My name is Simon; for the next 9 days, you'll be coming along with me on the Passport to Central America Enrichment Voyage. The Voyage officially begins this Sunday, May 11 in Nassau.

I work as a Product Coordinator for Online Vacation Center, one of the world's largest cruise agencies; we've partnered with the Institute for Shipboard Education (ISE) to bring Enrichment Voyages to life.

ISE operates Semester at Sea, the premier study abroad program. Every Spring and Fall semester, an average of 750 undergraduate college students and up to 50 life-long learners (traditionally senior adults) embark the MV Explorer for a 100-day circumnavigation of the globe. There's also a 65-day summer Semester that focuses on a specific world region. Between semesters, this beautiful 836-passenger ship would usually sit idle.

Inspired by ISE's 10 day "Seminar at Sea" program held each winter and geared toward adults who want something more than a traditional cruise, Enrichment Voyages put the MV Explorer to use between Semesters. Enrichment Voyages will sail two to three times each year and last from 10 to 21 days each.

Passport to Central America is the inaugural Enrichment Voyage, sailing from Nassau to Playa del Carmen/Cozumel, Mexico; Belize City, Belize; Puerto Cortes, Honduras; Puerto Limon, Costa Rica; Colon, Panama; Grand Cayman and Montego Bay, Jamaica. It's a great 14 night itinerary that touches some of Central America's most culture-rich spots.

Along the way, we'll participate in Enrichment Sessions,  and learn about Central American history and culture, oceanic and environmental issues and other topics from college professors and other experts; we'll participate in book club discussions with our literature professor and be entertained by singers, musicians and other entertainers each night. Plus, we'll have a lot of fun onboard with art lessons from the artist-in-residence, a costume parade and more.

In each port, my fellow passengers and I will have the opportunity to go exploring with unique Field Programs. From Maya ruins in Mexico to the world's only sloth sanctuary in Costa Rica, we'll be getting a first hand look at what makes Central America unique.

I'll be along with you for the first 7 days of the Voyage, bringing you a glimpse of life onboard and ashore through words and pictures. Look for Blog updates at least once a day.

The ship departs from Miami this evening (I've boarded with other Voyage staff members today) and arrives in Nassau tomorrow afternoon to begin embarking our first passengers and prepare for Sunday's Voyage departure.

Right now, this ship is nearly empty. But beginning tomorrow, over 600 adventurers will begin streaming aboard and the shipboard community will begin forming. I look forward to being a part of it.

I hope you'll enjoy following along on a "virtual" Passport to Central America. Thanks for reading!