(L to R) Cruise executive committee members Bedros Der-Bedrossian, George and Shakeh Basmajian, Vasken Aivazian, Bedros C. Bandazian and Antranik Boudakian

Who Can Keep 1700 Armenians Satisfied for a Week?

By K.M.

I thought it would be impossible to simultaneously please and satisfy a dozen Armenians—let alone 1,700 of them.

But then I got on board the Armenian Heritage Cruise and started wondering where all the disgruntled Armenians had gone. Everyone had something fun or educational to do—and with a smiling face at that.

All those I talked to gave credit where credit was due. They only had words of praise for the work and dedication of the organizers. “This is the 11th time I am on the AHC and I am looking forward to the 12th,” said Sarkis Krichian of New Jersey. “The organizers are to be credited for taking into consideration the opinions and suggestions of the participants. With their dedication and openness to suggestions, I believe very soon Armenians will book the entire ship.”

“The organizing committee has done a great job. Last year, me and my wife came alone. This year, we came with 10 friends,” said Hovanes Anastassian, a musician from Belgium.

Whether you are a “day person” or “night person,” whether you like basking under the sun or playing cards in the shade, whether you like listening to lecturers or talking, you could always find something to do on board the Costa Fortuna—the ship that hosted around 1,700 Armenians of all ages, from all walks of life and all corners of the world.

“This is one of the most international cruises we’ve had,” said executive committee chair Bedros Bandazian. “Another highlight is the number of young-adults and professionals—close to 350.”

“Gradually, the AHC is becoming not just a place for family reunions and meeting with friends but also a place of reunions and meetings for different Armenian groups,” said Arevig Caprielian, who was helping organize events on board the ship. She gave the examples of the Knights of Vartan meeting and the Melkonian “Class of 1967” reunion. There were also countless family reunions, khnamis meeting khnamis, friends finding friends, strangers making friends.

And, of course, there was the stack of pages collectively known as the Schedule of Events. “The activities are so many and so diverse that there is not enough time to do everything,” Bob Semonian of Watertown complained. ” All the lectures, book-signing events, Armenian dances, films, and classicial, pop and kef music, turns the AHC into a week-long crash course on everything Armenian.

Finally, there was the great food, the excusion, the beaches… And the added satisfaction of knowing that there’s another Armenian Heritage Cruise only a year away!