Enrichment Voyages

Welcome Home, Voyagers!

2008-05-26T09:15:00-04:00

I know there were many of you on the ship with me who were faithfully reading along with the blog, so I wanted to personally welcome each and every one of you home.

If you haven't already, visit www.PhotoWave.com to view all the great Field Program photos from Ryan and Kristin, and take few minutes right now to place an order for your favorite shots.

If you were on the Canopy Adventure Tour in Costa Rica, you'll especially want to drop by PhotoWave.com - there are pictures you will want to order and make part of your permanent collection... I guarantee it!

I know you had a great time these past two weeks, so I'm sure you'll want to join us aboard another Enrichment Voyage, and now is the time to confirm your plans.

The 21 night Amazon Expedition sailing, traveling up the Amazon River to Manaus, Brazil beginning December 18 is nearly sold out, but we can accommodate you if you contact your Travel Agent or Enrichment Voyages Personal Vacation Manager right away.

There are two 14 night Passage Through Panama sailings scheduled for May of 2009; they offer a similar itinerary to our recent voyage, calling again on ports that I think most of you would agree were highlights of this sailing, including an overnight aboard ship in Cozumel, a visit to Belize City and a call in Puerto Limon, plus inaugural Enrichment Voyages visits to Roatan, Honduras; San Tomas de Castilla, Guatemala and two full days in Puntarenas, Costa Rica. And of course, the full transit of the Panama Canal. I can't wait! You'll want to reserve now for the best selection of staterooms.

Again, from everyone at Enrichment Voyages, thank you so much for joining us for our inaugural voyage. It was truly an honor to have you onboard.

Slow is Beautiful

2008-05-21T12:10:00-04:00

Those who know me know I'm an animal lover, so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to visit the world's only rescue center and sanctuary for Sloths, the Aviarios Sloth Sanctuary, located about 45 minutes south of Puerto Limon.

The Sanctuary was founded in 1991 by Judy and Luis Arroyo after rescuing their first sloth, Buttercup. In 17 years, the Sanctuary has rescued well over 300 sloths, the majority of which have been rehabilitated and released back into the grounds of the sanctuary, but they are currently caring for approximately 70 sloths.

The tour began with a brief presentation from the Arroyo's grandson and the "sloth ballet" video, which presented the story of the sloth in a humorous and informative manner.

Luis Arroyo with Buttercup

After the video concluded, we were ushered outside to meet the most famous resident - Buttercup herself! Each member of the group had the opportunity to have their picture taken with Buttercup, and then we toured one of the areas where the sloths are rehabilitated and met several other residents, including Millie (aka Millennium), who arrived at the Sanctuary on January 1, 2000 and learned about their care and feeding.

We took a break from the sloths to board 6-passnger canoes for a brief journey through the grounds oof the Sanctuary, up the Estrella River, for plant and wildlife spotting. Our guide did all the paddling and along the way, we saw many birds, beautiful flowers, 2 sloths and a lizard that has the back legs of a frog.

A beautiful day for a peaceful canoe trip

Wildlife Spotting

A lizard with the back legs of a frog

Following the canoe trip, our wonderful guide, Victoria, from Shorex Central America, took us for a walking tour along "The Trail of the Sloth" forest for a look at some additional wildlife.

Victoria shared her knowledge along the "Trail of the Sloth"

Following our tour through the forest, we returned to the Sloth Center for a snack of refreshing fresh-cut fruit and visits with some of the Center's newest (and most adorable) arrivals.. baby sloths.

A brief stop in the gift shop to pick up a "Sloth Crossing" T-Shirt and a Buttercup "Slow is Beautiful" magnet and then we were on our way back to Puerto Limon - a beautiful and informative 45 minute drive along the coast.

The Aviaros Sloth Sanctuary operates soley on donations and the revenue generated by tour group visits. They offer an "Adopt a Sloth" program to allow those who can't visit the opportunity to participate in the care of these magnificent creatures.

I'm glad I had the opportunity to visit this unique place, and I hope to return soon. If you're ever in Costa Rica, a visit to the Sloth Center will be a memorable part of your journey (and the Arroyos offer a bed and breakfast on site, so you can even stay the night) , so be sure to stop by.

Zipping through Costa Rica

2008-05-19T13:05:00-04:00

600 other passengers are still aboard the MV Explorer enjoying the Passport to Central America Enrichment Voyage, but I'm back in the office today after returning to Florida from Costa Rica on Sunday. There are still a few more topics to blog about, so stay tuned for the next three or four days for more posts.

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Friday was a relaxing day at sea, filled with Enrichment Sessions and classic cruise activities like ping pong, bingo and an extremely popular Bridge Tournament. The evening brought a special "woodshed" performance by the Just Olde Friends Barbershop Quartet.

Everyone rested up for what would prove to be two adventure-filled days (and an overnight aboard ship) in Puerto Limon, Costa Rica.

One of the most popular Field Programs was the Canopy Adventure "Zip Line" tour. My colleague, Steve Novello, Senior Director of Product Development for Enrichment Voyages, had the opportunity (and the nerve) to participate. He filed this report:

I’ve been working in the travel industry “forever” and have been fortunate enough to have gone scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef, experience a safari in South Africa, visit the Hermitage in St. Petersburg and to climb the Sydney Bridge in Australia, to name a few. All of these supply me with incredible memories that I reflect on often.

Today, I added yet another great experience that I will be able to reflect on. The Canopy Adventure tour completely blew my mind. Harnessing myself to a zip line and soaring through the rainforest was not simply exciting, but almost spiritual. My group got to see dozens of species of birds and even a sloth. Traveling throught he air for nearly an hour, we got to fly on 13 different lines. “Flying” through the rainforest, above the canopy, is an experience I will always remember.

The staff at this unique Field Program not only ensured a safe event, but they did so with an obvious love of their job.

Steve Novello having the time of his life during

PhotoWave.com / Ryan Kern / Kristin Lowne.

Thanks for sharing, Steve. Sounds like fun!

My Costa Rican adventure was a walk on the mild side... a visit to the world's only Sloth Sanctuary and Rescue center. Look for details -- and incredibly cute pictures -- in the next update.

A Day in San Pedro Sula: A Photo Tour - Part 2

2008-05-16T23:05:00-04:00

Continuing with our photo essay on a Day in San Pedro Sula. We begin with a couple last photos of the banana plantation.

A parrot welcomed us to the Mahogany Factory

The factory itself was not operating that day, but the gift
shop offered up many of the handicrafts - and they
would even ship the larger pieces direct to your home.

A reminder of home on the way to lunch. American
fast food chains are pervasive throughout the city.

We had lunch at a private social club
in the city center.

The opulence of the club contrasted with the povery
found throughout most of the city

Arriving at the Archeological and History Museum

Ryan looks for the perfect shot in San Pedro Sula. With
the exception of this photo (taken by yours truly), all of the
San Pedro Sula pictures are Copyright 2008 PhotoWave.com / Ryan.
Used with permission.

A Day in San Pedro Sula: A Photo Tour - Part 1

2008-05-16T12:25:00-04:00

Yesterday, I journeyed from Puerto Cortes, Honduras inland to San Pedro Sula for a full day city tour. I was accompanied by Ryan Kern, one of the official photographers for this voyage. Ryan and his colleague, Kristin Lowne, represent PhotoWave.com and are taking photos throughout the voyage and during select Field Programs. Additionally, they are taking orders for semi-formal and sunset portraits on two evenings during the sailing. Passengers can visit PhotoWave.com after the sailing to select and purchase candid photos from throughout the cruise.

I'm going to let Ryan's photos speak for themselves, only commenting when necessary to introduce and set the scene.

Our Guide, Miguel

Arriving at the Dole Banana Plantation just outside San Pedro Sula

It's UnBELIZEable!

2008-05-14T22:10:00-04:00

After yesterday's long day in Chichen Itza, I scheduled a brief (but informative) half-day Field Program in Belize City, Belize today.

The Mangrove Tunnels and City Museum tour promised a tour through the Mangrove swamp on a tributary of the Old Belize River and a visit to the City Museum of Belize,

We met our guide, Lizzette, right at the dock after tendering in from the ship. After the whole group gathered, we boarded a small open air boat and took a 15 minute ride along the coast north to Haulover Bridge, making a brief detour to see the private island (and "yachtie" haven) Moho. Along the way, we briefly saw Dolphins and Manatees (though both eluded my camera) and learned a lot about the eco-system in Belize.

We entered the Mangrove Tunnels and Lizzette turned from guide into wildlife spotter, pointing out many different species of birds, lizards and butterflies. My photography skills are lacking, so I wasn't able to snap any good wildlife pictures. We also saw numerous termite mounds high in the air, attached to trees. The termites only eat dead trees, and they do a very good job of keeping the Mangrove swamp free of dead trees.

Our Guide, Lizzette, explains the eco-system of the Mangrove Swamp

An unexpected log in the river necessitated our turning back rather than continuing up river. We disembarked at the Princess Hotel for a brief restroom/bottled water stop, then boarded a bus for the short ride to the City Museum of Belize.

The Museum is housed in the old prison and contains exhibits about the history of Belize City and Belize (formerly British Honduras) in general, including displays about the 1931 and 1965 Hurricanes, a chronological list of major fires in the city and a history of oil exploration in Belize. The upper floor offers a Maya exhibit with artifacts and a lot of interesting displays. Though small, the Museum (and in particular, the Maya exhibit) is well done and presents the history in an interesting an engaging manner.

We spent about an hour at the Museum, then re-boarded our bus for another brief ride back to the tender dock. It was an interesting morning, and I learned quite a bit about a place I knew very little of. As is often said, the guide makes the trip, and Lizzette was great -- knowledgeable, friendly and eager to answer questions. I'm very impressed with the quality of the Field Programs so far.

Other passengers took part in a variety of other Field Programs in Belize; to give you an idea of the wide range of offerings, there were tours to the both the Xumantunich and Lamanai Maya site, a cave tubing and rain-forest walk trip, Snorkeling on a private island, a wildlife adventure along the River that also visited the Belize Zoo, and, the extremely popular Ariel Trek, aka the Zip Line. There will be another Ariel Trek (Canopy Tour) opportunity in Costa Rica, and if we're really lucky, we may have a guest blog entry from a participant on that tour. Stay tuned later in the week.

Back on the ship, a relaxing lunch awaited and I spent a few minutes catching up on the latest news in the computer lab. As I've likely mentioned, Internet Access is free onboard the MV Explorer during Enrichment Voyages, and it's an extremely popular amenity.

Evening brought dinner (a tasty pork cutlet served with potatoes and vegetables and ice cream for desert), a pre-port Enrichment Session for Honduras and Perry Dickison's first featured performance, Songs from the Heart, in the Main Lounge, He has an incredible voice and was an excellent addition to the entertainment line up.

Tomorrow we arrive in Puerto Cortes. Honduras. I have a full day tour to San Pedro Sula scheduled. In addition to the city, I'll visit a banana plantation and a mahogany factory. It should be an interesting day.

Ten Pesos. $1. Almost Free, Amigo!

2008-05-13T23:25:00-04:00

We docked in Cozumel at 6 am this morning. Several hundred passengers has booked Field Programs to tour the Chichen Itza, Tulum and Coba Maya ruins on the mainland. I was part of the largest group that went to Chichen Itza.

We all gathered in the main lounge at 5:50 am to wait for the ship to clear. When it did, we went ashore to board our private ferry to Playa del Carmen.

After a quick 30 minute ferry ride, we arrived and boarded the motorcoaches. . Three coaches and nearly 150 people were bound for Chichen Itza.

Onboard the bus, we met our Mayan guide, Armando. Along the 3 hour ride to the ruins, he shared his knowledge of Mexican and Mayan history and culture with us. He talked about wildlife, geology, horticulture and how the Maya arrived in the Yucatan peninsula.

Upon arrival at the ruins, Armando became our tour guide, and took us to each of the significant sites and shared fascinating insights on how is ancestors lived and worked. He talked about the Mayan calendar and the contributions the Maya made to astrology and the arts. He told us about and showed pictures of the serpent image that appears on the El Castillo pyramid during the Equinoxes in Spring and Fall and the tradition of sacrificing the captain of the winning team to the gods after matches in the cavernous ball court.

The Observatory against a nearly cloudless sky

After the tour, we had about 45 minutes to wander the ruins on our own and bargain with the local Maya selling their handicrafts on site. They are a relentless bunch and throughout the day, the cries of "Ten Pesos. $1. Almost Free, Amigo!" filled the air. I couldn't resist picking up a few bargains.

The Ball Court - the largest in Mezoamerica

We only had about 3 hours on site, so we didn't get to tour everything, but it was a good overview and I know I'm going to be back in the not too distant future to spend more time here and see it all.

Simon in front of the Castle Pyramid. Did you know there's another smaller pyramid inside?

It was a hot and humid afternoon so it was refreshing to reboard the air-conditioned bus for the ride back to Playa del Carmen. When we arrived there, we boarded a public ferry bound for Cozumel, and we arrived just prior to the scheduled departure time of 7 pm. If we had been delayed, though, the ship would have waited for us - it's one of the advantages of booking Field Programs directly through Enrichment Voyages.

Onboard this evening, Food and Beverage Manager Solomon Bacchus and his team prepared a tasty barbecue dinner for us poolside. An Enrichment Session covering pre-port information for Belize and Karaoke Night in the Aventurine lounge rounded out the night.

It was a long and tiring day, but once I was back onboard the MV Explorer, I got to relax and enjoy a great dinner, a few drinks and recharge for our visit to Belize City tomorrow.

I have a Field Program to the Mangrove Tunnels and City Museum booked for the morning. I'm looking forward to sharing the details with you.

Enrichment at Sea

2008-05-13T16:30:00-04:00

Editor's Note: Due to sporadic outages of the ship internet service, this entry, originally filed by Simon on Monday May 12 is being published today. Sorry for the delay.

It was a full "Enrichment at Sea" day today for all the adventurers onboard the MV Explorer.

The morning began with an Introduction to the Enrichment Session experts. Everyone got to meet Dr. Max Brandt, Dr. Allan Schoenherr, Ms. Ciel Duke, and the literature professor, Ms. Toby ZInman. Each of them brings special and unique knowledge to the shipboard community. Dr. Brandt, in addition to lecturing about his specialty, Latin American Music, is also taking on the role of History and Culture professor on the Voyage due to an unexpected cancellation. Music and culture go hand in hand, so I'm confident that we'll learn a lot about the Maya people and Central American history.

I wasn't able to participate, but throughout the day and every "Enrichment at Sea" day, the ship's crew conducted tours of the MV Explorer Bridge. On future Voyages, the bridge tours will be coupled with other activities about cruise ship operation and history as part of the Circles of Interest that will form on those Voyages.

Our Artist-in-Residence, Ciel Duke taught two popular Water Color workshops today. Both filled to capacity and I wasn't able to attend, but the participants all seem to have rave reviews.

Late morning brought an Enrichment Session "From the Poles to the Tropics: Why Animals and Plants live where they Do" with Dr. Schoenherr. He shared some really interesting information with everyone.

Late morning and early afternoon saw a Ping Pong Tournament, an International Folk Dancing class and our first pre-port briefing on the upcoming call on Cozumel, Mexico.

A fun session of Bingo and our talented pianist, Pat Bianco, tickling the ivories in the Piano Bar rounded out the afternoon.

This evening was the first of two semi-formal Captain's Dinners. I had the pleasure of joining MV Explorer Staff Captain Kostas Siamantas and 10 other guests at the Captains' Table for a first seating dinner. We feasted on a spread fit for a king. I tried Pumpkin Soup for the first time (served warn and surprisingly tasty) and enjoyed a delicious stuffed chicken breast and the most incredible Chocolate Mouse for desert. It was a special meal and I want to thank Captain Siamantas for the invitation to dine with him. The food onboard has, with rare exception, been delicious. I'll go into more detail on onboard dining in an upcoming blog entry.

This evening's featured show was an Introduction to the Voyage's entertainers, and it really was treat. Perry Dickison is onboard with his incredible voice, as is Soprano Disella Larusdottir (and her accompanist and husband, Teddy Kernizan), plus Just Olde Friends, a barbershop quartet featuring Max Brandt (he's keeping busy this Voyage!) and three "Olde Friends" from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. Each performer did a 15 minute set this evening, and think we're in store for some great evenings onboard with these talented artists.

For those wanting to stay up late, DJ Blake kept the ship rocking and rolling and the hits playing in the Aventurine Lounge.

It was a full day, and I kept busy trying to attend as many events and activities as possible. But plenty of guests spent the day just relaxing by the pool, having treatments done in the Jade Spa. That's one of the things that makes an Enrichment Voyage unique - you can do as much or as little as you want and still come away with a new perspective.

Tomorrow is an early (6 am) call in Cozumel - I'll spend the day touring the Chichen Itza ruins. Look for a full report (with photos) Tuesday evening.

Inaugurating A Departure From The Ordinary

2008-05-11T23:15:00-04:00

The crew of the MV Explorer worked hard this afternoon to embark over 600 passengers. It's no easy task to get that many people on a ship in just over 3 hours, but the Explorer crew handled every challenge with grace and aplomb. There really is a great crew onboard - they're hard working and happy to help.

After our Muster drill, we pushed back from Prince George Wharf in Nassau promptly at 7 p.m., marking the start of our Inaugural Enrichment Voyage and the beginning of our Passport to Central America adventure.

There's a wide range of folks onboard most are seasoned cruisers but it seems there are a few first timers as well. There's something, no make that a lot, onboard for each group, because an Enrichment Voyage takes most of the favorite elements from a traditional cruise -- relaxation at the Spa, lounging by the pool and delicious food, to name a few - and pairs them with opportunities for learning and discovery.

Our Sea day tomorrow brings the first set of Enrichment Sessions with Dr. Max Brandt and Dr. Allan Schoenherr and two art workshop with Artist-in-residence Ciel Duke. Tomorrow also is the first of two semi-formal nights with the Captain's Welcome Aboard Dinner and The MV Explorer Welcome Aboard show making for a full evening.

Look for "Enrichment At Sea" updates throughout the day tomorrow as we move along at 19.7 knots toward Playa del Carmen.

Getting Underway

2008-05-09T22:45:00-04:00

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!

Welcome to Enrichment Voyages!

2008-05-07T14:37:00-04:00

Welcome to the Enrichment Voyages Blog! We're thrilled you stopped by. We'll be using this space to share news and information about Enrichment Voyages.

Join us here beginning this Friday, May 9 for live reports from the Passport to Central America Enrichment Voyage! I'll be onboard the MV Explorer with nearly 800 fellow voyagers as we call on some of Central America's most interesting ports - Playa del Carmen and Cozumel, Mexico; Belize City, Belize; Puerto Cortes, Honduras and Puerto Limon, Costa Rica - and learn about history, culture and enviornment along the way.

Live Blog Updates begin Friday, May 9, so visit the blog every day to take a Virtual Enrichment Voyage and learn what life is like aboard MV Explorer!