian Sky hosts a Cougar Bahamas Cruise this year |
In the Chinese calendar, 2010 may be the Year of the Tiger. For the cruise calendar, however, 2010 may as well be the Year of the Cougar. After the first-ever international cougar cruise set sail late in 2009, the sexy trend continues to make waves throughout the travel industry in the New Year. For starters, Carnival Cruise Lines announced that it would no longer offer the niche vacation, despite popular demand. But Royal Caribbean was right there to pick it up after it was dropped off at port.
Carnival is not the only one shying away from the taboo topic. Australia does not appear interested in welcoming cruises for cougars and their cubbies either. “After the tremendous success of the world’s first International Cougar Cruise, we were excited about bringing this concept to Australia," said Rich Gosse, executive producer of www.cougarevents.com and chairman of The Society of Single Professionals. "We are shocked that all three major cruise lines in Australia have rejected our request for an Australian Cougar Cruise. If there had been problems on the first Cougar Cruise, we would understand being banned. But hundreds of our cougars and cubs onboard were well-behaved, and there were absolutely no problems. Alas, there won’t be an Australian Cougar Cruise, unless a willing cruise operator can be found."
Australia may not be biting but, according to Gosse, that won't stop business from soaring, er, sailing. “2010 will see two more [cougar cruises], on the East Coast and West Coast of the U.S.," Gosse said.
The Cougar Mexican Riveira Cruise takes place May 16-23, and departs from Los Angeles aboard Royal Caribbean International’s Mariner of the Seas to visit Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo San Lucas.
The Cougar Bahamas Cruise takes place December 3-6, and departs Miami aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s (NCL) Norwegian Sky, which visits Nassau, Bahamas and Great Stirrup Cay, NCL’s private island.
Guests of honor on one or the other of the two cruises will be: Miss Cougar Las Vegas, who won a free berth on January 22 at the Las Vegas Cougar Convention at The Tropicana Hotel; The Cutest Cub in America, who will win a free berth on January 30 at the National Cub Convention at The Clarion Hotel San Francisco Airport; Miss Cougar America 2010, who will win a free berth this at the National Cougar Convention in Chicago this spring; Miss Cougar Canada, who will win a free berth this spring at the Canadian Cougar Convention in Toronto.
Before its denial from entry, the Australian Cougar Cruise was scheduled for later this spring.