Explorations Speaker Series

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Recently, Cruise Critic member "MSJ161" posted this item, regarding Holland America's guest lecturer programs. In his/her post, "MSJ161" stated that "from 2007 there will be no more enrichment lectures on the HAL ships." The entire thread is here. In subsequent posting, "MSJ161" cited a "cruise director" as his/her source.

 

Holland America currently has in place a guest speaker series entitled, "The Explorations Speaker Series". It is part of the new "Signature of Excellence" upgrades. This guest speaker series is presented in conjunction with the New York Times Explorations Cafe, and is offered on HAL's longer voyages.

 

I was concerned enough about MSJ's statement to make inquiries of my own. I sent a letter to the office of Brendan J. Vierra, Vice President, Guest Programs, Holland America Line. Today I received a letter from Jennifer Cozby, special advisor to the Office of the President, Holland America Line. I assume she is one of a large cadre of assistants to HAL president Stein Kruse whose primary function is to serve as a corporate public relations liaison.

 

This is in Ms. Cozby's reply to my letter: "We have received your inquiry about the Explorations Speaker Series offered on board the Holland America Line fleet. We do not currently have any plans to end this program and have included it with select 2007 itineraries."

 

I'm not disputing what MSJ heard from the cruise director with whom he spoke. I'm only passing on what was told to me from the corporate headquarters of HAL. Readers are free to draw their own conclusions, and to differ with what they have read here. It is not my intention to create any further acrimony, only to pass on information. Thank you.

 

Karin

[hammybee]

 

 

 

This is in Ms. Cozby's reply to my letter: "We have received your inquiry about the Explorations Speaker Series offered on board the Holland America Line fleet. We do not currently have any plans to end this program and have included it with select 2007 itineraries."

 

I'm not disputing what MSJ heard from the cruise director with whom he spoke. I'm only passing on what was told to me from the corporate headquarters of HAL. Readers are free to draw their own conclusions, and to differ with what they have read here. It is not my intention to create any further acrimony, only to pass on information. Thank you.

 

Karin

 

You are good. I do enjoy the well crafted language of HAL's response. It says it all, yet nothing at all. As most of us suspected, I think the programs will remain intact on longer cruises and or exotic intineraries. Thanks for the follow-up.

[starysacz]

Thank you for checking it out. It clears this up.

[Arizona Cruiser II]

It is not my intention to create any further acrimony, only to pass on information. Thank you.

 

Karin

 

 

Thank you for some good news.

[the2ofus]

Thank you for this information. I really enjoy the lecture series. I am glad to know they will continue. On our recent Hawaii cruise there were three lecturers who provided a total of eleven lectures.

 

Two lectures were devoted to Hawaiian history and culture. These were probably the driest and least interesting to me, but then, I had heard similar lectures on our 2003 Hawaii cruise. Dr. James Ho was the speaker.

 

The topics of the other two lecturers, Sabin Robbins IV and Dr. Norman Caisse were related to International Diplomacy and the UN; the History of Piracy on the High Seas; Whales and whaling-past, present and future; Our Solar System; Our Galaxy and the search for Intelligent Life in the Universe. All were extremely interesting and very well attended.

[ANSalberg]

I'm wondering if there is a bit of confusion between "Enrichment" series- which covers a lecture series much as you might hear at the college level [ and many of the lecturers ARE, in fact, retired professors] and the port-lectures which cover your itinerary/destinations. If the OP got this confused maybe that determined the direction of the discussion[???]

Anne

[serendipity1499]

Thank you for taking the time middle-aged mom, to obtain & post the reply from HAL...

 

Agree with hammybee who said: "I do enjoy the well crafted language of HAL's response. It says it all, yet nothing at all. As most of us suspected, I think the programs will remain intact on longer cruises and or exotic itineraries."

 

One can't help wondering which Cruises will be considered the "Select Itineraries" :confused: We really enjoy a great many of the lectures which delve into the History, the People & Past & Present Customs in the various areas we will be in.. Wonder if Hawaii & Mexico will be included in the "Select Itineraries".. Rather doubt that the Caribbean will be! My guess would be South America, Southern & Northern Europe, Asia, Alaska, Africa, Amazon, Round the World, Australia & South Pacific, Iceland would be considered "Select"..

 

Anyone else like to take a stab at guessing what other areas would be in the "Select" Group..:)

 

We rarely go to the Port Lectures, as most of them only try to steer the passengers to shops which have paid HAL to be included in their brochures/lectures..;) .

 

Thanks again middle-aged mom...Happy cruising all..:) Betty

[Copper10-8]

Hi Karin; want a job?;)

[hammybee]

 

Anyone else like to take a stab at guessing what other areas would be in the "Select" Group..:)

 

 

Betty

 

Panama Canal

[hammybee]

I'm wondering if there is a bit of confusion between "Enrichment" series- which covers a lecture series much as you might hear at the college level [ and many of the lecturers ARE, in fact, retired professors] and the port-lectures which cover your itinerary/destinations. If the OP got this confused maybe that determined the direction of the discussion[???]

Anne

 

Anne, I think you may be onto something here. Is there really a need for any cruise line to employ someone whose job it is to promote certain shops and hand out maps? And is it possible that HAL may be leaning on the CD to communicate this inf and that one or more CDs needs another thing to do, like a hole in the head? This might actually make some sense now.

[AAAAmerican]

Antarctica

 

Waddle waddle:eek:

[kakalina]

As I posted here before on the other thread dealing with this same issue. There are no plans to change the lecture series. The lecture series has nothing to do with the port and shopping ambassadors "sales" pitches. The current plan is for the lectures on cruises over 10 days in length. I wish I could say more details but was strongly requested not to say more. I like my sources and want to keep them.

[grannynurse]

Karin,

Thank you so much for following up on this. It's so much better to do it your way than when we get all overheated in personal issues and opinions.

Thanks again. I always loved the "flagship forum" , "enrichment series" or what ever we call it now. Most of us know it differs from the ordinary 'port and shopping" info.

GN

[the2ofus]

The 14 day Circle Caribbean cruises have had guest lecturers on a variety of subjects, not necessarily related to specific Caribbean destinations.

[nanoq]

I have a letter from Mr. Sinkler in the Entertainment department of Holland America Line who confirms that there will not be any Enrichment Guest lecturers onboard any sailing or ship of the HAL fleet after 2007. According to him lectures will only be offered by a single HAL employee who stays on each ship for months at the time. This is equivalent to the current port lecturer position. The lectures will be on ports and shore excursions. There will not be any Enrichment lectures offered by Guest lecturers after 2007 but the program will be more or less unchanged in 2007. It is surprising to hear about the confusing messages coming from the HAL office. I winder how Ms. Cozby would reply if she was asked to confirm that Enrichment Guest lecturing would continue after 2007. The Entertainment department states that the program will be coming to an end at that time.

[serendipity1499]

I have a letter from Mr. Sinkler in the Entertainment department of Holland America Line who confirms that there will not be any Enrichment Guest lecturers onboard any sailing or ship of the HAL fleet after 2007. According to him lectures will only be offered by a single HAL employee who stays on each ship for months at the time. This is equivalent to the current port lecturer position. The lectures will be on ports and shore excursions. There will not be any Enrichment lectures offered by Guest lecturers after 2007 but the program will be more or less unchanged in 2007. It is surprising to hear about the confusing messages coming from the HAL office. I winder how Ms. Cozby would reply if she was asked to confirm that Enrichment Guest lecturing would continue after 2007. The Entertainment department states that the program will be coming to an end at that time.

 

Nanoq are you perhaps a former "Guest Lecturer" on HAL & they sent this letter to you in response to your inquiry about a Lecture series you might be doing?

 

I'm wondering if HAL is planning to change their Lecture series after 2007 & possibly have lectures similar to the guest lectures, but given by trained HAL people ..

 

The reason I'm thinking this is from Ms. Cozby's statement "We do not currently have any plans to end this program and have included it with select 2007 itineraries."

 

Ms. Cozby obviously did not mention anything about the lecture series after 2007..:confused:

 

If the lectures will only be about ports & shore excursions, I'm sure many of us will be very unhappy..However we know that HAL is now trying to cater to families & baby boomer's, who might not attend Enrichment lectures..

 

Guess we have to just wait & see what happens after the 2008 brochures come out..No sense in getting upset until we all know for sure..

And once we know, we'll each have to decide if we will accept the changes & continue to cruise on HAL...

 

Happy cruising all..:)Betty

[RevNeal]

"We do not currently have any plans to end this program and have included it with select 2007 itineraries."

 

Parse the sentence by splitting it into two separate sentences at the conjunction "and."

 

"We do not currently have any plans to end this program."

 

"We have included it with select 2007 itineraries."

 

These are two statements which are related but are also not to be conflated together. In the first one the author is making a clear statement which, nevertheless, does allow them to change their minds in the future. According to the statement, HAL has no plans to end the program. The qualification "currently" probably indicates that the administration always wants to keep their options open. It may also mean that they HAD given thought to discontinuing the program but that they are not now planning to do so.

 

The statement regarding the program's inclusion on select 2007 itineraries is given as evidence that the program will continue next year. Any other conclusions drawn from the statement goes beyond what it says.

 

As to Mr. Sinkler's letter ... that's a curiosity, and it might reflect that HAL had, at one time, planned to cancel the program but, since the letter was written, HAL's plans have changed. Time will tell.