Our Team

On August 14, 2020, Paul Stalbaum, the founder of Cruise Designs Travel and Paul’s HIV Cruise Retreats, passed away. Paul was a travel professional extraordinaire who dedicated himself to creating incredible travel experiences for the LBGTQ community. Of his many accomplishments, Paul was most proud of the unique travel community he created for people from all walks of life who live with HIV. In Paul’s memory, and to ensure that his initiative lives on, Paul’s brother, Bob, will continue Paul’s Cruise Retreats.

Bob Stalbaum has had a long and storied career in the travel and tourism industry. Along with his brother, Paul, he built one of the nation’s largest and most respected leisure travel agencies. After selling that business, Bob spent the next nine years in New York serving as a key executive with Liberty Travel and American Express Travel. Over the next 25 years, Bob was a leading industry consultant where he helped almost 2000 travel agencies, tour operators, tourist boards, cruise lines and travel publications improve their businesses and achieve positive and lasting changes in their organizational operations and behavior. Bob retired in January of 2016 but came out of retirement upon Paul’s passing to continue the very special POZ Community that Paul and all of YOU have created.

As long-time cruisers on our HIV Cruise Retreats, your co-hosts Patrick and Michael are committed to helping you make the most of your cruise experience with us.  They are responsible for everything from making name tags to facilitating cabin-matching for solo travelers to planning the group’s onboard private parties & events.  But most of all, they provide helpful tips for enjoying your cruise, answering your questions both before and during the sailing, and addressing any concerns, queries, or issues that may come up.  It is their hope that you discover the specialness of the community created by the HIV Cruise Retreat, as they both have.