How to Come Back from Your Cruise Smarter

Ever wanted to learn how to tango? Take better pictures? Master the art of wine pairing? Your next cruise could be the perfect classroom. In addition to the usual onboard entertainment lineup, many cruises host workshops for guests interested in picking up a new talent, or refining an old one. Given the spare time you’ve got in between ports, these expert-led enrichment programs are an ideal opportunity to give your skills — and your brain — a boost.

By Bonnie Munday

Hone your photography skills

Whether you’re hiking through a national park or sailing on an expedition cruise, incredible wildlife sightings can occur any time. Improve your odds of capturing those fleeting moments on camera — in perfect clarity — with tips from a skilled shooter. You’ll find photography workshops offered on cruise lines such as Princess and Hurtigruten, while Lindblad Expeditions even has a resident National Geographiccertified photographer aboard every ship. In addition to expert advice on snapping professional-looking pictures, they’ll offer insights on wildlife behavior, so you’re more likely to be in the right place at the right time.

Cooking class,image courtesy of Princess Cruises

Pick up cooking tips from pro chefs

For many, an epic cruise experience is defined by food — so who better to teach you a few tricks than the talented chefs on board? Cooking classes are among the most common (and popular) enrichment programs offered on today’s cruise ships, with several lines, from Carnival to Seabourn, offering some form of culinary instruction. On Oceania Cruises, where there’s a ratio of one chef for every 10 guests, cooking classes aboard ships Marina, Riviera and Vista feature the cruise line’s renowned Culinary Centers, where you’ll learn fundamental techniques, including the art of emulsion (a.k.a. the secret to perfect salad dressings), slick knife skills and how to fillet fish. On Oceania’s Culinary Discovery Tours, guests accompany a chef to port markets to pick up fresh ingredients, then prepare a meal together back on the ship — while sampling wine pairings, of course.

Pickle ball, image courtesy of Holland America Line

Try your hand at pickleball

Cruise lines have been quick to cater to the exploding popularity of pickleball, and it’s not just the mega-ships: Passengers on AmaWaterways’ AmaMagna river ship now have access to a full-size pickleball court on the Sun Deck. As the official cruise line of the Professional Pickleball Association, Holland America Line offers complimentary lessons for novice “picklers” on all sailings. With designated courts installed across its fleet, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to put your new-found skills to the test in regular pick-up games and tournaments.

Master your bridge game

It’s not always easy to find four for bridge, but on certain cruises, you’ll not only meet like-minded lovers of the card game, you’ll learn tips to refine your strategy. The Bridge at Sea program on Regent Seven Seas Cruises offers social and competitive games on select ships. You’ll be joined by Certified Bridge masters from the American Contract Bridge League who are on hand to provide professional instruction. Silversea Cruises also feature certified masters who oversee matches in exclusive card rooms, with daily contract and duplicate bridge sessions to keep you entertained — and on your game.

Ballroom dancing, image courtesy f Cunard

Channel your inner Ginger Rogers (or Fred Astaire)

Blame it on the motion of the ocean (or those poolside piña coladas), but there’s something about a cruise that inspires people to get up and dance. On cruise lines like Royal Caribbean and Cunard, guests can add new moves to their repertoire by taking dance lessons in a variety of styles, from Latin to line dancing. In terms of elegance, though, nothing beats Cunard’s ballroom dancing program. Professional competition-standard instructors are aboard Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth to guide you — and even partner with you — in evening ballroom dancing. Guests on Queen Anne and Queen Victoria can also take beginner to intermediate ballroom classes with onboard entertainment hosts. Give it a twirl under the sparkling chandeliers.