T’ai Chi Chih on Board Cruise

Last December I was contacted by Lauretta Blake of The Working Vacation, Inc., a speakers bureau that places speakers and instructors on cruise lines. She was interested in offering T’ai Chi Chih classes aboard ship for the Royal Cruise Lines’ “New Beginnings” program. She had contacted Justin Stone after reading about T’ai Chi Chih in last May’s Longevity magazine, and Justin referred her to me. This led to my going on board the Crown Odyssey on a 16-day cruise from Ensenada to Hawaii and back. During the five days at sea each way, I gave a lecture on T’ai Chi Chih and taught daily classes. The program was very successful! From 20 to 45 people attended every day, many of them seniors, and the experience was very positive for those who participated. Of course the movement of the ship played a part in balancing during the movements, but that held true for all shipboard activities and everyone took the occasional unexpected rolling “in stride” (literally). Some students had immediate benefits in terms of shoulders, back, knees, that had been giving them pain or discomfort, which disappeared after T’ai Chi Chih. The only consistent observation that I found strange was the fact that not a single student had success in visualizing the “bubbling spring” at the sole of the foot! Perhaps it had something to do with being on water as opposed to land. However, most people reported strong tingling in the fingers and the other usual signs of the flow of Chi. It definitely helped some passengers have more energy–one elderly woman was excited that she had energy to “dance the whole night” after the T’ai Chi Chih class. Some of those who were on board for both halves of the cruise definitely learned enough to take home and practice, and a large number wanted to continue with teachers after returning home. I gave out numbers of teachers from the teacher directory. I am certain that more than one student from this cruise will eventually take the instructors certification course. I am also certain that T’ai Chi Chih belongs on cruise ships as a regular offering, and by the response, the passengers agree.

Apparently most cruise lines regularly engage “enrichment staff” who are treated as passengers, but who, in exchange for the cruise, offer one or more classes or talks each day for the benefit of their fellow passengers. When working through an agent, such as The Working Vacation, the only cost to the speakers is a commission paid to the agent, which amounts to about 10% of the regular price of the cruise. It is possible to contract directly with the cruise lines, but many of them prefer to work through agents. For teachers who want to find out more about the cruise opportunities available through the “New Beginnings” or other programs, contact Lauretta Blake, The Working Vacation, Inc.