Lesbian cruise to Iceland

The world‘s biggest lesbian travel company, Olivia, is preparing a cruise around Iceland next summer; the trip sold out as soon as the new destination was announced.

Olivia was founded in 1990 and organizes holidays for women to most corners of the world, from Antarctica to Scandinavia and now soon, Iceland. The cruise begins in Reykjavík on July 28th 2017 and goes anticlockwise around the country, ending in the capital again 8 days later.

Judy Dlugacz. Photo by Irene Young.
Judy Dlugacz, founder of Olivia, says that they’re very excited about the cruise to Iceland. Photo by Irene Young.

“We’re pretty good at judging what our market wants and we’re constantly looking for places to go to. Sometimes we get requests and sometimes we lead the way. Iceland is such a hot destination now, as you probably are aware of, that it was time for us to organize a tour there,” says Judy Dlugacz, founder of Olivia.

“We’re very excited, this cruise immediately sold out as we announced it so there are almost 300 people coming sailing to you!” Judy encourages those who are interested to sign up for the waiting list as there’s usually a 15 percent cancellation rate so there’s still a chance of jumping aboard the Iceland adventure.

Olivia offers various types of trips and holidays for women, not only lesbians, and then also family holidays for LGBTI+ persons. Judy says that men are not forbidden from their female holidays, but that they’re so especially designed for women that this sort of travel would probably not suit or appeal to men. “It’s not that they’re not allowed, but it appeals to women more so it’s a rarity that men want to come too. But we do all sorts of amazing events, for gays and LGTB people too. But because there’s usually more events on offer for gay men and not lesbians, there’s more need for special women holidays.”

“We’re very excited, this cruise immediately sold out as we announced it so there are almost 300 people coming sailing to you!”

Judy initially co-founded Olivia Records, that specialised in female musicians, but changed the focus to women’s travel in 1990. “We’ve been doing this for over 25 years; we’ve taken well over 200,000 women all around the world, to Antarctica, the UK, Tahiti, Portugal, Sweden and now one of the last frontiers will be Iceland.”

And Judy stresses that the Iceland cruise is for all women, not only lesbians. “It’s just a women’s trip, they have the best of time as it’s a holiday designed from women’s point of view. Women like to see everything, they like excursions so we make sure to plan plenty of those for them. And they want to see entertainments from a woman’s perspective, so we bring a lot of female talent with us, world

"Every time we go on a safari, we see all the big five," says Judy.
“Every time we go on a safari, we see all the big five,” says Judy.

renowned artists like Sarah McLachlan and Olivia Newton-John. We also bring with us public speakers and leaders in community to participate in events on our cruises. We’re trying very hard to get women from all over the world to come with us.”

According to Olivia’s website, entertainments on board the Iceland cruise haven’t been announced and indeed, when enquired, Judy says they’re still booking. “We would love to get some female Icelandic entertainers and performers, any sort of speakers and we often bring historians and experts on wild life with us. It makes such a difference if it’s a woman as well.”

Olivia was one of a kind when the company was founded, offering cruise, resort, adventure and riverboat vacations. The company always charters whole ships or buys out entire resorts to provide a safe space for women to be out and feel free. Judy says there aren’t that many travel companies that offer similar services. “They’ve come and gone; it’s such a big and complex operation that it takes a lot of time to grow and maintain the high standards.”

“We would love to get some female Icelandic entertainers and performers, any sort of speakers and we often bring historians and experts on wild life with us.”

But why do women need holidays that exclude men? “There’s nothing like being able to just be yourself on vacation, on your holiday. We don’t depend upon anybody, you’re so used to this in Iceland, but this is new for some of us, for women to take their power in that way. And it’s very empowering and inspiring; something just happens with women who travel together, it’s the happiest group I’ve ever seen!”

And Judy adds that on their travels, they’ve discovered something spectacular. “When only women come together to observe wildlife, something amazing happens. It must be the female energy or something but the animals come to us! Every time we go on a safari, we see all the big five, and for instance when we went to the Bahamas we saw thousands of dolphins come to us. National

The company always charters whole ships or buys out entire resorts to provide a safe space for women to be out and feel free.
The company always charters whole ships or buys out entire resorts to provide a safe space for women to be out and feel free.

Geographic has interest in this phenomenon and we’re encouraged to document this because it’s inexplicable. Animals simply come to us to interact with us, the way they don’t with other groups of people.”

So on a cruise ship full of women, are there at least any men allowed in the crew? “The crew is the crew; they love us and we love them. We work with the same cruise lines again and again and they know us by now; we’re so much fun and so appreciative of their service that they look forward to us coming for a cruise. When we first started, the cruise lines were very homophobic but now it’s all changed.”

The 8 day cruise around Iceland includes short stops in e.g. Heimaey island, Seyðisfjordur, Akureyri, Ísafjörður and Grundarfjörður. The vessel, ms Star Legend, has a capacity for 212 passengers who are accommodated in luxury rooms and have access to lounges, a club, casino and a library as well as a spa and a fitness centre. More information on the Iceland cruise can be found on Olivia’s website.

Olivia offers various types of trips and holidays for women, not only lesbians, and then also family holidays for LGBTI+ persons.
Olivia offers various types of trips and holidays for women, not only lesbians, and then also family holidays for LGBTI+ persons.

Á. Óskarsson
Á. Óskarsson

Á. Óskarsson offers a variety of products and services to sports centers, swimming pools, schools, kindergartens, and the general public. The company specializes in sport-related products, activity-focused games, and a wide range of solutions for sports facilities.

Á. Óskarsson has been involved in numerous big projects related to building sports facilities and has made it their benchmark to offer good quality products and equipment since the company was founded.

See links to social media in the upper left-hand corner

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Á. Óskarsson selur fjölbreytt vöruúrval fyrir íþróttahús, sundlaugar, skóla og leikskóla og einnig ýmsar vörur til einkaafnota. Fyrirtækið selur vörur til íþróttaiðkunnar og leikja ásamt því að bjóða upp á ýmsar lausnir fyrir íþróttamannvirki.

Á. Óskarsson hefur komið að fjölda stórra verkefna við byggingu íþróttamannvirkja og hefur frá stofnun kappkostað að bjóða vandaðar og endingargóðar vörur.

Tenglar á samfélagsmiðla eru í efra horninu vinstra megin.

Webpage/vefsetur

Blush

    Blush was founded in 2011 when it started selling high quality sex products. The goal from the beginning was to change the market and take the discussion about sex products to a higher level. Today Blush provides professional services in a pleasant environment that fulfills different needs, both for individuals and couples. Blush respects diversity and wants to set a good example in all of its messaging to target audiences. Sexual health and equality in sex is important and Blush wants to focus on those issues through education and open discussion. Blush works in a socially responsible manner for society, their customers and the environment.

    Check out Blush’s website: https://blush.is/

    Omnom Chocolate
    - award-winning chocolate maker

      Omnom Chocolate is an Icelandic craft chocolate company based in Reykjavík. We produce handcrafted chocolate from organic cacao beans sourced ethically and sustainably. We’ve developed direct relationships to create premium chocolate with fine flavor cacao beans.

      Our creative flavors are carefully crafted by meticulous chocolate makers. The cacao beans are roasted, winnowed, ground, and refined into melty-smooth chocolate.

      Omnom’s process is one of constant exploration, invention, and experimentation. If it doesn’t please us, if something isn’t absolutely delicious, there’s no reason to be doing it. So, we always start with our taste buds and follow our instincts. Our team searches for the finest ingredients in the world and new ways to improve chocolate. This obsession with knowing where our ingredients come from has led us around the corner to dairy farms in the Icelandic countryside and all the way to rainforest cacao farms of Nicaragua.

      In only a few short years, we’ve grown from our 50 sq. m. petrol station space and become an award-winning chocolate maker. Now, with our headquarters in 101 Reykjavík, our chocolate is sent out around Iceland and all over the world.

      At the end of the day, our goal is to make chocolate.

       

      Nasdaq

         

        Nasdaq (Nasdaq: NDAQ) is a global technology company serving the capital markets and other industries. Our diverse offering of data, analytics, software and services enables clients to optimize and execute their business vision with confidence.

        With over 4,300 employees in 39 offices around the world, at Nasdaq we all contribute to the success of the company and its culture, and each one of us has the ability to make a difference. When it comes to our core mission and values, we embrace the role of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (DIB) as a fundamental driver of our corporate growth, workplace culture and market development. We strive to create a culture that embraces the power of different perspectives—a culture where people’s unique backgrounds and different experiences helps us fuel innovation and support our clients around the world.

        Our unique position at the center of the capital markets allows us to see firsthand how these values have redefined corporate culture and success, deepening and accelerating our own commitment to champion inclusive growth and prosperity, as we strive to create more equitable opportunities to help people of all backgrounds reach their full potential. Most notably, we published our diversity statistics for the first time in 2020. These metrics serve as a quantitative assessment of where we are today and help determine what strategies we need to adopt to enhance diversity in the workplace. We recognize that we have much work to do, but we are steadfast in our commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive culture—one that reflects the communities in which we live, allows all employees to be their true, authentic selves and fosters individual growth and achievement.

        As we move forward together, we will continue advancing diverse ideas and perspectives that help fulfill the promise of a more inclusive and prosperous world. We aim to set the pace for rethinking capital markets and economies anywhere and everywhere. To learn more about the company, technology solutions and career opportunities, visit us on LinkedIn, on Twitter @Nasdaq, or at www.nasdaq.com.

        Blue Lagoon
        - One of the 25 Wonders of the World

        Named by National Geographic as one of the 25 Wonders of the World, the Blue Lagoon is a shimmering expanse of warmth, relaxation, and rejuvenation. Its unique geothermal seawater
        comes from 2.000 meters within the earth where seawater and freshwater converge in a tectonic realm of porous lava and searing heat. Propelled by extreme pressure, the water ascends to the earth’s surface, emerging enriched with silica, algae, and minerals—the elements that endow Blue Lagoon geothermal seawater with its radiant, healing properties.

        From its humble beginnings in the shadows of a geothermal power plant, Blue Lagoon has evolved into a world of wonder, now encompassing two hotels, three restaurants, three
        geothermal lagoons, a subterranean spa, a renowned line of skin care, a thriving research center, and a wealth of spa and refreshment facilities.

        Achieving harmony with the volcanic landscape, the lagoon and its surrounding architecture embody the unification of the man-made and the natural, and adhere to the highest principles of sustainability.

        The Blue Lagoon. A wonder of the world. A world of wonder.

        Landsbankinn
        - leading financial institution
        Landsbankinn

        Landsbankinn is a leading Icelandic financial institution. It offers a full range of financial services and is the market leader in the Icelandic financial service sector with the largest branch network.

        The present bank was established on 7 October 2008 but the history of its predecessor dates back to 1886. The bank is owned by the National Treasury of Iceland, which holds 98.2% of its share capital, and other shareholders who own 1.8%.

        Landsbankinn’s strategy is to provide comprehensive financial services that meet customer’s needs. It emphasizes providing exemplary service to customers, developing e-banking for their convenience, increasing the efficiency of support functions, modernizing its technology and ensuring effective utilization of its balance sheet.

        The bank’s vision is to be exemplary and its role is to be a trusted financial partner.

        Special emphasis is placed on promoting a performance-oriented culture in the bank. To follow up on the implementation of this strategy, the bank has defined key goals which are measured regularly to determine progress. These goals include, for example, customer satisfaction and loyalty, profitability, cost efficiency and the correlation between risk appetite and employee satisfaction.

        Landsbankinn wishes to lead the development of a sustainable society in Iceland by integrating economic, social and environmental concerns in its operations. The Bank aims to ensure that both its owners and society at large benefit from its activities.

        It intends to achieve this aim by building solid infrastructure and a strong team of 1.100 employees, by listening to its customers and by respecting and encouraging its employees to actively participate in their community. Landsbankinn was a founding member of Festa, a Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility, and is a member of the UN Global Compact.

        Landsbankinn has been a proud sponsor of the Reykjavik Pride since it was first celebrated in Iceland.

        Dohop
        - get inspired
        Dohop

        Dohop allows people to find the cheapest flights available with just one click. Founded in Reykjavik in 2004, it is the only Icelandic company of its kind and quickly became the go-to tool for finding cheap flights among the locals. Dohop finds the best deals among hundreds of different airlines and online travel agencies, to make sure that the user is getting the cheapest price. Dohop also offers hotel and car rental search engines, so users can make all of their travel bookings from a single website.

        Dohop‘s specialty is finding so-called “self-connect” flight options, which can save travelers money by booking a ticket through two or more different airlines. The ability to look for these self-connect option is what sets Dohop apart from its competition, as it can save people hundreds of dollars on certain routes.

        More recently, Dohop has developed a unique product called Dohop Go!, which allows users to check for the cheapest available flights from their home airport. This tool is perfect for those who are looking for travel inspiration but are not willing to overpay for their flight ticket. Dohop Go! is now available in the Dohop Flights App, both for Android and iOS, along with its traditional flight, hotel, and car search engines. “

        VSÓ Ráðgjöf

           

          VSÓ Ráðgjöf er alhliða ráðgjafar- og verkfræðifyrirtæki sem leggur áherslu á trausta og faglega þjónustu sem tryggir viðskiptavinum hagkvæmustu lausnir hverju sinni, skilar raunverulegum árangri og stuðlar að samkeppnisforskoti.  Á skrifstofum VSÓ í Reykjavík og í Noregi starfar yfir 80 manna samhentur hópur verkfræðinga og annarra tæknimenntaðra starfsmanna.

          Macland
          - for all your Apple needs
          Macland

          From starting out as a proper startup with only a good idea and the need to change things, to becoming an established company with 6 employees. Starting from scratch and expanding organically has allowed us to love our expansion and take our customers on the ride with us.

          Macland is located at Laugavegur 23 (101, Downtown Reykjavik)
          For all your Apple needs. We are here.

          Ísey skyr
          - once tasted never forgotten

          Our Story
          Once upon a time, 1,100 years ago in fact, Nordic settlers began arriving in Iceland. They brought with them the skills and knowledge for producing skyr. As time passed, the know-how and recipe for this nutritious food slowly faded out elsewhere in the Nordic region. Luckily, the Icelandic skyr-making tradition continued.

          For centuries, Icelandic skyr formed a cornerstone of the national diet, helping to keep people strong in living conditions that were often harsh. On family farms countrywide, it was the women who nurtured this dairy and passing on both the recipe and the original Icelandic skyr cultures from mother to daughter.

          Ísey skyr builds on this remarkable legacy. It was some of those very same women, the recipients of their mothers’ expertise, who, around 90 years ago, taught Icelandic dairy scientists the art of skyr-making. The production process is more high-tech these days, and the quality standards more rigorous. However, the basic recipe and the use of original cultures to ferment the skimmed milk remain the same. Protein rich, fat-free, creamy and delicious – Ísey skyr is as relevant to consumers now as it was all those centuries ago.
          This is our secret and you are in on it

          You can read more about Ísey skyr on our website.

          Contact Us


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