ENRICHMENT - Guest Lecturer - History
JOIN VIKING AS A HISTORY GUEST SPEAKER
THIS IS AN UNPAID POSITION
Travel the world. Share your expertise. Bring history to life along the way.
Viking is created for curious, culturally engaged Guests who value learning, discovery, and a deeper understanding of the people, events, and ideas that have shaped our world. Renowned as the thinking person’s cruise, Viking offers a destination-focused experience where history provides context to the places our Guests explore.
As a History Guest Speaker, you bring the past to life through engaging, accessible storytelling, helping our Guests understand the people, conflicts, diplomacy, intrigue, and world events that have shaped the destinations they visit and the world today.
YOUR ROLE ON BOARD
Deliver engaging, high-quality 45-minute lectures designed for a curious general audience in our elegantly designed Star Theater.
Bring historical subjects to life through compelling storytelling, accessible explanations, and thought-provoking insights.
Where relevant, connect your expertise to the destinations, cultures, events, and regions featured in the itinerary.
Serve as a Viking Brand Ambassador, exemplifying our values, philosophy, and commitment to meaningful exploration.
Connect warmly and thoughtfully with our Guests throughout the voyage.
Accompany shore excursions at the invitation of the Shore Excursion Manager.
Embrace the adventure and enjoy the same onboard privileges as our Guests during your 3–4-week assignment.
HISTORY AREAS WE ARE LOOKING FOR
We welcome applications from experts across history and related disciplines, particularly in:
General History
Ancient, medieval, and modern history, the rise and fall of civilizations, social and cultural history, military history, historical figures and turning points, exploration and discovery, and the regional histories that bring the destinations our Guests visit to life.
Espionage
The history of espionage and intelligence, famous spies and intelligence operations, codebreaking and cryptography, wartime intelligence, the Cold War, secret services, covert operations, deception, and the role intelligence has played in significant historical events.
World Affairs
International relations, diplomacy, geopolitics in historical context, conflict and cooperation between nations, political history, major international events, the rise and fall of nations and empires, and the historical developments that have shaped today's world.
We also welcome specialists from other historical disciplines whose expertise can be transformed into engaging lectures for an intellectually curious general audience.
WHY JOIN VIKING
In appreciation for sharing your expertise with our Guests, Viking is pleased to offer:
Complimentary Voyage & Accommodation
Enjoy a 100% discount on the same ocean voyage for you and your companion, with a complimentary picture-window stateroom reserved exclusively for you.
Included Airfare Benefits
Round-trip airfare is included whenever Viking arranges your flights.
Round-trip airfare is included for your companion for assignments of 17 nights or longer.
Air credit will be provided for you if you prefer to arrange your own flights.
Immersive Shore Experiences
One complimentary excursion is included for each Guest at every port of call.
Highlights of Onboard Comfort
Complimentary WiFi.
Complimentary self-service laundry for you and your companion.
Complimentary nonalcoholic beverages,
Complimentary wine or beer for lunch and dinner
A 50% discount on onboard laundry service for you.
A 50% discount on beverages for you and your companion, with the exception of bottled wine.
WHO THRIVES HERE
Historians, academics, researchers, authors, diplomats, journalists, intelligence and espionage experts, educators, and other specialists who enjoy making history engaging, relevant, and memorable.
Whether uncovering the world of espionage and intelligence, examining pivotal moments in international affairs, exploring the decisions that changed history, or revealing the stories behind the destinations our Guests visit, our History Guest Speakers help connect past, place, and present.
If you enjoy sharing knowledge with discerning Guests and transforming historical expertise into compelling stories, Viking is your stage.
EMBARK ON A JOURNEY THAT INSPIRES
Join a program designed for intellectual curiosity, exploration, and meaningful exchange.
Bring your expertise. Bring your companion. Let history lead the way and help our Guests discover not only where they are travelling, but the people, events, and ideas that made these places what they are today.
SEND US YOUR APPLICATION
1. Your CV
Please submit your CV as one document, including:
Relevant academic qualifications and historical background
Professional and research experience
Teaching, lecturing, broadcasting, or public-speaking experience
Relevant publications, books, articles, or research, where applicable
Your principal areas of historical expertise
2. Proposed Lecture Titles & Synopses
Please submit 3–6 lecture titles you would be prepared to deliver onboard, each accompanied by a short synopsis.
We are particularly interested in engaging, accessible topics relating to:
Espionage & Intelligence
World Affairs
Diplomacy & International Relations
Geopolitics
Conflict & Warfare
Political History
Empires & Civilizations
Exploration & Discovery
Historical Figures & Turning Points
Regional History relevant to Viking destinations
Where possible, lectures should connect historical events and ideas to the destinations, cultures, people, or regions visited during a Viking voyage.
Example format:
Guest Lecture with Dr. David Smith: “Spies, Secrets & the Cold War.”
Step inside the hidden world of Cold War espionage and discover how intelligence operations, secret agents, and deception influenced relations between East and West.
Guest Lecture with Dr. David Smith: “The Decisions That Changed the World.”
Explore pivotal moments in world affairs and discover how diplomacy, conflict, leadership, and political decisions helped shape the international landscape we know today.
3. Lecture Video Samples – Optional
If available, please include links to examples of previous lectures, presentations, interviews, broadcasts, or other public-speaking engagements.