Geeks of the Macintosh kind cruised into Nawiliwili Harbor over the weekend. The tour group included world-class software instructors plus dozens of students, some of whom brought along family and friends. The round-Hawaii computer instruction cruise held aboard the Norwegian
Geeks of the Macintosh kind cruised into Nawiliwili Harbor over the weekend.
The tour group included world-class software instructors plus dozens of students, some of whom brought along family and friends.
The round-Hawaii computer instruction cruise held aboard the Norwegian Star cruise ship is a product of Geek Cruises out of Palo Alto, Calif. in the heart of Silicon Valley.
The company organizes cruises to Alaska and other popular cruising areas, with Hawaii being fresh territory. The end of this month “Arctic Exposure – Alaska Digital Camera Workshop” is set to go out. Another MacMania event is set for the eastern Caribbean in late 2004. Speakers have included Apple Computer co-founder Steve Wozniak.
A full page “MacMania” ad in MacWorld magazine featuring a large photo of Na Pali from the air helped attract Macintosh computer users to the educational cruise, as well as highlighting Kauai’s scenery in a non-tourism publication.
Aboard the cruise was internationally-known Mac expert, David Pogue, who is the computer columnist for the New York Times and the publisher of his own line of computer software guides, The Missing Manuals, published by Pogue Press and O’Reilly & Associates.
Taking a cruise to enhance your computer skills under the tutelage of experts, as well as rubbing elbows with computer world illuminaries, and bonding with others who share your interest in a particular computer field is a major attraction of the specialized cruise programs.
Neil Bauman, the “Captain” and Chief Executive Officer of the company, benefited Kauai businesses by preorganizing a wide variety of Kauai day-tour activities for his “geeks” to enjoy. The agenda included helicopter tours, Wailua River boat cruises, diving excursions and other activities that benefited local businesses. All geeks were accounted for aboard ship at press time.
In an e-mail interview, Bauman explained the concept behind going on an educational, computer-focused cruise.
TGI: How does mixing tourism with education work?
NB: From a practical standpoint, they’re not mixed that much the way I set up the events (which I call cruise-conferences). When we’re in port, everyone is on vacation. When we’re at sea, during the day, we’re in class. For the very “mentally” active, a cruise can be a boring thing so running classes while everyone else is hanging out at the pool, or the spa, is a great use of time. The mechanics are simple: all of our cruises are seven nights. I pick itineraries that offer “at least” 2.5 days worth of sea time, during which we run our seminars.
From a lifestyle standpoint, merging of the two makes sense for a few good reasons: 1) when we’re away from our daily life (and it’s encumbrances like cell phones), it’s easy to focus (and not be distracted) on the technical seminars we provide; 2) while I have to admit I’ve noted an exception or two here in Hawaii (!!)by and large, most of us are so busy all of the time. A Geek Cruise gives one a chance to vacation, relax, and learn. Most seminars are in places that are not enjoyed (or if they are, few of us take the time to enjoy what the locale has to offer) or one feels guilty being there and not having one’s family nearby. On a Geek Cruise it’s easy to bring your spouse, companion, or family as most people love cruises
TGI: What does a participant come away with in the way of experience?
NB: We always have a famous person or two speaking so hopefully they’ve had a chance to listen and chat with someone whose book they’ve read or whose contributions they’ve admired.
But, in addition to getting to know, personally, a well-known Geek, our cruisers have vacationed, for a week, with a group of people they had a bit in common with before they started, but by the end, have a lot in common. On the ship, our group stands out”we’re the geeks”famous speakers, highly-interested individuals in whatever our subject isand a bunch of spouses used to being “the second wheel” but now have kindred spirits in this in the shadows’ existencethe bottom line is that an elite community forms and everyone enjoys chatting with everyone else. It’s almost like being at a week-long partyor back in college!
TGI: And what other types of “geek” tours do you offer?
NB: We offer two “types” of cruise conferences. Those for very technical geeks, i.e., programmers and system administrators, and those for end users and consumers. Examples of the latter include this current cruise, Mac Mania, which is for Apple Macintosh users (and not for programmers).
In a few weeks we’ll be running a Digital Camera Workshop, which is a cruise-conference aimed at anyone that has recently purchased a digital camera. In February we’ll be doing a Photoshop cruise (called “Photoshop Fling”) n this cruise is for users of Photoshop, not programmers.
The second group of cruise-conferences we provide are for programmers. In September we’ll be doing our third Linux Lunacy. The inventor of Linux, Linus Torvalds, will be joining us, as will about 100 very serious Linux geeks. These guys (and gals) ARE NOT end usersthey are very technically competent!
TGI: And, why Hawaii/what are you focusing on during your Kauai stop?
NB: It’s a great cruise destination spot. I plan on doing many more Hawaii cruises on NCL. This particular ship, the NCL Star, is great for conferences (with five good meeting rooms) and we’re at sea for slightly more than three full days! As for me in KauaiI’m doing the six-hour helicopter tour of your island. I’m hoping to see a volcano and some beautiful water falls and beaches!!
On the Net
http://www.GeekCruises.com
http://www.missingmanual.com
Geek cruises
