Call them S.S. colleges; passengers are eagerly embracing the new wave of learning at sea

Cruise Travel, Jan-Feb, 2005 by Georgina Cruz

My schedule for the day was ambitious and varied--before lunch, Italian lesson; in the afternoon, a lecture on the wall paintings of ancient Akrotiri, then a sketching/watercolors class. My husband Humberto had musical keyboards in the morning, men's health in mid-afternoon.

No, we were not back in college, but happy as clams in what definitely could be called a floating "campus"--aboard Crystal Cruises' Crystal Serenity during a 12-night Mediterranean voyage. But no college was like this--luxurious surroundings, gourmet food, a pampering staff, ocean views from the classrooms, and exotic ports to explore at every turn. And the learning was real and very satisfying.

For Ann McNeer McLeod, 65, a psychology teacher from Winter Haven, Florida, the Berlitz Spanish lessons were a godsend. "I come from a family of linguists," McLeod said. "My brother Gordon teaches Spanish in the Georgia university system and three of my cousins are fluent in Spanish. Now I can survive!" McLeod also took the sketching/ watercolors class and was as impressed with it as with the Spanish lessons. "I had not painted in 10 years; back then I painted portraits in oils," she said. "This class influenced me to such a degree that I intend to return to the field of art, but this time I will paint watercolor portraits."

McLeod is typical of Crystal's clientele, who want their days filled with challenging experiences, said Gary Hunter, cruise director aboard the Crystal Serenity. "Daytime is as important as nighttime on a Crystal cruise. With our Creative Learning Institute, our guests have a wealth of satisfying choices."

Crystal launched the Creative Learning Institute with the Crystal Serenity in July of 2003, and the complimentary program offering classes in the arts & entertainment, business & technology, lifestyle, wellness, wine & food was expanded fleetwide in 2004.

The wave of enrichment programs at sea--one that the cruise lines have been riding for decades beginning with the ultra-luxe lines and rippling down to other price categories--is not only still going full speed ahead, but has just acquired a new twist with lines launching new, dedicated learning-at-sea facilities, which have been dubbed "The Studio," "Exploration Center," and the like. Cunard Line, for instance, introduced a seven-classroom complex on the Queen Mary 2 in the winter of 2003-2004 for language lessons and lectures on a variety of topics. And Princess Cruises now offers pottery classes in a studio with kilns.

Crystal's Creative Learning Institute includes Passport To Music, an "edutainment" program presented by the line in cooperation with Yamaha at The Studio, which boasts a hands-on, high-tech dedicated facility outfitted with 15 portable grand piano keyboards (Yamaha's newest model) and supported with the Clavinova digital piano. Certified Yamaha music teachers teach groups of 12 to 15 guests, and depending on the length of the cruise, the average curriculum features six, 60-minute sessions wherein guests learn nearly a dozen songs, and are awarded a certificate at the completion of the program.

Why learning at sea? Well, since the world is the stage for the cruise lines, providing enrichment opportunities related to the itinerary, such as learning about the cuisine and wines of a region plus its languages, are a natural. Also, it is especially pleasurable to learn--perhaps even develop a new interest or hobby--when you have the spare time and are in luxurious surroundings.

"On a cruise, passengers are incognito, they have an anonymity of sorts," said Herbert Jaeger, hotel director on the Crystal Serenity. "If they make mistakes, nobody knows them; and when the cruise is over, they will never see their fellow passengers again, so they are not afraid to ask 'stupid questions' and they learn."

Finally, the cruise lines are offering these courses and facilities because the passengers want them. "The days when people went on vacation and were satisfied returning home with just a sun tan are long gone," said a spokesperson from Cunard's marketing department. "People want to learn and accomplish something during their vacations."

Sort of like multi-tasking even when it comes to a vacation--relaxation, exploration, and learning are all on the agenda. And the spokesperson added that cruise industry research points to guests wanting to learn actively, not just passively, so Cunard's enrichment programs feature both lectures and hands-on experiences. Cited as an example is art: There may be both a lecture on Renaissance art and painting classes in the Cunard ConneXions classrooms aboard the Queen Mary 2 (by the way, these classes are complimentary except for nominal fees to cover materials).

Which brings us to another aspect of the popularity of learning-at-sea programs: Since many are offered on a complimentary basis, or for a nominal fee for use of materials and equipment, they add value to the cruise experience. The conversational Italian language course that I took during my voyage on the Crystal Serenity--which enabled me to confidently ask for directions in Venice and order "un gelato di cioccolato ed un'acqua minerale" (a chocolate ice cream and mineral water) in a cafe in Taormina--was flee, but would have set me back at least $60 back home. The sketching/watercolor classes would have cost me $80 at my local art museum; but on the Crystal Serenity all the materials were free, including a watercolor kit with carrying case, paints, brushes, water bottle, watercolor paper, two sketch pads, pencils, eraser, and pencil sharpener--about $75 if purchased at a store back home. No wonder all the classes were filled to capacity on the Crystal Serenity.