Guest speakers/enrichment on Oceania

[Ka Honu]

Don Klein? Really? We've been on a couple of cruises with him and while I must admit he is very knowledgeable and presents a wealth of information, he is one of the worst and most boring public speakers I have ever seen/heard. His style is to put his entire presentation (word for word) on PowerPoint slides and read them to the audience verbatim (and in monotone). Since my wife and I can read English quite well, we found the best way to get the information was to watch his lectures after the fact (on stateroom TV) with the sound off.

 

I was also a bit put off by his "snarkiness" in the Observation Lounge one day before he was going to give a commentary on the Beagle Passage as we sailed it. I was sitting at a table for two by the windows and saving the other seat for my wife. He came up behind me and asked if the seat was taken. I didn't hear him quite clearly but it was fairly obvious what he was asking so I replied, "I'm sorry; I'm saving that seat for my wife." He responded by looking at me like I was an idiot and said, "I guess that means Yes" and walked away.

 

Sorry, I just can't get enthused about him when there are so many other good to excellent lecturers available.

[kreastman]

Judging from the enthusiastic appreciation we observed at Don's lectures, knowledge and a wealth of information were exactly what most folks were looking for. He certainly enhanced our voyage.

[cruisemom42]

It sounds like you might enjoy Crystal. Their enrichment programs are excellent.

Have you tried them?

 

I've considered them, but some information I've read here suggests that their enrichment topics/lectures aren't always related to the specific voyage, which is something I look for.

 

(Also, I have to admit that I find Oceania overall more appealing -- especially after reading your comparison with Crystal. :D)

[Paulchili]

I've considered them, but some information I've read here suggests that their enrichment topics/lectures aren't always related to the specific voyage, which is something I look for.

 

(Also, I have to admit that I find Oceania overall more appealing -- especially after reading your comparison with Crystal. :D)

 

I appreciate your confidence in my comparison/review but you will never truly know unless you try them for yourself:)

It may turn out that you will like them better than I did.

One things about their enrichment - it is really best for cruises with many sea days as on port days there are no lectures (or you are probably missing them anyway).

PS You are correct about “off topic” lectures. We had a series of lectures on Middle East on our cruise from Sydney to Manila. They were excellent but not topical to our locale.

[Go-Bucks!]

We had a fantastic lecturer on our Insignia cruise to Cuba in Dec, 2017. Can't remember her name (although I would recognize it), but she had been to Cuba many times, had lots of pictures and good advice.

[rrunner]

We must choose between two ships with good port-intensive itineraries; one is Oceania Nautica & the other is Azamara Journey. We have not sailed either line before.

Our general priority for at-sea days and other free time is learning about the culture and history of the areas we are visiting, rather than casino, spa-pampering, etc. While we research and study ahead, there are always new insights or facts with good speakers!

 

But in checking the website for Oceania, I saw only vague allusions to enrichment but could not find details on guest lecturers for our sailings, as with Cunard. If the evening talks about the next day's port stop will simply be the ship staff subtly pushing unsold excursions, we'll be mightily annoyed.

 

What's been your experience with Ocenia (or also Azamara, tho FYI, I am posting the same query on that board)?

Okay lectures but NO comparison to Cunard.

[keithm]

Okay lectures but NO comparison to Cunard.

Cunard always has great enrichment programs.

[cbb]

I don't understand.....

 

i live in a neighborhood in NC that is filled with excellent professors from prestigious universities that would love to go on a free cruise and teach others.

 

Heck, I can get a free consult on any medical sub-specialty and 5 minute stories in most of the arts and sciences from the neighbors while we are taking the garbage cans out.

 

These are not picky people--they just love to share their passion, especially the ones who retired and miss teaching--so they are not going to demand much from Oceania.

[LHT28]

I don't understand.....

 

i live in a neighborhood in NC that is filled with excellent professors from prestigious universities that would love to go on a free cruise and teach others.

.

Have they applied to be a lecturer ?

I do not think Oceania goes looking for people & not sure if they still get free cruises

They may get reduced rates in exchange for the lectures

[rafaelc]

Judging from the enthusiastic appreciation we observed at Don's lectures, knowledge and a wealth of information were exactly what most folks were looking for. He certainly enhanced our voyage.

DK was very good. DW and I ran into him on shore at a Chilean cookout and he was pleasant and most courteous.

[Hawaiidan]

I don't understand.....

 

i live in a neighborhood in NC that is filled with excellent professors from prestigious universities that would love to go on a free cruise and teach others.

 

Heck, I can get a free consult on any medical sub-specialty and 5 minute stories in most of the arts and sciences from the neighbors while we are taking the garbage cans out.

 

These are not picky people--they just love to share their passion, especially the ones who retired and miss teaching--so they are not going to demand much from Oceania.

 

Step 1 prepare a series of talks on power point as a demo

step 2 get an agent that represents speakers

You will not get a free cruise maybe a reduced price but you have to pay your agent too a comission on your Free cruise. A companion of yours will have to pay perhaps 50% It is not all roses. and it aint all that free

There is a huge difference in having knowledge and being able to present it in a lecture forum The National Park Service and Indiana Univ offer on line courses in hoe to prepare and deliver, written, formal oral and casual oral presentations and interpretations.

 

Being sharp on a topic dosen't always translate to a good speaker Presenting a topic is not teaching and teachers have to un-learn their methods and adopt a whole new set that is 180 degrees from that of teaching You dont inflict a audience with your views rather stimulate them by providing the right questions rather than the right answers. People connect through their value system to your topic in a personal way to your presentation... Its not a class room....that only works in school.

 

I a sorry but Don Kline violates every rule of interpretation with the exception of being present and not a recording... He has a good agent I suspect and an in... sad speaking to a power point is pretty poor by any standard, except maybe in kindergarten

Edited April 24, 2018 by Hawaiidan

[rafaelc]

Couses for different horses

[kaymoz]

Someone at Oceania must have been reading this board! I just had a nice note from O advising me of the lecturers during our cruise in late August:

 

Gregory Mattson

"Greg Mattson is a retired Senior Foreign Service Officer with a wide-ranging European background having served in senior positions in five embassies in Europe over a period of nearly twenty years. He was the senior American diplomat in Denmark from 1993-1996 and was also responsible for coordinating US policy in the Baltic region to include the new Baltic countries.

He graduated from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service and was a Ph.D. student in modern European history at New York University with a specialty in Tsarist Russian history. Since his retirement, Greg has worked as a consultant at the State Department on projects promoting tolerance and civil society in the former bloc countries in Eastern Europe."

Dr & Lt Cdr Roger Cartwright

Scotland based retired academic and maritime historian Dr Roger Cartwright has entertained and informed British, American, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand and European cruise ship passengers on some 30 of the world’s best known cruise liners with his maritime history themed talks. Roger has worked in both education and management training in the UK, USA and India. He is an internationally published author on the history of the cruise industry and a variety of management topics. Altogether he is the author of over 30 books. He also worked as a consultant to a major airline in both the United Kingdom and the United States of America in addition to leading management training in India. Initially Naval Cadets Forces, his work with the Royal Navy at both Plymouth and Portsmouth as a Royal Naval Reserve Lt Cdr working directly for the “Navy Days” organisation each summer from 1978 until 1995 provided him with an in-depth knowledge of maritime and naval history whilst the many case studies and books he has written about the cruise industry have made him an acknowledged authority of cruise companies, cruise liners and the history of cruising. Roger has been proud to work with the US and other NATO navies in the course of his duties.

As a historian Roger believes that history is a story not just about the past but also about the present and how we got to where we are now.

[LHT28]

Roger Cartwright is very good

we have had him on several cruises

[LHT28]

It is too bad they do not list the speakers/lecturers on the specific cruise

at least after FP ..not that I would book or cancel a cruise just for the lecturers

It would be nice to know in advance who they are & what they may be presenting

Some do the same lecture cruise after cruise

 

JMO

[Go-Bucks!]

I think Sandy Cares was the very good lecturer about Cuba on Insignia. I learned alot of Cuban history that helped when we visited sites.

[cruisemom42]

Someone at Oceania must have been reading this board! I just had a nice note from O advising me of the lecturers during our cruise in late August.

 

 

Kudos to Oceania. Very impressive response. Thanks for posting this.

[Sea42]

Someone at Oceania must have been reading this board! I just had a nice note from O advising me of the lecturers during our cruise in late August:

 

Gregory Mattson

"Greg Mattson is a retired Senior Foreign Service Officer with a wide-ranging European background having served in senior positions in five embassies in Europe over a period of nearly twenty years. He was the senior American diplomat in Denmark from 1993-1996 and was also responsible for coordinating US policy in the Baltic region to include the new Baltic countries.

He graduated from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service and was a Ph.D. student in modern European history at New York University with a specialty in Tsarist Russian history. Since his retirement, Greg has worked as a consultant at the State Department on projects promoting tolerance and civil society in the former bloc countries in Eastern Europe."

Dr & Lt Cdr Roger Cartwright

Scotland based retired academic and maritime historian Dr Roger Cartwright has entertained and informed British, American, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand and European cruise ship passengers on some 30 of the world’s best known cruise liners with his maritime history themed talks. Roger has worked in both education and management training in the UK, USA and India. He is an internationally published author on the history of the cruise industry and a variety of management topics. Altogether he is the author of over 30 books. He also worked as a consultant to a major airline in both the United Kingdom and the United States of America in addition to leading management training in India. Initially Naval Cadets Forces, his work with the Royal Navy at both Plymouth and Portsmouth as a Royal Naval Reserve Lt Cdr working directly for the “Navy Days” organisation each summer from 1978 until 1995 provided him with an in-depth knowledge of maritime and naval history whilst the many case studies and books he has written about the cruise industry have made him an acknowledged authority of cruise companies, cruise liners and the history of cruising. Roger has been proud to work with the US and other NATO navies in the course of his duties.

 

As a historian Roger believes that history is a story not just about the past but also about the present and how we got to where we are now.

How wonderful is that ?! Great job Oceania!

[Sny]

Well, now I want to know about the lecturers on my cruise on the Marina, July 2-14, Stockholm to Amsterdam. Hope Oceania is still listening. Maybe someone could actually put it on the website?

[kaymoz]

Perhaps at some point Oceania will follow Cunard's lead and post this info on the website for each cruise, but that is a big change. If you want to know without waiting, Sny, especially since your ship sails pretty soon, you could drop them a line using the email contact form at: https://www.oceaniacruises.com/corporate/contact-us/

 

I have really good luck with responses from all kinds of corporate businesses when I use these contact form instead of "random" emails!

[TLCOhio]

Kudos to Oceania. Very impressive response. Thanks for posting this.

 

Have been following this thread with strong personal interest. For mid November, 2018, we are doing an Athens to Dubai, 20-day cruise with Oceania, including our first visits to the Holy Lands, Egypt, Middle East, etc. It will be our time with Oceania!!

 

Yes in doing our earlier ten different cruises, such speakers have made a major, positive different. This is especially true when going to locations such as we have done along the Amazon River, doing the South African coast, being in the Baltics/Russia, etc. Appreciate these great comments and follow-ups. Per these posts, I will contact Oceania to see what they might be offering in the way of enrichment during our Nov. 16-Dec. 6 sailing in these significantly historic areas. For these locations, having such great programs and speakers will be especially valuable.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 200,520 views for this posting.

[NCCruzQueen]

Don’t cruise Oceania for enrichment. Of our many cruises with them only once did we have a wonderful speaker, Terry Breen.

 

Totally agree with you about Terry Breen. Her specialities are South America and Alaska. Terry shares personal experiences, history and culture and humor. She is one of the best.

[ORV]

Just got a small flyer called Coastal Americas. Oceania has started to list the lecturers in them for those that are interested. Maybe this will become more of a focus for those that have asked for it.

[LHT28]

Just got a small flyer called Coastal Americas. Oceania has started to list the lecturers in them for those that are interested. Maybe this will become more of a focus for those that have asked for it.

They did that about a year or so ago with the sale flyers but we do not get them anymore :evilsmile:

[TLCOhio]

Per discussions and ideas on this thread, I contacted Oceania and was able to find out the names and some background on two of the ship's speakers for our Nov. 16-Dec. 5, 2018, Nautica sailing from Athens to Dubai. Here's one of the speaker's bio:

 

Hassan Eltaher, Lecturer with Canada’s Foreign Service Institute, is a former diplomat specializing in Mediterranean/Arab world issues. Raised in Egypt and Lebanon, he has lived/worked in Saudi Arabia, Libya, Morocco and U.S., before moving to Canada in 1980. For the Canadian Transport Department, he was Chief, Civil Aviation Security Intelligence. He has a Political Studies/International Relations degree from American University of Beirut and an MBA from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He speaks five languages. For the past seven years, he has been a lecturer aboard ships sailing between Europe and the Persian Gulf.

 

Mr. Eltaher will also be on for portions of the late April-May India to Rome Oceania Nautica sailing. He did a recent Library of Congress lecture on Ancient Library of Alexandria. It's on YouTube and it is clear that Hassan is very knowledgeable, has a good sense of humor and can connection with his audiences. Look forward to getting feed-back from those on this upcoming cruise as to how Hassan Eltaher performs with his programs. With speakers like him, I have learned it is important not to be shy!! Ask questions, chat with him, etc. He seems very approachable and likes those personal interactions with cruise passengers.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 224,607 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923