Real Housewives' Taylor Armstrong to Lead Wellness Cruise Gene Sloan - USA TODAY
go to original August 5, 2012

(Courtesy Taylor Armstrong)

Taylor Armstrong has announced plans to lead a wellness-focused group sailing in March on Holland America's 1,432-passenger Zaandam.

"It's going to be about getting in physical shape and emotional shape and about empowering people," Armstrong tells USA TODAY in an exclusive interview about the seven-night trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta.

Taylor Armstrong's Living Well and Loving It! Mexican Riviera Cruise, as it's being called, will include activities and talks focused on everything from wellness and fitness to enhancing friendships and personal relationships, Armstrong says. There also will be discussion on how participants can build self esteem.

"I'm really learning how to build my own self esteem," says Armstrong, who has spoken out over the past year about being abused by late husband Russell Armstrong. "I allowed myself to get into unhealthy relationships."

Armstrong says her psychiatrist, Charles Sophy, will be sailing on the cruise and will speak to participants about relationships. She says she'll also be bringing other friends who are experts in health and fitness to lead workshops, and she'll be reading from her recent bestseller Hiding from Reality (participants will receive a personally autographed copy).

"I'll be working out with (participants) ... and talking about my own personal experiences," Armstrong says. She notes she's in training for a 100-mile bike ride to raise awareness about domestic violence.

Armstrong's daughter, Kennedy, and mother also will be along for the trip.

The voyage begins March 2 in San Diego. The cruise's organizers have blocked group space on the ship, but it is not a full-ship charter. To join the group, cruisers must book through cruise specialist Ericka Umsted at CruisesOnly.com (fares start at $1,227 per person, based on double occupancy). More information is online at a dedicated CruisesOnly.com website.

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