6th Annual Genealogy Conference and Cruise
The largest family history conference on the seas!

Hosted by Wholly Genes, Inc.

September 18 - 25, 2010

Early-Bird Pricing Ends March 15th!

Introduction
The Speakers
The Lecture Topics
The Itinerary
The Ship
Pricing
Discussion Forum

 

 

Introduction


Early-bird pricing!

Register by March 15th and get a $50 on-board credit per person, making the effective starting price less than any of our conference/cruises since 2005!


This year we're back to the seas with the 6th Annual Genealogy Conference and Cruise! With an impressive list of world-class speakers
and as many as 450 researchers, it has earned the reputation as the largest family history conference on the seas and is nearly always sold out. But this year it will truly be an EPIC event.

 

We'll be traveling on the Norwegian Epic, the newest and one of the largest cruise ships in the Caribbean. It is so new, in fact, that its maiden voyage isn't until July! Its size can be described as nothing short of massive -- but that size offers some great advantages. While carrying 16% more passengers than any of our previous host ships, it is 35% bigger and has 41% more staff -- so it will feel spacious by comparison and you will be pampered throughout.

 

What's more, the Epic offers tremendous new facilities, including modern meeting technology, widespread internet access, 20 dining options, and even some single cabins. Of course, there are the requisite bars and lounges, casino, swimming pools, spa, sports complex, and even a bowling alley and 17-degree ice bar!

 

The line-up of nightlife alone is stunning with performances by Blue Man Group (yes, the real one), Second City Comedy Troupe, and Cirque Dreams, an acrobatic dinner theater, among many other options.

 

Whether this is your idea of fun or you prefer a quiet evening with a book and a glass of wine on your private balcony, the Norwegian Epic is nothing short of magnificent!

 

With all of the options, it is easy to forget that, over the course of the week, you'll wake up at three different tropical ports where you can go sightseeing or shopping, tour historic Mayan ruins, swim with the dolphins, or just soak up the sun on a beach, among dozens of other options.


All This and a Genealogy Conference Too?

 

What could be better than a Caribbean vacation and a first-class genealogy conference all rolled into one?

 

Although Wholly Genes makes family history software, the 15+ hours of genealogical lectures are completely software-neutral and presented by the preeminent experts in their fields. You'll be among friends (old and new) and fellow researchers from around the world as you soak up new knowledge and skills through a lecture series that rivals any regional or national genealogy conference. And, unlike many traditional conferences, none of the lecture times overlap so you won't have to make those difficult choices!

 

As popular as our lecture series is, many veterans of our conference value something else even more. That is the opportunity to share a meal with a world-class genealogist or to schedule one-on-one time to discuss their specific research challenges. Come armed with your records and be prepared to hear about new resources, repositories, and finding aids that will help you to break down those brick walls. Some people find these private consultations alone to be worth the trip.

The 15+ hours of genealogical lectures are completely software-neutral and presented by the preeminent experts in their fields.

Non-competing time is set aside for TMG users who want to learn how to make the best use of that software's features and companion products.


Of course, if you're a user of our software, you'll also find a variety of opportunities to learn how to make use of its features and companion products from the developers themselves, technical support staff, and expert users. Our annual conference is the only time that you will find so many TMG experts in one place!

 

While more than 98% of attendees to our previous conferences have rated it "good" or "great", we're always looking for ways to make it better so we're implementing many of your suggestions. For instance...

 

- The ship's itinerary still includes three days at sea (so lectures that don't interfere with vacation time), two ports of call that we haven't previously visited, and a return to the most popular port, Costa Maya, the entranceway to ancient Mayan ruins and other historic sites.

- The ship includes a number of studio cabins - so single travelers don't need a roommate.

- This year all of our genealogical lectures will be in a single venue (the ship's main theater).

- You'll hear presentations from world-class speakers who are new to our conference, as well as some who are returning by popular demand:

 

 

- First, we are honored to bring you Lloyd Bockstruck, 30-year veteran Supervisor of the Dallas Public Library, who has been described as "easily the most sought after lecturer for annual seminars of local and state genealogical societies."

- This year will also feature Dr. Stephen P. Morse, whose long resume includes the development of the "One-Step" web portal, the extremely popular search engine for the Ellis Island databases and dozens of other on-line resources.

- In response to your pleas, we've manged to coax professional genealogists and most-popular speakers, Hank Jones, Megan Smolenyak, and Craig Scott to come back for return engagements. (See below for more about the speakers.)


- Even in the case of returning speakers, every lecture will be new to our conference.

- Lectures will cover a wide spectrum of topics, including methodology, record types, repositories, finding aids, technology, online resources, international research, and case studies. (Specific lectures have not yet been announced).

- In addition to the regular lecture series, the meeting schedule will include longer lunches, the casual late-night roundtable discussions which have been so popular, and more time to socialize with other researchers (e.g., at cocktail parties).

 


So join us for an educational and fun-filled voyage to the Western Caribbean while we learn about genealogical research methods, tools, and technologies from some of the most popular speakers and authorities in those fields. Don't miss this opportunity to learn new research techniques from the experts while also enjoying relaxing jaunts to warm and exotic ports of call. It will be a memorable trip!

 

This event is nearly always sold out so register early to avoid missing your chance to join us!

 


The Speakers



As always, we offer an incomparable lineup of all-star speakers:



Lloyd Bockstruck
Genealogist, author, columnist, and 30-year veteran Supervisor of the Genealogy section of the
Dallas Public Library.

Hank Jones , FASG
Author, professional genealogist, popular speaker, singer, songwriter, and former Hollywood actor.

Dr. Stephen P. Morse
Genealogist, designer of the
"One-Step" web portal, and architect of the original Intel 8086 chip.

Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak
Professional genealogist, popular author and speaker.

Craig Scott, MA, CG
Certified genealogist, publisher, speaker, and military record expert.

(Click on a speaker's name for more complete biographical information)

 

Users of The Master Genealogist (TMG) family history project manager will also hear specialized presentations about that software and its companion products. Our annual conference is the only time that you will find so many TMG experts in one place, including:


Bob Velke
President of
Wholly Genes and lead developer of TMG


John Cardinal
Expert TMG user and developer of "Second Site"
and "TMG Utilities"


Barbara Grempler
Expert TMG user and Project Manager at Archive CD Books USA

Kent Riggins
Developer of TMG's charting tools

Lee Hoffman
Editor of "Getting the Most Out of The Master Genealogist"

Dorothy Turner
Senior Technical Support Representative, Wholly Genes Software

 

Lectures and Other Events

 

All speakers will conduct a limited number of one-on-ones (private 15-minute consultations) and hosted breakfasts (casual meals at a table of eight). Genealogical speakers will also provide three one-hour lectures.

 

The lecture schedule and topics will be announced later in the year. None of the genealogical presentation times will overlap and all will be scheduled while the ship is at sea. You can therefore attend all of those lectures and not interrupt prime vacationing time! Plans for two cocktail parties and other special events are also underway.

 

The speaker list is not expected to change but we reserve the right to adjust any details to accommodate unforeseen circumstances.


The Itinerary

 

Journey with us to these exotic ports of call. Spend your days exploring the local sites, wandering the colorful street markets, or just soaking up the sun on a tropical beach. You can go on a nature expedition, take an historic tour, take a ride on a glass-bottom boat, swim with the dolphins, or choose from a long list of other optional guided shore excursions.

 

 

Date

Port of Call

Arrive

Depart

Sat, Sep 18

Miami, Florida

--

4:00 pm

Sun, Sep 19

At Sea

--

--

Mon, Sep 20

Costa Maya, Mexico

8:00 am

6:00 pm

Tue, Sep 21

Roatan, Honduras

8:00 am

5:00 pm

Wed, Sep 22

At Sea

--

--

Thu, Sep 23

Cozumel, Mexico

8:00 am

6:00 pm

Fri, Sep 24

At Sea

--

--

Sat, Sep 25

Miami, Floria

8:00 am

--

 

 

The Ship


The Norwegian Epic is a brand new "F3 class" ship whose maiden voyage will be 17 July 2010. It is 153,000 tons and holds 4200 passengers and 1690 crew members. It has a large theater for all of our genealogical lectures plus 20 flexible dining options, including French, Italian, Chinese, and American cuisines.* There's even a "big top" dinner venue with acrobatic entertainment. Or you can get room-service 24-hours a day.

 

Modern accommodations include single, double, family cabins, as well as a variety of deluxe cabins, suites, and penthouses. Unlike most cruise ships, every oceanview stateroom has a balcony. The new single studios have private access to a two-story "Living room" area with big comfortable seats, wide-screen TVs, and a coffee and coctail bar.

 

The ship also has a comedy club, jazz club, sports bar, ice bar, and a variety of other lounges, plus an art gallery, casino, pools, spa, fitness center, and many other amenities. For the more active bunch, there is even a bowling alley, batting cage, rock-climbing wall, aqua park, and a comprehensive program to keep children engaged, entertained, and occupied.

 

For those who can't stand to be out of touch, there's an Internet Cafe and wireless Internet avaialble throughout every inch of the ship!


* Specialty dining restaurants and some entertainment venues may incur a cover charge.

Helpful Links
 
 

 


Pricing


 

Prices start at $874.46 (inside cabin, double occupancy) subject to availability.

 

But register before March 15th and get a $50 on-board credit per person, making the effective starting price just $824.46. That's less than any of our conferences at sea since 2005!

 

The price includes food, port fees and taxes, shipboard entertainment, and attendance to all conference lectures and group events. The price does NOT include travel to/from Miami, alcohol, tips, or optional guided shore excursions.

 

Pre- and post-cruise hotels will be made available at group rates for those who want them. Roommate-matching assistance may also be available. Please see our Seeking Roommate forum or tell the travel agent if you need help finding a roommate.


Cabin type
(click here for descriptions)
Price
per person*
Effective Price after $50 on-board credit

Until
March 15th only!
Inside Cabin $874.46 $824.46
Single Studio $1064.46 $1014.46
Balcony Cabin $1254.46 $1204.26
Deluxe Balcony Cabin $1489.46 $1439.46
Other accommodation choices may be available. Contact our Cruise Web agent for details.

 

Reservations require a deposit of $600 per person upon booking with the balance due by June 5th. Cancellations before July 5th will forfeit $350 per person of the deposit (and more after July 5th). Travel insurance is available at a group rate and may cover the cancellation fee under certain conditions.

 

Register by March 15th and get a $50.00 on-board credit per person. You can use it to get a massage, go to the casino, get a golf lesson from a pro, reserve a shore excursion, buy alcoholic drinks, or anything else on the ship.


To make your reservation, download this registration form:
http://www.WhollyGenes.com/cruiseregister.pdf


Then print it and send the completed form to our group travel agent by fax (240-487-0153) or scan and email it to Juliea@cruiseweb.com.


If you do not get a confirmation within 24 hours (or you have any other questions or concerns), please call The Cruise Web toll free between 9am and 5pm Eastern (M-F) at 1-800-377-9383 and press "8" for the special Wholly Genes reservation hotline.


During business hours, a bank of operators is standing by but the reservation line is expected to be busy at times. If you are asked to leave a message, your place in line will be preserved and an operator will return your call.

Read What They've Said ...

 

Post-cruise survey:- respondents who rated the overall cruise and value for the money as "good" or "great":

  • 2009: 98.4%
  • 2008: 99.5%
  • 2007: 99.4%
  • 2006: 98.8%
  • 2005: 98.2%

 

Dick Eastman's reviews of previous cruises that he attended:

 

Passenger's blogs:

 

My Cart

Your shopping cart is empty.

Gift Certificates
All I want for the holidays is a Gift Certificate from Wholly Genes!