Sustain and Serve
An advanced training at sea for perinatal professionals who are already doing the work and want to keep doing it for years to come.
Robin Elise Weiss and TaKiesha Smith will co-teach both sessions during this December 2027 training at sea.
Questions about the retreat? Come to Cruise Night.
Thursday, November 12, 2026 • 7:00 to 8:00 pm Eastern
TaKiesha and I will talk about the December 2027 training, the cruise itinerary, and how registration and cabin booking work. Star Williams joins us for cabin questions.
Bring your questions. You don't need to be ready to book.
Register for Cruise NightAn advanced retreat for experienced perinatal professionals
We tell our clients to rest. We build them plans for it. Then we go home, answer one more message, take one more call, and skip the rest we just prescribed. This week is where you stop doing that.
This is not an introductory training. I built it for people who already know birth, already work with clients, and are ready to protect their own longevity while sharpening a skill their clients need. It does not matter which organization trained you. Birth and postpartum doulas, childbirth educators, and anyone else working in the perinatal field are all welcome here.
We sail seven days round-trip from Port Canaveral through the Eastern Caribbean and the Bahamas. TaKiesha Smith and I will teach two focused sessions together, both on sea days, so there is nothing to duck out of and nowhere else you need to be. The rest of the week is yours. On this trip, the rest is not a break from the work. It is part of the work.
Come with questions. Leave with tools you can use with your very next client, and a plan for staying in this field without burning out.
What's included
- Two expert-led sessions, each three hours, held on the two sea days: Burnout Prevention and Career Longevity, and Screening for Perinatal Mental Health Disorders (PMHD).
- 6 continuing education contact hours, granted directly through DONA International as a DONA-approved trainer.
- Optional onboard gatherings for connection with a small group of established doulas.
- The Eastern Caribbean and the Bahamas: Celebration Key, Amber Cove, San Juan, and Grand Turk.
- Cruise cabin cost is separate and booked through Fit For a Star Travel. Book your cabin here.
The two sessions
TaKiesha and I planned these sessions in this order on purpose. We start with you, then turn to your clients. Oxygen mask first.
Burnout Prevention and Career Longevity
Burnout is not simply being tired, and it is not a personal failing. It is a real, measurable response to caring work, and it stacks with compassion fatigue and secondary traumatic stress when we support clients through hard births.
We will give you the language to tell these apart, an honest look at what the research shows for birth professionals, and concrete tools to complete the stress cycle rather than just push through it. You will build a personal plan you can start practicing before the ship even docks.
Screening for Perinatal Mental Health Disorders (PMHD)
Perinatal mental health disorders are common, treatable, and often missed. As perinatal professionals, we are frequently the ones who see a client most closely in the weeks around birth.
This session covers what to watch for, how to raise a concern inside our scope, and how to connect a client to the right care without overstepping into diagnosis or treatment. I teach from my perinatal mental health certification, TaKiesha teaches from her community work with families, and we keep it firmly inside what a doula can and should do.
Our itinerary
| Day | Port | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Sun, Dec 5 | Port Canaveral (Orlando), FL | Embark. We depart at 3:30 PM. Optional welcome gathering onboard. |
| Mon, Dec 6 | Celebration Key, Grand Bahama Island | Port day, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. |
| Tue, Dec 7 | At Sea | Session 1: Burnout Prevention and Career Longevity. Rest in the afternoon. |
| Wed, Dec 8 | Amber Cove, Dominican Republic | Port day, 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. |
| Thu, Dec 9 | San Juan, Puerto Rico | Port day, 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM. |
| Fri, Dec 10 | Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos | Port day, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. |
| Sat, Dec 11 | At Sea | Session 2: Screening for Perinatal Mental Health Disorders. Optional closing gathering. |
| Sun, Dec 12 | Port Canaveral (Orlando), FL | Arrive 7:00 AM. Head home with a plan you can use. |
Why attend
Stay in the field you love
Learn to recognize burnout, compassion fatigue, and secondary traumatic stress early, and build a self-care plan that actually holds up in a real practice.
Sharpen a skill your clients need
Walk away able to screen for perinatal mental health disorders and connect clients to care, all within doula scope.
Sit with peers who get it
Spend a week with a small group of experienced professionals who understand this work from the inside.
Learn where it is easy to rest
Both sessions are on sea-day mornings. The rest of the week, including all four port days, is yours.
Meet your retreat co-leaders
Robin Elise Weiss
PhD, MPH, PMH-C
Robin is a birth doula, DONA International Approved Birth Doula Trainer, and public health educator who supports families and teaches birth professionals.
She holds a doctorate and master's degree in public health, along with a Perinatal Mental Health Certification (PMH-C).
Robin cares deeply about helping doulas stay in the profession they love. Her teaching brings together perinatal mental health, practical skills, and an understanding of what it takes to build a long career supporting families.
TaKiesha Smith
CD(DONA), CBS, CLC
TaKiesha is the founder of Neuro Spicy Birth, a DONA-certified doula, and a neurodivergent educator who trains birth professionals to provide more informed, affirming, and adaptable care for neurodivergent families.
Drawing on both her professional experience and her lived experience as a neurodiverse person, she teaches doulas to recognize and respect different communication, sensory, and information-processing needs.
Her work includes birth preparation, advocacy, postpartum support, and helping birth professionals create more inclusive experiences for the families they serve.
Register
Your registration covers both sessions and materials. The cruise cabin is separate and booked through Fit For a Star Travel.
Continuing education: 6 DONA-approved contact hours, granted directly as a DONA-approved trainer. Cabin rates, deposit, and cancellation terms are just below.
What your cabin costs
Your education registration and your cruise cabin are two separate purchases, and I keep them separate on purpose so you can choose the cabin that fits your budget. Fit For a Star Travel handles every cabin. Here are the contracted group rates, per person, based on double occupancy.
| Stateroom | Group rate starts at | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Interior | $2,138 | The most budget-friendly way aboard |
| Oceanview | $2,378 | A window to the water |
| Balcony | $3,698 | Your own private deck |
| Mini-Suite | $3,798 | More room to spread out |
These rates are a starting point, not a fixed price. Princess Cruises runs promotions often, and past-guest benefits can lower your total. When you submit your booking request, Star reviews every current offer and sends you a personalized quote at the lowest rate you qualify for, while keeping you in the Doula Training at Sea group.
- Deposit: $250 per person to reserve your cabin. Higher categories, such as The Sanctuary, may require $500 per person.
- Gratuities: $17 to $19 per person per day, set by Princess based on your stateroom.
- Final payment: your cabin balance is due August 23, 2027, the final payment date Princess has set for this sailing.
How to book, in three steps
Register for the training
Sign up for the education right here on this page. That holds your seat in both sessions.
Reserve Your SpotReserve your cabin
Complete the booking request form with Fit For a Star Travel to get your personalized quote and hold your stateroom in the group.
Book Your CabinGet ready to sail
Pack your bags, bring your passport, and get ready for a week of training and rest aboard the Star Princess through the Eastern Caribbean.
Have questions? Talk to Star first.
Star Williams at Fit For a Star Travel offers a free 30-minute consultation to help you choose the right cabin and answer anything about the trip. The call is over Zoom, and you get the link once you pick your time.
Or email Star@FitForaStarTravel.com • 202-599-9295
Good to know before you book
Cancellation schedule
Cancellation fees are set by Princess and depend on how far out you cancel:
- 90 days or more before sailing: no fee
- 75 to 89 days: 25 percent of total charges
- 61 to 74 days: 50 percent of total charges
- 31 to 60 days: 75 percent of total charges
- Within 30 days: 100 percent of total charges
Government taxes and fees are refundable and not subject to cancellation fees.
Insurance and travel documents
I recommend travel insurance. If you want it, tell Fit For a Star Travel within two weeks of your deposit, since pre-existing conditions are only covered when insurance is bought inside that window.
A valid US passport, good for at least six months past our return date, is strongly recommended. I suggest arriving near Port Canaveral at least one day before we sail, and Star can help you arrange a hotel.