Beam Up With Nana Visitor

September 26, 2024

Engage in a Q&A session with Nana Visitor, known for portraying Kira Nerys in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

From discussing the upcoming Star Trek: The Cruise to sharing her current goals, Nana can’t wait to join us onboard The Un-Conventional Voyage in 2025!

Nana, you’ve been with us on every cruise since Star Trek: The Cruise II! What have been among your biggest memories — or surprises?

One of the biggest surprises for me is that I have been on every cruise since Star Trek: The Cruise II! I avoided cruising all my life, even though I was asked quite often. I thought I would hate being on a ship- turns out I couldn’t be more wrong. I can’t tell you how much I look forward to everything about it. I think Star Trek is a frequency we meet on- a commonality, a place to begin a conversation, a way in. To me, the ship feels like one of those huge family reunions people have where you can identify each other because you are all wearing the same T-shirt. I always wanted to be a part of a crew like that- to have fun, experience new things, laugh and learn together, knowing that you are a part of a whole. I feel that way on the ship.

It was great to see Kira back in action at DS9 on Lower Decks. After Odo and her first steps into fun in Quark’s Holosuites, do you think she ever learned to relax enough to take a cruise or other vacation?

Oh, I think intense focused work demands a wind down and I have no doubt Kira would know how to play. I remember the magic of the Bajoran dance party out on the deck under the stars. Dancing with everyone, working up a righteous sweat, feeling the breeze cool her down and having something intoxicatingly Bajoran afterwards would have been right up her alley.

What’s a personal hobby or interest you suspect most fans likely still have no idea about? Besides reassuring social videos and Broadway, of course!

I don’t know if it’s a hobby, it’s more like an obsession, but once every few months I look at the way my husband and I have set up our house and decide it all has to change. This can, on occasion, take 1 to 3 days to complete. Our furniture is heavy, but I am not to be deterred. My family has a name for it – The Swirl. My brother will look serious and sympathetic if my husband tells him we are in the middle of one. Once it begins, it cannot be stopped. We even have hand trucks and all kinds of devices to make it easier now. In fact, we just concluded a swirl and I really don’t think I can top this one. But in a few months, I probably will try.

Your book on “Open a Channel: A Woman’s Trek” will be out by cruise time! Can you hint at any surprises for shipboard fans that might be sparked by it?

I did long interviews of the people onboard who were generous enough to talk to me about the effect Star Trek has had on their lives. I quote one of them at the very beginning of the book.

List out some of your favorites! Music, book, food, color, etc.

• Music – Chucho Valdez – I got to meet him and shocked myself by going into a deep curtsy to the ground like he was royalty. But, well, he is.
• Book – FLOW by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. I will be giving a very short seminar on how to pronounce that on the ship. 🙂
• Food – It changes hourly. My favorite food is what I am craving at the moment, and right now, that would be Lodge Bread cheese bread toasted with a little Italian salted butter from Costco.
• Color – Icy Blue
• Cocktail – Margarita – 1/2 tequila, 1/2 fresh lime juice, 1/4 orange liqueur (not too syrupy with the liqueur choice though – I want bright orange sharpness).
• Favorite musical – Candor and Ebb’s Chicago
• Favorite Reggaeton to dance to – J Balvin, Mi Gente
• Favorite Trip – The Un-Conventional Voyage!

What goal are you working toward right now?

My goals are to keep learning, keep connecting, and use my creativity to do that.

Star Trek: The Cruise VIII The only place to see Nana Visitor on the high seas in 2025. The Un-Conventional Voyage is sold out, but join the waitlist for a chance to embark on our starship at sea!