Family Traveler

108FLOATINGCLASSROOMSFrompearlcultivationtosquiddissection,viavisitstoAntarcticresearchstations,anumberofcruisecompanieshaveuppedtheirgamewhenitcomestoeducationalofferings.SUEBRYANTrunsdownsevenofthebest...There’snocloserconnectiontotheoceanthanwhenyou’reonacruise,whetheryou’rewatchingdolphinsplayingalongsidetheship,enjoyingafamilysnorkellingexcursionoveracoralreef,breathingintheicyairoffafreezingfjordasyoucraneyournecktotakeinthetoweringgranitemountains,orsimplymarvellingatallthatvastopenseasurroundingyou.Butcanyoungcruisersactuallylearnanythingabouttheoceansonwhichthey’resailing?Cruiselinesmakevaryingeffortstoeducateaswellasentertainchildren,somemoreseriousthanothers.Hereisourpickofthemorecreative.FRENCHPOLYNESIAFrenchPolynesiaismoreoftenassociatedwithhoneymoons,anddoesn’tcomecheap,butthosegorgeouslagoonsandbeachescanmakeanamazingfamilyholiday.PaulGauguinCruisesoffersaspecialAmbassadorsoftheEnvironmentYouthProgramme,designedbyJean-MichelCousteau’sOceanFuturesSociety.Thisinteractivecourse,£2 10 perchildandaimedatagesnineto 17 ,runsundertheguidanceofexpertnaturalists.YoungAmbassadorsexplorecoralreefs,hikerainforesttrailsandvisitmarae(ancientPolynesiantemples).Theyalsolearnhowblackpearlsandvanillaarecultivated,howvolcanicislandsbecomecoralatollsandhowtopaddleanoutriggercanoe.Parentsareencouragedtojoinchildrenoneco-excursions.TheAmbassadorsoftheEnvironmentYouthProgrammeisavailableonselecteditineraries,withpricesfrom£5,202,includingflights,onenightinLAandsevennightsonboard,includingdrinksandtips(pgcruises.com)``````ISLANDDREAMSClockwisefromthispicture:theverdantPolynesianlandscapetowersabovetheship;childrenlearnaboutpearlcultivation;akayaktripinland