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Royal Olympics Cultural Enrichment Programs

For sophisticated travelers seeking more than just a suntan, Royal Olympic Cruises - the industry leader in innovative and exotic cruise itineraries - is offering superior onboard enrichment programs this fall and winter that give their guests the depth in knowledge they are looking for.

This season, onboard the elegant Olympia Countess, and the new state-of-the-art sister ships Olympia Explorer and Olympia Voyager, exciting seminars will be offered by luminaries in world affairs and diplomacy, arts and letters, archaeology and anthropology, space science and technology, as well as classical music concerts featuring artists of international acclaim. Shore excursion programs are equally designed for discerning travelers who prefer an active vacation with a cultural focus.

Whether cruising around Africa, the Mediterranean, South America, the Amazon, Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean, or the Hawaiian Islands, each voyage is enhanced by world-renowned experts and performers who stretch the mind and uplift the spirit.

Below is just a sampling of some of the superior onboard enrichment programs being offered this season:

Olympia Countess – Solar Eclipse Cruises
This Fall and Winter, the Olympia Countess will sail towards Mozambique and South Africa to follow the next total solar eclipse scheduled for December 2002. Passengers may select from four different cruises ranging from seven to 32 days (including a 29-day cruise from Piraeus, a 16-day cruise from the Seychelles and a 7-day cruise from Durban), all featuring the thrilling multiple stages leading to the sun’s total eclipse on December 4^th.

Coordinated by noted authority Ted Pedas – the originator of eclipse “chasing” who has organized Royal Olympic’s astronomical theme cruises since 1972 – Olympia Countess’ unique “Voyage to Darkness” will be enhanced by the participation of an outstanding team of noted authorities to provide intellectually stimulating lectures, informative panel discussions and solar photography workshops.

Onboard experts include:

• Astronaut/aquanaut M. Scott Carpenter is one of NASA’s original seven astronauts who flew the second American manned orbital flight in 1962 and who has what author Tom Wolfe called “the right stuff”

• Jolyon E. P. Halse, former chief geologist for the Anglo American Corp. in southern Africa, who once circumnavigated Africa in a single-engine aircraft

• Acclaimed astrophotographer George Keene, who at Eastman Kodak’s Photo Science Group developed high-resolution photographic systems aboard spacecraft

• Prolific author and archaeoastronomer Dr. Edwin C. Krupp, is Director of the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles

• Olympia Voyager – “Mayaribbean” and Maya Equinox Cruises
  As the Olympia Voyager sails to the “Mayaribbean” region of Central America and Mexico (roundtrip from Houston), archaeologists, historians, and educators will reveal the lost civilization of the Maya and explore the great discoveries at Chichen Itza, Tulum, and Copan.

Onboard experts include:

• Archaeologist Dr. Kenneth L. Brown

• Astronomer/archaeologist Dr. Anthony Aveni, is a Professor of Astronomy and Anthropology at Colgate University, and was voted “Professor of the Year” by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education

• Anthropologist Dr. Rebecca Storey, expert in pre-Columbian high civilizations of Mesoamerica and Assoc. Professor of Anthropology at the University of Houston

• Anthropologist Dr. Lori E. Wright, specialist in bioarchaeology of the ancient Maya

• Archaeologist Dr. Randolph Widmer, director of archaeology excavations throughout North America and Central America

Olympia Voyager – Great Rivers of South America & Panama Canal Cruises
The Great Rivers of South America Cruise (a 19-day roundtrip cruise from Fort Lauderdale) combines two adventures in one, visiting the regions of both the Amazon and the Orinoco.  Passengers will visit exotic destinations such as Barbados, the Orinoco River, Devil’s Island (F. Guiana), the Amazon River, Trinidad and St. Thomas.

On the Partial Panama Canal Cruise, the Olympia Voyager travels through the waterways of the Panama Canal (roundtrip from Ft. Lauderdale) visiting destinations such as Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, Port Limon, Cristobal, Panama Canal, San Blas Islands and Belize.

Onboard experts include:

• Author and International Emmy and Peabody Award winning television producer Zvi Dor-Ner, producer of 2000 Today/The Millennium Day Broadcast; People’s Century; Apollo 13: To the Edge and Back; and Columbus and the Age of Discovery

• Ambassador Lauralee Peters, former US Foreign Service Officer, worked with the US Foreign Service in Paraguay, Vietnam, Thailand and Pakistan, and was US Ambassador to Sierra Leone. Peters is also a former member of the National Council staff and Advisor to the President of the US Naval War College.

• Classical performer Michael Fennelly, recently represented the United States at the Horowitz Piano competition in Kiev, Ukraine, and received his Doctor of Musical Arts from the Manhattan School of Music.

• Acclaimed classical soloist Jonathon Sargent, has appeared on NBC and CBS as a concert guitarist, composer and singer, and has performed extensively throughout Europe, North America, South America and Asia. 

• Olympia Explorer – Around South America Cruise

• The brand new Olympia Explorer’s 55-day cruise around South America (from Los Angeles to Ft. Lauderdale) offers one of the most extensive enrichment programs available at sea. Guests will benefit from a spectrum of specially tailored lectures to compliment the wide range of destinations, peoples and cultures they will visit. 

Onboard experts include:

• Managing editor of American Heritage magazine and editor of American Heritage of Invention & Technology, Frederick E. Allen brings a wealth of knowledge about the history and culture of South America

• Zooarchaeologist Dr. Susan deFrance, a specialist in how past cultures adapted to their environments

• Film-maker, author and National Geographic photographer Captain Loren McIntyre, discoverer of the source of the Amazon River

• Archaeologist and anthropologist Dr. Michael Moseley, who authored the popular introductory text, The Incas and Their Ancestors; The Archaeology of Peru

• Archaeoastronomer Dr. Phyllis Pitluga, astronomer at the Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum (Chicago) specializing in the Nazca Lines in Peru

• Engineer, political scientist and historian Dr. Sergei Khrushchev, son of Nikita Khrushchev and award-winner for achievements in space and computer research

• TV commentator, teacher and diplomat Ambassador Edward Peck, a commentator on Middle East issues and an American diplomat for 32 years

•  Linguist Kim Gareiss is a foreign language teacher and doctoral candidate at the University of Chicago

• Coordinator of Science at Sea Programs Marcy Pedas Sigler, one of the pioneers of the eclipse cruise concept

• Physicist Dr. James Trefil, contributor to Smithsonian and winner of the American Association for the Advancement of Science-Westinghouse Science Journalism Award

• Classical musician Roger Rundle, whose career has been a showcase for his varied talents and diversified musical interests. A piano soloist, chamber musician and composer, his works have been performed in New York’s major concert halls.

Olympia Explorer – Aloha Odyssey Cruise

The Aloha Odyssey Cruise embarks from Los Angeles (roundtrip) on a 14-day trip to exotic destinations such as Ensenada, Hilo, Kahului-Maui, Nawiliwili Bay-Kauai and Honolulu-Oahu.

Onboard experts include:

• Former US Foreign Service officer Professor W. Robert Warne is currently an instructor at the US Department of State’s Foreign Service Institute at Arlington. He has held a variety of embassy posts in the Caribbean

• One of the world’s most distinguished chefs, André Soltner was, for over thirty years, the chef and owner of Lutèce, the New York City restaurant long considered the paragon of classic French cuisine

• Astronomer and planetarium scientist, Ted Pedas is acknowledged as a pioneer in ocean-going themed travel programs on science and natural history, and serves as an enrichment coordinator for Royal Olympic Cruises

Launched in May 2002, the intimate, 836-passenger Olympia Explorer – along with its sister ship Olympia Voyager – is the fastest cruise ship in the world, sailing at cruising speeds of up to 30 knots (the equivalent of almost 35 miles per hour).

For reservations or more information, contact a travel agent or Royal Olympic Cruises toll-free at 800-872-6400, or visit the website at www.royalolympiccruises.com.

Edited by Dave Shultz

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