Ralph DeFalco, Cruise Ship Speaker; Author, The Counterfeit

Send us Fan Mail Hello, passionate cruisers! This is Paul and this week on The Joy of Cruising Podcast ; I am delighted to welcome Ralph DeFalco , a former U.S.

Navy Captain turned cruise ship enrichment speaker, who brings a rare blend of global experience and storytelling to audiences at sea. As a Smithsonian Journeys Expert as well as a speaker with Ritz-Carlton, Ponant and Viking , DeFalco lectures on geopolitics, maritime history, and world affairs—often while sailing through the very regions he’s discussing.

With five-decade career spanning five continents, including time on the Pentagon staff of the Director of Naval Intelligence, he offers travelers deeper context on the destinations they’re visiting, from strategic waterways to culturally rich ports. His government career also informs his novel, " The Counterfeit ," a geopolitical thriller imagining a fractured future shaped by global conflict.

Listeners, let’s get to know Ralph DeFalco and hear about his life as a cruise ship speaker, how travel shapes our understanding of world events, and the stories behind the ports he’s explored. Do you have a dream car?

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