Extreme Cultural Trips Show the Real Destination

Immersion offers a unique experience

Loud bursts of laughter came from our tour guide, Yotto, who is self-admittedly called “Captain Crazy,” as he shepherded us through the Bob Marley compound in the Jamaican mountaintop village of Nine Mile. This is revered ground to many Jamaicans: Marley, the reggae icon, grew up and is buried at the compound. The day trip wasn’t somber, however. Instead, it was filled with singing, dancing and stories of Marley’s life, music and his Rastafari faith. Yotto’s entertaining style and infectious laughter elicited chuckles from our rag-tag group of cruisers.

Simply put, when it comes to local color, the “Bob Marley Tour” oozes culture from start to finish. After disembarking Carnival Freedom, we began this full-day shore trip at Ochos Rios, boarding a colorful Zion Line bus for a journey high into Jamaica’s mountainous interior. The mountain roads were difficult to traverse, the bus wasn’t air conditioned and it wasn’t terribly comfortable, but no one (including me, a Floridian who absolutely cherishes air conditioning) objected.

Along the way, we enjoyed the lush mountain scenery, sang along to Bob Marley’s songs, heard stories from the bus guide about Marley’s life and music, enjoyed a traditional Jamaican lunch (with local residents explaining how the dishes were made) and viewed the “real Jamaica” from our bus windows. It was a world of ladies hanging wash on the line, old men sitting on front porches and shooting the breeze with friends, and kids in crisp school uniforms scampering down country roads.

Increasingly, agents say their cruise clients seek extreme cultural immersions. Clients want a way to connect with residents, to experience local life and to not just see but also do. Cruise lines have taken note. For example, the adults-only Bob Marley trip offered by Carnival Cruise Lines, which is priced at $89 per person, is also offered by other lines in other segments.

A Taste of Turkey
Deluxe Azamara Cruises offers an unusual 6.5-hour cultural immersion tour in Kusadasi, Turkey. The excursion’s title says it all: “Colors, Tastes and Smells of Turkey.” Clients travel to Sirince, renowned for its apricots and peaches, and for the wine made from those fruits. Guests can sample the food and drink, and also visit a famous Orthodox church within the village.

Then it’s on to the mountainous area of Kirazl Koy, where cruisers visit the primary school and meet and chat with the village’s children. They might also opt to nap under a cherry tree or pop into the village center for a coffee.

Azamara guests also are treated to a traditional Turkish lunch of such dishes as Gözleme, keskek and manti. But rather than dining at a fancy hotel at a table just for tourists, tour guests dine with locals, removing their shoes and sitting on the floor. After lunch, guests go outside to help the locals collect fruit, which, depending on the season, might be cherries, grapes, pomegranates, figs or quince. This extreme cultural immersion into the heart of off-the-beaten-path Turkey is priced at $109 for adults, $84 for children.

Faith and History
Sometimes, cultural immersion means learning about other faiths, their history and varied architectural styles. Many travelers, particularly in the luxury segment, find this kind of trip stimulating not only culturally, but also intellectually. For $49 per person, Silversea Cruises offers a four-hour “Three Religions Tour” in Durban, South Africa. It showcases South Africa’s diverse religious life and architecture.

Guests visit the Juma Musjid Muslim Mosque, the second largest mosque in the southern hemisphere. The building blends Islamic decorations with South Africa’s Union Period style. Guests can then stroll through a 1920s-era arcaded bazaar—a vibrant trading and market area for locals. Next, it’s on to St. Emmanuel Catholic Cathedral, and then on to the Hare Krishna Temple in nearby Chatsworth.

Cultural immersion is also increasingly an add-on feature to a historic shore trip. Guests see the main sites, but then also get a deeper snapshot of local life and culture. For instance, after AMA Waterways’ passengers disembark and enjoy their Palace of the Popes tour and stories of the past in Avignon, they explore nooks and crannies within the village of St. Paul de Vence and tour the Chateauneuf du Pape’s wine cellars, walking through caves to learn the old way of producing wine in wooden barrels. This tour is included in the cruise fare.

Cultural immersion often has rewards beyond the cruise itself. Agents report that these travelers return home feeling empowered by having achieved a connection with local people and their culture. As such, they want to cruise again and again.