In 2022, we will commemorate the 102nd anniversary of the end of WW I and the 77th anniversary of the end of WWII on the specially curated voyage, The World Wars.  On this very exclusive voyage, we welcome aboard producers of the four major PBS series on the histories of The Great War, World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War in honor of the anniversaries of these significant, 20th century world conflicts.  Invited to speak on these great works are Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Erik Ewers, Writers Guild Award winner Stephen Ives, Stephanie Carter, Executive Producer of Secrets of the Dead, and LTG (Ret.) Daniel W. Christman.

For a sneak preview, join Kevin J. Corcoran, President and CEO of Artful Travelers and Lt. General Daniel Christman in an interview titled, “From Meuse Argonne to the Normandy Beaches, West Point Marches onto the Global Stage.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdzcELQfK0o

Spotlight programming and events: Beginning with a festive Welcome Reception, guests will have the opportunity to greet speakers and performers in-person, register for fascinating private dinners and hear more about the acclaimed work of public broadcasting entities from America. Lectures and special screenings will be offered on sea days and certain afternoons in port.  Several PBS films will be screened in the Constellation Theater and on 2 broadcast channels in guest cabins.  A special Group Dinner mid-way through the voyage will allow for an exclusive opportunity to meet other passengers with similar interests and also engage closely with speakers and performers following their time on stage. Both a Mid-cruise Reception and a Farewell Reception are also offered during this unique offering.  Our experience will conclude with a very exclusive shore excursion to visit the beaches of Normandy at the end of the cruise.  Additional on-board activities and custom shore excursions will be added soon.

Exclusive London Pre-sail program and a special tour of the beaches of Normandy are planned for this voyage: Here’s a sneak peek at some details: 

• Prior to sailing, we will produce a 3-day experience in London that will celebrate all things ROYAL.  With the success of The Queen, Bridgerton, and of course, Downton Abbey that sustained us during COVID,  we plan to go behind the scenes of these shows and celebrate the history and the stories of the royal family and their ancestors.  We will also visit Buckingham Place behind the gates for the changing of the guard and a private tour of the Churchill War Rooms to compliment our World Wars Theme.  We also plan to spend a night on London’s famous West End seeing Back to the Future –  The Musical which opens later this year and promises to be the toughest ticket in 2022!  For those who have missed London madly or those who plan to visit for the first time, this pre-sail experience will be an over the top treat of all you’ve missed! Details and registration will be posted soon.
• We built our World Wars theme around a visit to the historic and very moving beaches of Normandy.  Those who have seen the beaches can tell of an experience that can only be appreciated on site.  For our exclusive VIP tour of the beaches, we are adding deep historical and military insight led by our Spotlight speaker, Lt. General Daniel Christman.  Space will be limited.  Here’s a sneak peek at what we are planning.  

Spotlight Exclusive: D-Day Landing Beaches (Only VOY210809)

Schedule

0:00 2:15 Drive to Arromanches 135

2:15 3:00 Visit Arromanches 360° Circular Cinema  (opens at 10AM) 45

3:00 3:15 Drive to Longues-sur-Mer 15

3:15 3:45 Walking visit of the battery 30

3:45 4:00 Drive to Port-en-Bessin 15

4:00 5:00 Free time for lunch in Port-en-Bessin 60

5:00 5:30 Drive to Colleville-sur-Mer 30

5:30 6:45 Visit US Cemetery 75

6:45 7:00 Drive to Omaha Beach 15

7:00 7:15 Omaha Beach Photo Stop 15

7:15 7:45 Drive to Pointe du Hoc 30

7:45 8:30 Visit Pointe du Hoc 45

8:30 11:00 Drive back to the ship 150 

“On June 6th, 1944, one of the most historic battles in world history unfolded over 50 miles of beachfront in the Calvados region of Normandy, France. Departing with a tour guide and driving through the picturesque French countryside, we will begin this immersive experience of ‘D-Day’ battle sites in Arromanches, site of the artificial harbor which was pre-fabricated and towed here, helping the Allies bring supplies ashore.  Located on clifftops, the Arromanches 360° Circular Cinema dominates the remnants of one of the two artificial Mulberry harbors. Remnants of the artificial port can still be seen today from the panoramic point of view of the Cinema. A 20-minute movie, produced by the authors of the hugely successful French television series Apocalypse, tells the story of the Battle of Normandy and provides the historic context for the invasion itself.   We will then stop at Longues-sur-Mer, a virtually intact German battery of coast defense guns with a commanding view of the Normandy beaches. You will be on your own to enjoy free time for lunch in the next stop, Port-en-Bessin.  Historically, Port-en-Bessin saw savage fighting in the first 36 hours of the invasion, with British Commandos eventually seizing the surrounding heights in an operation described as ‘one of the greatest feats of arms during the second world war.’ After lunch we will travel to Collevile-sur-Mer, the site of the American cemetery and its associated visitors center.  Time will be afforded to visit and explore this always emotional site. Because the cemetery overlooks Omaha Beach, we will provide a brief excursion after the cemetery visit to the beach itself, where a short battle orientation will be offered on the execution of the beach landings. Finally, we will travel to Pointe du Hoc, where Army Rangers at day-break on June 6th scaled 100 foot cliffs against determined resistance.  A brief orientation on this operation and its role in the subsequent consolidation of separate allied invasion beaches will be offered on site.  We will return following this stop directly to the ship.”    This tour is specially curated for the Spotlight on The World Wars and will include color commentary, insights and perspectives from Spotlight speaker, Ret. Lt General Dan Christman at key points on the tour.

Special 30th Anniversary Voyage!

For more than three decades, Regent has been elevating ocean travel as the only, truly all-inclusive luxury cruise line. To celebrate these last 30 years — and as we look to the decades ahead — Regent and Artful Travelers have curated and enhanced this sailing. Experience the ultimate in luxury travel on this 30th Anniversary Voyages, including commemorative pins and gifts, an anniversary party on each cruise, double past guest savings, specialty drinks and one-of-a-kind dining options alongside enhanced entertainment and more.  See https://www.rssc.com/30-Anniversary-Voyages for more details. 

Speakers/Entertainment:

Stephen Ives is an American documentary film director and original founder of Insignia Films. Among his productions are The West (1996), Reporting America at War (2003), Roads to Memphis (2010), and Grand Coulee Dam(2012), and the four-part series Constitution USA (2013) which aired on PBS in the summer of 2013. PBS broadcast his most recent aired work, The Great War, in three parts (2017).

Stephanie Carter is the executive producer of the Emmy-nominated series Secrets of the Dead, now in its 18th season.  One of her first commissions as Executive Producer for Secrets of the Dead was “World War Speed”, an examination of the use of amphetamines by both Nazi and Allied forces during World War II.

With a desire to mark the significant World War II anniversaries happening in 2020, she is bringing “Bombing Auschwitz” to PBS to tell the story of how the Allies wrestled with whether or not to destroy the death camp and all its occupants to prevent the camp from taking more lives in the future.  Both films will be featured in our Spotlight programming.

As Senior Counselor for International Affairs, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Senior Counselor to the President, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Member, Council on Foreign Relations, Member of the Board of Directors of Entegris Corporation, Teradyne; LTG (Ret.) Daniel W. Christman is responsible for advising the Chamber’s senior leadership on national security and international issues affecting the business community. He previously served as senior vice president for International Affairs at the Chamber, where he oversaw a team of dozens of policy analysts and program coordinators committed to global business engagement on behalf of the Chamber’s worldwide membership. 

Christman, a career military officer who retired from active duty in 2001, served for five years as the superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point. He also served for two years as assistant to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, during which time he traveled with and advised Secretary of State Warren Christopher. He was centrally involved during this period with negotiations between Israel and Syria as a member of the Secretary’s Middle East Peace Team. Further, Christman represented the United States as a member of NATO’s Military Committee in Brussels, Belgium. 

Christman has written and lectured extensively on leadership and national defense, including the ongoing war against international terrorism. He also served as a military analyst for CNN International during Operation Iraqi Freedom. During the Gulf War in 1991, he headed a strategic planning group that advised the Army’s chief of staff on war prosecution policies.  

Graduating first in his class from West Point, Christman also received MPA and MSE degrees in public affairs and civil engineering from Princeton University and graduated with honors from The George Washington University Law School. He is a decorated combat veteran of Southeast Asia, where he commanded a company in the 101st Airborne Division in 1969. On four occasions, Christman has been awarded the Army and Defense Distinguished Service Medal, which is the Defense Department’s highest peacetime award.

Director, Producer and Editor Erik Ewers has been collaborating with PBS filmmaker Ken Burns for over 30 years on almost every one of Ken’s films, including Lewis & Clark, Baseball, Jazz, Mark Twain, The War, The National Parks, The Roosevelts, The Vietnam War, and his latest miniseries Country Music. Erik’s work has been recognized by his peers with two ACE Eddie Award nominations for editing and more than 10 Emmy nominations, and received both an ACE Award and 3 Emmy Awards for best Non-Fiction Programming and Sound Editing. Additionally, Erik has been collaborating with his brother Christopher to form Ewers Brothers Productions, and over the past 15 years they have created short-form documentaries, promotional films, and feature length documentaries, including The Mayo Clinic: Faith, Hope, Science which aired on PBS in 2018. The Ewers Brothers are currently working on a PBS miniseries on today’s mental health crisis, and a historical film on Henry David Thoreau. Erik is also senior editor of a miniseries on the life and writing of Ernest Hemingway, which will air on PBS in 2021.

To join the group:   Spotlight lectures, dinners, and cocktail parties, all unrivaled experiences – are open to all Regent guests at no extra charge.  Join our “community at sea” by mentioning the group code “SPO” (for Spotlight)  at the time of booking or add this experience to your “On Board Options” via Destination Services to reflect your interest in attending Spotlight on Public Broadcasting events so we can keep you advised of related activities while you are on board.  A programming agenda will be delivered to your suite upon embarkation and exclusive invitations to activities and events will be sent to your suite throughout the journey. You will then have the choice to determine which events to attend or participate.