The Sweet Scoop: How 1,200 Vacationing Lesbians Made the World a Better Place

They cruised, they cleaned, they painted, and they partied… Sweet, the new but now well known lesbian travel company, wrapped up its inaugural Caribbean Cruise in New Orleans yesterday and – after a week of sunbathing and community service – has definitely made its mark on the travel industry. The company’s mission is to merge the best of lesbian entertainment with social consciousness and environmental awareness and, after 7 days and 5 port cities, their first effort proved to be a tremendously successful trip that Sweet Co-Founder Jen Rainin is describing as “a dream come true.”

Rainin and Co-Founder and CEO Shannon Wentworth had a vision with their company and it was their hard work, passion, and dedication that gave lesbians from all over the world the opportunity to share in that vision and take part in something that had never been done before. The Sweet Caribbean Cruise, which departed from New Orleans on 11/8, was inclusive of everything that a lesbian could want out of her vacation – delicious food, friendly travel companions, beautiful beaches, amazing entertainment, and more. The “more,” however, is what makes Sweet stand out from other travel companies; the voluntourism, community service to areas in need, and environmental awareness at the levels to which Wentworth and Rainin have dedicated themselves to achieving is groundbreaking and massively impressive. Sweet has truly changed the travel industry for the better and they have done it with lesbians – letting the world know that we are a community that cares and a group that can lead the way in making a difference.

Wentworth chose New Orleans as the departure city for the cruise because she felt that it was the “perfect symbol” for what her company was setting out to do. The devastation left behind by Hurricane Katrina was a focus of the projects organized in the city during the 2 days prior to setting sail. Lesbians gathered at the Hotel Monteleone in the French Quarter where, as part of a special additional package arranged by Sweet, they were able to enjoy accommodations at one of New Orleans’ most luxurious and historical hotels. Hotel Monteleone opened in 1886 and is well known as the Grand Dame of the French Quarter. The hotel combines a legendary history of hospitality with a vibrant contemporary flair and a location that puts you in the very heart of all that is the French Quarter in New Orleans. When traveling to the city the hotel is an ideal choice for lesbians looking for a gay friendly home away from home – the rooms are extremely spacious, the onsite restaurant satisfies that craving for traditional New Orleans fare and Louisiana seafood, and the staff is very helpful and full of southern hospitality. When not relaxing at the Monteleone’s famous Carousel Bar (the only bar in New Orleans that revolves around the room), enjoying the rooftop pool, or experiencing the sites and sounds of Bourbon Street, however, the lesbians were digging in and taking part in the Bayou Rebirth Project. Sweet partnered with Bayou Rebirth to help repair the wetlands, which Wentworth described as “just wrecked” by Katrina. She and her team of 25 volunteers went out and planted 600 new grasses that will grow and help form the land that will build up the sediment and prevent future flooding in the area. The participants also had the chance to learn about the eco-system and how they can make a difference. “Really, the formula is to draw attention to an issue, bring a whole bunch of people out, have fun at it, and then inspire other people to go out and volunteer and have fun,” Wentworth explains.

After the ship (Norwegian Cruise Line’s [NCL] Spirit) left New Orleans, the Sweet mission continued. Costa Maya, Mexico was the next stop for Wentworth and her boat of do-gooders as 150 lesbians hit the beach with plastic garbage bags in hand and the competition began to see who could collect the most, and most unique, trash that had found its way to the beautiful shoreline. After 45 minutes of collecting things like flip-flops, hypodermic needles, a television, and pretty much everything but the kitchen sink – scratch that, they actually did find a sink among the washed up items – the crew had filled 200 bags. “More importantly though,” says Wentworth, “was that people saw where their trash goes. Things don’t just disappear because they disappear from our view. It was a really good way to teach people, without preaching to them, to be mindful of their trash.”

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