Watersports are a highlight of the Polynesian experience. The ship's small size allows it to navigate in shallow lagoons and narrow channels where larger ships may not sail. With the specially designed retractable watersports platform, guests may descend to sea level where they can conveniently hop aboard a windsurfer, launch a kayak or set out for a SCUBA diving expedition. A scuba certification program is offered on board.
Explorer and environmentalist Jean-Michel Cousteau is committed to the belief that the survival of the world’s oceans depends on capturing the imagination at a young age. In order to ensure that conservation remains a priority among future generations, he created the Ambassadors of the Environment Youth Program under the auspices of the Ocean Futures Society.
This unique, groundbreaking program introduces young travelers (ages 9 to 17) to the extraordinary natural wonders of French Polynesia through direct, hands-on, interactive experiences with marine and island ecosystems. Young Ambassadors explore coral reefs, hike rainforest trails, and visit
marae (ancient Polynesian temples). They also learn how black pearls and vanilla are cultivated, how volcanic islands become coral atolls, and how to paddle an outrigger canoe. Parents are encouraged to join children on eco-excursions and other activities aboard and ashore. The Ambassadors of the Environment Youth Program is available on select 2012 Holiday sailings and June through August 2012 sailings for a nominal fee of $299 per child. Mr. Cousteau will be aboard the May 23, July 11, November 20 and December 1, 2012 sailings. He will be aboard the ship the 2nd week only on the December 1, 2012 sailing.
Jean-Michel Cousteau
The son of the legendary Jacques Cousteau, whose television program “The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau” brought an awareness of marine life to millions, Jean-Michel Cousteau has achieved a distinguished career as a respected oceanographer and environmentalist in his own right.
Mr. Cousteau was introduced to the wonders of the deep at the age of seven, when he was thrown overboard wearing new diving apparatus his father had helped to develop: SCUBA gear. Instead of being afraid, the younger Cousteau was fascinated by the majesty and mystery of what he saw.
He has since devoted his life to sharing that wonder with others. In addition to serving for 20 years as executive vice president of the Cousteau Society, his father’s nonprofit organization, Mr. Cousteau also struck out on his own to achieve these career milestones:
· 1973: An architect by training, he founded Living Design, an architectural firm that specialized in marine architecture.
· 1973: He established Project Ocean Search, an educational field-study program.
· 1977: He founded the nonprofit Jean-Michel Cousteau Institute, dedicated to oceanographic work.
· 1989: He began writing for the Los Angeles Times, a column that has since been syndicated in 60 newspapers around the world.
· 1993: Mr. Cousteau left the Cousteau Society to begin producing environmental films, a body of work that has since earned Emmy, Peabody, 7 d’Or, and the Cable Ace Awards.
· 1999: The Ocean Futures Society is established, with Mr. Cousteau as president and chairman of the board.
Join Mr. Cousteau on the May 23, July 11, November 20 and December 1, 2012 sailings. He will be aboard the ship the 2nd week only on the December 1, 2012 sailing. He will conduct lectures and will accompany several dives.
The thread running throughout his astonishing career has been Mr. Cousteau’s passion for sharing with others an appreciation for the ocean and the importance of protecting it. In 1999, he founded the Ocean Futures Society, whose mission is to explore the world’s oceans, inspiring and educating people throughout the world to act responsibly for its protection, documenting the critical connection between humanity and nature, and celebrating the ocean’s vital importance to the survival of all life on our planet. Mr. Cousteau serves as president and chairman of the board.