Road Scholar Cruises and Organizer-Led Learning
Experts and a like-minded group, port by port.
Find a Learning CruiseRoad Scholar Cruises and Other Organizer-Led Programs
Road Scholar cruises are the classic example of organizer-led learning at sea. Road Scholar is the not-for-profit educational travel organization created by Elderhostel, which has run educational travel since 1975. Instead of being a cruise line, it designs the learning — experts, lectures, field trips — and runs it aboard vessels it charters or books, from American riverboats to small ships overseas.
Two other kinds of organizer work the same way: museum travel programs such as Smithsonian Journeys, and university alumni associations. Each brings its own experts and its own community of travelers.
Road Scholar on the Water
Road Scholar’s river cruises cover the United States, Europe, Africa, Asia and South America, and the organization also offers what it calls educational small ship adventures. Listings describe expert-led lectures and field trips and hands-on experiences, and on full-ship charters, travelers are split into smaller groups, each with its own leader.
The programs are designed with older adults in mind, though not exclusively; read each program’s activity level before booking. See Road Scholar’s small-ship programs for current departures.
Smithsonian Journeys and Alumni Travel
Smithsonian Journeys puts experts from or chosen by the Smithsonian on selected sailings. Its small-ship ocean departures with PONANT carry two Smithsonian Journeys experts who lead discussions on board and ashore, alongside the line’s own travel director. It has also partnered with AmaWaterways on river cruises with art historians, archaeologists and scientists.
Alumni associations sponsor cruises where a professor from the university travels with the group, sometimes on a full ship shared with other colleges’ groups. College Alumni Cruises explains how alumni cruises are organized and how a group can set one up.
Organizer-Led or Cruise-Line Enrichment?
| Organizer-led program | Cruise-line enrichment | |
|---|---|---|
| Who designs the learning | Road Scholar, a museum or a university | The cruise line |
| Group | Your program group, often with its own leader | Every guest on board |
| Field trips | Usually planned around the lectures | Chosen from the line’s excursion list |
| How you book | Through the organizer | With the cruise, through an advisor or the line |
Organizer-led programs suit travelers who want depth and a like-minded group. If you would rather keep the freedom of a regular cruise, a line with a strong enrichment program may suit you better; our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise can suggest one.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Road Scholar cruises?
Road Scholar, the not-for-profit educational travel organization behind Elderhostel, runs learning programs aboard riverboats and small ships. Its listings describe expert-led lectures and field trips, and on full-ship charters travelers are divided into smaller groups, each with a leader.
Where do Road Scholar river cruises go?
Its river cruise collection covers the United States, Europe, Africa, Asia and South America. Check Road Scholar for current programs and dates.
What do Smithsonian Journeys cruises include?
Smithsonian Journeys sends its own experts on selected sailings. On its small-ship departures with PONANT, two Smithsonian Journeys experts lead onboard and on-land discussions; it also partners with AmaWaterways on river cruises.
Want Enrichment on a Regular Cruise?
Organizer programs are booked with the organizer. For cruises with strong onboard enrichment that we can book for you, ask our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise.
Ask About Enrichment Cruises