Elli Vandevelder enjoying the turquoise Tahitian waters.
With multigenerational travel continuing to rise in popularity, Star Clippers is attracting more junior cruisers each year. Parents and grandparents are looking to give their children and grandchildren an experience that is filled with more than grand buffets — they’re looking for a memorable adventure on a tall ship from the pages of a bedtime story or latest blockbuster film, with an educational element thrown in the mix.
Elli Vandevelder, 11, recently took a seven-day cruise with her parents aboard Star Flyer in Tahiti. The seasoned sailor (her parents have a 35-foot sailboat and she has her own dingy) says she had so much fun she could have sailed even longer, if it weren’t for missing her dog at home.
Visiting Tahiti had been a dream of Elli’s since she was 7 and read “The Boy Who Sailed Around the World Alone,” a book about a teenage boy who became the youngest person (at the time) to sail around the world solo. During his journey he visited Tahiti.
“I thought it would be cool to go there some day,” said Elli. “When I saw Tahiti and then Star Flyer, my jaw dropped and I thought ‘Oh my gosh, my dream came true!’”
The exuberant youth, who called the cruise “awesome,” was excited to talk about all of the activities she participated in on board, as well as her adventures ashore. The ship’s open bridge allowed her to visit Captain Bruno at the helm, and she also helped hoist the sails.
The Robinson Crusoe tour took Elli snorkeling, while her dad, Paul, went scuba diving on the reef.
“I stayed in the shallows, but my dad went out on the big reef and got close to a shark!” said Elli. “I even got to feed a butterfly fish from my hand!”
Other excursions took her to the highest peak in Taha’a where she ate pineapple and drank coconut juice that was prepared while she waited. She also sampled other exotic fruits such as guava, papaya and star fruit.
One of Elli’s favorite experiences was learning how to hula dance from a local Tahitian woman. She put her newfound skills to good use when the ship brought on local dancers one evening for the guests to enjoy. The natural performer also took part in the guest talent show where she played the guitar and sang a song she made up herself.
Paul enjoyed taking his daughter on the voyage because she was exposed to many nationalities, so it was a global experience for her. He also delighted in watching Elli make so many new friends on board.
“She came home with a lot of new grandmas,” he said with a smile. “And the sports team were really friendly,” Elli added. “If I was bored, I could run and find them and my parents could sunbathe!”
Although it was vacation for the Vandevelder family, Elli still had to complete some homework. Elli’s teacher asked her to keep a journal about her travels to Tahiti. In years to come, she’ll appreciate the assignment and can re-read about her childhood adventures on a tall ship.
