In 1926 a
historic ship, the primary of the “University of Seven Seas,” sailed from New
Jersey and visited 90 ports in seven and a half months. As defined by its
then Dean: ‘This isn’t a mere sightseeing tour however a school 12 months of
instructional journey…to coach college students to assume in world phrases…’ Later, it was
referred to as the “World Campus Afloat.” Today it’s “Semester at Sea.”
For the final
59 years, the Institute of Shipboard Education has been conducting this world research
program. Luckily for my husband and me, they opened it to non-students; it was
referred to as the Enrichment Voyage, out there in 2 or 4-week segments. It has since
been renamed the Lifelong Learning Program with a minimal of 30 days with three
to 5 days at a port, not only one. Here’s why we completely liked this greatest
technique to expertise Iceland, and truly, the world.
IT WAS NOT EXPENSIVE
Groupon
junkie that I used to be, we stumbled upon the advert that provided an inside cabin and
all-inclusive facilities for simply $1,399 per week for 2. The first week
included Copenhagen and three ports in Iceland after embarking in Stockholm. On
the second week, it was to 3 ports within the UK, disembarking in Southampton.
THE FACILITIES
WERE ENTIRELY ADEQUATE
MV Explorer was the title of our ship and we didn’t
comprehend it was going to be its final voyage. Although not as luxurious because the
cruise ships we all know, it was totally enough for its 700 passengers. We had ten
school rooms, one giant seminar/showroom, one other giant seminar/ballroom, a
piano bar, two eating rooms (one for buffet and one other with waiter service), a
pool and poolside bar, three viewing decks, a wellness middle together with a health club,
spa, sauna, and therapeutic massage rooms, a library, a pc lab, a good-sized retailer, and a medical clinic. Even if WIFI services had been restricted, it was additionally enough
for emails and seminar supplies.
THE CREW WAS
WORLD-CLASS
A former
Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization as soon as stated that Filipino seamen had been
the “unsung heroes” of an “unsung industry.” The Philippines has greater than
500,000 manning vessels world wide. In reality, 70% of our 218 crew was
Filipino and two of the 5 on the Captain’s senior administration crew—the Purser and the Executive Chef—had been Filipinos, in addition to one of many ship’s docs and all of the
nurses. I felt effectively cared for and at
dwelling. I beamed ear-to-ear each time I heard one complimented by fellow passengers.
IT WAS A COMPLETE
ICELANDIC EXPERIENCE
It took two
days at sea earlier than we reached Reykjavik from Copenhagen. Lying between the North Atlantic
and the Arctic Oceans, Iceland is probably the most sparsely populated nation in Europe—325,000 individuals in an space of 40,000 sq. miles of sand and lava fields, mountains
and glaciers, and glacial rivers flowing to the ocean. Its local weather is splendidly
temperate regardless of being simply outdoors the Arctic Circle as a result of the Gulf Stream
warms it. Our cruise took us to Reykjavik within the south, Ísafjörður to the west,
and Akureyri within the north.
WE GOT TO SEE
A LOT OF REYKJAVIK
The
tour we selected took us first to Þingvellir National Park, a constantly evolving volcanic
space, and Haukadalur, included within the Golden Circle, the place geysers and different
geothermal options have developed on a rhyolitic dome. Then we proceeded to Þingvallavatn, the most important pure lake in
Iceland. The tour additionally gave us the possibility to take a dip on the well-known Blue Lagoon, a geothermal spa in Grindavík. It fashioned
in 1976 from the wastewater of a geothermal plant, therapeutic powers had been
found in 1981, and the separate public bathing facility was opened in 1992.
Our tour ended with photo-ops of the Viking World,
the Sun Voyager, the Harpa, the Perlan, and Hallgrímskirkja.
WE REACHED
THE SMALL FISHING VILLAGE OF ISAFJORDUR
We might
by no means have reached Ísafjörður if we weren’t on a cruise. I’ll
always remember my time on deck once we arrived; daylight was peeking off the hill that lords over the sleepy city, inviting all of us to stroll off the ship and be
amazed. The village is on a spit of sand on Iceland’s western coast the place the waters
of two fjords meet. Fishing is the primary trade and the small city has certainly one of
the most important fisheries in Iceland. Despite a small inhabitants of two,600 and
isolation from the remainder of the nation, it has an city ambiance with a
faculty of music, a hospital, a cultural middle with a library and showrooms,
and a distance studying middle for the 7,000 residents of your entire Westfjords
space.
WE REACHED
THE NORTHERN CAPITAL OF ICELAND, AKUREYRI.
From there we
proceeded to northern Iceland and its second-largest city space and northern
capital Akureyri. With a inhabitants of about 18,000,
it’s additionally an essential port and fishing middle. The bus tour took us to certainly one of
the nation’s most spectacular waterfalls, the Goðafoss, “Waterfall of the Gods.” Located in
the Mývatn district of North-Central Iceland, the Skjálfandafljót River falls
from a peak of 12 meters over a width of 30 meters. Then again within the metropolis, we
needed to climb 55 steps to succeed in the Cathedral of Akureyri up on a hill. It has a big
3200-pipe organ and a ship suspended from the ceiling, [art of an old Nordic
tradition to protect loved ones at sea. Later we enjoyed simply walking down the
main street and meeting statuary folkloric “trolls.”
THE
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AT SEA WERE FANTASTIC
It was like
being back at school but in splendid classrooms. They were always filled to
capacity; students go to regular classes; the older adults chose what they wanted
to do. Before reaching Iceland, we spent the two days in seminars learning about
the Vikings, the origins of the country and its people, and the current economy and
development. The seminar leaders were those who also taught the students and
usually had PhDs in their fields of expertise. Workshops, on the other hand,
are about arts and crafts: writing, book club, dance, yoga, tai chi, etc. Those
who did not want these offerings were free to organize their own games.
THE SPECIAL
SIGHTINGS WERE REALLY SPECIAL
The crew was
also very good at notifying us about special sightings. Right at the beginning,
we had a spectacular introduction to the 16-km-long Oresund Bridge between Stockholm and Copenhagen. And for the first time, I
got to see offshore wind farms like the Middelgrunden with 20 turbines three and a half kilometers
off Copenhagen (now closed). There were also many birds and whales. But I loved
most the island of Surtsey just before we reached Iceland. Formed
in a volcanic eruption 426 ft below sea level in November 1963 and continuing
for seven months afterward, it is now just half its peak size of one square
mile because of wind and wave erosion.
There was a
noticeable difference among the seas we sailed. The Baltic Sea, Denmark Strait,
Irish Sea, and the English Channel quietly defined the countries they surrounded. The North, Norwegian, and North Atlantic Seas are
much bigger and often rougher seas. Around Iceland we experienced two to four-meter swells, giving some of us a level of seasickness. And those huge seas are
a large source of the world’s petroleum. A highlight for me was seeing a huge
oil rig and platform, a lone industrial structure thrust in the middle of the big,
blue sea.
WE HAD ENGAGING
SPECIAL ACTIVITIES
There were special
activities like the tour of the Bridge (the navigation center of the ship) and demonstrations
of the intricate maneuvering for each docking and leaving of a port. And just like on the regular cruises, I loved
dressing up for the Captain’s Dinner. We enjoyed “Two’s Company,” a Variety
Show by a Scot and I laughed long, loud, and often at a comedy show about
Icelandic history. There was even a Magic Act, an Irish duo, and a “New Year in
June Party.”
But the best
one was when we all gathered in the Gazers’ Lounge with large floor-to-ceiling
windows to celebrate crossing the Arctic Circle after
leaving Akureyri. At precisely the right time, the Captain announced, “Ladies
and gentlemen, look to the left of you.”
We all looked. Then he said, “Look to the right of you.” We all looked. Finally, he said, “There is
really nothing.” And the room erupted into shrieks and laughter. Soon we all drank and
danced the night away!
IT IS AN INSPIRATION
FOR ANOTHER RETIREMENT LIFESTYLE
The cruise
left me even more captivated by Iceland. But more importantly, it led me to one
of the six
spectacular retirement lifestyles I wrote about. It is one where, even as
we get older, we can continue to call on many ports around the world in style,
comfort, and convenience while learning about the places and people we visit
every day of the year.
We were so
pleased with what we had just experienced that my husband and I gladly signed a
petition to find a new sponsor and academic partner to continue both the
Semester at Sea and the Lifelong Learning Programs. And thankfully, they did; and
I predict, they will continue to do.
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