Galapagos – WOW! What a trip!!! (Cabin 506)

We got just got back from the Galapagos on the Xpedition and it was absolutely wonderful. All but one family did the 10 day (2 prior/1 post) and we all agreed it was the way to go! We were lucky we only had 52 people on the trip and with 60 or so crew suffice to say we had all the attention we ever wanted! With only 50 or so people we all had a chance to get to know each other too– it was really great. Most folks were from the East Coast – my husband and I were surprised to be the only people from California – only one other family from Oregon.

 

 

The ship is fabulous – very comfortable and roomy. We were in a balcony cabin (506) and loved it. (Folks may want to bring a little travel clock b/c the only clocks in the room are on the phone. This was literally my only suggestion for improvement for the entire cruise and pre post trip). I heard no complaints about rooms.

 

 

The crew –from the Captain on were wonderful. We had dinner with the Captain one night and he was charming, friendly and informative. We really enjoyed the 24 hour open bridge policy. The Matre’d , the waiters, the bartenders, were great and very, very accommodating. We really liked that everything (all drinks, excursions, equipment) was included.

 

 

The Naturalists! WOW! These are the people who lead the excursions and they are simply wonderful!! Every evening the Head Naturalist gives a power point briefing about the next days islands and activities(during the briefing appetizers and drinks are served). Generally there is a choice of three different activities (high, medium, and low intensity) in the morning and three in the afternoon. Plenty of time between activities to relax. Sometimes we had the option of an extra morning or extra afternoon activity. My husband and I were the only ones for the first advanced snorkeling and we still went (they didn’t cancel it!) – so it was just the naturalist, the zodiac driver and us!! It was unbelievable!!! On the way out we watched a huge feeding frenzy. Tuna were driving bait fish to the surface and several kinds of birds were diving for the bait fish. There were hundreds and hundreds of birds and fish. The fish were actually churning up the water and making a lot of noise. I thought I was watching a National Geographic Special! When we snorkeled we discovered that the sea lions literally snorkel with you! We saw more fish (tropical and other) and underwater life including, sea lions, turtles, sharks, rays, penguins, marine iguanas, and you name it than we had ever seen!! The snorkel equipment and wet suits were great – high quality. The water was cool to cold. In one of our snorkel spots we literally had both very warm and cool currents. My husband and I had to laugh, when we came back from our “personal snorkel trip”. The crew was waiting for the two of us with hand towels, hot chocolate, and little tuna sandwiches and the keyboardist was playing!

 

 

The land trips are also great and there are animals everywhere – you name it we saw it. I could go on and on here as well. We had many many “Galapagos Moments”. Its just amazing to see so many species all in the same place.

 

 

On a couple of occasions there were whales around us - Humpbacks (a mama and two calves) and Brydals so the naturalists capitalized on the opportunity for us to see whales and we changed plans and followed/observed the whales. Few of us had been that close to whales before. It was a real highlight.

 

 

I won’t give away the surprises but there are a couple of very thoughtful things that were part of our cruise. We all were really touched and surprised by them.

 

 

We would highly recommend this trip!!

Eliot,

Thanks for an interesting and informative "mini" review. We will have to do this trip pretty soon.

When did you go ? We want to go and hope to go there in May but need to find out the best time.

Eliot,

 

I am booked for Oct 31. Reviews like yours are so welcome. I am not a swimmer so won't be doing the snorkeling, but I hope that I'll still be able to see the whales. I guess that depends on their migration schedule.

 

How lovely to hear that all inclusive really is ALL.

 

You didn't mention much about Quito. I'm a bit apprehensive about the effects of altitude. Haven't experienced that. How was it?

 

Thank you again.

Emdee - we got back yesterday. The water will be warmer in May but so will the air temp

 

Kami's pal - We enjoyed Quito. The Old City is beautiful and going the equator line was a kick! The Marriott is very nice. I was worried about getting a headache at that altitiude (I do when we ski) but I had no problem. I don't think anyone did. There may have been a couple folks with a bit of a headache. Drink lots of water (bottled) and avoid alcohol. The pace is slow.

 

Enjoy!

Loved reading yr review, Eliot, especially since there's so little written. silver03 put up such an excellent review a few months back, but I want to read as many experiences as possible before our mid Jan. '05 sailing.

 

On your land excursions, you said you could go "on and on" and describe some of them....please do!:D Would love to briefly hear what you did island by island and what level of difficulty you chose. Was there one level which seemed to see more of the tortoises than others?

 

You mentioned the water was cool to cold for snorkelling. Not sure how variable it is depending on the season. But your being from CA, you may be able to tolerate colder temps. than I do!;) Any idea just how cold it was? Were the wetsuits Celeb provided full or shorty style? Long or short sleeve?

 

Any sense of how some of the other snorkelling went? We are also advanced snorkellers (husband dives but if the water is too cold not sure he wants to), so what was the main difference betw your outing and the regular snorkellers? Depth? Current? Did you do any other snorkelling? Were they "drift" snorkels?

 

There has been some comment that the food, while good, is not great. What was your opinion and were there any memorable meals? Are there any tables for 2 or are you always eating with others?

 

With so few pax onboard (lucky you!), I'm just curious whether there was "musical cabins" going on, i.e. less desirable cabins got to move up to better ones?

 

BTW, is there a TV or VCR onboard at all to watch a movie or just relax? Thanks for the tip about taking a little clock along.

 

Sounds like you had a fabulous trip. Thanks for writing it up for us!:)

"On your land excursions, you said you could go "on and on" and describe some of them....please do!:D Would love to briefly hear what you did island by island and what level of difficulty you chose. Was there one level which seemed to see more of the tortoises than others?"

 

Gosh, We did high intensity througout which meant a longer hike (1 mile or so) Medium intensity was a shorter hike and longer zodiac ride and low intenisty was generally just a zodiac ride. The high intensity generally saw more animals. We say tortoises on Santa Cruz Island in the Darwin Research Center and in the highlands and all levels saw them. This time of the year the tortoises on the other islands are way far away in the higlhlands I think. We say plenty on Santa Cruz. It's hard to decribe the land hikes b/c there is tremendous variety on the different islands. But, for example on Espanaola Island we disembarked and had to step over and walk around sea lions and iguanas on the path. We hiked to cliffs passing more sea lions, blue-footed Boobies, and Waved Albatross. We watched courting rituals of the Albatross and then watched the Albatross, in a single file line, waddle to the edge of the cliff and take off, ala hanggliders, flying. These birds are so huge it's the only way they can take flight easily. We then hiked back past rugged coast line and blow holes and more and more animals. On another hike we hiked to a beautiful high point (as seen in Master and Commander!) to take in the view. On another hike we saw more iguanas than you can ever imagine along with day old baby sea lions nursing. On another hike we went down into to the largest lava tube (15 -20ft high) that I ever seen! There was a lot variety.

 

"You mentioned the water was cool to cold for snorkelling. Not sure how variable it is depending on the season. But your being from CA, you may be able to tolerate colder temps. than I do!;) Any idea just how cold it was? Were the wetsuits Celeb provided full or shorty style? Long or short sleeve? "

 

I think that it was about 70 degrees F give or take. We used shorty wet suits - short sleeves. Regardless of snorkeling ability I don't think that the water temparature discouraged anyone from snorkeling b/c it was just so neat. On each snorkel we saw different things and lots and lots of differnt things. On our last beach snorkel we saw larger schools of fish than we could ever imagine!

 

"Any sense of how some of the other snorkelling went? We are also advanced snorkellers (husband dives but if the water is too cold not sure he wants to), so what was the main difference betw your outing and the regular snorkellers? Depth? Current? Did you do any other snorkelling? Were they "drift" snorkels?"

 

I'm not sure what you mean by "drift snorkels". I'm terrible with depth - it ranged from very shallow - "gee am I going to scrape the coral" to "the water is very clear and I can't see the bottom" I wasn't clear on our snorkeling. We did all the snorkeling only 2 of which were considered advanced and were advanced b/c of deep water and snorkeling from the zodiac boat. There was a little current on both of the zodiac snorkels. The first snorkel was from the beach and was really a check out your equipment snorkel. On the other beach snorkel we had the option of going, with a naturalist, out and around a point - very fun destination snorkeling! Folks could also snorkel around the beach area. On all but the first beach snorkel we were in the water with naturalist and the zodiac boat was in the area so if we got tired or cold all we needed to do was raise a hand and the boat picked us up. It was also great when I saw a shark and wanted to know what kind it was , I just popped up my head and the naturalist nearby was there to answer my question!

 

"There has been some comment that the food, while good, is not great. What was your opinion and were there any memorable meals? Are there any tables for 2 or are you always eating with others?"

The food is very good but not spectacular. There are very strict rules on what can be brought into the Galapagos. I would highly recommend any and all of the fish. It was always great. The soups were also always great. I don't remember tables for two but certainly we had so much space people did eat as couples when they wanted to. Most of the tables were probably for 4 or 6 I think. We formed a great group of 8 and the Matre'd put togeter a nice table for us. There were very good local fruit jucies to try as well.

 

"With so few pax onboard (lucky you!), I'm just curious whether there was "musical cabins" going on, i.e. less desirable cabins got to move up to better ones?"

 

I don't think so. People seemed pretty happy where they were.

 

"BTW, is there a TV or VCR onboard at all to watch a movie or just relax? Thanks for the tip about taking a little clock along."

 

The rooms have TVs and they run movies every day on them. No VCR in the room.

 

Hope this helps

Eliot, Thanks so much for your detailed review. We are booked for the Dec. 5th cruise which has us leaving on the 3rd for Quinto. Will be in cabin 501. Did anyone in your group have trouble with the altitude at Quinto? Did you do any touring around Quinto? Do you think the beach snorkels would be ok for beginners? I do not handle the deep water with lots of wave action very well. Went once in Hawaii but hung onto our guides body board and it was still very rough. Really looking forward to seeing so many different animals.

Mary Ann

" Did anyone in your group have trouble with the altitude at Quinto? "

I don't think so. I was worried b/c I do get headaches at high altitude but not this time.

 

"Did you do any touring around Quinto?"

Yes, an all day tour the first day - very interesting! The last day we went to a park and an open air market to shop. Some people wanted to go to more upscale crafts shopping so that was arranged for us as well. We also had a wonderful dinner in Old Quito and saw Old Quito by night - just beautiful.

 

"Do you think the beach snorkels would be ok for beginners? I do not handle the deep water with lots of wave action very well. Went once in Hawaii but hung onto our guides body board and it was still very rough."

 

Oh sure! I don't remember seeing as much on the first snorkel from Darwin's Beach as on the other beach snorkels but we saw lots from the other beach snorkels. The water isn't rough at all - especially on the beach snorkels. You also always have the option of keeping your life vest on when you snorkel. On some of the beach snorkels you actually could just wade out a bit and put your face in the water and see great fish and probably even sea lions without even swimming. The naturalists are understated about what to expect. The head naturalist told us he would guarantee we would see "water and rocks"!

 

You will see lots of animals!

Thank you so much for posting this. We were actually looking at the brochure and talking about this when I saw your post. Talk about timing. Sounds like a must do to me.

Marilyn

Were there many children onboard? We're considering going with our 11 and 9 year old kids.

 

 

Thanks,

Were there many children onboard? We're considering going with our 11 and 9 year old kids.

 

 

Thanks,

There was a 6 year old girl (she seemed to be having a great time but the family spoke no English (only Russian) so I can't be sure). There was also a 7th grade boy and another boy in the 6th-7th grade range. Both of the boys had a great time! There might be more kids during the height of summer.

Thanks so much for the wonderful information. We are planning to book for next spring to celebrate my husband's 70th birthday and our 44th wedding anniversary. We are both nature lovers and good snorkelers - but usually in the Caribbean. Don't worry about water temperature there :)

 

Can you say something about amount of luggage you took and if all dress was casual? Was it cool enough to need sweats and jackets? Other activities onboard (other than the obviously wonderful excursions).

 

Thanks so much for informing our celebration trip planning

 

Sheila

Can you say something about amount of luggage you took and if all dress was casual? Was it cool enough to need sweats and jackets? Other activities onboard (other than the obviously wonderful excursions).

Celebrity says there is a 30lb weight limit. This is due to the airline (TAME) between Quito and Baltra not the cruise line. We were able to meet the requirement others either didn't know about it and went over or were told by Celebrity that it was ok to go over the 30lbs. Suffice to say we packed light and had no regrets. I wore a light sweater sometimes during the the day and sometimes at night. I didn't wear the sweats I brought.

 

Dress is causal all the time. No dress-up nights. I wore a skirt the night we had dinner with the Captain but the other nights I just wore casual pants. This cruise isn't about fashion!

 

Other actvities? Well... actually we felt pretty busy with the excurisons. The morning excusions leave 8:00 ish and get back 11:00 or so. Then lunch and navigating to the next port. After lunch, maybe a movie, or a nap, or reading on deck, or playing board games. The afternoon excursions began around 3:30 - 4:00. Back around 6:00 ish. Naturalist briefing around 7:45 dinner began at 8:00. After dinner most of us crashed I think. Folks may have hung out in the lounge - we never checked it out. One night we did stargazing.

 

Hope this helps!

Another huge "Thank you" from me too, (especially the comments regarding your cabin). We will be in 509, leaving on Friday the 17th. I think you did a fabulous job answering all the specific questions. I can't think of anything else to bother you with. Thanks again, Maxine

Eliot,

 

What a great series of posts! We visited the Galapagos a couple of years back (pre-Celebrity days), and your observations coincide so closely with ours, and give a real flavour of the trip. Especially getting across the message that this cruise is so different from most others, and that the wildlife is what you are principally there for.

 

Thanks,

 

Sekhmet

Thanks again, sounds like heaven to me. We've been confirmed Windjammer sailors for years and love very casual trips. Can't wait to book and begin dreaming and the count-down. Half of the fun of traveling is the anticipation and you've given us lots to anticipate. One other question. Did anyone stay on longer after the cruise to do additional trips in the area. Any suggestions?

 

Sheila

One other question. Did anyone stay on longer after the cruise to do additional trips in the area. Any suggestions?

Some folks added an extra day before or an extra day after. I don't think that anyone had any extended trips planned. There certainly would be plenty to see in the area if you wanted to stay on a couple of days.

Spengle,

We are going to Peru first for 10 days or so (Lima, Machu Picchu, Cuzco, Lake Titicaca and the Sacred Valley) and then we fly from Lima to Quito. We are also doing the 10 day, but as our flight leaves very late, we have the whole of the Monday in Quito.

Gillian :)

Great information! Thank you so very much. We leave two weeks tomorrow and can hardly wait!

Was the dinner in Old Quito with Celebrity? I know two dinners are included. Where was the other one?

Were you given a photo cd?

Thank you very much for the review. I know you have been inundated with questions, but I'd like to ask a couple if I may.

 

How intense are the high intensity excersions. Is the mile like straight up? or is the footing hazardous? You said the water temp is 70 degrees (here it's usually between 56 and 65) did you really need the wet suit? And do they have wet suits for very full figured people or should I bring my own?

 

Lastly was the Mariott all inclusive too?

 

 

Thank you in advance for your answers and this wonderful review!

 

 

FastFreddie

How intense are the high intensity excersions. Is the mile like straight up? or is the footing hazardous? You said the water temp is 70 degrees (here it's usually between 56 and 65) did you really need the wet suit? And do they have wet suits for very full figured people or should I bring my own?

 

Lastly was the Mariott all inclusive too?

Most of the high intensity excursions are doable for most folks . There are a couple of hikes that are flat but over rocks so we had to be cautious about footing. One hike to a beautiful viewpoint did entail climbing 300 or so wooden stairs - that was an effort!:) The naturalists are very clear about the demands of each hike. I don't think that any of the high intesity hikes were over 1 1/2 miles or so and pace is generally slow b/c we stopped alot to look at animals and views. Reagardless of what level you pick you will see lots of animals.

 

I needed a wet suit but we had folks from MA who thought the wet suit was luxury. Gosh as to full figure wet suits hmmm... They had extra large and XXL. I guess it would depend on how full figured you were - that's hard to tell. If you were worried you might want to bring your own. If you're used to cold water you might not even need one - you may be tougher that me :)

 

The Marriott is all inclusive as well.

 

Have a great time - it is wonderful

Thanks so much for the information and answering all of our questions. Since this is a smaller ship, does it have a lot of movement or are the stabilizers comparable to the larger ships. Thanks.

Thanks so much for the information and answering all of our questions. Since this is a smaller ship, does it have a lot of movement or are the stabilizers comparable to the larger ships. Thanks.

When we were in open ocean I thought there was a fair amount of movement. Another couple thought it was one of the smoothest ships that they had been on. I tend to get motion sick so I was really worried before the trip (I've been motion sick on large cruise ships before). However, I'm happy to report that with the patch I had absolutely no motion sickness - even when we were in the zodiacs in kinda of rough water going after whales. A few of us had patches on but as far as I know no one was queasy due to motion.

Was the dinner in Old Quito with Celebrity? I know two dinners are included. Where was the other one?

Yes, the dinner in Old Quito, which was really excellent, was with Celebrity. The on the other dinner is at the Marriott the night before you leave for the Galapagos. It is really and truely all inclusive - there are no meals or drinks or excurions to pay for unless you want "premium" labels of alcohol onboard.

 

Enjoy!