By: Al Ballesteros & Pepe Torres
More than 2,500 members of the LGBTQ community sailed on the eight-night Atlantis Events Cruise from Los Angeles to Mexico, from April 18 to April 26. The attendees were from all over the world, with many from the Los Angeles and Southern California areas, which is expected from a voyage which started in the Port of Los Angeles.
The cruise traveled to some of the most popular coastal cities of Mexico, which are truly quite beautiful in April. The weather and vibe in Ensenada, Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan did not disappoint. The days were perfect and the Virgin Atlantic Brilliant Lady is practically a brand new ship and certainly a masterpiece of the sea. It’s like sailing on a sea-worthy mechanical piece of art.
Atlantis Event’s brought aboard top performers including Mary Mac and “The Mary Mac Show”. Her singing was great and her dance numbers were fun. Then there was Cacophony Daniels and her “Loud and Proud” show and Plasma with humor that draws on the legends like Barbara Streisand and Bernadette Peters. Miss Richfield 1981 – “Eat Ice Cream! Now!” she says in her all-new show because “You Can’t Have Ice Cream When You’re Dead!” The performers delivered endless laughs to filled up venues.
Perhaps the most well known performer, Bianca Del Rio – packed the theater for two shows. For 60 minutes Bianca ripped into almost everyone, spare no one, with her raw, somewhat over the top jokes. She was great.
To be sure, Bianca was named one of New York Magazine’s Most Powerful Drag Queens and is the Legendary Drag Race winner and dubbed as the “Joan Rivers of the drag world.” Bianca has sold out large venues such as Carnegie Hall and Wembley Arena with her hilariously biting comedy tours. Atlantis guests got to see why.
There were also the legendary dance parties like the Dog Tag T-Dance with the boys dressed in hot military get-ups. The Last T-Dance celebrated the spirit of the 70, and early 80s with disco costumes, high heels, big hair, flashy feathers, sparkling shirts and pants. The Neon Playground was interesting with silly costumes, lasers, lights and neon. Then there was the Virgin White Party, which truly sizzled with hot guys dressed in the one simple color they all looked great in, white.
The Atlantis cruise also hosted Broadway quality shows. A ship’s favorite was AirOtic “Guys in Tights (and less) Flying Through the Air” which capped off the cruise’s shows on the last night. AirOtic is the sexiest, gayest, and most outrageous acrobatic act you will ever see, and was created exclusively for Atlantis by Les Farfadais! Another crowd favorite was Duel Reality, which is a fast-paced retelling of Romeo and Juliet, with an elaborate circus twist. The acrobatics were quite talented.
The last night’s comedian was Brad’s Last Laugh, performed by legendary gay comic Brad Loekle who has been performing for Atlantis for 15 years. Brad had been watching the passengers all week and had a lot to say about what he saw.
The Virgin Atlantic Brilliant Lady is an adults-only cruise ship and started sailing in September 2025. It is known for its modern design and has the capacity to host 2,770 passengers, features diverse dining, a 24/7 diner, and unique spaces like the Squid Ink tattoo parlor.
Key Features and Experience
Dining & Entertainment: Features six main restaurants including Italian (Extra Virgin) and Mexican (Pink Agave). The food quality is high and there is enough variety on board that one can eat at a different venue during the course of the cruise and still, not try it all.
Atmosphere/Accommodations: The ship is brand new with modern amenities and the cabins are clean, mostly with Sea Terraces and advanced technology. The common spaces include a state-of-the art gym, running track, basket ball court, pickle ball, a casino, and many common spaces to sit, relax and view the shorelines and open sea.
Atlantis Events is the world’s largest gay travel company. It started in 1991 and is celebrating 35 years. If you haven’t been on an Atlantis Cruise, you might want to check them out for a get-a-way. At the end of the day, the Atlantis Events are about community. Community is especially important now in an environment where we find ourselves under attack and our existence under the scrutiny of those who want to see the clock set back for us.
One important thing taken away from the experience is we can still have fun, forget about the world and enjoy the company of those who share many of our common values.
Congratulations to Ben the Atlantis Cruise Director and all the staff for a great production. You can book an upcoming cruise by visiting www.AtlantisEvents.com.