It’s hard to believe that Brand g has never done an Australian tour.
Known as one of the top LGBTQ tour operators in the world (the company’s tours are usually sold out within days of being announced), the Feb.16 through March 3, 2025 tour still had openings as of the time of writing this article. The tour will take visitors from Melbourne’s famed winelands to the diverse landscapes of Tasmania and Adelaide’s eclectic treasures, ending with Sydney Mardi Gras. Australia’s spectacular natural environment, multicultural communities, excellent food and wine, weather, and the friendliness and openness of its people make it one of the world’s most attractive destinations for LGBTQ travelers. Combining cities, country towns, and coastlines, Brand g has customized a tour featuring iconic highlights of Southeastern Australia and Tasmania. Also, this tour coincides with one of Sydney’s biggest and most celebrated events of the year, Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras!
The luxury level is five-star, the activity level is moderate to high, and the guest count is limited to 20. Your smaller group will allow you to discover Melbourne's secret laneways and rooftops, beautiful gardens, art galleries, and dynamic food and wine scene. You’ll visit a moonlit wildlife conservation park to view the iconic koalas, dingoes, kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, and a Tasmanian devil. There will be a full-day private Tasmanian seafood cruise, a tour of the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), a visit to Cleland Wildlife Park, High Sands Grenache vineyard, and a private boat cruise through the crystal-clear waters around Port Lincoln. In Sydney, you’ll be treated to a sightseeing tour that includes the highlights of the city. Finally, you’ll celebrate Mardi Gras in style with VIP access to an exclusive private bar and gourmet food. As with all Brand g trips nearly everything is included in your ticket price, including airport arrival and departure transfers, all hotels, Diamond Club raised viewing platform for Sydney Mardi Gras, and all touring meals as described in the trip itinerary. The price per person, based on double occupancy, is $15,499. For more information, go to brandgvacations.com.
SECOND VOYAGE OF THE FOUR-NIGHT CULINARY CELEBRATION AT SEA
SAILS MAY 5-9, 2025 FROM MIAMI, FL TO COZUMEL, MEXICO
Chefs Making Waves, a four-night round-trip food, wine, and spirits festival at sea featuring today’s top celebrity chefs, personalities, and authors, returns for a second voyage May 5-9, 2025, sailing from Miami to Cozumel, round-trip. The all-inclusive culinary cruise sails aboard the Norwegian Gem. For those with an insatiable appetite for gastronomic indulgence and epicurean adventure, Chefs Making Waves is a dream come true. It will boast many of the world’s best chefs and mixologists to provide guests with a truly unique food experience. The culinary celebration will include cooking demonstrations, buffet spotlights, curated dining, and restaurant takeovers all led by award-winning chefs, TV personalities, cookbook authors, food activists, and restaurateurs, including Richard Blais, Maneet Chauhan, Tom Colicchio, Scott Conant, Robert Irvine, Antonia Lofaso, Jonathan Waxman, Geoffrey Zakarian, and Claudette Zepeda, with additional talent to be announced at a later date.
Chefs Making Waves will present passengers with a spectacular array of opportunities to sharpen their cooking skills and indulge their palates with an immersive menu of experiences spanning theme nights, and mixology experiences. Beyond the onboard experience, Chefs Making Waves guests will have the chance to enjoy a shore excursion in Cozumel, Mexico, renowned for fantastic fishing, snorkeling, diving opportunities, and exploring historic Mayan ruins. Shore excursions will not be available until 4-6 weeks before sailing. Cruisers will be able to book an excursion upon receipt of their official booking number. Balcony rooms are $2,800 per person, based on double occupancy. For more information go to sixthman.net.
