Welcoming Fish

Dr. Rich Slatta [the Snorkeling Professor]
Cruise Ship Lecture Service

The Snorkeling Professor Rich Visiting Latin America and the Caribbean by cruise ship is a WONDERFUL experience! The natural beauty, food, music, historic sites, shopping, and cruise ship activities and outtings are fantastic--but they can be Palm Tree overwhelming. As an area studies expert, specializing in Latin America and the Caribbean, I can help make sense out of this sensory overload. I provide for cruise ships a wide variety of fresh, richly illustrated lectures that help passengers to better understand and appreciate their visit. I can serve as either a desination or special topics lecturer. Now passengers can enjoy and LEARN, and many are eager to do so. Speaking of learning, before I describe my cruise ship lecture topics, here are a few links to help learn more about the Caribbean and coral reef protection. Come join us!
  • Other Lecture and Seminar Topics I also lecture widely about cowboys of the Americas and other Latin American topics.
  • List of Articles Published Includes publications on Latin American history and culture, commentary, the cowboy and the American West, educational computing, and other topics. Also check out these reports on Caribbean snorkeling trips and links to organizations seeking to preserve our precious coral reefs.
  • Research Note: During the early part of 2007, I'm also conducting research in the Caribbean. The project is titled "Preserve the Caribbean Past." I am compiling a registry of endangered historic places and spaces. You can help. Add your nominations to the Preserve the Caribbean Past wiki page.

    • Swimming Fish



    Cruise Ship Lecture Topics

    1. Pirates of the Caribbean
      2. A two-part lecture taking piracy from earliest days to demise circa 1722. Pirate personalities, lore, legend, weapons, vessels, and much more. Ever wonder how long it took pirates to sail from port to port. Check out our Pirate Destination Guide.
    2. The Many Caribbeans: a rich sampler of the tremendous variety and excitement of the entire Caribbean. It'll take your breath away.
    3. English-speaking Caribbean: Focus on ex-British colonies, like Jamaica, and on the US Virgin Islands (St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix)
    4. Dutch Caribbean: Oh, those wonderful ABC islands -- Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao -- right off the Venezuelan coast. Snorkling and diving? Bonaire is paradise. Shopping and casinos? Can't beat Aruba and Curaçao.
    5. Spanish Caribbean: Columbus, sailing for Spain, was the first European to view many Caribbean islands. Other nations fought or bargained with Spain to secure some of the islands. But Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba retain their strong Spanish heritage and language.
    6. Pirates of the Caribbean: PowerPoint format. A look at the golden age of pirating-- the men, women, ships, and haunts.
    7. Panama Canal: Cruising through this historic canal is a full-day thrill. Explore the rich history and come to understand just how this technological marvel works.
    8. Panama and Costa Rica: These Central American countries offer wonderful diverse societies and environments -- from smoldering volcanoes to lush rainforests.
    9. Central America, Land of the Maya: Many amazing archeaological sites, such as Tikal in Guatemala, attest to the incredible accomplishments of the classic Maya. Against all odds, their descendants retain much of that colorful, rich, ancient culture. Mexican Flag
    10. The Many Mexicos: America's big, sparkling southern neighbor has enough history and culture to occupy the visitor for a lifetime. Learn about Mexico's diversity, from one end to the other.
    11. Andean South America: From their mysterious city of Machu Picchu, long hidden in the depths of the Andes, to their huge fort near Cuzco, remnants of the mightly Inca empire have long thrilled visitors. Explore the land of the Inca, including Lake Titicaca.
    12. A Latin American/Caribbean Food Quiz: PowerPoint format. How is your food origins IQ? This fun and funny quiz asks viewers to identify which good originated in the New World and which are importants.
    13. Argentina: A City and a Nation Wander the streets of huge, rambling Buenos Aires. Explore the idylls of small-town life on the pampa, Argentina's giant grassy plain. Climb the mighty, towering Andes. Incredible! US Flag
    14. US and Latin America, Pretty Good Neighbors: A look at relations, since the Monroe Doctrine of 1823, between the US and its southern neighbors.
    15. Gauchos Ride the Range: America has its cowboy, but Argentina and Uruguay have their gauchos. Explore the four-century history and vibrant culture of these hardy South American cowboys.
    16. Latin America's Cowboys: From Mexico south to the Argentina and Chile, cowboys have herded cattle from horseback for centuries. Ride with these colorful, sometimes dangerous figures: vaqueros and charros in Mexico, llaneros in Colombia and Venezuela, vaqueiros and gaúchos in Brazil, huasos in Chile, and gauchos in Argentina and Uruguay.
    17. The Cowboy, American Hero: Passengers sometimes get a little homesick. Ride back in time to the cowboy of American history and folklore. Special prizes for those who can identify old-time cowboy movie heroes.
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