 |
| Seven Seas Voyager sails past Santorini, Greece. Regent Seven Seas Cruises has hosted Artful Travelers’ enrichment programs in exotic locales for several years. |
In past years cruise lines would book a speaker to come onboard and talk for an hour in the theater. Presto, that was considered “enrichment.”
But today’s enrichment-focused cruises are far more robust. They’re experiential. They’re hands on. They often get guests immersed in the theme from embarkation to disembarkation.
Certainly, upscale, well-educated clients make great prospects for an enrichment-themed cruise, but so do middle-class folks who are passionate about a subject and save up for several years to sail.
Kevin Corcoran, founder and president of Artful Travelers, Palm Springs, CA, says he’s witnessed an evolution in enrichment offerings over the years. “This segment has grown exponentially,” he says, noting that travelers who find start-to-finish enrichment cruises appealing typically have a high net worth, are seasoned travelers and they have the means and want to travel a certain way. “They’ve already seen Rome and have been to Singapore,” Corcoran acknowledges, so “the challenge for this particular segment is how to make it unique and different.” His consulting firm creates travel experiences that cultivate and strengthen relationships between organizations and their customers, members or donors.
But instead of designing a cruise in which the destination experience “just happens”—as guests tour with 40 others in a large group tour or take off on their own but in a hit-or-miss fashion—cruisers might be treated to a private tour of a museum with an expert guide.
They might savor vintages in a Tuscan vineyard and meet the owners. Or they might watch and listen an exclusive cultural presentation made just for them at an iconic historic site or palace. Most importantly, today’s robust enrichment cruises such as those offered by Artful Travelers often allow guests to engage one-on-one with the “talent,” whether that be a renowned political writer, historian, health expert, author or filmmaker.
For example, Artful Travelers fields themed cruises in conjunction with Public Broadcasting System (PBS) and National Public Radio (NPR) and also books Hollywood celebrities to sail on its themed cruises. Guests typically dine with the speaker or celebrity at one point during the cruise.
That fosters one-on-one or small group discussions and storytelling by folks who are the best at what they do, such as artists or Washington insiders. Travelers get more than a broad outlook, they hear inside stories and behind-the-scenes tales, giving them bragging rights with those back home.
“These people not only want to travel but to also experience and learn something along the way,” Corcoran stresses. “They’re hungry to grow [intellectually] and hungry for new experiences.” Typically, the political programs sell best, followed by those focused on entertainment (both Broadway and film). Also popular are programs about health and wealth, as well as arts and culture.
 |
| Kevin Corcoran, founder and president of Artful Travelers, chats with PBS moderator and author Gwen Ifill onboard the American Queen. |
New for 2013, Artful Travelers has added new topically themed experiences onboard American Queen Steamboat Company’s American Queen, a paddlewheeler plying the Mississippi and other heartland rivers.
It’s Artful Travelers’ first partnership with any river line; steamboat adventures fares begin at $4,995 per person, double. Depending on the theme, the steamboat adventures may be coupled with land and/or rail experiences.
“It’s an opportunity to experience the U.S. in ways never done before,” says Corcoran. It’s a way to see mid-America as Mark Twain did—when rivers were the highways of America. The four new Artful Travelers programs on American Queen are as follows:
Civil War Journey 2013: This year marks the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation so the timing is good for promoting to Civil War buffs. This American Queen voyage called “Civil War Journey” begins Sept. 10 in Jackson, MS, and concludes on Sept. 22 in Chattanooga, TN. Noted historians as well as renowned filmmaker Ric Burns and Mark Samels, PBS executive producer, will also sail and talk about the films Death and the Civil War and The Abolitionists.
American Presidents: This October 8-19 adventure begins with three days in Chicago followed by a vintage train journey to St. Louis and a steamboat voyage to St. Paul, MN. This program will premiere the original show, JFK, and feature other works from PBS’ flagship history series The American President. Again, Samels will sail as will presidential historian Robert Dallek.
Antiques Roadshow Southern Hospitality Tour: From November 13-23, travelers can explore New Orleans and the South on a roundtrip voyage designed for fans of PBS’ Antique Roadshow series. Cruisers will go antiquing and have cultural experiences with Marsha Bemko, the show’s executive producer, her appraiser Ken Farmer and her production team. For these steamboat adventures, contact www.artfultraveler.com.
Artful Travelers has partnered on oceangoing adventures with Regent Seven Seas Cruises since 2003, with PBS and NPR joining the offerings the following year. This year Artful Travelers plans two exotic enrichment-themed programs on Regent Seven Seas, with highly inclusive international cruise fares from $9,249 per person, double occupancy
Gateways of Antiquity: On this May 4-18 cruise, guests sail on Seven Seas Voyager from Luxor, Egypt, to Rome with PBS moderator and author Gwen Ifill; NPR Cairo Bureau Chief Leila Fadel; Emmy- and Tony-nominated actor Victor Garber (of Alias and Argo fame); Tony Award winner John Benjamin Hickey (known for The Normal Heart and The Big C); Executive Producer Jeffrey Richman (of Modern Family); and Hollywood cameraman Michael Childers.
Indian Ocean Odyssey: From December 3-22, cruisers explore Dubai before Seven Seas Voyager sails to ports in India, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Singapore celebrating the work of Frontline and American Experience. Filmmaking, politics and history are on tap with guests David Fanning, Renata Simone and Raney Aronson-Rath of Frontline; Mark Samels of American Experience; electoral analyst Charlie Cook; Arun Rath of PRIs The World.
Agents who are top producers for Regent and typically earn a higher level of commission can simply ask to have their clients placed within the special Artful Traveler programs at no charge, and thus earn their normal pay including any overrides that apply from Regent for the voyage. Or, agents can book through Artful Travelers directly for 10 percent commission.
How has enrichment changed? It’s definitely not just about listening to a one-way lecture, notes Corcoran. It’s also about having the opportunity for a two-way dialogue.
For more information, call 800-285-7859 or visit www.artfultravelers.com.