Regent program taps renowned speakers

By Michael Coleman

Theme cruises continue to gain in popularity but no one perhaps does it any better on the high seas than ultra-luxurious Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

The line's enrichment programming - dubbed Circles of Interest - offers guests exclusive onboard and shore-side experiences featuring world-class lecturers, instructors and authorities from the realms of art, cuisine, history, environmental conservation, photography and wellness.

Some of the line's 2008 winter and summer world history offerings will be unveiled aboard the 700-guest, all-suite, all-balcony Seven Seas Mariner and the 490-guest, all-suite Seven Seas Navigator. British naval hero, Commodore Jamie Miller, will host "The Falklands Conflict," a 19-night South America voyage departing January 16 aboard Seven Seas Mariner, while Emmy Award-winning journalist and network news producer Elyse Weiner hosts "Barcelona and Florence Revealed" aboard Seven Seas Navigator's June 14 and August 16 Mediterranean departures.

Also, look for nutrition and wellness expert, Dr. Oz Garcia, to provide guests with customized fitness regimens and therapeutic healing techniques on two summer 2008 European departures of the 700-guest, all-suite, all-balcony Seven Seas Voyager.

“Our 2008 Circles of Interest programs continue to offer unparalleled experiences for Regent guests as they gain insight and enrich their lives through the pursuit of a wide variety of personal interests,” said Sophie Vlessing, Regent's vice president, marketing and guest strategy. "These programs offer rare insight from world-class experts and also provide the added enjoyment of a core group of travelers who share similar interests.''

Commodore Miller, the United Kingdom's Naval Regional Commander for Wales and Western England and a survivor of the sinking of the HMS Coventry during the Falklands War, will share personal stories of his adventures both in the Falklands and around the world's oceans during Seven Seas Mariner's journey from Callao, Peru to Buenos Aires. The cruise will feature a visit to Port Stanley, Falkland Islands, where Miller will lead a tour of battle sites.

Weiner, an NBC Nightly News foreign producer when it was anchored by Tom Brokaw, CNBC executive, and seasoned traveler - she is founder of iJOURNEYS which provides mp3 walking tours in Europe - will lead informative tours in both Barcelona and Florence.

Oz, an author whose client roster includes A-list film and fashion stars, plus many of the highest-ranking Fortune 500 CEOs, will use one-on-one assessments and open dialogue with guests to help them achieve personal health goals.

His wellness program will be offered during a seven-day departure from Piraeus (for Athens) aboard Seven Seas Voyager, May 26. The Adriatic/Greek Isles voyage includes visits to Corfu, Mykonos and Nafplion, Greece; plus Dubrovnik, Croatia and Koper, Slovenia before ending in Venice. On June 2, Seven Seas Voyager departs Venice for a seven-night journey to Korcula, Croatia; Sarande, Albania; Naxos, Sicily; Sorrento, Italy and Civitavecchia (for Rome), Italy, concluding in Monte Carlo on June 9.