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LGBTQ Owned R Family Vacations Rebrands to KelliGregg Travel

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Oct 04, 2022, 10:00 ET

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R Family Vacations Gets an Upgrade After 20 years and Rebrands as KelliGregg Travel Offering a Broader Range of LGBTQ Travel Experiences.

NEW YORK , Oct. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Things are changing for R Family Vacations, a travel company that has customized LGBTQ vacations for more than 20,000 clients. And with its milestone 20th anniversary next year, the company – co-owned by Kelli Carpenter and Gregg Kaminsky – has already started to undergo some changes to rebrand itself as KelliGregg Travel .

In 2003, Kelli Carpenter and Gregg Kaminsky came together with one mission in mind - to create an LGBTQ travel company that would be welcoming to all types of individuals and families. Combining Gregg's experience in gay travel and Kelli's marketing background, they launched their first kid-friendly LGBTQ cruise in 2004 with over 2,000 aboard the NCL Dawn. In a time when gay families were not as open or present in media, they were unsure how people would react. However, they were pleasantly surprised to have an overwhelmingly positive response and were even approached by HBO to create an Emmy-nominated documentary.

Since the launch of R Family Vacations, Kelli and Gregg wanted to create trips where everyone felt welcome. Through a unique partnership with Uniworld Boutique River Cruises, they are official hosts of customized LGBTQ-specific sailings all over the world. They have also arranged personally hosted land tours in Thailand , Ireland , and Israel , with many more destinations being currently planned. Carpenter and Kaminsky are also luxury travel advisors with the prestigious Travel 100 group offering curated vacations for any travel needs.

"We will always create our BIG summer vacation for LGBTQ families, but our new name better reflects the different types of travel we offer. Our vacations are unique as we invite the entire LGBTQ community and friends. Everyone is welcome!" - Gregg Kaminsky

With the change in direction, they have rebranded their travel company as KelliGregg Travel and will continue to offer the R Family Vacations branded trip each summer.

For more information, please visit our website: kelligreggtravel.com Instagram: @kelligreggtravel

Personal Instagrams: @kcarpenter123 @greggkaminsky

Media Contact

Kelli Carpenter , Kelli Carpenter , 1 8457213822, [email protected]

SOURCE KelliGregg Travel

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Travel Industry Today

R family vacations: where everyone under the rainbow is welcome.

R Family Vacations was founded in 2003 by travel veterans Gregg Kaminsky and Kelli Carpenter as the first company to create vacations specifically for LGBTQ families and friends. The company has since expanded to offer many adult-only trips, including river cruise charters, tours, resort vacations and large group cruises. Demographics tend to be evenly split between genders, and everyone is openly welcomed.

As travel continues to rebound, the company is hosting a full ship charter in Venice, Italy aboard Uniworld’s SS La Venezia this month. For summer, they are offering a cruise sailing to Alaska aboard the Celebrity Solstice, and in the fall they will explore Ireland with an all-LGBTQ tour co-partnered with Brendan Vacations. Next year’s line up includes a trip around Thailand, another Uniworld charter in France, a family cruise on the brand new Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas, and an adult-only group on Virgin Voyages.

Travel Industry Today caught up with Gregg to find out more about R Family Vacations.

What are some of the key destinations that you foresee your travellers heading to this year and beyond, both the top favourites, along with any new and emerging destinations?

We are hosting our first tour of Ireland this Fall, then heading back to Thailand in early 2023. I think that people are ready to travel again. Our next trip is to Venice, and I think this might be the best year ever to visit there given there won’t be the usual crowds. Our guests are always looking for that “trip of a lifetime” destination. We have some exciting options coming soon, including Israel and a private yacht in Croatia!

What are some of the key factors you look for when exploring a new destination offering?

Key factors in exploring a new destination are what can we do that you may not be able to create on your own. We want our guests to experience something unique to that destination, such as an interesting food tour or something that the locals do that really gives you a taste of what it’s like to live there.

What are you most recent tour additions to your portfolio?

Ireland, Thailand, Israel, Croatia and Egypt

What are some of the things that make your tours unique and different to other LGBTQ+ tour operators worldwide?

What makes us unique is that we really welcome the entire LGBTQ+ community. It’s a real mix. Most other LGBTQ trips are either mostly men or all women. Our guests love the diversity they find when they travel with us. Also, many straight friends and family join our trips and they absolutely love it!

As a company who has succeeded in their mandate, what are some of the key principles that you have followed since day one, and what have been some of your biggest challenges?

Our goal is always to create community and to offer trips that everyone feels welcome. Solo travellers are instantly part of the group when they arrive. Our biggest challenges include spreading the word to more people! It’s not easy for small companies like ours, but we do know that once you travel with us, you will keep coming back.

Can you tell us about some your green initiatives and/or giving back locally protocols?

We have done various charity projects on our vacations and always seek ways to support the local communities that we visit.

You’ve been doing this for quite some time now, can you tell us about some of your most memorable experiences that either yourself, or your clients have experienced?

Seeing the friendships that are formed on our trips is our greatest joy. We love to see guests together with each other after meeting on our vacations. I will never forget bathing elephants in Thailand. It’s one of the most amazing things we’ve ever done on our trips. That and the “French Fry” tour in Belgium (where French Fries are really from) – the yummiest excursion ever!!

From a personal perspective, what is your favourite go-to destination, whether it’s part of your company offering or entirely separate, and why?

I love big cities. My go-to destinations include Paris and London. One day I hope to do a short-term rental to really pretend that I live there.

Where in the world haven’t you been yet, but is on your bucket list, and why?

I haven’t been to Norway, Sweden or Finland… yet! (Minus a quick layover on Finnair en route to Thailand) Also, I’ve always dreamed about visiting Japan (and I do have Tokyo scheduled for next year!)

What’s one of your favourite Canadian destinations, and why?

It’s hard to pick my favourite spots in Canada because I just love it there. My husband Dan’s family is from Nova Scotia, and I’ve been fortunate to travel there a few times. Cape Breton Island in the Fall is truly the most beautiful foliage I’ve ever seen. Before COVID, I spent a couple of weeks in Chester (NS). I just loved my time there. Such kind people. We have another wedding to attend in October so I can’t wait to return!

Visit www.rfamilyvacations.com for more info or email [email protected] to reserve.

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What's a Queer Family Vacation Without Kids? Kelli Carpenter Explains

• The company that invented LGBTQ+ family travel is pivoting away from it.

Kelli Carpenter was once best known as Rosie O’Donnell’s ex, but now the lesbian mom is known for the company she co-founded,  R Family Vacations .

R Family was previously synonymous with vacationing queer parents who had kids in tow, but now it has so many adults-only cruises the company has announced it will soon rebrand to better reflect its passenger demographic.

Carpenter was a featured speaker this June at the LGBTQ+ luxury conference  PROUD Experiences  in New York City. She shared the struggles she faced growing up (her conservative religious Louisiana family repeatedly subjected her to conversion therapy) and becoming a lesbian mom.

Kelli Carpenter pictured with her R Family Vacations cofounder, Gregg Kaminsky, on a recent excursion.

“When I started my own family 26 years ago, this was way more of a unique situation than it is now,” Carpenter explained. “Being in an LGBTQ family was a new concept back then. It came with many of its own challenges. As my kids grew older, I saw their need to see other families that were like theirs. I knew that if I was searching for this and living in New York City, I couldn’t imagine what other gay families in more remote locations felt like.”

Things changed in 2002 when she took her family to Provincetown , Massachusetts , for the queer Mecca’s Family Weekend (now a full week). “My kids were young but old enough to understand what they saw,” she recalled. “They saw for the first time, families that looked like theirs. It was really a moment of change for my kids. I felt an idea stirring inside of me after that first visit.”

Her friend, Gregg Kaminsky, had been with her in P-town that weekend. A gay man, he was working for Atlantis Events at the time, one of the largest gay cruise companies in the world. “He had a travel industry background and I had a marketing background,” Carpenter explained. “Plus, I felt like I understood what these families were missing.”

When R Family launched two decades ago, they created vacations for LGBTQ+ families but, Carpenter said, it quickly became more than just a vacation company. “It became a community, a community where everyone is accepted. And once a year, these kids that are members of a gay family could see other families that looked like theirs.”

It also wasn’t just booking queer couples and their kids. “Many of our guests are extended straight friends and family,” Carpenter said. “So we may have a family…book and it’s one gay couple with their children and their brother and his wife and their kids and their parents. So that’s what it looks like on board one of our trips. It was finally actually a place that was reflective of my own life. Not all gay; not all lesbian; including my allies and straight friends and family. With R Family Vacations, I was able to create the community that I had dreamed of having as a gay teen.”

A lot has changed since 2002, which is why R Family is now reconsidering how it identifies. “Since that first cruise ship charter I’ve shared the world with other 20,000 people and I’ve seen toddlers grow into adults,” Carpenter explained. “I now have a whole other branch with my company. That’s the older empty nesters that their kids have grown up so now we cater to them, too. We now have a whole adult-only side of our business.”

Since that initial R Family sailing 20 years ago, Carpenter said, “In some ways, we’ve made great strides as far as marriage equality and protections for our families.” But, speaking just days after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, she added that we are entering dangerous territory. In the face of that, she concluded, “I hope we keep remembering that travel is a way that we open our minds and soften our hearts to new things. So along with exploring the world together and resisting this, we are all going to get through this together.”

R Family Vacations ‘OUT in Venice’ cruise was aboard a Uniworld riverboat

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Q&A: Uniworld LGBTQ+ cruise host Gregg Kaminsky

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With Uniworld operating Out on the Rivers LGBTQ+ sailings, Yolanda Zappaterra asks host Gregg Kaminsky what clients can expect

Gregg Kaminsky, LGBTQ+ cruise host, Uniworld

Q. What’s your background in organising LGBTQ+ trips?

A. I’ve been doing it since the mid ’90s. My career started with Atlantis Events, the largest LGBT operator in the world; then, in 2003 Kelli Carpenter and I started our company, Kelli Gregg Travel. Initially we catered to LGBTQ+ families, before moving into adult-only trips on large cruises, river cruises, land tours and at all-inclusive resorts.

Q. What led to your decision to run LGBTQ+ trips on river cruises?

A. I’ve been on probably 150 large cruises across pretty much all the major cruise lines. Then, about 10 years ago, I went on my first river cruise and it became one of my absolute favourite ways to travel. With fewer guests on board, real friendships are formed. Things like not having loads of restaurants, just a few per ship, add to that intimacy.

Q. How did you come to partner with Uniworld?

A. Kelli and I go to a lot of the big travel shows and meet with all the cruise lines. Uniworld is probably the most LGBTQ+ friendly. A few years ago, their entire crew and staff went through LGBTQ+ sensitivity training, for want of a better phrase. More companies today are looking to reach out to our community because I think our market is very sought-after in the travel world. I think Uniworld goes above and beyond. It’s in little things, like bed configuration, and not assuming that two women who look alike are sisters rather than a married couple. It’s just about learning and being familiar with our community.

Q. What does river cruising have to offer the LGBTQ+ community?

A. I think we all want to travel with like-minded people. We get many travellers who come alone, so for them, one of the great things about our trips is that the second they step on board, they’re instantly part of this whole group and feel connected to the other guests.

Q. What activities are available on Out on the Rivers sailings?

A. We sprinkle some LGBTQ+ programming throughout the cruise. We have entertainers like Broadway singers or LGBTQ+ comedians and pop stars, or themed parties. We also bring a New York City-style piano bar on board, so a few times during the week we do piano bar.

Q. Are shore excursions customised too?

A. Yes. We typically add customised activities, such as an LGBTQ+ night out or bar crawl. These complement the regular activities offered by Uniworld, which on its Brilliant Bordeaux itinerary included yoga in the heart of Blaye fortress and a bike ride through a Médoc vineyard. And because our guests like to sleep in a little more as we tend to stay up later, we try to adjust timings to start a bit later in the day.

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Ever think "I wish I could travel like Greg?” Well, now you can! 

Providing curated personal experiences and group travel, let Greg create the trip of a lifetime. Relationships with Kelli Gregg Travel and Rhino Africa will ensure your travel will be a “Greg Experience” each and every time. Even better, both are LGBTQ+ owned. What could be more fabulous than that!

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Specializing in the iconic South African Safari, let Greg take the guess work, confusion and stress out of planning! He identifies the PERFECT safari experience based on your specific desires, expectations and budget. Then he interfaces with the experts at Rhino Africa to ensure the “Greg Experience.”

Some observations from his many visits to South Africa:

- “A Safari doesn’t have to break the bank. The ‘Greg Experience’ is like a Mercedes E Class. You can have a great trip with a Honda Accord, and you don’t need to buy a Rolls!”

- “The ideal length is 10 – 15 days. This maximizes your time and allows visits to multiple lodges.” 

- “I’ve always felt safe in the cities (take the normal precautions) and on safari."

- Yes, the animals are close, and no they don’t want to eat you.”

- “A safari is perfect for solo travels, couples, groups and families. There are lodges and price points that work for everyone.”

- "It’s very LGBTQ+ friendly and welcoming."

The safari experience is unlike anything else and you should use a trusted professional. They ensure you get the most value and your experience is seamless. As a Rhino Africa customer for years, Greg has created relationships with the Rhino team and has experienced first hand how they take the worry out of everything.

The world is waiting! Let's turn your intent into action! Contact Greg today!

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It's not just safari.

Greg's passport proves his passion for adventure and he can provide insight for destinations around the world. London, Bali, and Singapore hold a special place in his heart. The team at Kelli Gregg Travel can ensure you enjoy a "Greg Experience" whether on land, sea or air! 

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Come along as Greg takes you on one of his iconic adventures. Meet new life-long-friends or reconnect with fellow adventurers. Count on the fact that you will be with people who want to Travel With Greg , so you know it will be a fabulous time!

All the planning, scheduling and logistics are done for you. You book (this is made easy), pack (tips for carry-on only travel are included), get to the airport (no Greg can't drive you) and enjoy the adventure!

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Enhance your Continuing Education (CE) by combining it with adventure travel and provide a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience for attendees. Leveraging Tecker International, LLC resources to supplement your subject matter experts together, we will create unique, powerful and actionable content.

Be Bold! Reimagine! Innovate! Members want new and unique experiences and Travel CE provides this and more. Greg will serve as an extension of your team and handle the planning and logistics so you can trust participants will enjoy a "Greg Experience" start to finish!

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The LGBTQ-focused tour operator run by luxury advisors Kelli Carpenter and Gregg Kaminsky are rebranding as the company heads into its 20th year in business.

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R family vacations celebrates 15 years.

“Our vacations embody how I wish the entire world looked - a place that is open and accepting, no matter who you are,” Kelli Carpenter, co-founder of R Family Vacations.

15 years ago, Kelli Carpenter and Gregg Kaminsky came together with one mission in mind - to create a LGBT travel company that would be welcoming to all types of individuals and families. Combining Gregg’s experience in gay travel and Kelli’s marketing background, they launched their first kid-friendly LGBT cruise in 2004 with over 2,000 aboard the NCL Dawn. In a time when gay families were not as open or present in media, they were unsure how people would react. However, they were pleasantly surprised to have an overwhelmingly positive response and were even approached by HBO to create an Emmy-nominated documentary.

Since the beginning, Gregg and Kelli have taken each reservation personally and heard hundreds of unique stories from around the world. One of the first calls was from Stephanie White, who was raising 7 sons with special needs. This family has traveled with R Family every summer since and their family has literally grown up with R Family.

“Nothing in our lives has been more joyful and fulfilling than traveling with R Family Vacations,” explains Stephanie, “Even as my boys have grown to be men, we all continue to look forward to going on the trips. R Family is truly our family.”

However, not everyone onboard that first trip had children! R Family Vacations presented an option in the gay travel market that embodied many aspects in addition to the LGBT family, and continues to do so today. Broadway, a passion of both Kelli and Gregg, has always been an integral aspect of the brand with theatre camps and performers. The openness and universal appeal that brings together gays, lesbians, and allies remains one of the unique characteristics of R Family that sets it apart from other gay travel companies and experiences. As Gregg Kaminsky explains, “we wanted a place that everyone belonged, but we didn’t know everyone would show up!”

Over the past 15 years, this spirit of openness and community has permeated each of their trips all over the world. From cruises in the Caribbean to resort vacations in Mexico, R Family has offered vacations that appeal to everybody - from the four year old child to the lesbian couple without children to straight grandparents. The entertainment offered on each vacation includes adult comedians, LGBT singers, kids programing, happy hours, workshops, and more. Truly something for everyone.

As they move into the future, they have aligned with other members of the travel market to expand their vacation options and offer new opportunities. In 2016, they began a partnership with Olivia, the leader in lesbian travel, to produce a combined LGBT family and friends resort vacation at Hard Rock Puerto Vallarta. Earlier this year, they announced an exciting partnership with Celebrity Cruises to offer LGBT groups on numerous sailings throughout the world. They have also partnered with Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection to offer luxurious and unique riverboat vacations in Europe.

“We have always wanted a company that reflected our own lives. As we get older, we see those around us changing their travel preferences and looking for new experiences. We are constantly looking for new adventures and directions to offer our family of travelers,” explains Gregg Kaminsky.

To help open doors to new adventures, Gregg and Kelli joined the prestigious Tzell Travel Group, a member of the Signature Travel Network. In addition to finding new opportunities for R Family trips, they have now expanded their business to helping book personal vacations for their network after receiving numerous requests. “Our partnership with Tzell gives us access to a sensational network in addition to providing a ton of perks and benefits to our clients,” explains Kelli Carpenter. With over 100 cruises under their belts and travels to more than 40 countries, Gregg and Kelli are able to bring real world knowledge and experience to their clients.

R Family began as a project of love and desire to bring together everyone in an open and inviting environment now has turned into a worldwide community with adventures around the globe. Gregg and Kelli never could have imagined the impact their company would make from that first sailing 15 years ago. Now, they are delighted to share experiences with friends new and old as they build the community they lovingly refer to as, “our family.”

#anniversary #gregg #kelli

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Kelli Gregg Travel

Establishing visual cohesion for three interconnected brands.

Kelli Carpenter and Gregg Kaminsky started R Family Vacations in 2003. The company originally catered to families looking for exciting, LGBTQ+ inclusive destinations, but over the years, they began offering adult-only trips as well. This created the need for updated branding that reflected the full scope of their services.

Because Gregg and Kelli attend most of the vacations with their guests, their names are synonymous with their services, and they wanted to keep that personal touch in the new branding. We led a brainstorming session with Kelli and Gregg, the Boombox team, and several of R Family’s stakeholders. The fruitful session provided them with several different directions they could go, including one that still featured their names.

Once they chose the name, we were tasked with creating refreshed logos for their three interconnected brands: R Family Vacations, Kelli Gregg Travel, and Out In. The concept was to craft logos that were cohesive when shown together, but which maintained unique identifying qualities for each sub-brand. They wanted the logos to feel friendly and fun.

We created unified — but unique — identities for a family vacation brand, an adult-only travel brand, and an LGBTQ+ adventure brand.

R Family Vacations is a family brand, and we made sure the logo brought the fun right away. The whimsical font from the Kelli Greg “KG”’ this time spells out “R Family,” making them instantly recognizable as related-but-distinct brands. Another playful arrow designed into the R continues that sense of forward movement, and the colorful rectangle enclosing the “R” uses rounded corners for a softer, more youthful energy. 

Because it is specifically catered to adults, Kelli Gregg Travel called for a more refined look than R Family Vacations and Out In. The new logo retains the fun and friendly tone Kelli Gregg has always been known for through its use of bold colors and movement. The “KG” abbreviation appears in a playful font, with an arrow curling from the “G” signaling that Kelli Gregg is always pointing you in the right direction. At the same time, the slab serif font used on the full brand name adds a touch of sophistication. 

The Out In logo builds on elements from both Kelli Gregg Travel and R Family Vacations, carrying over the rounded box and the whimsical swirling font. Another directional arrow in the “T” points toward featured locations and further establishes visual cohesion among the three brands. 

Because each brand caters to different audiences, we were challenged with creating a special color story for each, while also ensuring they were still recognizable as one brand family. Our solution was to use one consistent color throughout the logos—a rich, vibrant teal—which is complemented by colors that capture the unique energy and tone of the sub-brands.

Kelli Gregg Travel’s logo now features a deep purple alongside the teal to deliver the smooth and calm finish adult travelers will be looking for. R Family Vacations uses the same teal color with bright green accents, creating a finished product that exudes youthful energy and excitement. Out In’s logo pops with a radiant orange that is also used in conjunction with the unifying teal.

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Establishing Visual Unity for Three Interconnected Brands

Kelli Carpenter and Gregg Kaminsky started R Family Vacations in 2003. The company originally catered to families looking for exciting, LGBTQ inclusive destinations, but over the years, they began offering adult-only trips as well. This created the need for updated branding that reflected the full scope of their services. 

Because Gregg and Kelli attend most of the vacations with their guests, their names are synonymous with their services, and they wanted to keep that personal touch in the new branding. We led a brainstorming session with Kelli and Gregg, the Communify team, and several of R Family’s stakeholders. The fruitful session provided them with several different directions they could go, including one that still featured their names.

Once they chose the name, we were tasked with creating refreshed logos for their three interconnected brands: R Family Vacations, Kelli Gregg Travel, and Out In. The concept was to craft logos that were cohesive when shown together, but which maintained unique identifying qualities for each sub-brand. They wanted the logos to feel friendly and fun.

Kelli Gregg Travel

R Family Vacations

R Family Vacations is a family brand, and we made sure the logo brought the fun right away. The whimsical font from the Kelli Greg “KG”’ this time spells out “R Family,” making them instantly recognizable as related-but-distinct brands. Another playful arrow designed into the R continues that sense of forward movement, and the colorful rectangle enclosing the “R” uses rounded corners for a softer, more youthful energy. 

T he Out In logo builds on elements from both Kelli Gregg Travel and R Family Vacations, carrying over the rounded box and the whimsical swirling font. Another directional arrow in the “T” points toward featured locations and further establishes visual cohesion among the three brands. 

The Color Palette

Kelli Gregg Travel’s logo now features a deep purple alongside the teal to deliver the smooth and calm finish adult travelers will be looking for. R Family Vacations uses the same teal color with bright green accents, creating a finished product that exudes youthful energy and excitement. Out In’s logo pops with a radiant orange that is also used in conjunction with the unifying teal.