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16-Night, 8-Country Enrichment Voyage from Institute for Shipboard Education

4.7

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Patricia
7 years ago
Didn't know it was availablebefore finding the groupon. Handled very wellby the ship. Great experience!

This 16-night educational cruise debarks in Nassau and stops in Columbia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

What You Get

16-night, eight-country enrichment voyage, departing 12/18/13 from Nassau, Bahamas. Valid for Travel with a Friend packages (two Groupons required), or pay an additional fee to travel solo. Read about package structures here.

  • Option 1: $1,599 per person for a shared inside cabin ($2,949 value)
  • Option 2: $2,349 per person for a shared outside cabin ($3,889 value)

    Included in all options:

    • All onboard meals
    • All onboard lectures and most workshops

    Policies and Fees

    Book by: 5/24/13

    • Single supplement for inside cabin is $2,435.50 ($1,599 + $824.50 fee)
    • Single supplement fee for outside cabin is $3,523.50 ($2,349 + $1,174.50 fee)
    • In lieu of the single supplement fee, the Institute for Shipboard Education can attempt to partner solo travelers willing to share a room with a roommate of the same gender if one is available.
    • Cancellation policy & fees: 91-day cancellation notice required in writing or fee of 25% Groupon price applies; 61-day notice or 1/2 Groupon price applies; 31-day notice or Groupon price applies
    • Taxes: taxes included
    • Additional fees: $280 in port fees and up to $9 per person per day fuel surcharge not included.
    • Suggested gratuity: $8 per guest per day

    Read the Fine Print for important info on travel dates and other restrictions.

Cruise from Caribbean to Cabo San Lucas with Educational Workshops and Lectures

Included in all options:

  • All onboard meals
  • All onboard lectures and most workshops<p>

The Institute for Shipboard Education was born from an idea to create a floating campus that reflected the ideals of the United Nations and the realities of globalization. As Chinese shipping magnate C.Y. Tung put it, “Ships can transport more than cargo—they can carry ideas.” The institute has attracted world-famous guest speakers including Mikhail Gorbachev, Mother Teresa, and Nelson Mandela. The Institute for Shipboard Education also administers the study abroad program Semester at Sea. Today, the cruising university offers Enrichment Voyages for adventurers of all ages, with educational programming that digs deep into each port of call’s culture and history.

This 16-night cruise incorporates both lectures and hands-on exploration. Departing from Nassau, the MV Explorer stops in the Dominican Republic and Columbia before heading through Panama Canal. After transitioning from the Atlantic to the Pacific, the cruise visits Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Mexico before ending in San Diego.

Below, we’ve outlined some suggestions for each port of call; click here to see a full itinerary.

December 21: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic After departing from Nassau, Bahamas, the cruise heads south to Santo Domingo, considered the oldest city in the New World. Santo Domingo’s Zona Colonial reflects the city’s rich history and its vibrant contemporary culture. Here, you can see the 16th-century palace where Christopher Columbus’s son once lived. Along the cobblestone streets, there are art galleries and vendors selling handmade goods, cigars, and insects encased in Dominican amber.

December 23: Cartagena, Colombia The next port of call is Cartagena, Colombia, which Lonely Planet describes as “a fairtytale city of romance, legends, and sheer beauty.” Walls up to 60 feet thick surround the city as a former defense from pirates. In the Old Town area, you can see a massive 16th-century stone fortresses and the Cartagena Gold Museum, which features 2,000-year old pottery and gold artifacts.

December 26: Puntarenas, Costa Rica The cruise passes through the Panama Canal en route to Puntarenas, Costa Rica. Located on the country’s western coast, Puntarenas draws tourists for its beaches along the Gulf of Nicoya. Further inland, the landscape gives way to old-growth rainforests and volcanic craters.

December 28: Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala Next, you’ll stop at Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala. Many people use Puerto Quetzal as a jumping point to the historic Guatemalan capital of Antigua, which is about an hour drive north. Surrounded by volcanic mountains, Antigua boasts a large collection of Spanish Colonial Architecture, including the 18th-century Iglesia La Merced, a baroque church with two bell towers.

December 31: Puerto Vallarta, Mexico As the cruise heads towards San Diego, you’ll stop off at Puerto Vallarta. One of Mexico’s top destinations, the resort city has pristine beaches that overlook the Bay of Banderas. The city buzzes with activity from its sculpture-lined boardwalk to its late-night discotheques.

January 1: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico Spend the last leg of the cruise taking in the sights and sounds of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Witness the postcard-worthy sight of El Arco, a 200-foot granite arch that rises out of the Pacific Ocean and once served as a hiding place for pirates playing hide and seek. After Cabo, you’ll head to San Diego, where the cruise ends on January 3.

Read the Fine Print for important info on travel dates and other restrictions.

Other Details

Room Details

Inside or outside cabin

  • Two twin beds
  • Standard occupancy: 2
  • Maximum occupancy: 2–4 on a case-by-case basis during reservations, based on availability
  • Adding occupants above standard: n a limited number of cabins, each additional occupant 17 or older may be added for $795 per trip plus $280 in port fees; each additional occupant 16 or younger may be added for $395 per trip plus $280 in port fees.

Hotel Policies

  • Rollaways: not available
  • Smoking policy: no smoking allowed inside the cabins; smoking restricted to designated areas
  • Pet policy: pets are not allowed onboard.
  • Accessibility: handicap-accessible rooms are available upon request during booking.
  • Room upgrades: guests can pay a single supplement fee to stay in a single-occupancy cabin.

Amenities

  • Several dining options
  • Swimming pool
  • 9,000-volume library
  • Wireless Internet

Traveler's Tips

  • A passport is required for all travel outside the U.S.
  • Before international travel, always check the State Department's website for important info on the destination and its entry/exit requirements.

Getting There

  • Beginning airport: Lynden Pindling International Airport (NAS)
  • Beginning port: Nassau, Bahamas
  • Final port: San Diego, California
  • Final airport: San Diego International Airport (SAN)

Need To Know Info

  • Promotional value expires May 24, 2013. Amount paid never expires.
  • Book by 5/24/13 or promo value expires
  • Travel 12/18/13-1/3/14
  • Reservation required
  • 91-day cancel notice req'd in writing or fee of 25% Groupon price applies; 61-day notice or 1/2 Groupon price; 31-day notice or fee of Groupon price
  • Must be 18+ to check in, 2+ to travel
  • CC required at check-in
  • Not valid w/rwd pts
  • Passport req'd
  • $280 port fee & possible fuel fee up to $9/day due onboard
  • Fee for solo travel: $824.50 for option 1, $1,174.50 for option 2
  • Merchant is solely responsible to purchasers for the care and quality of the advertised goods and services.
  • Learn about Strike-Through Pricing and Savings

About Institute for Shipboard Education

Customer Reviews

4.7
based on Groupon 40 reviews
100% Verified Reviews
All Groupon reviews are from people who have redeemed deals with this merchant. Review requests are sent by email to customers who purchased the deal.
Reviewed on
Patricia
1 rating|1 review
Didn't know it was availablebefore finding the groupon. Handled very wellby the ship. Great experience!
Bakken
Top reviewer
37 ratings|29 reviews
I did hear that the trip was wonderful. I was not able to go on this tour for personal reasons. I have tried to get my money back, or at least half of it because I was within the time-frame for getting half the money back. Seven-Country European Cruise has not responded to my email on this matter. Anything you can do? Thank you, Donice Bakken, 5056 Woodgate Ct, Minnetonka, MN 55345
sherry
2 ratings|1 review
the trip of a lifetime
Rachel
3 ratings|2 reviews
It was a life-changing experience. A once-in-a-lifetime adventure. I would recommend this to everyone in the world!!!
David
Top reviewer
94 ratings|48 reviews
It was everything as advertised. First class operation and beats the fluffy carnival type cruises all to heck.

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