Avast, me hearties, thar she blows

HAVE a whale of a time on a nine-day sea expedition along the Baja coast sponsored by the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro.

The trip, which begins Feb. 25, is aboard the 113-foot Royal Polaris fishing boat. It will embark from San Diego, sailing to San Ignacio lagoon in southern Baja.

“I tell people if you want a cruise, don’t come on this trip,” said Larry Fukuhara. “If you’re looking for a little mint on your pillow, you’re not going to get it. What you will get is the experience of a lifetime. We get up close to the whales.”

The itinerary includes Todos Santos, San Benito, Cedros and San Martin islands.

Naturalists from the museum will lead excursions to investigate the geological formations and native flora and fauna of the islands.

Participants can expect to see a variety of marine animals including Pacific gray whales, dolphins, sea lions, elephant seals and many bird species, such as the osprey.

Cost: $2,195 per person, double occupancy (plus $150 crew gratuity), including accommodations, meals, lectures, excursions and transportation from San Pedro to San Diego.

Contact: Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, San Pedro; (310) 548-7562, www.cabrilloaq.org.

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CARIBBEAN

Island hop on a windjammer

FEEL the wind at your back sailing the windward isles of the Caribbean Sea aboard a tall ship.

The 384-foot windjammer Sea Cloud II, under nearly 30,000 feet of sails, embarks Jan. 7 from Antigua for eight days of island hopping.

Ports of call include Dominica, St. Lucia and Tobago.

Passengers can snorkel in Tobago, visit a turtle sanctuary in the Grenadines, stroll the town of Soufriere, St. Lucia, or go birding or horseback riding on Dominica.

Cost: $5,210 to $7,730 per person, double occupancy ($1,310 to $1,970 single surcharge), including accommodations, meals and excursions.

Contact: Smithsonian Journeys, Washington D.C.; (877) 338-8687, www.smithsonianjourneys.org.

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PERU

Join a mission on the Amazon

VOLUNTEER to study the macaws of the Peruvian Amazon on a mission with Earthwatch Institute.

The 12-day trips, which begin Jan. 11 and Feb. 11, will study the effects of poaching and tourism on the long-tailed parrots.

Participants hike the tropical rain forest and travel by riverboat to various research sites, including nesting sites, where they will observe the birds and record their daily behavior.

The group will divide its stay among Tambopata Research Center, Posada Amazonas and Refugio Amazonas, all in the Tambopata Reserve in the southeastern Amazon region of Peru, about three hours from Puerto Maldonado.

Earthwatch Institute is an international nonprofit organization that supports ecological research by pairing volunteers with scientists doing fieldwork worldwide.

Cost: $2,949 per person, double and triple occupancy, including lodging, all meals and transportation within Peru. Airfare from Los Angeles to Puerto Maldonado, Peru, is not included.

A part of the fee is tax deductible.

Contact: Earthwatch Institute, Maynard, Mass.; (800) 776-0188,www.earthwatch.org.

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GERMANY

Queue up for the Berlin Film Fest

GET your fix of flicks from Hollywood blockbusters to foreign esoterica at the annual Berlin International Film Festival.

The eight-night tour includes sightseeing in the city and access to the festival, including film screenings, receptions, meetings with filmmakers and discussions with film critic Stephen Farber.

Cost: $2,475 per person, double occupancy ($575 single surcharge), including hotel, some meals, excursions and festival pass. Airfare from Los Angeles is not included.

Contact: Let’s Travel, Santa Monica; (310) 451-5805, www.letstravelsm.com.

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INDIA

Join the USC travel team

TRAVEL India with the Trojans on a trip for USC alumni, friends and family members.

The 12-night trip departs Jan. 24.

The tour visits Delhi, the Taj Mahal in Agra, the state of Rajasthan, including Ranthambore National Park, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jain temples at Ranakpur and the city of Udaipur.

A highlight of the tour is the grand Republic Day Parade in New Delhi, with bands and decorated floats from all over India.

Cost: $4,690 per person, double occupancy ($1,690 single surcharge), including hotels, internal flights and ground transportation, most meals, entrance fees and airport transfers.

International airfare is not included.

Contact: USC Trojan Travel, Los Angeles, (213) 821-6005, alumni.usc.edu/ or Worldview Tours, Long Beach, (800) 373-0388.

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The Times is not responsible for changes in prices, dates or itineraries. Send information to Tours & Cruises, Los Angeles Times, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012 or write via e-mail to [email protected].