Enrichment Series/The Smithsonian Collection

[Snackdaddy]

Greetings,

 

I just noticed that Regent added the Smithsonian Collection by Smithsonian Journeys to the "Enrichment Series" tab for our upcoming December 9, 2015 cruise from Cape Town to Rio.

 

http://www.rssc.com/cruises/MAR151209/activities/onboard/day-1/default/default.aspx#Activities

 

Does anyone have experience with Smithsonian Journeys and what can we expect? Additional lectures, special tours, etc.?

 

Also naturalist Michael Scott, O.B.E. is listed as an onboard lecturer. Has anyone sailed with him in the past?

 

Thanks.

[cAPS lOCK oN]

Our July Med cruise had the Smithsonian Collection added, too. I have no idea what it means. I'm a little surprised that they're doing this, as our cruise is focused on the Riviera portion of the Med, which isn't the most historic part. But I'll take it (whatever "it" is).

[Portolan]

Hard to say what this means. We've been on Smithsonian Journey tours (all excellent, BTW) and a key feature is having a subject-matter expert in addition to a tour director. How this translates to a Regent cruise is not obvious unless they are using Smithsonian as their lecturer broker, which I'd think would be a good thing.

 

It will be interesting to sread the reports from the first to encounter this new feature. There is a non-functioning link on the page describing the enrichment program which promises to link to a list of all cruises with this feature. The link is to http://test.rssc.com/experience/enrichment/the-smithsonian/. Note the "test" which must be a beta site.

Edited January 1, 2015 by Portolan

[Portolan]

Just received an email from Regent describing the Smithsonian Collections feature. Also on the Regent web site at: https://experience.rssc.com/pub/sf/FormLink?_ri_=X0Gzc2X%3DWQpglLjHJlYQGtzaDltLOKzd7nC8lyLAyeiTWcA0lU9p1zgefVXMtX%3DWQpglLjHJlYQGnejXkrA2zdaR8W2Ll5Inf4jmpYXd7zftizcn&_ei_=ErGXh22YtufRUIukur7Qds1HE1OO830Op0

 

Since this didn't factor into booking our Istanbul-Dubai cruise in October, I only see it as a bonus.

 

The list of cruises featuring this partnership begins in September and has 50+ cruises thereafter.

Edited January 8, 2015 by Portolan

[cAPS lOCK oN]

The list on the RSSC website shows that Smithsonian Collection cruises are starting in July (with my Med cruise!). I see it as a nice bonus too, since it was added after I booked.

[Hambagahle]

Ii saw it too - and had a deja vu feeling. In 2006 on the Voyager we met Ken Watson then EVP at Regent. On our cruise then we participated in a "Circle of Interest" which was great. I suggested to him then that they hook up with something like the Smithsonian which has a solid reputation for "enrichment travel" -- my career in the US was in Study Abroad. He agreed this would be great. He is now with Silversea (I think) but I think this is a great idea. Well done Regent. The Smithsonian lecturers are very solid. And then there is Terry Breen too... Great!

[OctoberKat]

It's brilliant marketing and we'll have to see if the reality plays out beneficially.