The premier training & development Conference for Aquatic Management Professionals.

February 2-7, 2026

Hosted in Orlando, Florida and aboard 
Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas


WHAT IS CAMP?   REGISTRATION INFO   AGENDA    SPEAKERS   VENUE INFO


WHAT IS CAMP?

About the Conference

Join top aquatic management professionals from around the world for the industry's most dynamic training and professional development conference.


CAMP 2026 will be hosted aboard Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas. SGE presents a incredible schedule featuring international experts, hands on workshops, and plenty of networking opportunities with aquatic professionals from around the world!


CAMP 2026 will feature stops at both of Royal Caribbean's private destinations: Perfect Day at Coco Cay and Labadee.  Attendees will have the opportunity to get behind the scenes information from world-class aquatic operations and benchmark their own facilities.

New for 2026!

What can you expect for CAMP 2026???  Besides a new host ship, expect an entirely new agenda featuring more interactive learning with new speakers, more expert panels, more breakout sessions, more activities, and more client success highlights!  

Stay tuned for more information! 

REGISTER FOR CAMP 2026

IMPORTANT EVENT INFORMATION

CONFERENCE FEES:
  • Register by October 17  
    • $1,950 - Single Occupancy
    • $2,550 - Double Occupancy
  • Register between October 18 to November 18
    • $2,200 - Single Occupancy
    • $2,800 - Double Occupancy
  • Registrations after November 18 cannot be guaranteed.  Registration fees will be at prevailing rates and based on availability.
REGISTRATION INCLUDES:
  • Conference Admission
  • Accommodations 
    • Includes arrival night hotel (Feb 1) and an interior cabin aboard the ship for the duration of the event (Feb 2-7).
  • Meals (while onboard the ship)
  • Local Transportation
    • Shuttle to/from Airport and Shuttle to/from Port Canaveral 
  • An awesome swag bag!
  • All taxes and gratuities are also included.


ADDITIONAL NOTES & FINE PRINT:
  • Change Fee: Any changes for attendees will be charged a $250 service fee.
  • Cancellations cannot be made after October 18th without forfeiting fees.

INSTRUCTOR DEVELOPMENT COURSE:

For any attendees seeking to become Instructor certified, or renew an existing certification, an optional IDC will be available prior to the conference. 

  • Dates: Saturday January 31 & Sunday February 1, 2026 
  • Location: Chris Lyle Aquatic Center (St. Cloud, FL)


We will again be offering an IDC Visitor Package for clients coming in early from out of town. This package will include: 

  • Hotel room for Friday, January 30, and Saturday, January 31
    • Sunday, February 1, is already included in the CAMP registration.
  • Transportation to the IDC from the host hotel


CONFERENCE AGENDA

Planning in Progress!

The conference agenda and keynote speakers are still being finalized, but please read below for some key information.  

Jan 31 - Feb 1

Instructor Development Course (Optional) 

February 1

Arrive to Orlando

February 2

Board the Explorer of the Seas

CAMP kickoff events

February 3

Sea Day - Conference Room Presentations & Workshops

February 4

Port Day - Bimini (Bahamas) 

February 5

Sea Day - Conference Room Presentations & Workshops

February 6

Port Day - Perfect Day at Coco Cay (Bahamas) - Royal Caribbean's amazing private island.  Closing events in the morning and island activities in the afternoon 

February 7

CAMP is concluded

Disembark and return to Orlando

SPEAKERS & SPECIAL GUESTS

Planning in Progress!

The conference agenda and keynote speakers are still being finalized, but please read below for some key information.  

The best in the industry...


Every SGE CAMP brings some of the aquatic industry's best and brightest minds from around the world to share their expertise and foster growth for the attendees.  From Subject Matter Experts to Industry Visionaries to Medical Professionals, the keynote speakers and special guests for every CAMP conference provide an incredible learning opportunity for operators of every level.  

CAMP 2026 Speakers

Dr. Justin Sempsrott

Dr. Sempsrott is full-time emergency medicine doctor and serves as Medical Director for StarGuard ELITE and the International Surf Lifesaving Association. Dr. Sempsrott is also a founding member of both the non-profit Lifeguards Without Borders and the International Drowning Researchers Alliance.  

Dr. Sempsrott began his career as a surf lifesaver in Jacksonville Beach, Florida prior to attending medical school to become a physician. Dr. Sempsrott is one of the world's leading experts on drowning and aquatic lifesaving.

Dr. Seth Hawkins

Dr. Hawkins is an emergency medicine doctor, writer, anthropologist, and organizational innovator. For over 10 years Dr. Hawkins has served as a Medical Director for both StarGuard ELITE and Starfish Aquatics Institute.  

Dr. Hawkins has made notable contributions to the fields of wilderness medicine, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and medical humanities.  For SGE, Dr. Hawkins has been instrumental for adapting the most current science for spinal injury care and prevention of drowning-related injuries.

Pete DeQuincy                              

Pete DeQuincy oversees 160+ lifeguards, WSI’s, and Junior Lifeguard instructors at 14 swim facilities and focuses on lifeguard operations and aquatic programming for East Bay Regional Park District in Oakland, Ca. With an attendance of 500,000 park visitors, his mission is to provide a positive and safe water experience to the families and patrons within the Alameda and Contra Costa counties. He has assisted the National American Red Cross on the development of the Lifeguarding material in 2012, 2017 and is a past President for California Parks and Recreation Society, Aquatic Section Board. His articles on lifeguard training and in-service development can be found in Aquatics International Lifesaver column. Pete was selected by Aquatics International as one the top innovators for the 2014, 2021, and 2025 Power Issues and is part of the Aquatics International’s Advisory Board. In 2017, Pete presented on the topic of in-service training for seasonal lifeguards at the World Conference on Drowning Prevention in Vancouver BC and in 2019, he presented on swim lesson competencies at the World Conference on Drowning Prevention in Durban, South Africa. In 2023, Pete presented on the Vamos a Aprender at WCDP in Perth, Australia. He is a past board member for the Association of Aquatic Professionals, and the Co-chair for the Lifeguard Workgroup for the California Water Safety Coalition. He currently presents and trains all over the country.

Drasko Bogdanovic

Founder of The Lifeguard Project.  


Full bio coming soon...

Kelly Martinez                              

Kelly Martinez has been an Aquatic Professional since 1992. Since 2009, she has been an Aquatic Recreation Coordinator III for the City of Phoenix, Arizona co-supervising 29 pool facilities and over 650 part-time aquatic staff.


Kelly has been presenting nationally and internationally for over 18 years, challenging the status quo, and questioning practices that are based on “this is how it has always been done.” This mindset led her to audit everything and then strive to plug the holes. After conducting hundreds of non-traditional audits, she now enjoys sharing what she has learned to help eliminate drownings in lifeguarded facilities and improving the way the aquatic industry teaches children how to swim.


Kelly is also the co-founder of the website, Lifeguards Love You Tube which is a video library and resource for aquatic professionals to supplement lifeguard training.

Paul Snobelen

Paul Snobelen is the Community Safety & Resuscitation Specialist at Peel Regional Paramedic Services, where he leads the implementation of pre-hospital programs supporting the chain of survival. He also founded the Lay Responder Support Program, which provides essential guidance and resources for individuals who intervene during emergencies. As the Project Lead for the innovative "AED on the Fly" drone initiative, Paul is pioneering new approaches to emergency response, further strengthening community resilience. 


Paul is widely recognized for his thought leadership in resuscitation and is particularly known for his research into the cognitive impacts and human factor implications of lay-responder intervention. His work has been published in numerous outlets, and he actively contributes to Our HeartSight and serves on the American Heart Association's Emergency Cardiovascular Care Committee.

StarGuard ELITE Team

The entire SGE team will be at the conference leading numerous sessions, activities, client meetings, and more!  

Meet your Client Partner, an Executive staff member, or one of the program founders!

CAMP Sponsors

Thank you so much to our event sponsors!  We are proud to partner with each of these industry leading organizations that support SGE's mission to deliver aquatic safety!​


VENUE INFORMATION

Explorer of the Seas

As one of Royal Caribbean's Voyager Class ships, the Explorer of the Seas offers an amazing cruise experience for everyone.  The ship features a guest capacity of over 3200, many incredible venues like a waterpark, numerous activities, and a Conference Center.

Perfect Day at Coco Cay

Perfect Day at CocoCay offers an unmatched private destination experience where there’s no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. With a thrilling waterpark, serene waterfront spots, massive Oasis Lagoon pool, incredible beaches, and countless aquatic activities, CocoCay offers an unforgettable Bahamian experience.

Bimini, Bahamas 

Bimini is a group of islands in the Bahamas known for world-class fishing, clear waters, and a rich history. The islands are a popular destination for activities like diving, snorkeling, boating, and relaxing on beaches. 

Conference Center

Located on Deck 2 of Explorer of the Seas, the Conference Center has over 4000 square feet of meeting space and will host many of the CAMP sessions and activities.

IDC Host Facility 

For attendees that will be participating in the Instructor Development Course, the training will be hosted at the Chris Lyle Aquatic Center in nearby St. Cloud, Florida. 

Arrival Hotel

The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Orlando Airport is the first-night host hotel for all attendees that do not live in the Orlando area. The recently remodeled hotel is very convenient to the MCO airport and close to a wide variety of restaurants and activities.   

MORE ABOUT EXPLORER OF THE SEAS