Galapagos Cruise

I believe that we were fortunate in that we had two excellent guides (with very different styles) and a total group size of 20. The ship�s crew demonstrated pride in what they did � the ship was impeccably maintained and the food was superb.

The guides were knowledgeable, informative, and committed to preservation of the Galapagos and there wasn�t an �elitist� among the crew. They all seemed to pitch in wherever needed. The itinerary was packed full but I think that those folks who didn�t snorkel might have felt they had some extra down time. I was totally unaware of the amount of snorkel time. I loved it, but my husband doesn�t snorkel. He was fine with that but there weren�t too many alternative activities for those who didn�t snorkel.

The Galapagos was on our �short list� of places to visit but we were motivated to immediate action by the special rate that was being offered. The most memorable part is that the Galapagos are so ruggedly primitive � and so unchanged; took us back to our �human� roots.

Also, the Alta crew bent over backwards to make sure we enjoyed our trip. One night, we were in the middle of nowhere, and at Mike's request, the captain turned off all the lights so we could look at the stars. It was a crystal clear night, and I have never seen such a display. We just lay on the lounge chairs for almost an hour looking up. Incredible.

We were a little apprehensive about all of the connections we needed to make with your local guides, but all of the transfers went flawlessly. We really enjoy doing nature-related trips, plus which, we like to go to out-of-the way places (several years ago, we went to see the baby harp seals on the ice floes in the Gulf of the St. Lawrence Seaway). I think I'll always remember all of the unusual animals, but especially the snorkeling expeditions, swimming with SHARKS!, penguins, sea lions, rays, turtles, and countless fish.

The trip exceeded my expectations, which is saying a lot. We were so close to the animals, we could have touched them (though, of course, none of us did). Everyone was incredibly helpful. The people who took us to and from the airports provided a lot of useful information along the way, and helped us with check-in both at the airports and the hotels.

The only suggestion I have is related to our day in Quito. People on our cruise said they took a day trip to the Middle of the World (I think that's what it's called); essentially, a trip to the equator, where they put on quite a show. I don't remember that being an option in our packet, and even though we did get to another point on the equator on the way to La Mirage spa, I'd recommend that such a day trip be included as an option.

Both hotels in Quito (Patio Andaluz and La Vieja Cuba) were delightful, and the staff couldn't have been more helpful. Adriana, our guide in Quito, gave us a great tour of the city, and introduced us to empanadas, which were absolutely delicious. The food was wonderful.

Our guide and naturalist, Jorge, was extremely knowledgeable, and very committed to the environment. He went snorkeling with us (I've heard some guides just stay in the boat) and was able to give names to the different species of fish we saw. And one evening, when Ecuador and Brazil were competing for the championship in a soccer league, he took us into town to a local bar, so we could watch the game with the locals and cheer Ecuador on to victory. It was a blast! We did have a couple of issues with him, however. First, since there were only 13 passengers on the boat, we thought he should have known our names within a day or two, but since he never called us by name, we're not sure he did. He did seem to spend most of the time with a few people on the cruise. But this seems to be typical of guides (we've certainly seen it on other tours). The other issue was that there were times when it was difficult to get photos of the animals--for example, if we were walking along a narrow path--and the people in the front of the line would spend an inordinate amount of time taking pictures, either taking 10-12 shots or taking a lot of time to focus their cameras, so that by the time the folks at the end of the line were able to move up, the animal in question would have tired of posing and moved away. I think the guides should tell everyone at the beginning of the cruise, and remind them in situations like this, that they should take 1-2 quick photos and then move on so that everyone has at least a chance to get a photo; then they can go back and take more if time permits. After all, we're all there for the same reason, to see these unusual animals. I did put this on the evaluation form, because for me it was the major issue with the trip. However, in the big picture, it was only a minor glitch in an otherwise delightful experience.

As much as we loved the 2 hotels in Quito, they may not be a viable option much longer. You probably know that they're building a new airport, to be ready in 2010, and it's about an hour out of the city, so may not be too practical. However, as I understand it, the current airport will be used for domestic flights, so it's possible people may still be able to stay at one of the hotels (probably Patio Andaluz, since it's so convenient to the historic district) before the flight to the Galapagos. But when people are heading home, they're probably not going to want to get up at 3 in the morning for the hour drive back to the new airport, so most likely you'll have to find a hotel closer to the airport--I'm sure many will be springing up, probably Holiday Inn-types. Too bad.

Also, you'd told us that the wetsuits would cost $30 to rent for the week, and the information book in our cabin said the same thing, but Jorge told us they were $40. He said they had a different supplier. However, Mike pointed out that the book said $30, so that's what they ended up charging us. Just a heads-up for future travelers; you might want to tell them that the wetsuits will cost $30-$40, and if they pay the lower price, I doubt anyone will object.

For example, every time we left our cabin the bed was made and the towels were arranged into unusual animal shapes. I had deliberately booked a top-of-the-range cruise for our honeymoon, but was still pleasantly surprised with the level of professional service we received. Various television and printed documentaries first got me interested in visiting the Galapagos. The most memorable part of the trip was the inquisitive wildlife. We were snorkeling one day with sea-lions, penguins, turtles and flightless cormorants all simultaneously.

For our 40th anniversary, we wanted a special trip to a place we wouldn't normally go. We both like the water and Fred is a scientist who is interested in the ecosystems of places he visits. The most memorable part of this trip for me was the first day when I found myself swimming and playing with sea lions. For Fred, it was walking to the top of the volcano, as well as photographing all the animals very close up.

Julian, as our guide on the islands, was knowledgeable and informative and had just the right personal touch. You could tell that he had a passion for maintaining the delicate balance in the islands. Fernando, who served us at dinner, was outstanding, and went the extra mile to find some special fluids for Fred the night he had heat exhaustion.

As an improvement, I might have liked to know more about what the schedule aboard the Alta--it was two approximately 2-hour hikes a day and two snorkeling trips a day. I might have packed a bit differently.

Our two guides on the Lammer Law were as good as it gets. They helped make the trip the great success that it turned out to be.

This trip met every expectation that we had, and in some respects exceeded our expectations. Hotel Patio Andaluz was marvelous, with great ambience, beautifully decorated rooms, and terrific Ecuadorian cuisine.

Our two guides on the Lammer Law were as good as it gets. Robert Grimstone, from the UK, and now a permanent resident of Santa Cruz, Galapagos, and William, the dive guide, were extremely knowledgeable, informative and helpful. They helped make the trip the great success that it turned out to be.

I had always dreamed about visiting the Galapagos, as photography, videography, and the study of nature have always been at the top of my interests. The most memorable part of the trip was the opportunity to snorkel with and videotape underwater the Galapagos Marine Iguana, Galapagos Penguins, Galapagos Sea Lions, including huge bulls, and numerous Blacktip Reef Sharks.