Opinion wanted - guest lecturers

[billco]

We are doing a TA on the Grand next month and will be crossing near the Titanic on April 14, the 98th anniversary. I hope there is a good lecturer aboard on that topic.

[NukeTim]

Wouldn't it be interesting.... if Princess asked passengers upon booking, if that passenger would wish to give a presentation/lecture?

 

Of course, Princess would have to research to be certain of that person's qualifications... perhaps then Princess could send out a questionairre, asking booked passengers, "which of the following topics would you like to attend a presentation for?"

 

Then, the speakers of the most-chosen topics would get a shipboard credit... perhaps a $250 credit to our shipboard account?

 

I could give a talk about radiation and nuclear energy. I know a little on that subject. I do know our lecturer on the Eastern Mediterranean cruise last November was the most boring I've ever been to. I tried twice but walked out after 10 minutes. Don't remember his name for obvious reasons.

[Stuartm]

The problem is that just because someone is an expert on a subject doesn't mean that they are going to give interesting talks.

 

We have sailed the Diamond twice in the last two years on the Sydney-Auckland run and the guest lecturers on the whole were very disappointing.

 

If all you are going to do is recite what it is on the powerpoint display then just let the audience read it.

And when the talk includes happy snaps of your family...please.

 

I figure I could get up and give the talk with more animation......as long as no-one asked any questions afterwards!

 

The most interesting talk so far was on our last cruise. It was give by the Third Officer and was supposed to be about navigations at sea but it also included a lot of interesting technical info about the ship including how the engines ran, how the crew was organized, how they managed water and waste etc. as well as the navigational information.

 

It was very popular and i wondered why they were using the Explorer's Lounge for it and not the Princess Theatre.

Ah, but of course...there was a sales-pitch talk on Australian Opals on in that venue. Money making always comes first!

[AFT_LOVER]

John's books are perfect coffee table shows. He is from NYC and can talk away about that too.

[grandmaa]

We were on the Golden Princess, round trip LA to Hawaii, and had the pleasure of hearing

John Maxtone-Graham in the Princess Theatre most mornings. He is a maritime historian and presents the history of the North Atlantic liners in a wonderful fashion filled with history and humor. He made our trip ever more enjoyable and interesting and we learned something!!!

I realize that this type of series cannot be done with 7 day cruises that are somewhat port intensive but on longer cruises with sea days having an intelligent and fascinating lecturer or series of lecturers on board is a big plus for us.

[Mom33]

We were on the Golden Princess, round trip LA to Hawaii, and had the pleasure of hearing

John Maxtone-Graham in the Princess Theatre most mornings. He is a maritime historian and presents the history of the North Atlantic liners in a wonderful fashion filled with history and humor. He made our trip ever more enjoyable and interesting and we learned something!!!

I realize that this type of series cannot be done with 7 day cruises that are somewhat port intensive but on longer cruises with sea days having an intelligent and fascinating lecturer or series of lecturers on board is a big plus for us.

 

We had the pleasure of meeting John Maxtone-Graham and his wife on our 30 day South Pacific cruise on the Star Princess. :D He is a marvelous speaker and the theater was packed at each of his lectures. How marvelous it would be if he lectured on our TA in April!

[marypat01]

We had the pleasure of meeting John Maxtone-Graham and his wife on our 30 day South Pacific cruise on the Star Princess. :D He is a marvelous speaker and the theater was packed at each of his lectures. How marvelous it would be if he lectured on our TA in April!

 

If he is the same one I am thinking about - he will be 81 years old this year. Way to go, John!

[billie5]

It is striking how long it has taken for the idea to sink in that different lecturers have gotten different deals.

 

Stuart, I agree completely with you. Checking qualifications would tell very little about how good a lecturer is. We heard a native Hawaiian lecturing on Hawaiian history. She had apparently good credentials, but, boy, was she ever dull. She redefined the term monotone. Such a shame.

 

What I don't understand is why these cruise lines do not find outstanding lecturers. It is really very easy to do. Many universities in the United States have rating systems for their faculty -- ratings by the students. These ratings are frequently online and often very detailed as to the quality of the professor's lectures. In fact, the truly superb lecturers are famous within their universities for their teaching ability, and have usually won all sorts of teaching awards. It is not difficult to find retired faculty who had outstanding reviews, and would be a virtually 100% certainty to give outstanding lectures. Hard to believe it could take much effort to recruit some who would enjoy cruising.

 

Bill

[DGSFlorida]

FYI - The guest lectureres do not get the cruise free. They do get a heavily discounted fare and air to get there. They must pay full fare for theor spouses ifnthey come and their airfare. Thhey are obligated to provide a lecture on all sea days.

 

WRONG! We have had the pleasure to share a dinner table with a guest lecturer and his wife aboard the Royal for 13 days as well as discussing this with 2 other lecturers and also the person running the bridge program on a TA cruise. In all cases they shared that they cruised and traveled free to the ports. There were times that their cruises were cancelled if a suitable cabin was not available. They could end up in either a passenger, officer, or crew cabin depending on availability. They also were able to go along on various tours without charge like a staff assistant when an opening was available Most were a bit "cruised out" due to the number of cruises taken.

[caribill]

The longer voyages (trans-Atlantic, South America, etc.) tend to have more lecturers with more varied topics. Some examples of lecture topics I remember on Princess:

a) A former member of the Los Angeles district attorney's office taking about high profile cases his office handled.

b) How to become a movie actor.

c) Navigation in Antarctica waters

d) Astronomy

 

Of course, cruises to Alaska and through the Panama Canal have (usually) good lectures on the areas.

 

Of course, what just about what everybody on this thread will agree on is that sales pitches masked as port lectures are a total waste of passengers' time.

 

I know on one cruise last year, a guest lecturer had to pay to be on shore excursions, but did receive a discount of some sort on them.

[billet]

WRONG!

Whatever happened to tact and diplomacy? It may be your experience that has given you the impression of how lecturers are reimbursed however someone else is still entitled to express what they now without being shouted at surely?

Since some lecturers use agents who negotiate with the cruise line and some lecturers deal directly with the head office there are many different permutations of how the reimbursement package is worked out.

Some of those details are also confidential so the lecturer may just make a simple statement to move past an awkward moment since it is like asking what their salary is.

[Maraprince]

How or whether or not the lecture(s) is compensated is not the question.

 

The problem seems to be compromising education for profits. Too many of the lectures are geared to ship sponsored stores in each of the ports and are given by the shopping expert (or whatever they choose to call themselves) or the CD.

 

Plus, doing shorter, port almost everyday, sailings do not lend themselves to more than 2 sea days on some itineraries. So everything is ramped up and compressed into those limited sea days with the emphasis on shopping rather than the history of the ports or the area where you are visitings.

 

Any time a naturalist is on board (Alaska, Panama Canal, etc.) you get information on the history of the area and its unique features and wildlife. Even on the Canada/NE cruises I have wished to know more about the geological history of the area I was visiting rather than where I should be shopping for the best buys.

 

Shopping cannot be escaped entirely, but there is more to do in the ports than just shop. Tell me what the history is, how the land was formed, etc.

 

Please clearly make a distinction of what is really just a shopping talk and what isn't. If I know it is just a "shopping" talk, I will not be disappointed and expecting more.

 

Give me some financial points I can use when I return back home. Give me some art or cultural history that I will not get on a tour.

 

And if this is not possible on my sailing, please, please, please keep the shopping tours to 30-45 minutes and not 90 minutes. Time is too precious to hear the same pitch for the same chain stores in each of the ports and which celebrity has endorsed what watch brand.:rolleyes:

 

MARAPRINCE

[macy222]

Other than Bridge and Computers one can apply directly to Princess.

 

http://www.princess.com/employment/onboard_employment/information/entertainment/info/enrichment_lecturers.html

 

 

Thanks for the link and the clarification Cruisin36! Sounds like guest lecturer's and their companion do get to cruise free! :D

 

"Guest lecturers are not paid, but enjoy passenger status onboard and are provided a complimentary cabin for themselves and a companion. All presentations must be accompanied by a PowerPoint slideshow. Guest enrichment lecturers must provide their own laptop computer for this purpose. Preferred topics include, but are not limited to: Cultural History (relating to itinerary), Maritime History, Astronomy, World Exploration, Earth Sciences, Marine life, Wildlife, Environmental Sciences, Archaeology, Sociology and Anthropology.

 

Interested candidates should apply by submitting their resume, proposed presentation titles and description to:

 

Manager Enrichment Programs

Princess Cruises

24844 Avenue Rockefeller

Santa Clarita, CA 91355-1283"

[marypat01]

Thanks for the link and the clarification Cruisin36! Sounds like guest lecturer's and their companion do get to cruise free! :D

 

 

The educational programs definitely DO NOT INCLUDE the shopping talks.

 

The programs could be a mix of agency contracts, direct contractor (such as me, for individual cruises), longer term contracts (usually 3 months), or crew members (I know on one of the cruises I was contracted on, a crew member was doing origami classes). Photography courses are generally (emphasis) part of the photography contractor doing all the gantry, dinner, formal, etc. portraits. I THINK the computer courses are either crew or, again, longer term 3rd party contractors.

 

At least with Princess I will not do a Port Destination talk telling people what to do and where to go. There are crew members (usually CD staff) who talks about that stuff. I provide SUPPORTIVE educational / entertainment lectures - thus Pirates in the Caribbean, Bermuda Triangle, Atlantis, etc (yes, I do mainly Caribbean cruises). We tailor our talks about the areas we are cruising. For example. I will do the Bermuda Triangle talk ONLY when we are in the Bermuda Triangle.

 

And, all things being equal (riiiiiight) some lecturers are better than others. I would strongly suggest if a particular lecturer is good or bad, put that on your comment cards at the end of a cruise. The California office does pay attention to them.

 

And, if you have any topics you would greatly appreciate, let them know that also. I am always open to suggestions and would readily consider any suggestion. I like cruising as a speaker and want to do it for years to come, but I will be able to do so only if I keep my fellow passengers happy! So, make your suggestions, but keep in mind (for me) I hope to be doing Caribbean and Panama Canal for the next few years.

 

Sincerely,

 

Patrick

[billet]

The educational programs definitely DO NOT INCLUDE the shopping talks.

 

The programs could be a mix of agency contracts, direct contractor (such as me, for individual cruises), longer term contracts (usually 3 months), or crew members (I know on one of the cruises I was contracted on, a crew member was doing origami classes). Photography courses are generally (emphasis) part of the photography contractor doing all the gantry, dinner, formal, etc. portraits. I THINK the computer courses are either crew or, again, longer term 3rd party contractors.

 

 

I agree and I also said that the lecturers come from a mix of sources in an earlier post. Computer classes, computers@sea, are all run by an entertainment agent with contracted trainers.