Family Traveler

110WORLDWIDEPrincessCruisesisagreatoptionforacruisewithaneducationalslant,thankstoitspartnershipwiththeDiscoveryChannelandAnimalPlanet.TVshowslikeSharkWeekandDeadliestCatcharebroughttolifewithfamilygamesfocusedaroundsharks,orfunactivitiesliketheCrabSortChallenge,wherefamiliesplayatbeingdeckhandsonafishingboat,racingtosortoutbucketsofplasticcrabs.Inthekids’clubs(agesthreeto 17 ),there’sPete’sPals,inwhichchildrenlearnaboutendangeredspeciessuchashumpbackwhales,whitepelicans,seaturtlesandbaldeagles.Throughanotherpartnership,thistimewiththeCaliforniaScienceCenter,childrenagedthreeto 12 joinactivitieslikewhale-watching,scienceexperiments,talksonmarinebiologyandevenhavingagoatdissectingsquid.Ashore,excursionsrangefromfamilywildlife-spottingtripstoa‘sharkencounter’inHawaii(fromagefive;thinksmall,friendlysharksratherthanJaws).Atwo-weekMediterraneancruiseonEmerald Princess,departingSouthamptonon23 July,costsfrom£1,219pp(princess.com)``````THEMEDITERRANEANCarnival’sCampOceanisregardedasoneofthebestkids’clubsatseaandthemesitsactivitiesaroundtheoceansforchildrenagedtwoupwards.Littleonesuptoagefive,forexample,inthePenguinclub,playgameslikemusicalicebergsandoceanbingo,whileStingrays,agedsixtoeight,havepirate-themedgamenights,makeartfromseasaltandjoinactivitieslikedesigningtheirownaquarium.Sharks,agednineto 11 ,playgamesincluding``````MarineLifeTriviaand,duringtheircruise,createagiantoceanmural.Thecruiselinealsooffersfamily-orientatedshoreexcursions,includingkayaking,snorkelling,diving,raftingandtubing.Carnival’sbrand-newVistasailsintheMedallsummer,withfacilitiesonboardincludingawholedeckofsportsandactivities,awaterparkwithslides,andthefirstIMAXtheatreatsea.Aone-weekcruisefromBarcelonatoItaly,FranceandMallorca,departing26 August,costsfrom£665pp,excludingflights(carnival.co.uk)``````MEXICOAvoyagearoundMexico’sSeaofCortezisanexperiencerichinwildlife;thegreatJacquesCousteaucalledthisgulfbetweenBajaCaliforniaandtheMexicancoast‘theworld’saquarium’.Everydaybringsnew,jaw-droppingadventuresandthesmall-shipcruiselineUn-CruiseAdventureshasmarinebiologistsandnaturalistsoneveryvoyagetoteachguestsabouttheenvironment.There’ssnorkellingwithaguide;kayaking;stand-up``````WHATBIGTEETHYOUHAVE!Familyexcursionsincludeasharkencounteronsomecruises``````WHAT’SCOOKING?YoungstersgetstuckinattheCulinaryArtsCentre``````CACTUSANDCOUSTEAUTheoceanographercalledtheMexicancoast‘theworld’saquarium’SLIPANDSLIDECarnival’sbrand-newshipVistasailstheMedallsummer