For travelers who want their cruise to teach them something, not just take them somewhere, Regent Seven Seas has built one of the strongest programs in the industry. Through a partnership called The Smithsonian Collection, Regent brings real Smithsonian experts aboard, from art historians to leading authors, and lets them shape the voyage from the inside.
A Dedicated Expert on Nearly Every Sailing
These are not one off appearances. On most Regent Seven Seas sailings, a dedicated Smithsonian specialist travels with guests for the entire journey. Shorter cruises, up to nine days, include three lectures with time for questions afterward. Longer voyages, twenty one days or more, include seven. The topics follow the itinerary itself, so a guest sailing through the Mediterranean hears history tied directly to the ports coming up next, not a generic talk disconnected from the trip.
Private Access Most Cruisers Never Get
The onboard lectures are only part of it. Smithsonian specialists also lead a small number of private shore excursions built around some of the most significant historical sites in the world, including a private tour of the Vatican in Rome, a visit to the Hermitage and its Gold Room in St. Petersburg, and an in depth experience exploring Berlin. These are the kinds of access and context that turn a stop at a port into an actual history lesson, guided by someone whose entire career is built around that subject.
Why This Fits Our Historical and Heritage Specialty
This is exactly the kind of historian led travel our new historical and heritage specialty is built around. It is the same idea behind programs like Smithsonian Journeys itself, that a good historian standing next to you changes what a place means, and Regent Seven Seas has built real infrastructure around making that experience consistent, not occasional.
If a Smithsonian led voyage sounds like the kind of trip you have been waiting for, we would be glad to help you find the right sailing.
