Enrichment Programs Enhance the Cruise Experience
It’s possible to return from a cruise smarter – or, at least more well-rounded – than when you left. Many cruises include enrichment programs designed to expand your knowledge of topics ranging from personal finance to the latest movies.
Recently, cruise lines have been revving up their enrichment programs to offer more options than ever before. Here’s a sample.
Through Crystal Cruises’ Creative Learning Institute, you can learn skills in language, music, wellness and art from instructors associated with famous names like Berlitz, Yamaha and the Cleveland Clinic. However, Crystal’s enrichment offerings don’t stop there: the Crystal Visions program brings guest lecturers on board, including theater and film stars, sports heroes and authors. And, Crystal’s Computer University@Sea can teach you to use the latest in Internet-based and digital communications.
Last summer, Celebrity Cruises introduced a new enrichment program, Celebrity Life, which focuses on dining (Savor), learning (Discover) and wellness (Renew). The Savor program includes wine appreciation, cocktail mixology and interactive cooking demonstrations. The Discover program offers a variety of lectures and classes on everything from history to nature to technology. And, the Renew program combines fitness classes with spa treatments and wellness seminars to boost well-being.
On Cunard Line’s Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria, indulge your flair for the dramatic with acting workshops presented by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art; or, let an astronomer familiarize you with the cosmos in the QM 2’s onboard planetarium and during star-gazing sessions on deck.
Princess Cruises’ Scholarship@Sea program has an academic-sounding name, but actually focuses on leisure activities. You can indulge in a favorite hobby or find a new one, such as "throwing” clay pots, designing Web pages, or pairing the right food with the right wines.
Note that depending on the cruise line and the program, some enrichment activities are free and open to all passengers; others require advance registration and an extra fee. Ask your personal cruise expert for details on the enrichment activities available on your next cruise.