It was a sunny afternoon on the shiny new 190-passenger Ocean Albatros expedition ship docked at Scrabster in northern Scotland. Passengers were not gathered in the bar or pool, but in a lecture room where Professor Donna Heddle of the University of the Highlands and Islands in Orkney was giving a lecture on Scottish history.
In a lilting voice, she told guests that William Wallace, the Scottish hero of the famous film Braveheart, was nearly seven feet tall; that Scotland boasts the oldest national flag in Europe; and that traditionally, monarchs rule over people, not land (like Mary, Queen of Scots).
Who knows?
Such historical gems are just part of the itinerary on the 12-day “The Hidden Coasts of Scotland: An Expedition on the Ocean Albatros” cruise to the country’s northern islands and highlands. It’s one of Road Scholar’s so-called Floating Campuses—all-inclusive chartered cruises where everyone on board participates in an extensive educational program.
Forget pool parties, casinos, or Broadway shows. Think college campuses by the sea—but for adults 50 and older, the target audience for educational travel company Road Scholar. The program capitalizes on the growing trend of deeply immersive and enriching trips.
Indeed, Road Scholar is not the only company offering such educational excursions. Smithsonian Journeys, National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions, and Aurora Expeditions are among others that offer this service.
Does such an academic trip sound dry and dull to you? Well, step aside, the academic atmosphere is anything but dull for this group of lifelong learners. They are there not just to enjoy Scotland, but to expand their knowledge of the destination. And these PBS-watching globetrotters embrace the educational focus like eager apprentices.
Cruise ships become classrooms
With its large audience, cruise ships are an ideal learning environment, especially when the instructional program complements port visits.
For example, in preparation for a visit to Orkney’s Skara Brae, the “Pompeii of Scotland” and the best-preserved Neolithic settlement in Western Europe, speaker Steve Ragnall shared a fascinating illustrated summary of the Neolithic period in Orkney and Shetland.
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Sound boring? Not at all! Other lecture topics included Scottish history, language, literature and geography. My companions and I were fascinated by each topic.
Heddle and Ragnall, a maritime historian and amateur archaeologist, are the two speakers on this first educational cruise, sharing the spotlight with an expert birder and a geologist. All four impart their knowledge of Scotland as part of a programme that also includes book club sessions and photography lessons.
In addition to twice-daily lectures (some passengers even take notes!), experts will be on hand throughout the trip for relaxed discussions, giving passengers the opportunity to dig deeper into topics of interest.
Indeed, I regularly saw Heddle and Ragnall dining in one of the ship’s two restaurants. They attracted passengers like rock stars.
“I really appreciated how Road Scholar always got confused about which instructor was with my group when we were on the tour,” said Indianapolis tourist Wendy Baldwin, who was a bit of a celebrity fan on the tour.
Even the evening entertainment was great: a BBC documentary about Scotland’s marine life and a comedy called “Whisky Galore!” about Scottish islanders looting barrels of whisky from a stranded ship during World War II. A local ceilidh band charmed everyone one evening by playing and dancing to Gaelic folk music played on the ship’s bagpipes.
Related: The Best Cruises for Seniors Who Love to Travel by Sea
Study abroad at a famous institution
What makes Floating Campus different from its competitors in the educational cruise industry?
For starters, “it’s important that everyone on board is involved in the program… by taking over an entire ship (unlike other Road Scholar cruises),” says Chanelle Quealy, program manager for Floating Campuses. “A big part of it is the sense of togetherness, things like book clubs [we were given the book title along with an extensive reading list ahead of time] and photography instructions.”
The 112 scholars on the trip were divided into five smaller color-coded groups, each with a dedicated group leader, to undertake daily guided “field trips,” staggered in time to avoid overcrowding.
Unlike other educational cruises, these groups are further divided into two activity levels—for those who are less active or more active—so that everyone in this older demographic can participate. Furthermore, there are no shore excursion options like on a typical cruise. We all visit the same places, but the way we get there will be different to accommodate those who are less active.
“It’s all very unique,” said Zoe Fox-Mailer, executive director of the cruise program.
The program even had a “show and tell” activity just like in the classroom. (Remember that?) After the farewell dinner, we gathered in color-coded groups to share what we liked best about the experience.
Among the comments I noticed were: “I love how Steve’s lectures bring history to life” and “This trip motivated us to do more research to do at home.” You could call these travelers nerds, but there’s no denying they’re fun people.
Another difference is the itineraries, which tend to be off the beaten track. For example, on this sailing trip in Scotland, we explore the wild north coast and remote islands including the Orkneys, Shetlands and Outer Hebrides, which are dotted with world-class archaeological sites and castles. It’s an unusual route to destinations that are hard to reach unless you’re travelling by boat.
“We’re focusing on destinations that you can’t get to by road or bus,” Fox-Mailer said. The 2024-25 roving bases will also include Corsica, Iceland, Lisbon to London and “Ultimate UK” (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland).
Related: The Best Cruises in Europe: 6 Standout Ships Across the Pond
Who are Road Scholars? Lifelong learners with a passion for travel
While other trips, especially expedition trips, also have educational content, Road Scholar trips are especially appealing to students who are eager to learn.
“Road Scholars are ready and eager to learn,” said Heddle, who teaches on other ships. “With other groups, they’re more interested in being entertained.”
Ragnell, who also teaches on other ships, agrees. “The road scholars already know a little bit about the subject so I don’t have to be condescending. Yesterday was the most questions I’ve had on any ship. It became a real discussion.”
Take Henry and Elaine Hurkholder of Meadville, Pennsylvania, who have been on 15 Road Scholar trips. “I wanted to broaden my horizons and learn new things,” Henry says.
“This is our first trip where everyone is a Road Scholar, which is a plus,” said his wife, Elaine. “It’s a little bit like being in school, but that’s what we wanted.”
“But you don’t need to take those classes,” Henry countered, noting that there was plenty of free time. Sure, you could skip all the tutorials. But why would you?
Related: The Best Adults-Only Cruises to Try If You Can’t Stand Being Around Kids While on Vacation
Dione and Jim Mahoney from Columbia, Maryland, who is on the 19th Road Scholar trip, are also here for the enrichment program. “I was amazed at how much I learned about Scotland,” Jim said. “The lectures were incredible. You can’t get that level of education on a regular cruise.”
Others had slightly different views. Wendy Baldwin, who has been on 14 Road Scholar trips, found “more knowledge than other Road Scholar programs.” But she found “more purposeful education on this cruise,” which was very different from land-based programs. She liked the fact that Floating Campus was a larger group than other Road Scholar programs, so it provided “more opportunities to find like-minded people to connect with…. I especially appreciated the cultural component like the band that was involved.”
Some passengers come for the destination rather than the classes. Barbara Koehler, a first-time cruiser from Birmingham, Alabama, wanted to see Skara Brae. And while her husband Bob Koehler is drawn to the lectures, Barbara isn’t, but she finds that “most of them are great. They’re not something you have to listen to.”
Indeed, it’s not all study and no play on the Ocean Albatros. Quiz nights and casual cocktail parties take place some evenings. People gather in the lounge or library to read or socialise during their downtime. Some make use of the small fitness centre and spa. But it’s mostly the early-to-bed crowd so they can be ready for the next day’s learning adventures.
Like everyone else, I enjoyed the insight into Scottish history and culture I gained, not to mention these cocktail gems:
- Scotland has more sheep than people.
- The 5,000-year-old Callanish Standing Stones in the Outer Hebrides are older than Stonehenge and were used as the model for the hit TV series ‘Outlander’.
- The Scottish proverb can be roughly translated as “Touch me if you dare”.
Learning interesting information like this will help you have more memorable travel memories than losing money at the craps tables.
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