Celebrity Eclipse cruise ship

Genealogy cruises are more popular than ever. And why wouldn’t they? A holiday, a genealogy conference, a touch of luxury, and touristing – all in one! A genealogy cruise gives you a chance to learn genealogy from some of the world’s best, while on holiday! Not to mention meeting and mingling with a heap of other people whose eyes don’t glaze over when the word genealogy is mentioned. And in fact they encourage it.

Unlock the Past Cruises have recently announced their genealogy cruises for 2015 and 2016, and what a range they have on offer. Australian based, they are now offering cruises not only around Australia, but they are venturing to the other side of the world on many of them.

Covering everything from two night cruises, to 19 days … there’s something for everyone

The following is part of the Press Release from Unlock the Past Cruises recently released …

Adelaide, South Australia, 1 December 2014 – Unlock the Past Cruises announces its 2015-16 program of seven history and genealogy cruises – all now booking. Discover more about your family history in great company while visiting great destinations. All who book a cruise during the remainder of 2014 and 2015 are in a draw for $6000 worth of prizes. In addition there are more great prize opportunities on each cruise!

[7th cruise] From Fremantle, Western Australia on the Astor, 19-24 January 2015, a cruise commemorating the departure of the convoys carrying the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) and New Zealand Expeditionary Force (later to be known collectively as the ANZACs) in late 1914. Noted Irish and military historian, Richard Reid, will be the lead presenter.

[8th cruise] Baltic cruise on the Celebrity Eclipse, 11-25 July 2015, visiting northern Europe, St Petersburg and Scandinavia – departing Southampton and visiting Bruges (Belgium), Berlin (Germany), Tallinn (Estonia), St Petersburg (Russia), Helsinki (Finland), Stockholm (Sweden), and Copenhagen (Denmark). Apart from fantastic ports of call learn from a great team of presenters including Cyndi Ingle and Paul Milner (United States), Chris Paton and Janet Few (UK), Shauna Hicks and Carol Baxter (Australia) and many more.

[9th cruise] A Transatlantic cruise on the Celebrity Eclipse, 1-16 November 2015 – one way from Southampton to Miami visiting Boston, New York, Bermuda and Port Canaveral. Many of our ancestors made a similar trip when they migrated – here is your chance to do the same and learn from Dick Eastman (USA), Else Churchill, Alec Tritton and Kirsty Gray (UK), Shauna Hicks (Australia) and more.

[10th cruise] Our cheapest ever cruise! A short two night cruise from Brisbane 8-10 December 2015, on the Legend of the Seas. Lead presenter is Stephanie Ryan (State Library of Queensland).

[11th cruise] New Zealand to Australia on the Celebrity Solstice, 14 February-3 March 2016. The cruise commences in Auckland (New Zealand) and finishes in Fremantle (Perth, Western Australia), visiting many New Zealand and Australian ports. Among the stunning sights are the Dusky, Doubtful and Milford Sounds. The cruise will have an international team of presenters with Judy G Russell (USA), the Legal Genealogist, as the lead presenter.

[12th cruise] Coming a long way? Team the previous cruise up with a seven night cruise to the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland 6-13 March 2016 departing Brisbane on the Legend of the Seas. Carol Baxter (Australia) will present her highly acclaimed eight lecture series on researching and writing history and genealogy; other presenters include Helen Smith, Judy Webster, and Eric and Rosemary Kopittke.

[13th cruise] And the European river cruise – a romantic seven night cruise on the Rhine from Amsterdam to Basel 31 July-7 August 2016 on Tranquility II. Enjoy fantastic scenery  and a unique opportunity to network with other genealogists in the group.

Interested? Well here’s sone comments from those who’ve been on a past cruise (or two) …

A genealogy conference on the high seas? Not only do you get all the fun of a regular cruise, you have the opportunity to network with other family historians from all over the world. The best part: the lectures and educational presentations are offered by some of the leading speakers in the genealogy industry. And Unlock the Past Cruises has the best selection of destinations and speakers hands down! – Thomas MacEntee, United States, 4th cruise presenter

With over thirty years of genealogy conferences behind me, I had long ago decided that the best conferences were those that were ‘live-in’—with on-site accommodation—you can really feel you are in Genealogy Heaven!! Now I know better! Now I know real Genealogy Heaven is an UTP cruise! Cocooned in another world; with friends—new and old; eating, drinking, sleeping, learning, absorbing genealogy!! 24/7!! Sea days; shore days; EVERY day a gem!! – Jan Gow, New Zealand, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 11th cruise presenter

For more information on any of these cruises, please visit the Unlock the Past Cruises website www.unlockthepastcruises.com. And you can download the 16 page catalogue giving details of each of all 2015-16 cruises at www.unlockthepastcruises.com/catalogue

To register your interest or book for any of them, please contact Ciaran at Clean Cruising who deals with all the booking for Unlock the Past Cruises, you can phone on 1800 121 187, or email ciaran@cleancruising.com.au.

So check them out, we’d love to see you one (or more) of them. They really are the prefect way to learn and make new friends.