Galapagos Cruise

The advice I was given on staying in the old part of the city on our way to the Galápagos and in the newer part on our way out was excellent as well. I would definitely book future trips with you. I can't think of any improvements at this time. Everything was great; my daughter until now had always stayed in resorts when she traveled, so this was a first for her, and she enjoyed almost every minute of it (the exception being the second evening when we were on a long run in open water and it was a bit rough and she became seasick).

I have wanted to visit the Galápagos Islands for at least 40 years. When my husband offered our daughter a trip anywhere with me to celebrate graduation from nursing school she chose the Galápagos. The most memorable part was probably our first encounter with marine iguanas on Genovesa Island on the second day. There were thousands of them sprawled around on the rocks. It was awesome! But then snorkeling with hammerhead sharks was pretty outstanding as well. And the sunrises and sunsets were nice. It was all good. 

My daughter and I are gluten-intolerant and had notified the ship through ExpeditionTrips. The chefs were creative and diligent in seeing that our food remained gluten-free. In addition to preparing our entrees w/o gravies or sauces or preparing a totally different entree if necessary, they provided us with beautiful and generous plates of fruit for snacks and desserts when others were having pastries and sandwiches.  We also much enjoyed the folded towel "origami" on our bunks every day; we had taken along a large ugly stuffed Bill the Cat doll as our trip mascot, and some days when we returned to our cabin we found he had several towel companions, one of which was usually wearing my reading glasses! 

The guides were both passionate and dedicated to the sustainability of the Galapagos. Their love of the place was evident in everything they did and they loved sharing it all with us.  The ship was fantastic—perfect for us. Great service, very clean, good food and very friendly staff. Everyone seemed to really enjoy their jobs and were fun to be around.  I would very definitely recommend this ship to anyone.

We loved seeing the wild animals both on the islands and in the water.

The trip went way beyond my expectations. The guides and staff of the Eric, Flamingo and Letty were amazing! I don't think there was any way of fitting any more activities in, so I really felt like I made the most of my trip. Beyond that, they organized a salsa party for us and we danced under the stars while anchored in Bartholome. Afterwards, the captain turned off all the lights so we could star gaze. I was lucky enough that the other passengers on my boat were in my age group and we all got along really well and experienced memorable things together. The guides were excellent and planned a lot of excursions.  We were able to have some rare sightings of animals, so that was really special. The only downside is that this trip will be hard to top!

The trip exceeded every expectation I had. And believe me, I've been dreaming about this trip my whole life so I had very high expectations! The guides on the ship were excellent. It was very evident how proud of the islands they were, not to mention how passionate one of the naturalists was about evolution and the role the islands played in formulating Darwin's theories on evolution and the origin of the species. Every day was remarkable and wonderful.

The Amazon was even better; so many animals and the bugs weren't so bad. The Napo Wildlife Center, in the Amazon, exceeded all of my expectations; superb service on the things that mattered, phenomenal national and local naturalists (one of the guides, Mauro, was outstanding); extremely comfortable room and what a great mosquito net! I always dreamed of visiting the Amazon and Galapagos; it was well worth it!!

We especially liked how they divided the passengers up among the three boats (Flamingo, Letty and Eric).  It seems like this flexibility allowed for us to be paired with travelers with similar needs/expectations. I don’t think other companies can do this. We loved the other passengers on the Flamingo and have been corresponding with them all since the trip. We love trips that combine adventure and education and the animals in the Galapagos were probably the most memorable.  It is amazing how both land and sea animals will interact with humans.

All documentation was in order and you assured us we would have no issues with local contacts and accommodations. Everything did in fact go like clockwork.

We did a lot of reading of reviews and books before we left and we had very high expectations. The entire trip far exceeded our expectations. We had hoped to see some of the things we read about. We did and we did and we did. It seems we saw it all. We believe selecting a small ship and being on the ship for seven nights helped in this regard. The smaller ships could go places where the larger ships could not and the seven nights/eight days allowed us to visit the western most islands to the eastern most islands. Our ship had 20 passengers and 2 naturalists. We can’t think of any specific item that could be improved.

The service by the local guides and ship’s staff was excellent. What impressed us most was the fantastic treatment by the local tour company. They were there on time every time and the service provided by them at the airports was way beyond expectations. They took our check-in bags and processed them for us at the airport, arranged and got our tickets and all other required documents. Essentially we just needed to get to the airport by their private coach and they did everything else. The ship crew was also excellent. Our two naturalists actually lived in the Islands and they were fantastic. They explained every detail and answered every question. Their personalities were great and they took pride in what they did and in their Islands which they call Paradise in a humorous manner but also really meaning it.

The most memorable part of the trip was the first island we visited. We landed on a beach and did a short hike on the island. We were blown away by the beauty of the wildlife and how close you could come to the animals. The birds were spectacular and the water crystal clear with manta rays swimming in the shallows. The entire trip was memorable but our first taste will always be remembered because of the initial awe.

Our server met us as we reboarded from every excursion with fresh juice or sodas and usually a small snack; it was wonderful. Also, I have to mention that our fellow boat passengers helped make the trip. People who go to the Galapagos have a sense of adventure and interest in history and the natural world, so you almost certainly will feel like you're in a group of people with similar interests! Seeing the wildlife up so close (both land and marine) and learning so much about natural history, geology and evolution/Darwin all in one trip were some of the most memorable parts of the expedition. Not to mention the weather and beaches are fantastic!

I always wanted the opportunity to travel and explore the Galapagos. I think the choice of a smaller group and motor yacht, the Flamingo I, was the right move. I had very high expectations and it exceeded my expectations. The tours, the meals and the itinerary were well thought out. The crew of the Flamingo was very professional, entertaining, and knowledgeable. I felt as if I made very good friends with the captain and the crew. The naturalist and tour guides were the best that I have experienced. I learned a tremendous amount. I have a presentation to make of this trip to my company. With the amazing photos I took and the vast information provided by the guides, I will be able to make a well versed slideshow. I could not think of any needed improvement.

I am sure that our individual needs and concerns were often demanding but you always responded helpfully and dealt with us with great patience as we tried to make up our minds and get ourselves organized.

I give high praise for the quality and level of service onboard the ship. The crew was friendly, helpful and efficient. Cabins were small but exceptionally well designed and outfitted. The food was good - nothing spectacular but extremely well prepared with plenty of fresh fruit and fish. We particularly appreciated being greeted every time we returned from snorkeling or a land excursion with attractive snacks and iced drinks. This was one of the smaller boats (20 passengers) but it did not feel crowded. One of the benefits of the smaller boat was that we were able to get into the smaller landings and were often the only boat there. The guides were good, particularly on the topics of local flora and fauna, and were very approachable. The trip exceeded expectations that were very high. There was an excellent balance between encountering wildlife ashore through landings and opportunities for snorkeling (deep water and from the beach). The usual routine was an early morning activity and back onboard for a leisurely lunch then a mid-afternoon excursion or snorkeling. There was plenty of time to relax and no pressure to go on excursions or swim if you preferred to stay onboard and read or sunbathe. I am hard pressed to think how the experience could be improved. I would highly recommend this itinerary which took us to Genovesa and then tracked the geological history of the islands from the youngest and still volcanically active (Fernandina) to the oldest and allowed us to see and explore a wide range of habitats and islands. Each island provides a different experience and I would not have wanted to eliminate any one from the itinerary.

I have been imagining, planning and thinking about this trip for many years and simply decided that it was now or never. It would be hard to select one single event or memory as being the most memorable. Each day and island seemed to bring a new experience or sighting from Red-Footed Boobies on Genovesa to flightless Cormorants on Fernandina. We also saw Fur Seals, Albatross, Penguins, Giant Tortoises, Turtles and Manta Rays. The final evening, when sailing back to San Cristobal from Espanola, we encountered a large pod of Bryde's Whales which surfaced all around the Flamingo. It's one thing to read about the wildlife and even see the spectacular nature films, but the actual experience is vivid, intense and far exceeds expectations. 

Never having been to the galapagos inspired our trip, the most memorable part were the type of animals/reptiles/birds found nowhere else in the world along with the passengers and workers on the ship. The staff and crew exceeded my expectations, I've been on bigger more luxurious trips and this crew was amazing, almost like family.

Everybody on the yacht, staff, guides and the crew were very helpful and offered great service!

Our room on the Flamingo - Iguana deck room #10 was one of the two largest on the yacht. The other rooms are quite small. One note, I do not know if there is anything one can do to mitigate the altitude issue in Quito. If you know of anything, you might pass it along. Of course, coming from Florida and sea level, it was quite an adjustment. We would certainly love to travel with you again and would be happy to recommend you.

There was not a question they couldn’t answer. One guide in particular was really superior. He has been doing this for years and his enthusiasm and knowledge was outstanding. They also did an excellent job of placing groups of people on the three ships. Everyone got along great and we made lifelong friends. Swimming with sea lions, sea turtles, and penguins; walking with giant land tortoises; personally witnessing the Albatross’ mating dance and Blue Footed Boobies’ sky pointing up close were some of the most memorable parts of my expedition.

The Eric�s staff, guides and crew were excellent. The captain, Pablo, and his crew of 9, must see these sights day after day - but they still got excited for us, and with us, when we saw wildlife or something memorable happened. Christine spent her 65th birthday on the Eric and, as we carved a path through the warm waters, a group of Dolphins chose to ride the bow wave. All 20 of us were up on the bow and we thought it was a great present for my wife so we sang 'Happy Birthday' to her as we hung over the sides watching the show.

1. We saw a BBC video about the Galapagos early last year and that piqued our interest. I received a brochure in the mail from National Geographic about their various tours and saw they had one to the Galapagos. That got me going. I did some further searching on the net and found you - and decided I could use some help picking a vessel as I have sleep apnea and wanted to get the right tour vessel. You recommended Eric/Letty/Flamingo and I was never sure which boat we were going to be on. I assumed one would take us and the other two would be someplace else or unused. We found out, when we got there that all three travel together and I believe they assigned us at the last minute and did so according to language and age. We were all middle aged and up on the Eric - and all of us had English as a primary language - 4 US, 2 Canadian and 14 from the UK. I had booked Dolphin Two on the ship - the one with the double bed - but we ended up in Dolphin Three with twin beds. Don''t know how that happened but it was OK - the cabins are smaller than they appear on the website and we each enjoyed having our own bed. Most memorable was the great opportunity to view the wildlife up close - and I got some great photos. Christine and I are bird watchers and conservationists - I hunt and fish a great deal and was formerly on the national board of Ducks Unlimited.

2. Trip was just as I imagined it. The food was just terrific. I have been on a couple of other cruises with acres of desserts etc. and this food was perfect for our constant swimming, exercising and walking in hot weather. Mostly buffet style meals with a plethora of delicious salads. I didn't know they could make that many different salads. Plenty of chicken, fish, fresh vegetables and fruits. I never left the table groaning like after a holiday feast. Light desserts or fruit after a meal.

3. The guides, Adriano and Lolly, spoke passable English and were passionate about their topics and very knowledgeable. They helped to reinforce the stringent rules the Ecuadorean government has put in place to preserve the islands and did so in a friendly manner. (No food to go ashore, no touching any wildlife, no bathroom breaks on any island etc.) We were usually in two groups of 10 with a guide for each group - and sometimes in a loose group of 20 in an open area. On one day I spent some time relaxing in a panga as Christine and other guests did some deep water snorkeling around us. A young sea lion began swimming all around the snorkelers and then came up to the panga and kept playing at the sides and looking up and trying to see over into the panga. Eventually he stuck his head through the swim ladder and rolled over on his back and lay there in the clear water. I brushed his belly with the tips of my fingers and got a friendly rejoinder from our guide about not touching the wildlife - it was so tempting I just forgot. On another occasion a Galapagos Flycatcher on the ground saw his reflection in my lens, as I focused on him, and he flew right up to my camera twice. The second time I crooked my finger out in front of my lens and he landed and admired himself in my lens for a minute. The guides held a nightly briefing session before dinner each night to outline the next days activities. I have hunted, fished and been wildllife watching in the western US, western Canada, the Maritimes, South America, Central America and Africa and this trip helped me add many species of wildlife to my 'life list'.

4. For people going to these vessels: (1) I took a couple of colorful, cowboy style bandanas in addition to a Bahamas style bonefishing hat with a neck cape (excellent). The bandanas were very useful on island treks as we were there in a hot and muggy time and I could mop my face and head and also wipe any sun screen away from my eyes. When not used for that purpose they tied around my neck. Also I could wipe off my camera and lens if they got smudged with insect repellent or sun screen or perspiration. (2) Pack light!! I know they tell you to do so - but do it. We could rinse out T shirts and shorts in the shower and dry them on the sun deck. There was laundry service one day as well. There is not much room to store suitcases in the cabin so take a soft sided bag if you can - it can be folded up and tucked in a corner or an overhead shelf. (3) I''m an old destroyer sailor so I had no trouble with the gentle swells - but some people did and having appropriate meds can help until you get acclimated. The swells were really gentle and rocked me to sleep. (4) Quito is at 9,200 feet and can give you shortness of breath and headaches until you acclimate - the key is to drink plenty of water. (5) The Quito Marriott was one of the best I have ever stayed in. Very friendly staff.

Our naturalist guides in the Galapagos were exceptional. Most memorable was so much immersion in wildlife every day, all day! Swimming with sea lions was awesome.

My friend and I were going on a 12 day birding tour of Ecuador and thought that since we were so close to the Galapagos � we should add it on to our trip.

Once again, the service was much more than expected and they could not have given us more service. They all went way beyond any requirements to take care of us and make our visit the best. Any problems that passengers had they all were happy to take care of for us. Even when there was a problem with electricity one afternoon, they were able to get the food cooked and out on the tables before it went out again. It was off another couple of hours and the crew immediately got us lights for the table to finish eating, got out guitars and played and sang for us � it was great. Most of us went up on top after dinner and enjoyed the night air until they were able to fix the problem.

We had a passenger that had had double knee surgery and it was very difficult for her to get in and out of the pangas and walking and they made sure she was on every hike and beach she wanted to go on.

The staff, guides and crew seemed to be as excited about the trip as we were. The guides were so good � we learned so much each day about the geology, flora and fauna, and of course the animals of each island and the waters around. Also about the people who live in the Galapagos.

One guide in particular had a pleasant and friendly approach and he was always helpful to me when asked to identify different bird species. When our ship's electrical motor broke down for an evening, the crew turned the mishap into a romantic event.  They brought out little lights for each of our dinner tables and they brought out guitars and serenaded us.  It was a true adventure.  It couldn't have been more fun if it had been planned.

Everyone exceeded our expectations in all cases. One of our fellow passengers was lactose intolerant, and she was given special meals when needed.  The crew was very willing to please. The guides were well informed, knowledgeable and very personable.  They freely shared information and their experiences.  The captain and the crew were very friendly and helpful.  We liked having the two guides; they provided different perspectives on the islands and the animals.  The smaller groups onshore, 10 of us in each group, were more personalized. The most memorable part?  We just can't pin it down to one thing, the animals, the guides, our fellow passengers, the whole experience.  Some of our group was from England, Scotland, Australia and Canada as well as the US.  We had a great time just talking to them.

They even offered to have a group of interested people go to swim with the dolphins. This wasn't a planned activity but an example of how the crew/guides tried to enhance the experience.

My daughter chose this destination and I supported her because it has always been a dream of mine to go to the Galapagos. This trip exceeded all my expectations! The only things that could have been improved were the air conditioning on the boat (the lowest floor cabins had poor air quality in my view) and sometimes the freshwater source on the boat seemed 'salty'. The food, guides, crew, and the family atmosphere were truly excellent.
The expedition exceeded all my expectations. The guides were very knowledgeable and friendly and the staff were also wonderful. The waiter who served our meals had a wonderful sense of humor and made us all laugh. The food includes lots of fresh fruit, vegetables and lots of fish.

[Our naturalist] did a great job of getting us to the best places at the best times, usually in advance of any other boats that were in the area. He was excellent at giving us time to simply stop and take it in and we never felt rushed along. He demonstrated genuine concern, compassion and initiative when one of the passengers became ill.

He was knowledgeable and related a great deal of information without getting in the way of the experience. The trip was further enhanced by the fact that we had only 11 passengers versus the capacity of 20 and we were moved into one of the more spacious and vacant cabins without even asking. The only possible exception to the best possible experience was that a few of the meals, especially later in the voyage, were a bit disappointing.

My favorite memories� The stark beauty of the Galapagos, the incredible amount of wildlife that you walk among as though in a crowd at the local mall, and riding on top of a boxcar on the trip to Cotopaxi.

[One of the reasons for wanting to go the Galapagos was because] my daughter had wanted to go 10 years ago at about age 12, and had signed up for a student trip that was cancelled. I was unable to take her then, but it has always been on our back burner, so this trip was the culmination of a long held desire.

The Quito and environs portion of the trip was also terrific. Quito is very interesting and the countryside is beautiful. The trip to Otavalo allowed us to see the countryside and the market was OK, though you get a bit tired of seeing pretty much these same things in so many stalls. The most interesting part of that was walking through the market where the locals buy their every day items and seeing the people who live there. The hotels we stayed in were very clean and nice, but were not as quiet as I imagine the larger, more expensive, worldwide chain hotels to be.

We knew so little about the Islands and now we are an 'authority' on birds, land and sea animals in the Galapagos Islands... and after only 6 days! And, we had a gracious staff - always most helpful.

My most memorable part was when we got on the wrong panga and were taken to the wrong boat on our first island visit. Our guide mistakenly told us to get on a certain panga and when we did we went to the Eric rather than the Flamingo. No problem, however, they just invited us to join them but finally we were taken to the Flamingo.

I was drawn to Antarctica by my love for wildlife and adventure. I've traveled in more that 40 countries and this was among the best yet. When my husband was asked why he was there he said, 'Because Winnie made me come'. However, he will never forget it and enjoyed it as much as I did.

Suggestions: Need a little more information from the boat crew regarding the departure from the ship and how and when. We were the only couple who left after 5 days so we had trouble understanding just how it was all to take place. Incidentally, it took us two buses, 5 planes and 30 hours to return home. Quite a trip for old folks but we would do it again in a second.

If you receive any other requests from birders, please recommend Carlos as a guide. He knew all the birds by call, and we were able to identify about 150 species in Manu. We will definitely book through you in the future. Thanks for everything!

The group on the Eric was very diverse -- kids, young professionals, middle age people and a few older people. I think it is always more interesting to talk to people of all ages. Everyone got along very well and really gelled after a while. Also, the guides were great -- they were knowledgeable and funny and we could learn as much or as little as we wanted to from them. The La Mirage Spa (on mainland Ecuador) was also outstanding!