Students in “Navigating the Cruise Industry,” a study-abroad course taught by Edwin Torres, professor and chair, department of international hospitality and service innovation, during the spring 2026 semester, studied the cruise sector and, in May, traveled to Miami where they visited several companies and boarded a ship for a 7-day Caribbean cruise.
Funds to support students on the cruise were provided by the Statler Foundation, which offers scholarships for study abroad in the hotel industry, as well as for faculty research and other academic endeavors. Saunders, among other similar programs, was invited to write a proposal detailing the course and trip. Once funds were approved, students were selected based on criteria established by the Statler Foundation, including interviews and letters of recommendation. They could receive a scholarship award in an amount up to $3,000
The students:
- Manuel Erraez Delgado ’28 (hospitality and tourism management)
- Marin Grabovac ’27 (hospitality and tourism management)
- David Lanpher ’26 (hospitality and tourism management)
- Susan McGroaty ’10 (MS service management/executive leadership)
- Dan Hooper ’26 (hospitality and tourism management)
- Antonietta Alfano ’27 (hospitality and tourism management)
- Brooke Milliken ’26 (hospitality and tourism management)
- Carmella Martin ’28 (hospitality and tourism management)
- Celeste Yevich ’29 (hospitality and tourism management)
- Joel Maldonado ’27 (hospitality and tourism management)
ASL Interpreters:
Professor Torres shared highlights of the trip:
May 14 – Visit Royal Caribbean’s headquarters in Miami, FL. We had a session with alumnus Jaime Castillo ‘04 (MS, engineering, business and project management concentration) (VP of Port Services). We also received an overview presentation and an early professional panel from the early talent team at Royal Caribbean.
May 15 – Visit to the Hilton Aventura – Hosted by RIT Alumna Heather Strauss ‘87 (business and hotel management) from Prime Group and the senior management team of the hotel including the General Manager, Director of Sales, Director of Housekeeping, etc. The company also has an art curator that selects pieces for their various hotels. We were able to talk to her about the art exhibit throughout the Hilton Aventura.
May 17 – Cruise Day # 1 – Board the Celebrity Beyond (note Celebrity is one of the brands owned by Royal Caribbean). Group dinner at Tuscan Restaurant.
May 18 – At sea (day 2)– Meeting with a panel of ship officers including Captain Costa as well as the Hotel Director, Guest Services Manager, Housekeeping Director, Human Resources Director, and the Director of Food and Beverage. Group breakfast at cosmopolitan restaurant and dinner at the Rooftop Garden.
May 19 – Day 3, Grand Cayman – Shore excursion – dolphin swim and stingray encounter, class debrief, and dinner at LeVoyage
May 20 – Day 4 – Cozumel, Mexico – Group breakfast at Cosmopolitan Restaurant, Dinner at Cyprus Restaurant. Otherwise, this was a free day for students to explore on their own in Cozumel.
May 21 – Day 5 – Shore excursion: river tubbing in the 7 colors lagoon. Dinner at Normandie Restaurant.
May 22 – At sea (day 6) – Tour of the navigation bridge, class debrief.
May 23 – Day 7, Nassau, Bahamas – Group breakfast at Cosmopolitan, Free time for students to explore Nassau, Dinner at Eden Restaurant, showtime (Arte).
May 24 – Return to Miami, breakfast, and flights
This was a class, so, of course, there was plenty to learn, with discussions and debriefings on most days of the cruise. But the students also enjoyed a number of fun activities, including sightseeing, shopping, a silent disco, a musical murder mystery show, and much more.
