Doug Holden - Destinations, Global and Current Affairs, Nature (twice nominee for International Nature Documentaries), Extraordinary Life, My time with Royalty, Genealogy(Compiling your Family History). Doug has 40 years experience as a Broadcaster, Journalist, Author, Historian, naturalist, radio and television presenter and news and current affairs executive. He also has had lengthy experience as a political, policy and business advisor, including to 3 Prime Ministers of Australia, business and as advisor for six months to Pope John Paul II.

Doug has lived and worked on 5 continents - Europe, Asia, Australia/NewZealand, and Pacific, North America(US/Canada).
He is an expert on destinations, port visits (culture, history, geography, arts and attractions); on global and current affairs; history, the media, video productions and how to research your Family History, or produce video logs of your travels.
He has experience as an enrichment speaker on cruises in North America, the Pacific , Asia, Africa and Europe on multiple cruise lines.

Doug’s major expertise is presenting on Destinations, Global and Current Affairs, His personal experiences with Royalty/Popes /World leaders(eg Prime Ministers, Mandela etc), His Extraordinary Life, Genealogy (Family History Research) and Nature.
Global affairs talks
1. China’s growing presence within and beyond Asia. Doug looks at the modern influence of China on the world. Competition or conflict.
2. Life and times of meetings with world leaders. After a 50 year career as an International Correspondent, Doug takes us a journey of his meetings with many and varied world leaders.
3. Russia - expansion and ambitions of colonial influence? Is Russia under Putin seeking global growth and influence? Doug explores Russia’s adventurism
4. Is Africa the next big world economy of this century? - in the 29th and 21st Centuries we have seen the rise of China and India. Doug asks - is Africa the next Lion (Tiger) economy?
5. The French influence in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa. Doug examines the legacy of French colonialism and its remaining influence in the world. The history of Africa’s common language - Swahili
6. Multiple talks on the World Order. How it is changing, politically, economically, culturally and artistically.
7. BRICS - the emergence of of a new world order. Doug examines the fragmentation of World Institutions and the development of new trade, economic, currency, and development alliances
8. The World versus the Internet - who’s in control? Doug will take us through the increasing dominance of the Internet on Capitalism and how it is, and will shape Government, business and individuals. Has it becomes more of a force for evil than good? How can we as individuals control the internet and stop it controlling us.
9. Capitalism - is it failing us. Is it becoming part criminal and less beneficial. Doug will explore the question of whether Capitalism has fundamentally changed from how it operated in our youth. In conjunction with new technology and the web, has capitalism allowed harm - the advent of scams and undesirable content. Does Capitalism now ignore or control our Governments.
(2) Destinations - travelogue - Doug also takes us on the history, culture, artistic, food, and special sights of our journey stops
(3) History old and it’s lessons
(4) The media in an internet world
(5) Guide to family history - a how to
(6) Making your cruise video - how to or, tailored subjects to match individual cruises.
Through his work and travel Doug has been around the world a dozen times.
He has been to most ports of call and so is well equipped to provide entertaining and informed presentations on our destinations.
(Whether in Canada, North America,Europe, Asia, the Pacific or Africa).
His presentations provides a look at topical world events, economics, cultural, art, government, politics and current affairs. Each has a question and answer session in recognition that the audience can development a thirst for the facts and perspectives.

Another of his specialisms is Genealogy. Most cruise passengers are of the age to be now very interested in their family history.
This 45 minute presentation lets them know how to start their
(1) research
(2) essential sources
(3) and tools to quickly start to compile their family tree. (How and what to research DNA)
(4) immediate relatives, monumental inscriptions church records, census, voting and postal facts.
All Interwoven social and cultural history etc.
SPECIAL INTEREST
Specialist
(1) Queen Elizabeth II - the remarkable monarch.
Doug takes us on a journey through the life and times of one of history’s greatest Monarchs, including his personal interactions with the late Queen via four personal engagements with her during her life and his career (45 mins to 1 hour)
(2) King Charles III - his life, character and assessment of what type of Monarch he will be.
Doug has met King Charles on numerous occasions, and has spent an entire week with him, when he was Prince, on Royal engagements particularly in Melanesia, the Pacific and Australia. He therefore brings you personal insights into the relatively new King (45 mins to I hour).
(3) Nelson Mandela - one of the top five internationally important figures of the 20th/21st Centuries.
Doug looks at the life and times of this great leader having met and talked with him, and reported on him on two continents.
(4) An Extraordinary Life - Doug Holden.
Doug takes us on a colourful, often amusing, and rarely poignant journey through his life from being an orphan, born into poverty who has gone on to an international career in journalism, met and reported on Royalty, Presidents, Prime Ministers, worked as an advisor to Pope John Paul II, and reported on five continents.

Silver Seas - Melbourne to Auckland. Destinations.
Oceania - Japan & Korea. Destinations.
Canadian Maritime cruises. Destinations the provinces of Canada - Prince Edward Island (PEI), Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick.
Middles East, Mediterranean and Southern Europe. Pending Africa, China and the pacific. Topics:
(a) the history of early settlement in Canada. The attractions at destination ports and history.
(b) Global affairs - politics and current affairs.
(c) Family history - how to start researching your family tree. April 2019.
Canadian Maritime Cruises - Vancouver to Juneau via British Columbia and islands Alaskan passage. With World Coal Council meeting in Victoria, British Columbia. Guest speaker
Topics:
(a) Climate change, renewable energy and fossil fuel low emission technology
(b) history of the early settlement of British Columbia, Vancouver and the Alaska Passage
(c) port destinations attractions and history.
2022 and 2023 - Lamara Tourism & Travel, Nairobi and Mombasa, Kenya.
Topics:
(a) destinations, attractions and history.
(b) global affairs.