Wes is back in the cruise ship enhancement speaker saddle- and loving it! In early October 2023 he was again contracted to go out onto the Great Lakes to inform and entertain passengers about the fresh water seas that he loves so much. When it comes to Great Lakes maritime history Wes is a walking encyclopedia with the ability to answer questions correctly on-the-fly while at the same time enhancing the passenger's experience. This time he was aboard the luxury cruise vessel LE BELLOT as she cruised the waters of all five Great Lakes. Although scheduled to do just two lectures, there was a last-minute open space on the schedule and he easily filled in.
"It was fun," he said afterward, "I hadn't done a cruise lecture since 2001, but the theater on the vessel was first rate, and the folks at Gohagan Travel were super. I'd made up a series of a half dozen lectures to pull from just in case, so filling in with a third lecture was easy."
When asked how the passengers got along with having the author of 20 books about the Great Lakes aboard he remarked,
"At first they really don't know who or what you are. But, very quickly they catch on and are feeling at ease to ask questions. Such as- where are we right now? or - what's that structure on the shore over there? I usually have the correct answer right off the top of my head. After all, I've been researching the lakes for more than 35 years."
When asked if any of the passengers try and throw him a curveball, he answered,
"Only once on this trip. A fellow sitting with me in the observation deck asked if I knew what a monkey fist was? I thought it was a serious question so I answered and explained exactly what it was and how it was connected to a painter line. He nodded and said that in the navy they called the painter a heaving line. I simply said that I was never in the navy, but my father-in-law was an E7 and the conversation went in that direction. Afterward it struck me that he knew what a monkey fist was... he was testing me to see if I knew. I guess I passed because he hung out with me a lot after that without further testing me."
Asked how Wes relates to passengers he responded,
"I try and eat each meal with a different set of passengers. Nothing makes folks feel comfortable with you better than having a meal together. My only problem is I tend to do more conversation than eating."
When it comes to cruise ship "goodies" Wes said,
"The booze and wine is always plentiful and free, but considering that I'm a lifelong non-drinker, it means nothing to me. So, I just relax with my fresh-brewed iced tea and enjoy the company our passengers. Being a former airline captain and corporate pilot I know how to keep the job professional yet friendly and carry an air of approachability. These passengers pay a lot for these cruises, and I'm hired to be there for them."
Will you be doing more cruises as an enhancement speaker in the future?
"I sure hope so, I want to do as many as I can. Now that my kids are older, I have plenty of time- although I'm writing my next book. Of course, I wrote nine books while working as a professional pilot- so I have that rhythm down."
If you're looking for a cruise ship speaker, contact Wes at wesoleszewski@gmail.com.
