Famous faces and noteworthy names make fascinating company on an ocean voyage. On board, stars of stage and screen and performers of international stature with bona fide box-office appeal not only grace the stage and command the spotlight, but also share drinks, meals and informal times around the ship and possibly adventures ashore.
Food and wine are subjects guaranteed to whet your appetite for inside information. Celebrated chefs, winemakers, critics, restaurateurs, growers and others with gastronomic expertise will share their insights, recipes and anecdotes both in formal demonstrations and off-the-cuff discussions over drinks or at the table. Marisol Simon
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Jeremy Bitz is a television executive and journalist within the television news industry in New York City. During 2008, Jeremy spearheaded over 2 years of coverage of the United States Presidential election and spent much of that time traveling with the candidates from both parties as they ran their campaigns. This was the second Presidential election that Jeremy produced following his time on the 2004 campaign with President George Bush and Senator John Kerry. Seabourn ConversationsCulture & Destination |
The primary stimulus for travel is to see new places, and to learn about them and the people you find there. Discovery is half the fun, but knowing a little before you arrive can also enrich the experience. We bring worldly-wise and knowledgeable specialists on board to answer all your questions, and maybe pose a few you hadn’t even thought to ask.
Gerry Lucas
Destination Expert
Seabourn Legend: 27 July 2013 – 26 August 2013
Teaches and researches in geology, remote sensing and GIS (geographical information systems) at a British university where he holds a tenured position. A specialist in digital education he has presented at international conferences and authored numerous publications. He has also set up and now heads an international ecological consultancy dedicated to conserving the biodiversity of quarries and other disturbed landscapes, which is one of his major research interests.
Fieldwork in geology has always been a passion and he has led numerous worldwide expeditions for his students and research colleagues to active volcanoes and desert lands.
Gerry as he likes to be known has sailed for all of the major cruise lines as both a destination and enrichment lecturer. His specialist areas cover the North Atlantic and Caribbean seas, the Baltic and all of the Mediterranean ports.
10-day italy and maltese magic 10-day mediterranean gems 10-day italy and maltese magic
Stefan White
Destination Expert
Seabourn Legend: 25 September 2013 – 5 October 2013
Stefan White is a young-at-heart Englishman recently retired from a successful entrepreneurial business career.
Travel has always features strongly in his life – at last count he had visited 53 different countries worldwide on business and for pleasure. Following his retirement, he combined his love for travel and business acumen into becoming a successful shipboard lecturer.
When not traveling, Stefan pursues his other passions of golf, wine and gardening. He has a fine private library of more than 600 golf books, assembled and purchased over a period of 30 years to research the subject. He is author of golfing history articles and books including “The Development of the Golf Club”, “The Development of the Golf Ball” and “Putting – the Essential, Gentle Art”.
He has also authored 2 booklets on wine: “Become a Wine Expert in 30 minutes” and, a sister publication, “Become a Champagne Expert in 30 minutes”.
His interest in gardening simply stems from his efforts to develop, control and enjoy his own Berkshire garden. He has given talks to several Gardening Societies and is particularly interested in early garden history. He is Founder and Chairman of The Hurley Cucurbitaceae Club, a gardening society and he is on the Register of Speakers of The Royal Horticultural Society.
Stefan and his wife, Erica, live in Berkshire, UK.
Richard Turnbull
Destination Expert
Seabourn Legend: 23 December 2013 – 6 January 2014
Martyn Green
Destination Expert
Seabourn Odyssey: 7 June 2013 - 15 June 2013
Born and educated in the Yorkshire Dales, Martyn Green has been travelling since the day he joined the Royal Air Force as an apprentice aged sixteen. Now a travel writer and photographer with the International Press Association, he has published a number of articles in the travel press and lectured about ships’ destinations on six world cruises and on numerous shorter voyages on six continents – seven, if you include Antarctica. His richly illustrated presentations will celebrate the history, culture, and unique sights of our Mediterranean ports of call.
The RAF took Martyn to stations in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Sri Lanka. In the Maldives he worked as an announcer/DJ and programme producer on ‘Radio Gan’. Returning to England, he made a couple of television appearances, as an actor, in YTV’s Cluff of the Dales before joining British Airways’ long haul division. Finally, married to Lesley and with daughter Melinda on the way, he settled down – at least for a few years – and ran a number of successful businesses in the frozen food industry. Retiring early, he now travels the world taking photographs and collecting information. For the last ten years he has enjoyed passing on his knowledge to cruise ship guests.
Geoff DeVito
Destination Expert
Seabourn Odyssey: 22 June 2013 - 6 June 2013
Geoff DeVito is a Travel Anthropologist who specializes in costal tourism and development. Geoff was raised in rural New Hampshire where he spent his formative years enthralled with the world’s great explorers and travelers. This love of exploration would influence his educational experience and Geoff would achieve a Masters degree, in Social Anthropology, from University of St. Andrews, Scotland, in 1999.
Over the last ten years Geoff has worked in many areas of the tourism industry, both on land and at sea. His work and travels have taken him to all continents and nearly two thirds of the countries on earth. Combining his joint passions Geoff recently achieved another Anthropology Masters, this time with a special focus on the Anthropology of Travel, Tourism and Pilgrimage. These studies were undertaken at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London, England under the guidance of Professor Tom Selwyn. Geoff continues to work with SOAS in varied capacities and is involved with various consulting projects from his London base.
During this voyage, Geoff will speak to a variety of topics, bringing together legends, histories, culture and heritage of our destinations.
Richard Turnbull
Destination Expert
Seabourn Odyssey: 27 July 2013 – 17 August 2013
Roger Luckenbach
Destination Expert
Seabourn Odyssey: 5 October 2013 - 29 October 2013
Dr. Roger Luckenbach combines a unique background in academics, field research, adventure travel, and video production. His witty and richly-illustrated presentations will enrich every traveler’s experience.
During a career that spans every level of higher education at such institutions as the University of California, Santa Cruz, Utah Valley University, and Mt. Hood College, Dr. Luckenbach taught over forty different courses ranging from cultural anthropology to wildlife ecology and marine biology.
While an undergraduate, Roger founded a series of outdoor adventure programs for Berkeley and for the University of Oregon, leading many himself. A NAUI Divemaster, he is also a licensed whitewater rafting and sea-kayaking guide who routinely leads trips from Baja California to Alaska.
Roger has worked for the Smithsonian Institution and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. An accomplished underwater photographer and videographer, he has help produced several full-length documentaries for Sea Studies in Monterey, CA and for the National Geographic Society.
Hassan Eltaher
Middle East Expert
Seabourn Odyssey: 12 October 2013 – 30 October 2013
Mr. Eltaher is a published writer, university lecturer and former diplomat specialized in intercultural and international issues, specifically those related to the Mediterranean region and the Arab world. He was raised in Egypt, but has also lived and worked for many years in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Tunisia, Morocco and the USA before settling in Canada in 1980.
Before taking early retirement in 2006, Mr. Eltaher was the Senior Analyst for Arab and Middle Eastern Affairs with the Government of Canada, then Chief, Civil Aviation Security, and Chief, Marine Security Strategic Planning with the Canadian Department of Transport. Prior to that he worked for the airline industry.
Mr. Eltaher’s academic background includes a B.A. in Political Studies and International Relations from the American University of Beirut, and an MBA in Aviation Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in the USA. He speaks five languages, and currently offers pre-deployment intercultural training and briefings through the Canadian Foreign Service Institute to Canadian diplomats, military and security personnel as well as to private sector corporate officers traveling to the Middle East and North Africa.
Gavin McLean
Destination Expert and Maritime Historian
Seabourn Odyssey: 23 December 2013 – 10 January 2014
An historian with the Ministry for Culture and Heritage in Wellington, New Zealand, Dr. Gavin McLean has written nearly 50 books on diverse topics and worked on a number of heritage projects. In 2012, he completed a book on First World War hospital ships and produced the historical texts for the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Visitor Center at Government House in Wellington, which was opened by HRH Prince Charles.
Gavin’s many maritime works include Captain’s Log, which partnered the 2001 TV series of the same name. In 2005 he co-edited a massive national history, Frontier of Dreams: The Story of New Zealand, and appeared in the accompanying 13-part TV series, the country’s most ambitious documentary in 25 years.
His heritage background makes Gavin a natural at bringing history alive at the places where it took place, and he is a regular speaker with heritage and community groups. He earned his Ph.D. in History from the University of Otago.
Abilio Menendez
Destination Expert
Seabourn Pride: 3 May 2013 - 13 May 2013
Abilio hails from the tropical Isthmus of Panama and spends his time between Spain and Panama while not at sea. After following University Studies in Barcelona he transferred to Florida State University where he received his Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs.
A few years later he completed a post graduate certificate in Leadership in International Business at Georgetown University. During his school years he completed an internship at the Organization of American States in the department of Human Rights and represented the Hispanic youth in the International Youth Year at the United Nations. After graduating from University he took a position in Washington DC doing research and lobbying for a Hispanic think tank. During his time off he would work as a Naturalist traveling thru Panama, Antarctica and the Amazon. His passion for travel and history has taken him around the world several times. He is excited to share with you the treasures of Southeast Asia, India and the Middle East.
Bard Kolltveit
Scandinavia Expert
Seabourn Pride: 22 June 2013 – 4 July 2013
Ian Cox
Destination Expert
Seabourn Pride: 6 August 2013 – 16 September 2013
Ian Cox started his career as a geographer and taught in schools and colleges in the north of England before moving on to work at Cambridge University as an administrator. In his 30"s he converted a life long love of art and antiques into a full-time career by studying for a Master"s degree in Scotland. He went on to become Director of the Christie"s Decorative Arts Programme based in the History of Art department at Glasgow Univeristy and later on became Director of Studies at Christie"s Education in London. Now semi-retired Ian is currently Director of the Victorian Society of America London Summer School and the Christie"s Decorative Arts Summer School in New York. He has published widely in the decorative arts on furniture, interiors and ceramic history and has been a guest lecturer on several Seabourn cruises to the Baltic and Mediterranean.
12-day baltic capitals and russia 29-day baltic capitals and british isles
Ronald Sampson
Destination Expert
Seabourn Pride: 1 September 2013 – 16 September 2013
Ronald (Ronnie) Sampson CBE is Scots born and educated. He started life as a professional soldier with the Parachute Regiment, and then was commissioned to Royal Signals. He served with the Royal West African Frontier Force, was attached to US and Danish forces and saw service in the Middle East, the Far East, Germany & Ulster.
On retirement from the Army he began a career in government service, becoming Chief Executive Officer of various government bodies mainly associated with employment and tourism. He set up offices in Europe, Japan and in various US States. In 1988 while seconded to the Foreign Office from the Department of Trade the Honourable Ronald Sampson assumed the role of Chief Executive of the Falkland Islands Government. This post included some responsibility for South Georgia and Antarctica. For six years he was the head of the Civil Service and chief government spokesman. He traveled extensively promoting Falkland Islands sovereignty and the development of the Falklands fisheries and offshore exploration. As Deputy Governor he performed the task of Acting Governor for 388 days during this period.
In 1995 he was invested as a Commander of the British Empire for Diplomatic Services. He has been heavily involved in conferencing, editorial services, corporate videos, lectures and presentations. He is an author and CD’s of his talks have been produced.
He first began giving lectures on cruise ships in the Falklands, when he would give talks on visiting ships. In addition to cruise ships he has lectured to the English Speaking Union at home and abroad. Whilst in the Army he was an official spokesman and had considerable TV exposure in a key role in Northern Ireland. This continued in various government posts, working closely at levels up to Secretaries of State. He remains in demand as a speaker at luncheon clubs and after dinner events. As a Rotarian he is regularly called upon for speaking duties. He is involved in fundraising for a hospice, also Army and maritime charities.
Peter Quatermaine
Cultural Historian and Author
Seabourn Pride: 20 October 2013 – 30 October 2013
Formerly a Fellow of The Royal Society of Arts and a Research Director and Senior Lecturer at the University of Exeter, Dr. Peter Quartermaine has lectured throughout the world on art, architecture, photography, and modern literature. Now early retired from academic life, he divides his time between writing and travelling – especially in the Mediterranean area.
Dr. Quartermaine earned his Doctorate in Photography and the Visual Arts with research in Australia, and has held research fellowships in Canberra, Miami Beach, Perth and Venice. A Research Associate of London’s National Maritime Museum and an Associate Fellow of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA), his most recent book, Cruise: Identity, Design and Culture, was published in 2006.
Peter’s richly-illustrated presentations – comprising many images from his own extensive collection – will celebrate the long histories, spectacular public buildings, and contemporary charms of our Mediterranean destinations.
Michael Teitelbaum
Demographer
Seabourn Quest: 3 May 2013 – 13 May 2013
Michael S. Teitelbaum is Wertheim Fellow at Harvard Law School and Senior Advisor to the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation in New York. Until recently he was Vice President of the Sloan Foundation. He is a demographer, with research interests that include the causes and consequences of very low fertility rates; the processes and implications of international migration; and patterns and trends in science and engineering labor markets in the U.S. and elsewhere. He is the author or editor of 10 books and a large number of articles on these subjects. Previously he was a faculty member at Princeton and Oxford Universities. Among other roles he has been Staff Director of the Select Committee on Population of the U.S House of Representatives, and Vice Chair and Acting Chair of the U.S. Commission on Immigration Reform. He was educated at Reed College and at Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar.
Andrew Johnson
Cultural Speaker
Seabourn Quest: 3 June 2013 – 18 June 2013
Andrew is an international corporate executive with a high reputation for leading change in a multi-cultural environment. After graduation (in Business Administration) he worked in the international travel industry followed by 20 years in the auto clubs, including Chief Executive, coordinating the activities of the clubs in 37 European markets (the European equivalent to the AAA of North America). He is widely travelled. He now shares his observations on cultural diversity and European culture as a Keynote Speaker, Executive Mentor and Strategic Consultant. His focus is on People, their Behaviors and Travels - and their effects on the world today. Andrew is the author of “Under Latin Skies” the tale of the couple’s first foray into life in a Latin culture
Abilio Menendez
Destination Expert
Seabourn Quest: 3 June 2013 - 18 June 2013
Abilio hails from the tropical Isthmus of Panama and spends his time between Spain and Panama while not at sea. After following University Studies in Barcelona he transferred to Florida State University where he received his Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs.
A few years later he completed a post graduate certificate in Leadership in International Business at Georgetown University. During his school years he completed an internship at the Organization of American States in the department of Human Rights and represented the Hispanic youth in the International Youth Year at the United Nations. After graduating from University he took a position in Washington DC doing research and lobbying for a Hispanic think tank. During his time off he would work as a Naturalist traveling thru Panama, Antarctica and the Amazon. His passion for travel and history has taken him around the world several times. He is excited to share with you the treasures of Southeast Asia, India and the Middle East.
Lewis Falb
Destination Expert
Seabourn Quest: 18 June 2013 – 18 July 2013
Lewis W. Falb is a retired college professor and academic administrator. He served as Senior Director of the Division of Arts, Sciences, and Humanities at New York University’s School of Continuing Education. Before that he was Associate Dean of the Adult Division of the New School for Social Research as well as its Director of Programs in Humanities and Theater. He was a Fulbright Scholar in Paris, and after earning his doctorate at Yale, he taught courses in French and Comparative Literature at Yale, Vassar, and Boston University.
He is the author of several books on French and American theater as well as publications on the life and work of Sarah Bernhardt. Professor Falb has been a guest speaker on cultural history at Sotheby’s in New York and a lecturer on cruise ships for the past 15 years.
Gerald Pinciss
Destination Expert
Seabourn Quest: 18 June 2013 – 18 July 2013
Gerald M. Pinciss is Professor Emeritus of English at Hunter College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. He was a Leopold Schepp Fellow at Dartmouth College and received his PhD at Columbia with a William Bayard Cutting dissertation fellowship. At Hunter he served both as Chairman of the English Department and as the director of grants from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities. He is the author of several books on Shakespeare and the drama of the English Renaissance, including Literary Creations and Forbidden Matter, as well as co-author of Explorations in the Arts and Shakespeare’s World. His most recent study, Why Shakespeare, was published in April 2005. Professor Pinciss has been a special interest lecturer on cruise ships for the past 15 years.
John Stackhouse
Destination Expert
Seabourn Sojourn: 4 June 2013 – 18 June 2013
Prof. John Stackhouse (Ph.D., The University of Chicago) holds the Sangwoo Youtong Chee Chair at Regent College, an international graduate school affiliated with one of Canada"s premier universities, the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. Formerly he served as Professor of European History at Northwestern College in the United States. He is the author or editor of eleven books (including three with the Oxford University Press) and has published more than 500 articles, book chapters, and reviews. His special interest, however, is conveying the scholarship of the academy to a wide range of audiences, whether the top 100 executives of a Korean life insurance company or the medical staff of a major Canadian hospital, a teachers conference in Malaysia or an interfaith conference in Israel, a conference of CEOs on a cruise ship in the Caribbean or a study group of lawyers in the mountains of Colorado, and university audiences from Edinburgh to Stanford and from Yale to Fudan. His work has been featured on major North American TV networks (ABC, NBC, PBS, CBC, CTV, and Global) and in print media as diverse as The New York Times, The Washington Post, Time, The Atlantic Monthly, The Times Literary Supplement, and Reader"s Digest. He lives in the mountains north of Vancouver, where he hikes and skis with his family and occasionally performs jazz on piano, guitar, bass, or trumpet.
7-day st petersburg and the baltic 7-day the baltic and st petersburg
Paul du Quenoy
Destination Expert
Seabourn Sojourn: 13 August 2013 – 24 August 2013
Paul du Quenoy is a professor in the Department of History and Archaeology at the American University of Beirut, where he specializes in European and World History. Prior to his assumption of this post, he taught history at Georgetown University and the American University in Cairo. He has also been a fellow of the National Endowment for the Arts in Washington, DC and the Fulbright-Hays program in St. Petersburg, Russia. Professor du Quenoy’s first book, Stage Fright: Politics and the Performing Arts in Late Imperial Russia, was published in 2009 and his second, Wagner and the French Muse: Music, Society, and Nation in Modern France appeared in 2011. He has also published two edited books as well as numerous scholarly articles. In addition to his academic pursuits, Professor du Quenoy frequently lectures on cultural topics for arts institutions and works as a free lance music critic in the great theatrical capitals of the world. A native of Florida, he has lived and traveled widely around the world.
Nikki Sepsas
Destination Expert
Seabourn Sojourn: 17 November 2013 - 7 December 2013
A pen and a passport have been the tools of the trade for Niki Sepsas for most of his life. Realizing at an early age that he had a problem keeping the seat of his pants attached to the seat of a chair, Niki succumbed to this curious personality disorder and decided to ramble down the road marked “Uncertain.” After college at West Point and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Niki served in the army before embarking on a thirty-year travel career that has taken him to more than 160 countries on the world’s seven continents.
Niki began fueling his passion for adventure by signing on to work on offshore oil drilling rigs operating in Alaska’s Arctic Ocean, Southeast Asia, the North Sea, and the Middle East.
He later began working as a freelance tour guide and tour manager carrying groups to Europe, Africa, South America, Asia, and throughout North America. Companies he worked for offered everything from round-the-world cruises to adventure travel programs in some of the most remote corners of the globe. Addicted to the life of a rootless wanderer, he logged thousands of miles climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, hot air ballooning across the Serengeti, sea kayaking in Iceland, camel trips through the Australian outback, trekking in the Himalayas, slogging through the Amazonian rainforest, drifting down the Nile on a felucca, and hiking the Peruvian Andes to Machu Picchu. When he realized that he enjoyed climbing the hills as much as he enjoyed discovering what lay just beyond, he began working as a freelance writer documenting the world of wonders that beckons to each of us.
As a writer, Niki has had almost 900 articles published in more than fifty national, regional, and local magazines and newspapers. He is a contributing author to the Chicken Soup for the Soul series of books where one of his stories was adapted into a short film that aired on PAX Television. In addition to having written a dozen coffee table books and three personal memoirs, Niki’s first novel, Song of the Gypsy, was published in 2003 and is set in the wild mountains of the Peloponnesos region of Greece.
When he is not seeking out and writing about the world’s wild and scenic places, Niki makes his home in Birmingham, Alabama. He also spends approximately eight months each year as a lecturer aboard cruise ships plying the world’s oceans. When not writing or cruising, Niki can be found climbing, kayaking, ballroom dancing, or camping somewhere searching for the perfect sunset.
Martyn Green
Destination Expert
Seabourn Spirit: 2 May 2013 - 11 June 2013
Born and educated in the Yorkshire Dales, Martyn Green has been travelling since the day he joined the Royal Air Force as an apprentice aged sixteen. Now a travel writer and photographer with the International Press Association, he has published a number of articles in the travel press and lectured about ships’ destinations on six world cruises and on numerous shorter voyages on six continents – seven, if you include Antarctica. His richly illustrated presentations will celebrate the history, culture, and unique sights of our Mediterranean ports of call.
The RAF took Martyn to stations in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Sri Lanka. In the Maldives he worked as an announcer/DJ and programme producer on ‘Radio Gan’. Returning to England, he made a couple of television appearances, as an actor, in YTV’s Cluff of the Dales before joining British Airways’ long haul division. Finally, married to Lesley and with daughter Melinda on the way, he settled down – at least for a few years – and ran a number of successful businesses in the frozen food industry. Retiring early, he now travels the world taking photographs and collecting information. For the last ten years he has enjoyed passing on his knowledge to cruise ship guests.
Ronald Sampson
Destination Expert
Seabourn Spirit: 11 June 2013 – 2 July 2013
Ronald (Ronnie) Sampson CBE is Scots born and educated. He started life as a professional soldier with the Parachute Regiment, and then was commissioned to Royal Signals. He served with the Royal West African Frontier Force, was attached to US and Danish forces and saw service in the Middle East, the Far East, Germany & Ulster.
On retirement from the Army he began a career in government service, becoming Chief Executive Officer of various government bodies mainly associated with employment and tourism. He set up offices in Europe, Japan and in various US States. In 1988 while seconded to the Foreign Office from the Department of Trade the Honourable Ronald Sampson assumed the role of Chief Executive of the Falkland Islands Government. This post included some responsibility for South Georgia and Antarctica. For six years he was the head of the Civil Service and chief government spokesman. He traveled extensively promoting Falkland Islands sovereignty and the development of the Falklands fisheries and offshore exploration. As Deputy Governor he performed the task of Acting Governor for 388 days during this period.
In 1995 he was invested as a Commander of the British Empire for Diplomatic Services. He has been heavily involved in conferencing, editorial services, corporate videos, lectures and presentations. He is an author and CD’s of his talks have been produced.
He first began giving lectures on cruise ships in the Falklands, when he would give talks on visiting ships. In addition to cruise ships he has lectured to the English Speaking Union at home and abroad. Whilst in the Army he was an official spokesman and had considerable TV exposure in a key role in Northern Ireland. This continued in various government posts, working closely at levels up to Secretaries of State. He remains in demand as a speaker at luncheon clubs and after dinner events. As a Rotarian he is regularly called upon for speaking duties. He is involved in fundraising for a hospice, also Army and maritime charities.
Bard Kolltveit
Destination Expert
Seabourn Spirit: 3 September 2013 - 14 September 2013
Warren Fahey
Destination Expert
Seabourn Spirit: 14 September 2013 – 5 October 2013
Warren Fahey is an internationally recognized cultural historian, prolific author and performer specializing in the ‘curious’ side of history and folklore. His talks, always illuminating and entertaining, are full of energy and humor as he firmly presses nostalgia buttons whilst exploring his favorite subjects of music, maritime history, food and entertainment. In his native Australia he has been recognized with his country’s highest honors including the Order of Australia (AM), Prime Minister’s Centennial Medal and, in 2010, the government’s Banks Music Award for lifetime contribution to the arts. He is the author of 17 books and producer of countless historic recordings and films. In 2011 Harper Collins published his first three enhanced e-books.
Robert Schonfeld
Destination Expert
Seabourn Spirit: 5 October 2013 – 27 October 2013
Jo-Ann Shelton
Destination Expert
Seabourn Spirit: 27 October 2013 – 10 Novemeber 2013
Seabourn ConversationsCurrent Affairs & History |
Crossing borders generally piques an interest in battles, boundaries and bottom-lines. It’s always handy to have a historian, an economist or a political scientist around to shed some light on what happened, why, and to whom. Our experts are diplomats, scholars and military figures, with unusual experience and sometimes unconventional views that are sure to intrigue you.
Richard Martin
Historian
Seabourn Legend: 17 July 2013 – 27 July 2013
Richard Martin has been lecturing aboard ships for most of his professional life. He was born in Pinner, Middlesex and educated at Latymer Upper School in West London, before going up to St. John’s College, Oxford to read Modern History. Before being ordained as an Anglican priest in 1985, he taught English and History for ten years at Harrow School. Most recently, he was Chaplain and Head of Theology at Magdalen College School, Oxford. When he isn’t sailing the seven seas, he assists in the historic parish of St Barnabas, Oxford.
Richard lectures on historical subjects and also specializes in Art and Architecture in European, Baltic, Mediterranean and North and South Atlantic ports and destinations. He is a frequent visitor to Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Scandinavia and Greece. He has been English Chaplain at All Saints', San Remo, on the Italian Riviera, and has led many tours to Italy, France, Spain and Portugal specializing in Art and Architecture, as well as pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostella and Assisi. He is a long-standing member of the British-Italian Society and the Oxford Italian Association.
Paula Smith
Historian
Seabourn Legend: 7 November 2013 – 25 November 2013
Born in Oxford, England, Paula studied History and Anthropology at London University. After obtaining her degrees, she was awarded a Research Fellowship in Medieval English History.
Married to Benjamin Smith, Artist and Photographer, she moved to Mallorca in the Balearic Islands in 1975 so that she would have the time and space to write and Ben had perfect conditions in which to paint. They lived on this beautiful Island for over 24 years, and still return every year.
Paula has lectured on many cruise ships during the past 25 years, and has contributed to several newspapers and magazines. Her latest work, A History of the Mediterranean Peoples is in progress at present. Her expertise has often been utilised in the making of historial documentaries for both TV and film.
As well as living in Mallorca, Paula has spent considerable time in the Pacific, and was at one time Consultant to the Fiji Tourist Bureau. Eight years ago Paula and Ben purchased a house in New Zealand so that Paula could make a specific Study of the Maori People. She has also written articles on The Life of Chopin, Napoleon Bonaparte, Picasso... his life and loves, The Life and times of Captain James Cook and The Story of Edvard Greig.
British Television has offered Paula her own TV Show, and she has appeared several times on Spanish TV and Radio. Loving history as she does, Paula is always able to impart her enthusiasm to her audiences.
Robert Warne
Foreign Affairs Expert
Seabourn Legend: 9 December 2013 – 23 December 2013
Specializing in international economics at the US State Department, Rob Warne held a variety of posts at Buenos Aires, Paris, Brussels, Kingston, and Saigon. He was officer-in-charge of trade, development and financial policy at the US Mission to the European Union in Brussels and Counselor for Economic, Trade, Agriculture, Energy and Labor Affairs at the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris.
For ten years, Mr. Warne was President of the Korea Economic Institute of America, a Washington, DC-based think tank. Since 2000, he has been a university professor at four Korean universities. He is the Chair of the Korean Advanced Area Studies program at the State Department’s Foreign Service Institute.
As an Army officer, Mr. Warne spent two years as battery commander and executive officer at Fort Sill, OK. A graduate of Princeton's Woodrow Wilson School for International and Public Affairs, he received an advanced degree in economics at The Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.
Dr. James Valle
Historian
Seabourn Odyssey: 12 May 2013 - 26 May 2013
Dr. Jim Valle enjoyed a long career as Professor of History at Delaware State University, serving two terms as chairman of the Department of History and Political Science. He has published two books – The Iron Horse at War, a railroad history, and Rocks and Shoals: Naval Discipline in the Age of Fighting Sails.
In his extensive travels in the Mediterranean, Dr. Valle has especially enjoyed visiting historical sites, preserved and restored mansions, villages, industrial plants, and railroads. He has also participated in tall ship voyages and nautical archaeology expeditions. His richly illustrated presentations will bring alive the histories of Corsica, Sardinia, Malta, and Italy and celebrate the ancient sites and architectural achievements of Valletta, Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Rome.
Jim received his baccalaureate degree in History from San Francisco State University; his Master's in History from the University of California, Los Angeles; and his doctorate in Maritime and Naval History from the University of Delaware. His hobbies include model railroading, boating, book collecting, and painting with acrylics and watercolors.
Peter Quartermaine
Cultural Historian and Author
Seabourn Odyssey: 17 August 2013 – 7 September 2013
Formerly a Fellow of The Royal Society of Arts and a Research Director and Senior Lecturer at the University of Exeter, Dr. Peter Quartermaine has lectured throughout the world on art, architecture, photography, and modern literature. Now early retired from academic life, he divides his time between writing and travelling – especially in the Mediterranean area.
Dr. Quartermaine earned his Doctorate in Photography and the Visual Arts with research in Australia, and has held research fellowships in Canberra, Miami Beach, Perth and Venice. A Research Associate of London’s National Maritime Museum and an Associate Fellow of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA), his most recent book, Cruise: Identity, Design and Culture, was published in 2006.
Peter’s richly-illustrated presentations – comprising many images from his own extensive collection – will celebrate the long histories, spectacular public buildings, and contemporary charms of our Mediterranean destinations.
Robert Warne
Foreign Affairs Expert
Seabourn Odyssey: 30 October 2013 – 15 November 2013
Specializing in international economics at the US State Department, Rob Warne held a variety of posts at Buenos Aires, Paris, Brussels, Kingston, and Saigon. He was officer-in-charge of trade, development and financial policy at the US Mission to the European Union in Brussels and Counselor for Economic, Trade, Agriculture, Energy and Labor Affairs at the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris.
For ten years, Mr. Warne was President of the Korea Economic Institute of America, a Washington, DC-based think tank. Since 2000, he has been a university professor at four Korean universities. He is the Chair of the Korean Advanced Area Studies program at the State Department’s Foreign Service Institute.
As an Army officer, Mr. Warne spent two years as battery commander and executive officer at Fort Sill, OK. A graduate of Princeton's Woodrow Wilson School for International and Public Affairs, he received an advanced degree in economics at The Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.
Glenn Robinson
Foreign Affairs Expert
Seabourn Odyssey: 27 November 2013 – 7 December 2013
Glenn E. Robinson is an award-winning teacher and expert on Middle East security and political issues. A professor at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, and affiliated faculty member at the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, Robinson has published and lectured widely on Islamic fundamentalism, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and related challenges facing the Middle East. On three occasions he has been recognized for his outstanding teaching, twice by the Naval Postgraduate School and once by Berkeley.
Robinson received his Ph.D. from Berkeley in 1992 and has been teaching at NPS since 1991. He has lived and studied in a number of countries and institutions in the Middle East, including as a Fulbright scholar at the University of Jordan, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the American University in Cairo, Yarmouk University in Jordan, and as an exchange student to Iran in 1978. He regularly advises different branches of the US Government.
Peter Quartermaine
Cultural Historian and Author
Seabourn Odyssey: 15 November 2013 – 27 November 2013
Formerly a Fellow of The Royal Society of Arts and a Research Director and Senior Lecturer at the University of Exeter, Dr. Peter Quartermaine has lectured throughout the world on art, architecture, photography, and modern literature. Now early retired from academic life, he divides his time between writing and travelling – especially in the Mediterranean area.
Dr. Quartermaine earned his Doctorate in Photography and the Visual Arts with research in Australia, and has held research fellowships in Canberra, Miami Beach, Perth and Venice. A Research Associate of London’s National Maritime Museum and an Associate Fellow of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA), his most recent book, Cruise: Identity, Design and Culture, was published in 2006.
Peter’s richly-illustrated presentations – comprising many images from his own extensive collection – will celebrate the long histories, spectacular public buildings, and contemporary charms of our Mediterranean destinations.
Colonel Gerald McCormack
Historian
Seabourn Pride: 27 May 2013 – 22 June 2013
Colonel Gerald M McCormack retired from the Australian Army in 2000 after having served in operational, training and diplomatic appointments. He commanded tank troops in South Vietnam and a tank regiment in Australia. His instructional appointments included Lecturer in History at the Officer Cadets School and at Senior Officer Colleges. His diplomatic assignments were to Korea where he regularly met the North Korean Delegation to Pan Mun Jom and also to Germany. As well as Australia and Vietnam he has served in Europe, Korea and the South Pacific. He is a graduate of The Royal Military College and Joint Services Staff College of Australia, the British Army Staff College and the University of Queensland. He has led Australian Training Missions to Indonesia and Vanuatu. During his time as a Guest Lecturer he has developed a wide range of talks based on the International, Social, Historical and Military aspects of the region in which the ship is travelling. His grasp of the important issues, some well known, but many aspects not so well known by the general public, have been well received by guests on over 20 voyages. He is married to Geraldine and they have 3 married children. His interests, other than rugby football, include nature, international affairs, reading and writing about historical events as well as travelling to their location and sharing the fun of so doing.
14-day baltic gems and russia 12-day baltic capitals and russia
Andy Jampoler
Maritime Historian
Seabourn Pride: 4 July 2013 – 6 August 2013
Andrew (Andy) C.A. Jampoler is an alumnus of Columbia College and the School of International and Public Affairs, both of Columbia University, in New York City, and of the U.S. State Department Foreign Service Institute’s School of Language Study.
During more than twenty-four years on active duty with the U.S. Navy Jampoler, a naval aviator, commanded a land-based maritime patrol aircraft squadron and an air station. Later he was a senior sales and marketing executive in the international aerospace industry.
Jampoler is currently working on a book about of Lieutenant Emory Taunt and his experiences in the Congo in the mid 1880's. Andy and his son will be following Taunt's explorations this summer.
Andy is a regular speaker on maritime history topics.
He lives in the Lost Corner of Loudoun County, Virginia, with his wife, Susan, a professional geographer.
Richard Martin
Historian
Seabourn Pride: 16 September 2013 – 30 September 2013
Richard Martin has been lecturing aboard ships for most of his professional life. He was born in Pinner, Middlesex and educated at Latymer Upper School in West London, before going up to St. John’s College, Oxford to read Modern History. Before being ordained as an Anglican priest in 1985, he taught English and History for ten years at Harrow School. Most recently, he was Chaplain and Head of Theology at Magdalen College School, Oxford. When he isn’t sailing the seven seas, he assists in the historic parish of St Barnabas, Oxford.
Richard lectures on historical subjects and also specializes in Art and Architecture in European, Baltic, Mediterranean and North and South Atlantic ports and destinations. He is a frequent visitor to Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Scandinavia and Greece. He has been English Chaplain at All Saints', San Remo, on the Italian Riviera, and has led many tours to Italy, France, Spain and Portugal specializing in Art and Architecture, as well as pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostella and Assisi. He is a long-standing member of the British-Italian Society and the Oxford Italian Association.
Paula Smith
Historian
Seabourn Quest: 18 July 2013 – 17 August 2013
Born in Oxford, England, Paula studied History and Anthropology at London University. After obtaining her degrees, she was awarded a Research Fellowship in Medieval English History.
Married to Benjamin Smith, Artist and Photographer, she moved to Mallorca in the Balearic Islands in 1975 so that she would have the time and space to write and Ben had perfect conditions in which to paint. They lived on this beautiful Island for over 24 years, and still return every year.
Paula has lectured on many cruise ships during the past 25 years, and has contributed to several newspapers and magazines. Her latest work, A History of the Mediterranean Peoples is in progress at present. Her expertise has often been utilised in the making of historial documentaries for both TV and film.
As well as living in Mallorca, Paula has spent considerable time in the Pacific, and was at one time Consultant to the Fiji Tourist Bureau. Eight years ago Paula and Ben purchased a house in New Zealand so that Paula could make a specific Study of the Maori People. She has also written articles on The Life of Chopin, Napoleon Bonaparte, Picasso... his life and loves, The Life and times of Captain James Cook and The Story of Edvard Greig.
British Television has offered Paula her own TV Show, and she has appeared several times on Spanish TV and Radio. Loving history as she does, Paula is always able to impart her enthusiasm to her audiences.
10-day greek isles and italian splendors 20-day rivieras, rome and greek isles
Benjamin Taggie
Historian
Seabourn Quest: 17 August 2013 – 16 September 2013
Ben Taggie is Professor of History Emeritus at the University of Massachusetts. Dartmouth. During his career in education he has taught at both the high school and University level. His areas of academic specialization are medieval and classical history. He has served in university administrative positions of dean, provost, and vice chancellor. He holds a Ph.D. in history from Michigan State University and was a post-doctoral Fellow at Harvard University. Following his retirement he continues to serve as Director (and teaches in) the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Summer Sicily Program at the University of Messina.
Since entering semi-retirement he has founded MSA Cultural Tours and conducts 4-6 of these educational tours each year to venues such as Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal. For the past 12 years he has also served as Executive Director of the Mediterranean Studies Association, a professional non-profit educational organization devoted to international education and research. As Executive Director Dr. Taggie has organized and administers international education programs for University/College, and high students at the University of Evora. Portugal, the Nocciano Institute for the Arts and Culture (Pescara, Italy), and the University of Messina, Sicily.
Ben Taggie has written extensively in the field of history which has resulted in the publication numerous books and articles. He has also worked as an Editor of such publications as the prestigious journal Mediterranean Studies.
Dr. Robin Woodward
Historian and Archeologist
Seabourn Quest: 26 October 2013 – 13 November 2013
Lecturing on enrichment cruises in the Mediterranean, Egypt, and Arabia since 1996 has fueled Robyn’s passion for adventure, art, and archaeology. These diverse interests have carried her through several degrees, including a BA in the History of Art from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario; a B.Sc. in Art Conservation from University College, Cardiff, Wales; an MA in Anthropology (Nautical Archaeology) from Texas A & M; and finally her Ph.D. in Archaeology from Simon Fraser University in 2007. In between degrees, she has spent time studying art in Venice and working as an archaeologist and conservator in Turkey and Jamaica.
Robyn is an Adjunct Professor at Simon Fraser University, where she lectures part-time through the Departments of Archaeology and Continuing Education. She is also the Vice President of the Institute of Nautical Archaeology, based at Texas A & M University. Robyn looks forward to sharing her knowledge of the rich cultural heritage and archaeology of the Mediterranean and Near East with her fellow travelers
Amb. Edward Peck
Foreign Policy Expert
Seabourn Quest: 26 October 2013 – 13 November 2013
During his 32 years in the Foreign Service, Ambassador Edward Peck served as an embassy officer in Sweden, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, and Egypt, with assignments in political, economic, consular affairs, and program direction and subsequently was the senior representative of the United States in Mauritania and Iraq. He speaks Arabic, French, Spanish and Swedish.
At the State Department, he was Special Assistant to the Under Secretary for Political Affairs, Deputy Coordinator for Global Covert Operations, and Director of the Office of Egyptian Affairs. He also served on detail to the White House as Deputy Director of President Reagan's Cabinet Task Force on Terrorism, was a Liaison Officer to the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon, and a Fellow at the Institute for Higher Defense Studies at The National Defense University.
Since retirement, he has been Executive Secretary of the American Academy of Diplomacy; Chairman of Political Tradecraft Programs at the National Foreign Affairs Training Center; Distinguished Visitor at the National War College; member of the board of Americans for Middle East Understanding; and a Senior Fellow at the Joint Forces Staff College. He has lectured for government agencies, educational, business and civic organizations in the U.S. and abroad and is a commentator on a broad range of international issues for domestic and overseas television and radio networks.
A paratrooper, Ambassador Peck served from Private to 1st Lieutenant on active duty during WWII and the Korean War. He holds a B.S. from UCLA, and an M.A. from George Washington University. His lecture series is entitled Thinking About Our World – an effort to provoke thoughts, not people.
Mike O’Brien
Historian
Seabourn Sojourn: 1 May 2013 – 23 May 2013
He graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon in 1968 and later earned advanced qualifications in project management and a master’s degree in the UK. Heserved as an infantry officer in Vietnam 1970-71 and then in instructional, staff and project management roles. A specialist in logistic management and defence acquisition planning, he played a major role in logistic planning and supply management for Australia’s operational deployments to East Timor, Bougainville and elsewhere. He is a graduate of the Australian Staff College, the Australian College of Defence and Strategic Studies, the Royal Military College of Science (UK), the University of New South Wales and Cranfield University (UK). He holds the decoration of Conspicuous Service Cross (CSC). He has been heavily involved in military history studies and management of military museums, wrote Conscripts and Regulars, 1995 and several military bibliographies, and acts as advisor to a number of WW II unit associations. He is actively involved with the National Trust, the Royal Historical Society of Victoria and the Royal United Services Institute. Now retired, he owns a bookshop in Melbourne and pursues his broad interests in history.
10-day florence and spanish grandeur 12-day harbors of western europe
Colonel Ralf Vargas
European Affairs Expert
Seabourn Sojourn: 1 May 2013 – 23 May 2013
Colonel(Ret) Ralf Vargas’ 30-year career with the U.S. Army afforded him unique opportunities to deepen his interest and expand his expertise in European Affairs. He spent sixteen years in overseas assignments, culminating in a three-year assignment to NATO Diplomatic Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium where he shed his uniform and became part of the NATO diplomatic infrastructure. As the Chief of the NATO Situation Center he was responsible for world-wide Crisis Management.
Post-military life took him to corporate America in the San Francisco Bay Area and then to the University of Nevada, Reno, (UNR) where he was on the faculty for five years. Now fully retired, he combines his love of travel with his passion for lecturing. Keenly interested in European affairs, he developed a continually evolving series, “The Changing Face of Europe.”
Much is happening in Europe now with monetary and immigration crises challenging what was at first deemed to be a hugely successful coalition. COL Vargas’ lecture series includes a multi-part examination of “The European Union” and an additional presentation on “NATO’s Role on the World Stage”.
A popular speaker known for his dynamic enthusiasm, his goal is to simplify the headlines and provide his audience with a basis for following the facts with interest and ease. As a note of interest to U.S. television news viewers, Ralf is the father of Elizabeth Vargas, co-host of ABC’s 20/20.
10-day florence and spanish grandeur 12-day harbors of western europe
Philip Hurst
World Affairs Expert
Seabourn Sojourn: 30 July 2013 – 13 August 2013
Former Deputy Director of The Australian Institute of International Affairs in Canberra and Counsel at The World Bank in Washington DC, Philip Hurst is a distinguished Anglo-Australian international and constitutional lawyer, lecturer and writer. In the course of his 30-year legal career he practised in London, New York and Washington DC, culminating as a partner and Director of International and Public Law at Ashursts, a leading London-based international law firm. At Ashursts he also devised and chaired the “Beyond the Headlines” series of public seminars, achieving an award for outstanding innovation from the Financial Times. Philip was cited by the leading guides to the legal profession as the UK’s pre-eminent lawyer in his field and is noted for his work in “difficult” political and legal environments; for 10 years he was a visiting lecturer/adjunct professor in law at Imperial College, University of London.
Born in England and educated in Australia at the University of New South Wales, the Australian National University, and in the United States at the University of Virginia, Philip has worked in many of the world’s most remote and exotic countries. He has a special interest and expertise in India (after more than 35 visits), the Middle East (having made 16 visits to Iran since the Islamic Revolution), East and Southern Africa, South-East Asia, and several South American states, especially Chile, Peru and Venezuela. Philip also advised African governments, multilateral organisations, NGOs and private sector clients seeking to invest in Africa on economic structural adjustment programs, privatisations, infrastructure and resources projects – especially for gold and diamonds – in Sub-Saharan Africa. He has been consulted frequently by governments on regional security issues. Philip has published many travel-related articles and reviews, and now travels, lectures and writes both fiction and journalism full- time. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, London (FRGS), and now lives in Seville, Spain.
Ambassador William Fowler
Foreign Affairs Expert
Seabourn Sojourn: 3 September 2013 - 24 September 2013
Ambassador William Fowler
Foreign Affairs Expert
Seabourn Sojourn: 4 October 2013 - 14 October 2013
Benjamin Taggie
Historian
Seabourn Sojourn: 4 October 2013 - 28 October 2013
Ben Taggie is Professor of History Emeritus at the University of Massachusetts. Dartmouth. During his career in education he has taught at both the high school and University level. His areas of academic specialization are medieval and classical history. He has served in university administrative positions of dean, provost, and vice chancellor. He holds a Ph.D. in history from Michigan State University and was a post-doctoral Fellow at Harvard University. Following his retirement he continues to serve as Director (and teaches in) the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Summer Sicily Program at the University of Messina.
Since entering semi-retirement he has founded MSA Cultural Tours and conducts 4-6 of these educational tours each year to venues such as Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal. For the past 12 years he has also served as Executive Director of the Mediterranean Studies Association, a professional non-profit educational organization devoted to international education and research. As Executive Director Dr. Taggie has organized and administers international education programs for University/College, and high students at the University of Evora. Portugal, the Nocciano Institute for the Arts and Culture (Pescara, Italy), and the University of Messina, Sicily.
Ben Taggie has written extensively in the field of history which has resulted in the publication numerous books and articles. He has also worked as an Editor of such publications as the prestigious journal Mediterranean Studies.
10-day new england and canadian maritimes 14-day atlantic coast harbors
Benjamin Taggie
Historian
Seabourn Sojourn: 14 October 2013 - 28 October 2013
Ben Taggie is Professor of History Emeritus at the University of Massachusetts. Dartmouth. During his career in education he has taught at both the high school and University level. His areas of academic specialization are medieval and classical history. He has served in university administrative positions of dean, provost, and vice chancellor. He holds a Ph.D. in history from Michigan State University and was a post-doctoral Fellow at Harvard University. Following his retirement he continues to serve as Director (and teaches in) the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Summer Sicily Program at the University of Messina.
Since entering semi-retirement he has founded MSA Cultural Tours and conducts 4-6 of these educational tours each year to venues such as Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal. For the past 12 years he has also served as Executive Director of the Mediterranean Studies Association, a professional non-profit educational organization devoted to international education and research. As Executive Director Dr. Taggie has organized and administers international education programs for University/College, and high students at the University of Evora. Portugal, the Nocciano Institute for the Arts and Culture (Pescara, Italy), and the University of Messina, Sicily.
Ben Taggie has written extensively in the field of history which has resulted in the publication numerous books and articles. He has also worked as an Editor of such publications as the prestigious journal Mediterranean Studies.
Benjamin Taggie
Historian
Seabourn Spirit: 2 July 2013 – 23 July 2013
Ben Taggie is Professor of History Emeritus at the University of Massachusetts. Dartmouth. During his career in education he has taught at both the high school and University level. His areas of academic specialization are medieval and classical history. He has served in university administrative positions of dean, provost, and vice chancellor. He holds a Ph.D. in history from Michigan State University and was a post-doctoral Fellow at Harvard University. Following his retirement he continues to serve as Director (and teaches in) the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Summer Sicily Program at the University of Messina.
Since entering semi-retirement he has founded MSA Cultural Tours and conducts 4-6 of these educational tours each year to venues such as Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal. For the past 12 years he has also served as Executive Director of the Mediterranean Studies Association, a professional non-profit educational organization devoted to international education and research. As Executive Director Dr. Taggie has organized and administers international education programs for University/College, and high students at the University of Evora. Portugal, the Nocciano Institute for the Arts and Culture (Pescara, Italy), and the University of Messina, Sicily.
Ben Taggie has written extensively in the field of history which has resulted in the publication numerous books and articles. He has also worked as an Editor of such publications as the prestigious journal Mediterranean Studies.
11-day venice and adriatic gems 10-day venice and adriatic treasures
Thomas Heinrich
Historian
Seabourn Spirit: 23 July 2013 – 3 August 2013
Born and raised in Germany, Dr Heinrich received his B.A. equivalent in Modern European History from Bielefeld University and in 1988 graduated from SUNY Buffalo with an M.A. degree in American social history. He completed his Ph.D. at the University of Pennsylvania in 1993 with a dissertation on the history of the shipbuilding industry. His book, Ships for the Seven Seas: Philadelphia Shipbuilding in the Age of Industrial Capitalism (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1997), received the John Lyman Book Award for the best study in science and technology from the North American Society for Oceanic History.
Before joining Baruch’s history department in 1998, Heinrich worked as a historical consultant in Washington, D.C. Prof. Heinrich is currently studying the history of Silicon Valley, semiconductors, and military contracting in the Electronics Industry, as well as working on a history of Kimberly-Clark, a major chemical company.
Graham Anthony
Maritime Historian
Seabourn Spirit: 13 August 2013 – 3 September 2013
Graham Anthony is a maritime historian with a fascination for how individual events fit into the great continuum of history. A regular contributor to maritime journals, he lectures to universities, yacht clubs, and cruise audiences and each year undertakes a sponsored lecture tour of the United States for the English Speaking Union.
A graduate engineer, Graham served with the Royal Engineers in Berlin, where he developed his skills as a competitive helmsman sailing on the magnificent Havel lakes, and then travelled the world working for international manufacturing companies. In London, he was a founding director of the Engineering Council and a member of the Parliamentary Scientific Committee, when he worked with both Princess Diana and Prince Charles.
A qualified Yachtmaster with a lifelong passion for sailing and the sea, Graham has sailed around the British Isles, on the Baltic, the Mediterranean, and the Indian Ocean. His present ‘boy-racer’ is a Fairline SunFury, which he and his wife Thelma keep on the Mediterranean.
Laurel Corona
Historian & Writer
Seabourn Spirit: 3 August 2013 - 13 August 2013
Desmond Colborne
Foreign Affairs Expert
Seabourn Spirit: 27 October 2013 – 10 November 2013
Desmond Colborne has spent much of his life on the road, and at sea - this year he has lectured on Seabourn cruises in the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Gulf, the Baltic and the Mediterranean.
Educated in South Africa then at Oxford on a Rhodes scholarship, he was in the travel business (American Express), journalism (Swiss Broadcasting Corporation) and teaching (in France and Zimbabwe).
Then for 30 years, he was based in Paris as director of the South Africa Foundation, a business leadership organization. This involved numerous talks, television appearances and high-level contact with business media and political leaders, such as presidents Nelson Mandela, Mitterrand and Chirac.
Various assignments took him to Italy, Portugal, Brazil, China, Japan and India. He wrote a book on South Africa, published in London and for more than 20 years has lectured on a variety of subjects at the University of Cape Town Summer School.
He divides his time between Paris, Cape Town and Gothenburg, Sweden. His wife, Marianne, is Swedish.
Amb. Edward Marks
Foreign Affairs Expert
Seabourn Spirit: 10 November 2013 – 23 November 2013
Ambassador Edward Marks retired from the State Department in 1995, after a forty-year career involving services in nine countries, the United Nations in New York, and Washington, DC. Recalled to active duty in June 2002, he served as the State Department counter-terrorism advisor at the US Pacific Command in Honolulu until mid-September 2005.
Since retirement, Ambassador Marks has engaged in various activities and is currently a Distinguished Senior Fellow at George Mason University, a Senior Associate of The International Center for Terrorism Studies of the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies, and a Senior Fellow at the Joint Forces Staff College.
In addition, he is a Founding Trustee of the Command and General Staff College Foundation, a Director of the DACOR (Diplomatic and Consular Officers, Retired), and a Retiree Representative on the Governing Board of the American Foreign Service Association. He has been a consultant to the United Nations and the Project on National Security Reform, has served on various editorial boards, and is the author of numerous articles and publications. He recently co-authored a book on the counterterrorism programs of the United States Government: US Counterterrorism: A Guide to Who Does What.
Originally from Detroit, Michigan, Ambassador Marks graduated from the University of Michigan (B.A.), the University of Oklahoma (M.A.), and the National War College. He is married to Aida Marks née Nercess of Tehran, Iran. He served in the United States Army 1956-58, and resides in Washington, DC.
Seabourn ConversationsScience |
Explore the frontiers of human knowledge with brilliant, eminently affable experts who know how to make their subjects as engaging as they are amazing. Thought-provoking theorists and researchers share their interests, experiments, and their highly-contagious passion for proving-- or disproving-- the expanding universe of what we think we know.
Peter Bock
Researcher and author in Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Science
Seabourn Odyssey: 12 October 2013 – 30 October 2013
Considered a pioneer of learning systems for Artificial Intelligence (AI), Peter Bock is a Professor Emeritus of Engineering at The George Washington University. He has published several books, including The Emergence of Artificial Cognition and Getting it Right: R&D Methods for Science and Engineering, and is often invited to give presentations in a variety of venues, including a recent TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) talk.
After completing his graduate studies at Purdue University, Peter joined Project Apollo at NASA in 1964, eventually becoming Director of Apollo Simulation Software Development. Following the first manned lunar landing, in 1970 he joined the Computer Science faculty at GWU to establish their AI graduate program, which included courses in cognitive science and developmental psychology. For the last 20 years his AI research has been funded by grants from industry and government, primarily to develop and deploy the well-known ALISA system.
Although recently retired, Peter is still directing the research of several doctoral students. His long-term research objective is the creation of a Personal Artificial Intelligence with cognitive capabilities on a par with ours. He is also well educated in neurophysiology, research methods, and history. He and his wife live in Washington, DC, amid a jumble of computers and musical instruments.
Peter Bock
Researcher and author in Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Science
Seabourn Legend: 7 November 2013 - 25 November 2013
Considered a pioneer of learning systems for Artificial Intelligence (AI), Peter Bock is a Professor Emeritus of Engineering at The George Washington University. He has published several books, including The Emergence of Artificial Cognition and Getting it Right: R&D Methods for Science and Engineering, and is often invited to give presentations in a variety of venues, including a recent TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) talk.
After completing his graduate studies at Purdue University, Peter joined Project Apollo at NASA in 1964, eventually becoming Director of Apollo Simulation Software Development. Following the first manned lunar landing, in 1970 he joined the Computer Science faculty at GWU to establish their AI graduate program, which included courses in cognitive science and developmental psychology. For the last 20 years his AI research has been funded by grants from industry and government, primarily to develop and deploy the well-known ALISA system.
Although recently retired, Peter is still directing the research of several doctoral students. His long-term research objective is the creation of a Personal Artificial Intelligence with cognitive capabilities on a par with ours. He is also well educated in neurophysiology, research methods, and history. He and his wife live in Washington, DC, amid a jumble of computers and musical instruments.
William Gurstelle
Science and Technology Expert
Seabourn Odyssey: 23 December 2013 – 10 January 2014
Named to Wired Magazine’s Smart List, William Gurstelle is a bestselling author, registered engineer, and professional speaker. The author of Backyard Ballistics, Absinthe and Flamethrowers, and seven other books, he is recognized for his particular talent for making science and technology accessible, intriguing, and – most of all – fun to all readers and audiences. Having sold more nearly half a million books, he is one of the world’s most widely read authors on science and technology.
The co-producer of the Emmy-nominated PBS television show “Make: Television,” William also had a recurring on-air role in the series. In addition, he is a letterhead-listed contributing editor for Popular Mechanics and Make Magazine and is a frequent contributor to Wired.
He has been heard on NPR’s Science Friday and Weekend Edition with Scott Simon, and has made numerous appearances on the History Channel and the Discovery Channel. William and his books have been profiled in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the London Daily Telegraph, Popular Mechanics, USA Today, and scores of other newspapers and magazines.
Dr. Norman Caisse
Astronomer
Seabourn Sojourn: 14 October 2013 - 28 October 2013
Norman Caisse’s richly illustrated presentations will take us on a fascinating journey from our own Solar System, through the Milky Way galaxy, and on to the edge of the known Universe. In addition to his lectures, be sure to join him on deck for special night sessions to view the Atlantic sky.
During his career with Jet Propulsion Labs and GTE Corporation, Dr. Caisse, a registered professional engineer, participated in a variety of NASA projects, including the Apollo missions. These vocational contributions to the space program greatly enhanced his love for astronomy – a passion he has communicated on the lecture circuit for over 20 years.
Norman received his undergraduate degree in Engineering from Northeastern University and completed his Astronomy doctorate program at the University of Texas. An active participant in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) program through the University of California, Berkeley, he is also a member of the Planetary Society, the Cousteau Society, and various amateur astronomer groups.
Dr. Barbara Udell
Wellness Expert
Seabourn Sojourn: 7 November 2013 - 17 November 2013
Dr. Barbara Udell is an international speaker holding a Doctorate in Behavioral Health Education and a Master’s Degree in Social Work. She has been a lecturer for 17 years on upscale cruise ships. Her talks will provide a cultural framework to help passengers better understand and appreciate the exciting destinations we visit. An “Info-tainer,” her humorous and entertaining style and infectious enthusiasm are always evident and reflect her love for travel and discovery. Dr. Barbara was the Director of Lifestyle Education at the Pritikin Longevity Center for over 20 years. She has been the keynote speaker and consultant for Banks, Insurance Companies, Law Firms, Medical Associations, Weight Watchers, Diet Centers of America, CuisinArt Resort and Spa in Anguilla, and at colleges and universities, around the world.
Dr. Udell has practiced family and individual counseling. She has been featured on national radio and television programs. She is the Associate Producer for a PBS program on health. She has produced a DVD of highlights of her talks, and is the author of “Hat’s Off – Living Life Full to the Brim.”
Dr. Udell says: “Learn to be healthfully selfish, meaning to look after yourself first – becoming strong, confident and healthy. Then, you will be all that you can be at home, in the workplace and in your community. You cannot be there for anyone unless you have your own positive foundation and life-skills in place.”
Dr. Udell is married to Barton Udell, an international tax and real estate attorney. Together they have 5 children and 11 grandchildren. They reside in Miami, Florida.
Denny Whitford
Oceanographer
Seabourn Sojourn: 7 November 2013 - 27 November 2013
Geri Pleuse O’Neill
Wellness Expert
Seabourn Spirit: 10 November 2013 – 23 November 2013
Geri O’Neill has been researching, writing and lecturing about human nature for over 30 year. Her informative and entertaining PowerPoint lectures combine a background in journalism, education and metaphysics with ongoing studies in communication, psychology and sociology.
Geri is the author of several books including Make the Best of the Rest of Your Life, a non-fiction guide to happy and healthy aging. Her new book, The Relationship Handbook, will be released as an e-book in late 2012.
For the past 15 years, Geri and her husband have traveled extensively throughout the United States, Canada and around the world. Visiting well over 100 countries has expanded Geri’s knowledge of other cultures and the developing global community.
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