Our office will be closed Thursday, November 24th (all day) in observance of Thanksgiving Day. We will reopen on Friday, November 25th, at 8:30 am.

800-926-3775

University at Sea®

5700 4th Street North
St. Petersburg, FL 33703

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Office Hours
Monday - Friday
9:00am - 5:00pm EST
Saturday
10:00am - 2:00pm EST
Cruise Conference Planning For Your Association

Current Topics in Obstetrics and Perinatal Nursing

7-Night Western Caribbean & CocoCay
Round-trip Miami, Florida
November 30 - December 07, 2025
Royal Caribbean's <em>Symphony of the Seas</em>
Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas
Contact Hours
16.0 Contact Hours
Course Fees
$595 for Nurses
$795 for Nurse Practitioners

Target Audience
Nurses, Nurse Practitioners
Program Purpose / Objectives
Topics and Objectives Under Development
Conference Sessions generally take place on days at sea (as itinerary allows), giving you plenty of time to enjoy your meals, evenings and ports of call with your companion, family and friends.
IMPORTANT NOTE: All conferees, their families, and guests must book their cruise within the University at Sea® meeting group through University at Sea® at 800-926-3775 or by registering online. This ensures our company can provide conference services and complimentary social amenities to all meeting participants and their guests. Thank you for your cooperation.
Faculty

Stacey Van Gelderen DNP, MS, RNC-MNN, PHN

Stacey Van Gelderen DNP, MS, RNC-MNN, PHN
Full Professor, Minnesota State University, Mankato School of Nursing, Mankato, MN Dr. Van Gelderen is a full professor at Minnesota State University, Mankato, MN, USA who has focused her career on supporting perinatal women, and neonates, and building family-focused caring practices. For over 24 years, she has supported clients in obstetrics, neonates, women's health, and those with family care needs.

Dr. Van Gelderen offers workshops and consultations for maternal-newborn care, nursing education, family practice, and simulation. In recent years, Dr. Van Gelderen has had special interest areas of supporting high-risk, low-occurrence obstetrical emergencies such as hypertension in pregnancy, post-partum hemorrhage, cardiac conditions during pregnancy, and infertility.

Dr. Van Gelderen is the primary author of the Van Gelderen Family Care Rubric (VGFCR) (2019, 2016) which is an evidence-based validated tool that helps healthcare professionals develop family assessment and communication skills. This tool is recognized by the renowned International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning and awarded the 2018-2019 articles of influence by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare. This instrument is being utilized by healthcare staff and educators in twelve countries across the globe.

Lisa Brown DNP, MSN, APRN, CNM

Lisa Brown DNP, MSN, APRN, CNM
Full Scope Midwife Practice, Mankato Clinic, Mankato, Minnesota, USA
Fertility Specialist, Reply Fertility, Cary, North Carolina, USA Lisa Brown DNP, APRN, CNM is a full scope certified nurse-midwife for Mankato Clinic with a perinatal mood disorders specialization and trained by the FEMM Research Institute for Restorative Reproductive Medicine. She works with women of all ages and stages of life via telehealth and face to face visits. Dr. Brown has over 25 years of nursing experience, mostly in obstetrics, and graduated with a master's degree in midwifery in 2018 and a doctorate degree in 2022.

Dr. Brown has spent many years as a registered nurse and midwife working with fertility awareness methods, infertility issues, recurrent loss, and restoring reproductive wellness. She is a trained FEMM medical consultant and has working knowledge of the Creighton, SymtoThermal, and Marquette methods of fertility awareness. Dr. Brown has helped many women avoid and achieve pregnancy and addresses fertility issues like PCOS, anovulatory cycles, irregular cycles, recurrent loss, and hormonal imbalance from adolescence through menopause.

In recent years, Dr. Brown has developed a special interest in perinatal mood disorders after seeing this issue daily with limited resources to address it. She recently graduated with a doctorate in nursing practice (DNP) from Bethel University in St. Paul MN. Her focus was on perinatal mood disorders, symptom management, and non-pharmacological interventions to improve mental health in the perinatal population. Dr. Brown sees patients at her practice at Mankato Clinic, Mankato and via telehealth through the Reply Fertility in Cary, North Carolina.

Our staff can assist you with all your travel arrangements.

Questions? Call us at 800-422-0711.
We can assist you with all your travel arrangements. We'd be happy to help you plan your flights, hotels or tours before and/or after your cruise conference.

Cruise Itinerary

DATE PORT OF CALL ARRIVE DEPART
Sun Nov 30 Miami, Florida
- 4:00 pm
Mon Dec 01 Nassau, Bahamas
8:00 am 6:00 pm
Tue Dec 02 Coco Cay, Bahamas
7:00 am 5:00 pm
Wed Dec 03 *At Sea - Cruising
- -
Thu Dec 04 Falmouth, Jamaica
7:00 am 4:00 pm
Fri Dec 05 Labadee, Haiti
9:30 am 5:00 pm
Sat Dec 06 *At Sea - Cruising
- -
Sun Dec 07 Miami, Florida
6:00 am -
*Tentative course schedule, actual class times may differ.

Ports of Call

Miami, Florida - As far as vacation destinations go, Miami tops most sun-seekers’ lists. With its gorgeous beaches, vibrant neighborhoods and melting pot of cultures, the Magic City is the perfect place to spend a few days before your Caribbean island hop. Ahead of your cruise from Miami, jump-start your morning in true Miami style with a Cuban cafecito from a ventanita — a streetside shop window. Then climb the historic lighthouse at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park on quiet Key Biscayne before lounging on the island’s secluded sandy shores. If you’re looking for a bit more action, head to South Beach — home to world-class restaurants, nightlife, shopping and lively beaches, all set against snap-worthy Art Deco buildings. Art lovers who visit Miami can head to Wynwood and explore the neighborhood’s colorful street murals and local galleries. Or take a trip back in time at the Renaissance-style Vizcaya estate, which offers a glimpse into Miami’s dazzling past.

Nassau, Bahamas - Caribbean charm shines in the Bahamian capital, where you’re never more than a few steps away from rhythmic percussions, appetizing flavors, white-sand beaches, and some of the clearest waters in the world. This picture-perfect paradise was once a pirate’s haven— and you can explore its colorful past of buccaneers, blockade-runners and bootleggers along historical streets and at the three colonial fortresses that line the shores. If you’re looking for a more hands-on maritime adventure, look no further. Cruisers to Nassau can swim with stingrays, dive with dolphins, or spot colorful coral on a glass-bottom boat.

Coco Cay, Bahamas - Located in the middle of the Caribbean's bright blue water lies the secluded island of CocoCay. With its white-sand beaches and spectacular surroundings, CocoCay is a wonderland of adventure. Reserved exclusively for Royal Caribbean guests, this tropical paradise has recently been updated with new aquatic facilities, nature trails and a ton of great places to just sit back, relax and enjoy a tropical drink.

CocoCay Map

Perfect Day at CocoCay

At Sea - Cruising - Cruising

Falmouth, Jamaica - Step off the ship and step back in time. You might not think so at first glance but little Falmouth was an economic and shipping powerhouse and center for dramatic social change during the English Colonial Period. Founded and named Martha Brae Point in 1769 by local English planter, Thomas Reid, Falmouth became the transshipment hub for the sugar plantations covering the hills of the North Coast of Jamaica. Edward Barrett, a wealthy English planter, strongly influenced the early development of Falmouth. From the wharfs of Falmouth, sugar, molasses, rum and coffee were sent to England while ships carrying African slaves and all the necessities of 18th century colonial life dropped anchor in the bustling port town. You'll return with sun kissed skin, timeless memories as well as interesting historical tidbits to share with friends, like this one: Falmouth received piped water before New York City.

Labadee, Haiti - Beachside meets mountainside on the shores of Labadee — a Royal Caribbean private destination on Haiti’s northern coast. Here you’ll find pristine sands, coral reefs and jungle-covered hilltops nestling lagoon-like bays. There’s no shortage of places to relax and recharge across five stretches of beach. Or dial up the thrills on an active adventure like a half-mile-long zip line ride over the ocean. And fascinating culture, history and the natural beauty of Haiti’s spectacular coasts wait to be discovered around every corner. Escape to the Western Caribbean for a wilder way to experience paradise.

Our staff can assist you with all your travel arrangements.

Questions? Call us at 800-422-0711.
We can assist you with all your travel arrangements. We'd be happy to help you plan your flights, hotels or tours before and/or after your cruise conference.
SHORE EXCURSIONS
Please note that our shore excursions are operated separately and
independently of those offered by the cruise line.
©2019 - University at Sea®