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

[Gillian2]

WOW what a trip. It was unbelievable!! It seems unreal! We were treated so well and saw sooooo much. The Galapagos Islands are a MUST. Go Go Go!!

What a great bunch of "guests" (as we were called!!). The Dec. 5th trip was a blast.

missm...give me your email and I will send you the whole itinerary and cost (very inexpensive I thought) for the Peru portion.

Gillian2

[Twojacks]

We are in whole-hearted agreement with Gillian2...the Galapagos Xpedition was everything advertised, and more! Such a great time we had, being taken to a higher level of being spoiled!! Prior to our Celebrity excursion, my husband and I spent a week doing an escorted land tour of the Andes throughout Ecuador. If anyone is interested, feel free to drop us an e-mail and we can give you more information. Highly recommended, if you have the time! [email="Twojacks2@aol.com"]Twojacks2@aol.com[/email]

[Gillian2]

Hi Twojacks:
Glad to know you got home safely. We are enjoying our 1500 photoes (give or take a couple!!).
I can't believe we have been back a week (well almost).
Take care
Gillian and Phil
Goldendaze: where is your journal!!! Are the dogs happy to see you?!
Cruisergal: How is the Caribbean?? It was nice to get a send-off from you when we left the hotel!
JudyS: California is warm and sunny!! The Peach Margaritas would be welcome!!

[Kami's pal]

Welcome home.

Had notes from some wanting to know if they were safe going about alone in Quito, and whom to go with. I told them to look for your posts, and ask at the hotel.

Hope the GI bug is less evedent. Someone posted that more cleaning was being done. Did you notice?

Did you stay well?

Did you get to Ricardo's shop?

Will be looking for posts from those of you returning this week. This group will experience Christmas in Quito, and next group will experience New Year's in Quito. Those reports should be interesting too.

[SheilaNC]

Unfortunately, we'll just have 2 extra days in Quito. Would love to hear about suggestions for using that time. Day excursion? With whom? What's safe to do on our own? We're sailing May 8th and are vicariously enjoying all of your comments, experiences, suggestions, etc. Thanks so much for sharing.

Sheila

[missm]

Hi Gillian ~

Thanks for being willing to share info on your other excursions. We are very, very interested in doing this, but aren't sure about all the particulars....

My e-mail is [email]mary@clc-ent.com[/email].

We really appreciate your help!

All the best,
Mary

[Gillian2]

Missm,
Will forward the email summary of itinerary and cost. It was so organized and we were met everywhere by a driver and our local contact. The bus/van picked us up at the hotels for tours or journeys onward to other parts of Peru. Twojacks did an Ecuadorian tour.
Spengle: All museums etc are closed on Monday which was too bad as we were planning to take a cultural walking tour. It starts in the Plaza Independencia and costs $10 including entrance fees. The clerk at the desk told us exactly where the tour started.
We were def. warned don't go anywhere after dusk without taking a taxi, but as the taxi was only $7 to the airport can't complain. We paid $2 to get back from the Indian market. We took the taxi as we did our own air and just about the only time the shuttle didn't go from the hotel was 7pm (the time we needed to leave). To avoid an extra hour at the airport we asked them to get us a taxi and it was actually a car and driver (in a suit no less). Well worth $7!!
The hotel could refer us to a company which did private tours but these were high. We were initially going to go to the Otavalo market on Monday. We were told it is a zoo on Saturdays although larger than on weekdays. However, we just wanted to stay in Quito and ended up shopping and going to the hotel spa and swimming at the hotel.
We have photoes of the police in riot gear and an armored truck on the hill up to the Virgin Mary statue (from the Saturday tour)!!!
By the way, it rained on Friday the 11th and we were told that the airport was closed and the cruise passengers had to fly in Saturday (just a caution for those of you doing your own air). We were informed that the airport closes frequently due to highly changeable weather.

[Judy S]

Glad to hear that California is sunny. So is Boston, but at 23 degrees..... As for touring Quito on one's own, we arranged with the taxi "starter" at the Marriott to have a driver for $12/hr. We all spoke "Spanglish" and managed. He took us to the Solar Museum and anywhere else we might have wanted to go. He ended the day at the marketplace downtown, not the one in the park. Another thing to be aware of about the airport, now that someone mentioned about the weather conditions, as we were making our final approach the pilot announced that there was some fog at the end of the runway. We shouldn't be alarmed if we heard the engines rev up and feel the nose point up as we neared the runway. If he couldn't see where to put the plane down, he'd go back up and give it another try. "Don't worry" he told us "this is fairly common for us here". Thankfully, we landed on the first attempt and everyone burst into applause upon touch down.
1500 pictures!! WOW! I finally whittled ours down to 590 and could have been more ruthless, but Jim doth protest too much. It was great traveling with you. Now, where do we go next?
Judy and Jim

[SheilaNC]

Thanks for all the good information, Gillian. We will certainly avail ourselves of your experiences. Sorry to hear about the airport since we did arrange our own air (FF miles). We'll hope for the best. Will continue to follow the news on this forum. It's so helpful and makes our trip seem closer.

Sheila

[Gillian2]

One naturalist told us mid May to mid June and mid November to mid December are the best times to go. Jan to May are the rainy months and I wouldn't like to do the hikes in the rain plus take photoes. However, there has been more of a drought the last two years. I imagine any time has its advantages.
Peach margaritas are not on the Long Beach menu, Judy. I quite miss them!!
Anyone wanting a review of the specialty drinks (all included) let us know!!

[Gillian2]

By the way. Bugs were not a problem for me in Machu Picchu. I used Deet. However, my husband zipped off his pants to convert into shorts at Machu Picchu on the second day, forgot the mosquito repellent, and got many bites on his lower legs. I wore long pants and a light long sleeved shirt to double ensure..and the bugs LOVE me (usually). We did not need bug repellent in the Galapagos but I used a few preventative drops anyway. I guess when the rainy season starts it is necessary.
We used the converter in our cabin for recharging the camera. I called Casio and the camera would work with 220 or 110 but I used the 110 at the hotels and the transformer in the cabin.
By the way, the rooms are made up three times a day!!! Morning, during the afternoon excusion and during dinner. What luxury!! Beds made after naps and fresh towels! The showers onboard are great..good pressure and glass doors...no floppy curtains. We had a deck 4 room with a window and it was just great. Drying out wet suits was the only quirk but no big deal. A lot of stuff fits under the bed as we only had a few inches of hanging space each..lots of shelves though. We put cases, life jackets, extra blankets etc and shoes all under the bed to maximize space. There are great lounges on Deck 6 under an awning where I went after lunch to read and snooze.
Wow, would go back in a flash...truly wonderful.
I loved the hikes, though one or two had a lot of steps. Hint to future cruisers...ensure that the person at the front asks a lot of questions as that slows the naturalist down while he or she answers. Speaking of naturalists we loved Maria del Carman but she is freelance so may not be on your trip. She gave us a lot of insight. We liked them all...the cruise director Jason was not my favorite, but he didn't seem to lead excursions..I only saw him on snorkeling trips. Jaime, Maria Isabel, Nacho etc were all wonderful. VEERRRY knowledgeable. Of course every passenger has their own preferences and these were just ours.
Back to watching my slideshow and the albatross mating!!

[missm]

Gillilan ~

Thank you so much for forwarding all that wonderful information about your trip! We will have a lot of fun reading it over and over, trying to decide what we'd like on our trip. Sounds like you had a fabulous time. We love adventure & eco-tourism, so this sounds like a must-do on our travel wish list. Are you listening, Santa?

MissM

[goldendaze]

Gillian,

Ba Humbug!!! It was 12 degrees here this morning in NJ. I think it will be a two dog night! The doggies are happy we're home (that's golden retrievers as in goldendaze for those of you out of the loop).

No journal posting for me, I can hardly read what I wrote - must have been those peach margaritas....

Everyone has given so much good information about this trip that I can only agree. I have nothing much to add but will add my 2 cents here and there.

Hi to everyone. Dara

[SheilaNC]

[quote name='Gillian2']One naturalist told us mid May to mid June and mid November to mid December are the best times to go. Jan to May are the rainy months and I wouldn't like to do the hikes in the rain plus take photoes. However, there has been more of a drought the last two years. I imagine any time has its advantages.
Peach margaritas are not on the Long Beach menu, Judy. I quite miss them!!
Anyone wanting a review of the specialty drinks (all included) let us know!![/QUOTE]
Gillian,
Do post a review of drinks and food, too, when you have a chance...not that I'm fussy, just loving all the information to add to my dreams. Thanks

Sheila

[Gillian2]

Sheila.. I concur with Dara (Goldendaze) that so much has been written that adding off the wall two cents pieces here and there will probably be most fun if not most useful!!
Any comments are my personal view and others may disagree! On the serious side the wave albatross mating was a phenomonal sight to see as were the 30 or so dolphins we zodiaced after (following our high intensity tour). The Darwin Centre I liked as we were able to go in the compound up close and personal while the tortoises just happended to be eating..what a sight. I didn't care for the Cultural Center as much. The Darwin Center was in my mind very low intensity for those who asked. Do the Darwin Center in the morning and the tortoise "farm" in the highlands in the afternoon. This was also low intensity except the steps into the lava tunnel, and you did not have to go in if you didn't want to do so.
The main problem altitude wise was the walk to the Crater Restaurant in Quito. Just take it very slowly and you will be fine. Just remember SLOW in Quito as headaches, vomiting etc are common with altitude sickness. I saw one person who could have been suffering, but on our Peru trip we had a couple of times where people were really overcome. The hotels in Peru have oxygen, but I saw no mention of it in Quito. I read questions on this or another site relating to bringing one's own oxygen. I wouldn't think it necessary at all. If oxygen is needed it is usually for 10 minutes from our Peru experience. Of course in the islands it is a moot point!!
We had all heard mediocre comments about the food, so it was better than I had anticipated. The French chef used a lot of butter and sauces. The fried calamari one lunch time was fabulous. The last night buffet was disappointing. The beef medallions (I think) one night were good. I hadn't ordered that dish but asked for it later. It seemed like it might be a problem but I did get it. I think it must have been popular. I was disappointed in about half of the wines.....very poor and for a few dollars more they could have been great. After all, South America has fabulous wine. They served at least 3 different house wines (no choice..it depended on the night). I loved the Pinot Grigio they served just one night, but I fellow passenger who was a wine drinker said he did not like it, so there you are.
Now the coffees....Aspen coffee is a must if you have not partaken of too much wine! It seemed that our fellow passengers knew their tolerance level as with 8am excursions one had to avoid over indulging!!! However, these are similar to Irish Coffee but with more liqueurs. It is very tempting for the table to order a second round after dinner...beware!! The bar is open continually (complimentary all day long except for premium alcohol such as Bombay Sapphire gin) so if you happened to want any drinks at 10:30am the bartenders were ready and smiling. You will find that the English level of some of the bartenders and waiters is very limited. Don't go into details when asking for something. Basic words and smiles and please seemed to work best.
The Brazilian cocktail is lethal..share it with a loved one. The regular margaritas are very bitter...order the peach ones. The pina coladas are another favourite, but as you can see with all the fancy drinks one could consume more calories in cream and mix than actual food!!
To be continued.

[susiesan]

For those of you on the Dec. 5 sailing, how was the water temperature? I am planning to do this trip either next Dec. 4 or early January 2006. I want to go snorkeling a lot, but I tend to get really cold in the water fast. So I want to do this trip when the water is at it's warmest.

Susie

[goldendaze]

Susie,

 

I too tend to freeze snorkeling - even in the carribean! My suggestion if you want to do a lot of snorkeling (there is at least 1, sometimes 2 opportunities per day) bring your own full wet suit that fits. I brought a 7/5 mm wet suit as did at least one other women I know and we were very toasty and never complained about the water temp - I could have snorkled for hours. The water temp was around 68-71 degrees depending on location. This was on the 12/5 sailing. The water should warm up a bit as the Galapagos summer approaches (but so does the rain?).

 

Some people did ok with the shorty wet suits the ship provided but the one they gave me fit my husband - I gave it to him.

 

Hope this helps. Dara

[SandyR5]

Hi Dara - So you had your own full wet suit! ;) I guess you do alot of scuba diving and/or snorkeling. We snorkel very often when we're in the Caribbean but the water is pretty good there. Now...what does a full wet suit cost and where could we get one secondhand perhaps? E-bay? Anyone know. I don't think I'd want to invest in a new one just for this trip. Thanks so much.

[boops]

Gillian, Judy, Dara, thanks for bringing back so many memories of the 12/5 trip with your great reviews. Here's my two cents worth:

 

I heard one of the guides say the hotel in Quito had oxygen.

 

I agree that the last nights buffet was disappointing. From other reviews and pictures I've seen, it generally is held out on deck and has gotten nice comments.

 

We did the Highlands in the morning and the Darwin center on the last afternoon. Gillian's recommendation to do the reverse would probably be better as the tortoises in the highlands should be more active and the ones in the Darwin center more accessible--they saw lonesome George while we caught a glimpse of him in the distance. On the highlands tour, were in the first group and given rubber boots. There didn't appear to be enough for the later groups and I noticed none of them were wearing boots.

[starsjohn]

SandyR5, I would suggest you try and rent a 7 mil wetsuit from a local dive shop. Wetsuits need to be fitted rather closely so as not to leak in cold water. The sizes vary over a very wide range among the various major manufacturers. You really need to try them on.

 

The cost of an EXCEL 7 mil suit is 350.00. I saw an ad for a good SCUBAPRO model for 180.00 at nearly 100.00 off.

 

I am on the Galapagos trip in March and will take my 7 mil suit PLUS hood, gloves, and booties. This is the combination we use here in Newport Beach while scuba diving in waters of nearly the same temperatures.

 

In a 7 mil suit you will float like a cork. If you wish to skindive you will need quite a pile of dive weights to go down.

 

Hope this helps,

 

John

[Gillian2]

Hint: At the airport they ask your shoe size for snorkling but seem to give you a once over glance and determine the size of wetsuit you need. Even if you are flattered (or insulted) when you see the suit in your cabin, you might want to request a certain size at the airport as I know some people were given too small or too large. Try it on immediately as the exchange range is very limited. Don't wait for the time the cruise director gives for exchanging out for a different size..catch him early and get an advance appointment!! I saw someone do this.

[Lube]

Hi Eliot, we are leaving for Quito on Thursday and will be in Cabin 508 on Sunday on the Xpedition. Any suggestions for clothing? Day and Night? I know the ship is air conditioned...is it cold as some ships are?

There is a weight limit but we can't seem to pack our clothes and snorkel gear and come under the 30 lbs. How strick are they?

Do we need slickers?

And lastly, any problem getting a good fitting shorty suit?

[goldendaze]

Lube,

 

We were on the 12/5 sailing and had an awesome time - you are in for a real treat. Daytime clothes are shorts & t-shirts, bathing suits the type of pants that zip off into shorts serve double duty and are great for this trip. Bring a good pair of low/light hiking boots or all terrrain type sneakers if you plan on doing medium/high intensity hikes. Teva type water shoes are good to have in addition. Average temperature during the day was around 80 degrees. Lots of #45 sunblock and a hat are important. Bring a lightweight reathable rain jacket. We had no rain for 10 days but it is a possibility as the rainy season is just beginning.

 

Night wear was usually casual pants w/polo for men and capri's and nice casual tops for women. I brought a couple of twinsets (cardigan & shell) that were good/versatile for the evenings. I did not find the ship to be really cold.

 

We brought our own masks & snorkels but used the fins from the ship. We brought our own wet suits but many people did ok with the ship's shortys, if you have a fit issue try to exchange early (I gave my husband the shorty they gave me as his was too large). My husband wore his own thin full 1.5mm skin under the shorty (good for warmth and protection) and I wore a full 7/5mm wetsuit - it depends how cold you generally get. We also wore thin hooded vests. We snorkled almost everyday, sometimes twice a day. Water temp is 68 - 72 degrees depending on location.

 

I think most people had 1 good size suitcase each. Ours was about 40 something pounds so the weight is not real strict but don't go wild and you won't stand out.

 

As a side note, don't drink anything but bottled water in Quito (even in the Marriott) and you may want to bring some Pepto Bismal as a preventative of any "turista" as some people are sensative to changes in diet in different countries.

 

Have a Happy New Year in Quito!

[WeinBoca2]

Eliot - sounds terrific ... my wife, Pamela, and I are looking forward to our trip in a few weeks. She's only concerned about what to pack. I'm wondering about the excursions. So, for her .. how formal do people get (e.g., for dinner)? What was/is the weather like (to me Equator means hot as hell but somewhere I saw mention of wet suits for scuba so I am very confused). I also hear there are three levels of excursions .. mighty brave, brave and weenie. Is the high end excursion for the brave (and hearty)? Is mid-level enough to still get the full benefit of the sights? We're from FL and this is really something I am looking towards. Feel free to reply direct (WeinBoca2@aol.com). Thanx. -- bob

______________________________________

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 highly recommend this trip!!

[WeinBoca2]

how was the cruise? we're going in a few wks (sailing Jan 16th). anything on Quito? were the nights cool? any Internet access? -- bob