Our Chief Travel Officer answers those travel questions that have kept you in quandery for far too long. Email your travel quetion to Joel, and your question may be featured on this page and in our monthly e-newsletter.

Question:

Mark from LA writes, “I noticed that you offer a trip to Rio de Janeiro during New Years. It looks amazing, but I've heard Rio is dangerous. Other people have told me that it's no less safe than any other big city. What's the story, and what does one need to look out for?"

Answer:

I love this question because it is the classic exa mple of perception versus reality. There is the perception in so me people’s mind that Rio is dangerous because the early 90’s econo mic crisis that affected Brazil led to a wave of highly publicized petty thefts on the beaches. The reality is that Rio is no more dangerous that any urban metropolis like New York or Paris. Nevertheless, there are a few co m mon sense precautions that I would reco m mend when traveling to Rio. Do not take flashy jewelry. If you've got it or like it, this is place to buy the m but not the place to flaunt it. Leave your valuables back ho me or in the safety box of your hotel roo m. Carry along a photocopy of your passport, in case you are asked to show so me ID. Leave the original together with your driver's license in your safety box (unless you're driving, of course). Do not take along more cash than you need. Most restaurants and stores take plastic, anyway, and you can use your debit card at ATMs at selected banks. Stay on the South side of

Rio, especially in the Neighborhoods like Ipane ma, Leblon and Copacabana – that’s where the best shopping, hotels, restaurants and cute boys are anyway. Avoid dark or isolated areas where you do not see a single soul at night (duhh). If you bring along expensive ca meras, ca mcorders or laptops, consider buying insurance. So, next ti me you go to Rio for New Years or Carnival, use co m mon sense, enjoy yourself and you wont have anything to worry about except making sure you are wearing enough sun block.

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Question:

Israel from Denver writes, "I am taking a cruise with my family, and we only have one day in Rome. If you have to do Rome in only a day, what do you recommend we see and do? By the way, next time my family does a trip and I get to be in charge, we’re taking one of the Zoom cruises on SeaDream."

Answer:

Dear Israel, Too bad you are not joining us on our SeaDream group cruise from Rome to the Amalfi Coast, June 23-30! During that cruise we will offer a three and two day pre-cruise itinerary that includes tours to spectacular, but less visited Baroque Palaces with private art collections, the Tivoli Gardens outside Rome, and the most important sites in Rome such as the Roman Forum, and The Vatican with our own private guide who will whisk us in and out of these places so that our guests make the best use of their time in Rome. Rome’s history is literally thousands of years old and it would be a shame to allow only one day to see it all. But when you have lemons, make Limoncello! I would recommend that you head for the Coliseum and then to the Roman Forum for a quick stroll. Head to the Piazza Novona and have some gelato at either Tre Scalini or Caffe di Colombia, then walk to the Pantheon and have a slice of pizza rustica at the pizzeria on the square. You can wash this down with a perfect cup of espresso at Tazza d’Oro just off the Pantheon square.

By then you will have plenty of energy and sustenance to walk over to the Spanish Steps to people-watch or power-shop before you shuttle back to the ship with your family.

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Question:

Jerry from NYC writes, "Do you find that other countries are as progressive as the United States in terms of GLBT rights?"

Answer:

Dear Jerry, Actually, Zoom likes to specifically introduce it's travelers to countries that are GLBT friendly, affirming and non discriminatory. For instance, Argentina has no sodomy laws, and the age of sexual consent is 16 for all. The city of Buenos Aires has gay rights laws that ban anti-gay discrimination. Brazil also has no sodomy laws for civilian citizens, and the age of sexual consent is 14 for all. The State of Rio de Janeiro bans discrimination based on sexual orientation, and imposes stiff fines against persons or institutions found guilty of anti- homosexual discrimination. South Africa has no sodomy laws, and the age of sexual consent is 19 for homosexuals; has a national gay rights law that bans some anti-gay discrimination; allows homosexuals in its military; allows same-sex couples to marry or have civil unions.

So, as you can see, other countries around the world, some of which you will visit on a Zoom vacation, lead the United States in GLBT rights protection. So, when you visit these countries on a Zoom vacation, you can rest assured that you can be yourself!

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Question:

Josh from Baltimore writes, "What are my travel options if I am coming alone?"

Answer:

Dear Josh, Don’t be discouraged from going on a Zoom Vacations trip if you are traveling alone. In our busy world, sometimes it’s hard to find someone with your same schedule that is willing to travel. So, you have a few options. We will be happy to accommodate you in a room to yourself with the payment of a single supplement which varies in price from trip to trip.

Alternatively, we will be happy to assign you to a compatible roommate based on a few criteria, and you pay only the double rate advertised on the Zoom Vacations website. It’s as simple as that!

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Question:

Robert from Huntington Beach, CA writes, "Am I missing something? Is Zoom for singles only?"

Answer:

Dear Robert, Not at all. We see a lot of couples and singles on our trip. In fact, there are individuals that travel as singles but are in a committed relationship. They sometimes travel alone when their partner can't come along for various reasons. As you can see from the pictures on our website, what defines our guests is not whether they are single or couples, but rather their love for exploring other cultures, enjoying foreign cities, meeting locals, having a great time and trying new things in a safe, luxurious and carefree way that only a Zoom Vacation can offer.

I can honestly say that no one has ever mentioned to me that they felt there were too many couples or too many singles on any one particular trip. Somehow everyone just gets along and has a great time regardless of whether they are in a relationship or not.

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Question:

Alexis from Washington DC writes, "I notice you do the Amsterdam trip for Gay Pride. Is it really that much better than going some other time during the year?"

Answer:

Dear Alexis, Yes, I would agree that Amsterdam Gay Pride is one of the best times of year to visit Holland because so many things come together that it is hard to beat or replicate at other times of the year. I can think of at least seven good reasons why Amsterdam is the place to be every summer during gay pride. First, the weather the first week in August is always very pleasant, never too hot nor too cold, and generally sunny. Just perfect for sightseeing, bike riding in the countryside amongst windmills and cheese factories, hanging out in the park or a enjoying the world’s largest floating gay pride parade! Second, the city is a veritable outdoor festival. There is publicly and privately sponsored entertainment on outdoor stages and everyone just heads outdoors to enjoy the various events and festivities. Third, the city is full of gay people from all over the world, making it that much easier to meet new friends. This is because Holland is a very tolerant country and welcomes GLBT persons with open hands. Fourth, if you enjoy night life, Amsterdam is brimming with parties and nighttime events that do not occur at other times of the year. Making Amsterdam a truly gay and happy city where you will meet new friends. Fifth, Amsterdam is centrally located in Europe and that allows you to visit almost anywhere in Europe during the summer months when all of Europe is in full swing, from the Greek Islands in the south to Iceland in the northern. Zoom Vacations offers an Iceland extension to the Amsterdam Gay Pride trip, which is very popular. But, you need not go too far. Nearby countries such as Belgium, England, France, Germany, Spain and Italy, just to name a few, offer a great compliment to an Amsterdam Gay Pride vacation. Sixth, with so many low cost carriers springing up and the big airlines matching their fares, you can now move about more of Europe for less money, making Amsterdam a perfect choice to combine with another European destination of your choice for an extended European vacation.

Lastly, I could not forget to mention that Zoom Vacations takes full advantage of the wonderful weather, extravagant floating gay pride parade and our own luxury boat with open bar and food from which to watch the parade in comfort and style, excellent centrally located five star hotel, local sights, gourmet restaurants, exclusive privately guided tours to museums and places of interest, and central European location, to bring you an affordable vacation you will never forget.

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Question:

Richard from Atlanta writes, "When is a better time to go to Rio, New Years or Carnaval?"

Answer:

Dear Richard, That is a tough question. It’s like asking me whether I like ice cream or cake better! It’s sometimes hard to decide. So, it usually comes down to what I am in the mood for. Both times are great to visit Rio but there are notable differences between New Years and Carnaval. New Years or Reveillon as they call it in Brazil, enjoys great beach weather in the 70-80 which is also great for sightseeing, lots of night parties and an international crowd of tourists. Don’t be surprised to run into your lost long friends or familiar faces from back home on Ipanema Beach. The climax during Reveillon is always watching the incredible mile long fire works display on Copacabana Beach with 3 million other Cariocas, as Rio natives are called, and visitors. It's by far the best place on the planet to celebrate New Years. Carnaval is another great time of year to visit Rio and when the city slows down from work and steps it up a few notches for fun and dancing on the streets, welcoming tourists from abroad and from all over Brazil, in a series of over-the-top fantasy high society balls in legendary hotels, the streets, night clubs, and of, course the Sambodromo where the greatest show on Earth takes place. There is an attitude of good will and happiness that pervades the city, and Rio's Carnaval is truly something I think everyone should experience in their lifetime.

The weather is always good either time of year and you can be sure that all hotels in and flights to Rio will be sold out. However, when traveling with Zoom Vacations that is never a problem as we offer accommodations at the newest luxury property in upscale Ipanema Beach and special flights on American Airlines and TAM Brazilian Airlines.

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Question:

Tracy from Pheonix writes, "Are your trips just for men, or do women come as well?"

Answer:

Dear Tracy, While our travelers are mostly men, women who come on our trips have an incredible time, and often find themselves pampered by their fellow male travelers.

Quite honestly, I think that the more diverse our travelers are, the more interesting and better our trips become. Zoom attracts young-at-heart, kind, intelligent, fun-loving people, and you will feel comfortable with everyone right away.

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Question:

Carl from Baltimore says, "Your trips look terrific. I am interested in learning how single travel is handled. Is there a single supplement available or is it necessary to accept being paired with a fellow traveler? While I understand that the figures likely vary depending on many factors, what is the usual ratio of single travelers versus the number of couples on a particular trip?"

Answer:

Dear Carl, On most trips there is a 50/50 single to couples ratio. We do offer a single supplement on every trip, and prices vary. You do not have to be paired off with a traveler.

However, we do a very good job of pairing and have never had a problem. In fact many of the people we have roomed together have become great friends and still keep in touch after the trip! Pairings are not made randomly, and we do take care to make positive matches.

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Question:

David from Chicago asks: "How do you select Zoom's gay group destinations? ?"

Answer:

Dear David, Choosing a destination is a very important part of our job, and we take it very seriously at Zoom. Generally speaking this requires a 3 step process. First of all, Zoom picks destinations that are welcoming, safe and “hot” for gay people. We value our guests and want to make sure their vacation is as stress free and as enjoyable as possible. Second, we make sure that a destination is interesting and has all the essential elements of the perfect vacation for gay people. Namely that is “hot” with the best accommodations, interesting sights, an interesting gay nightlife (where applicable), and that it is easily accessible. Zoom guests travel from all parts of the world to join a Zoom Vacation, and we want to make sure that getting to a chosen Zoom destination will be as easy as possible and once there that it will be worth their while.

Third, we talk to our guests for inspiration. We listen closely to the places they recommend and the reasons why. After all, they are our clients and we want them to continue to travel with Zoom to interesting and exciting destinations. You can always be sure that Zoom researches every destination thoroughly, often sending multiple research teams to a destination, before actually introducing a group trip, to make sure that your experience will be flawless.

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Question: Michael from Paris asks: "How early or how late can I book a Zoom Vacations trip?"

Answer:

Dear Michael, Zoom Vacations trips may be booked as early as one year prior to departure, or sooner in some cases if the departure is announced earlier than one year from departure. Booking early allows you to confirm a Zoom Vacations trip and lock in your spot at the early booking price. Trips do sell out without prior notice. So, the only way to guarantee you get the currently advertised rate is to make a deposit of $500 in most cases. Our generous refund policy allows you get your money back if you need to cancel after making a reservation.

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Question:

Onelio from Miami writes, "When traveling as part of a gay group, is it obvious to the locals that it's a group of gay men, and are there ever issues because of this? I have heard about large gay cruises getting turned away at various ports."

Answer:

Dear Onelio, Zoom Vacations diligently researches all travel destinations offered on our group departures to make sure that wherever we visit, our guests will feel welcomed, safe and comfortable. Zoom Vacations does not leave these major details to chance. In fact, next time you go on a Zoom Vacations trip, you will probably notice that the locals will be begging us to come back. They understand and appreciate that gay and lesbian people contribute generously to the local economies of the destinations we visit, and that we have a strong appreciation and curiosity about the cultures we are visiting. Locals go out of their way to make us feel welcomed.

Zoom Vacations is committed to providing safe and comfortable group trips for our travelers and to show you a destination in a way that you could not otherwise experience it yourself. That is the Zoom Difference.