SO. CARIBBEAN / PANAMA CANAL • FEBRUARY 27th – MARCH 9th, 2009
The conference fee is $1,275 and includes all 20 seminars below. You may take every class — i.e., there will be no overlap as only one class will be going on at any one time. Classes only take place when we’re at sea, between 8:30am and 7:30pm (Program Guide). (For PDFs of the speaker’s slides click on the name of talk on the SEMINARS page.)
The History of Life on Earth
The Evolution of the Genetic Code
The Emergence of an Amino Acid "Alphabet"
The Origin of Life — Here on Earth ... and Elsewhere?
On the Origin of Species, Really
Evolution and Natural Selection — Are the Winners Always the Fittest?
Genetics, Genomics, and You: Don't Fear Your Genotype!
1859: The Impact of a Dangerous Idea
How Do We Know It's True? The Evidence for Evolution
Unconscious Design: Natural Selection
Mimicry: The Evolution of Duplicity
Sex and Selection
Evolution Today: What About Us? What Remains to be Done?
Evolution of Individuality and Complexity Through Cooperation and Conflict
Teaching the Evolution of Complexity: Intelligent Design or Darwinian Evolution?
Evolution of Sex and the Immortality of Life
The Mathematics of Mind: Exploring the Formal Foundations of Human Thought
How Machine Learning Affects Your Life, and Could Explain How People Think
Out of the Armchair and Into the Lab: How Cognitive Psychology Can Help Us Answer Philosophical Questions
From Magic to Muons: Why People Believe in Strange Things
Our program is offered when we’re at sea. This program is subject to change, though these web pages will be kept up to date.
Click a Tab for Shore Excursions
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA — Friday, February 27, 2008
HALF MOON CAY, BAHAMAS — Saturday, February 28
Holland America Line's pristine private island offers everything you need for a day of play in paradise: a two-mile crescent of perfect beach; an interior lagoon; private beachside cabanas with showers, misters, and butlers; watersports and activities, including a children's aqua park, nature hikes, and a personal watercraft course. In spite of HAL's use of 2% of this 1,700-acre island, it is so pristine and unspoiled that it has been designated a Wild Bird Reserve by the Bahamian National Trust.
ORANJESTAD, ARUBA — Monday, March 2
A Dutch jewel with a tropical touch. In Oranjestad, Aruba's capital, explore the colorful floating market and Nassaustraat, brimming with quaint shops. Head for the beach where water sports abound: snorkeling, rides on glass bottom boats and submarines. Or venture into the countryside to see the haunts of the huge green parakeet, the unique rock gardens of Casi Bari, the curious divi divi tree, forever bending in the tradewind breezes.
WILLEMSTAD, CURAÇAO — Tuesday, March 3
An isle of Dutch treats with the climate of coastal Venezuela? It's none other than Curacao, with Amsterdam-style gabled storybook houses in the Punda section, duty-free Delftware always on sale, and the famous Curacao orange-flavored liqueur that now also comes in blue (surely a sign of the times!).
PANAMA CANAL — Thursday, March 5
Gatun Lake (where all HAL shore excursions start for this day) is key to supplying the water necessary to operate the locks system. Formed by an earthen dam across the Chagres River to keep the water 85 feet above sea level, the water runs downhill to fill the locks. No pumps, no power other than the force of gravity! Fact: It will take about 52 million gallons of water to float your Holland America ship through the locks. Sample shore excursions: Gatun Locks & Kayak in the Canal; Panama Railway; Portobelo Market Town & the Panama Canal; The Canal Experience.
PUERTO LIMÓN (SAN JOSÉ), COSTA RICA — Friday, March 6
From Costa Rica's Caribbean coast go in search of iridescent blue morpho butterflies, sloths, turtle nesting grounds and wise old shamans. Explore the capital city of San Jose, where museums beckon and markets burst with luscious local tastes — mangoes, bananas, pineapples, papayas. Sample shore excursions: Sloth Sanctuary & Canoe Adventure; The Tortuguero Canals; San José Town & Country; Nature Walk at the Shaman's Land; The Old Banana Route Jungle Train
Cruise prices vary from $1,529 for an Inside Stateroom to $5,199 for a Full Suite, per person. (Cruise pricing is subject to change. InSight Cruises will generally match the cruise pricing offered at the Holland America website at the time of booking.) For those attending our SEMINARS, there is a $1,275 fee. Taxes are $235.35 per person. All prices and fees are detailed on the BOOK NOW page.
For a detailed listing of the cruise itinerary please review our ITINERARY page.
Use our PRICING CALCULATOR for a quick price quote! For questions, please don't hestitate in calling Neil Bauman at InSightCruises.com (650-787-5665) or emailing Neil.
Steve Mirsky, M.Sc.
Editor, Scientfic American
Jerry Coyne, Ph.D.
Stephen J. Freeland, Ph.D.
Thomas Grifiths, Ph.D.
Tania Lombrozo, Ph.D.
Richard Michod, Ph.D.
Mohamed A.F. Noor, Ph.D.
Speakers have confirmed their intent to participate; however, scheduling conflicts may arise.
Our trip into the Canal |
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Download the Program Guide |
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Destination photos |
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Never cruised with Holland America? Watch this! |
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Download HAL's Panama Canal Cruises Shore Excursion booklet (2008) |
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Peruse HAL's interactive Panama Canal brochure |
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Download a flyer of the cabins |
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Visit HAL's interactive deckplan of the m.s. Zuiderdam |
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Download Holland America's (HAL's) 4‑page Panama Canal overview |
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Visit HAL's interactive map |
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Visit HAL's collection of videos |
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The Panama Canal's Ultimate Upgrade (1‑minute video — takes about a minute to load — with accompanying Popular Mechanics article) |
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264 S. Meridith Ave., Pasadena, CA 91106 • 650-787-5665 • Copyright 2009 © InSight Cruises