Lecture series gives MSC guests a global perspective. Former Ambassadors set to sail on Caribbean itineraries (Nov. 23, 2004)

Lecture series gives MSC guests a global perspective. Former Ambassadors set to sail on Caribbean itineraries
MSC Cruises presents guests with a rare insight into the U.S. Foreign Service and foreign policy with a new lecture program featuring former U.S. Ambassadors.
The former Ambassadors will be on select Caribbean sailings of the MSC Opera, which is sailing its inaugural season from Fort Lauderdale.

"We are honored to have such distinguished individuals onboard to provide our guests with their global perspective based on their extensive first-hand experience," says Richard E. Sasso, president and CEO of MSC Cruises USA.
"In the coming days we expect to announce even more sailings featuring guest lecturers."

The lecture series begins with former Ambassador Raymond Ewing, who will be on the seven-night Dec. 4 Eastern Caribbean and seven-night Dec. 11 Western Caribbean sailings.
Mr. Ewing served as Ambassador to Cyprus from 1981-1984 and to Ghana from 1989-1992. During his 36-year career in the Foreign Service he was also assigned to Tokyo and Vienna with the U.S. Mission to the International Atomic Energy Agency and Lahore, Pakistan; Rome; and Bern, Switzerland as Counselor for Economic and Commercial Affairs. MSC Opera

Since 1994 he has been managing editor of Mediterranean Quarterly, a journal of global issues.
Among the topics he is expected to address are "The U.S. Foreign Service - Is it Still the First Line of Defense?"; "U.S. Foreign Policy Challenges of 2005;" and "Creating and Keeping Peace in the World."

Former Ambassador William Bodde Jr. will sail on MSC Opera's 10-night Dec. 18 Panama Canal Holiday Voyage. The ship will visit Ocho Rios, Cartagena, Puerto Limon and Cozumel.
It will spend four days at sea and will enter the Panama Canal through the Gatun Locks, cruise the Gatun Lake and exit from the same Gatun Locks.
In the course of his 33-year career in the U.S. Foreign Service, Mr. Bodde served as Ambassador under Presidents Carter, Bush and Clinton and as a Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Reagan Administration. He has been posted in Vienna, Stockholm, Berlin, Bonn, Frankfurt, Fiji, The Marshall Island and Singapore.
Mr. Bodde's lectures will cover "American Foreign Policy after the 2004 Election," "The United States and Latin America," and "America's Heart May be in Europe but Our Pocketbook is in Asia."

Also scheduled to share their expertise with MSC Cruises' guests are the following:

Former Ambassador to Malaysia, Indonesia and Pakistan John Monjo - MSC Opera's Dec. 28 11-night Deep Caribbean New Year's Voyage, which calls at San Juan, Antigua, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, Tortola, and Nassau and spends three days at sea;
Former Ambassador to Sierra Leone (1992-1995) Lauralee M. Peters - MSC Opera's 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruise which departs Jan. 15 and visits San Juan, St. Thomas, St. Croix and Nassau, and spends two days at sea.

"This series of special lectures is an example of our ability to offer unique enriching experiences to our guests," says Sasso.

Other special events on MSC Cruises' Caribbean schedule include a series of baseball theme cruises featuring some of the greats of the game and a series of music cruises - including Big Band, Oldies, Classic Country, Jazz and Italian music - on MSC Lirica.

(Source: MSC Cruises)