The staff, guides, and crew on the Sea Bird were outstanding. They were very friendly and helpful at all times. I am somewhat physically challenged and was not able to do all of the hikes. They scheduled zodiac cruises for me and some other somewhat challenged people when the hikes were not feasible. I got help any time I needed it from everyone.

The staff, guides and crew did everything possible to make sure that this was a positive experience - all the way from meeting us at the Los Angeles airport during our departure to staying with us until we departed La Paz. They were all completely customer focused during the entire trip.

We had two very memorable parts of the expedition, one was being able to follow and observe a mother and her baby humpback whale breech and flop their flukes out of the water for over an hour, and the second one was being able to observe and touch mother and baby gray whales.

Zodiac Drivers, Wait staff, Maids, Hotel Manager were all outstanding!

The food on board was first class. The Hotel Manager (Willy) & his staff worked very hard to present a marvelous selection of fresh, local fare.

The Naturalists were terrific! A team of very bright, well trained, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic young Ecuadorians with great pride in their country and a determination to share this affection.

As well, we feel very fortunate to have had the trip led by Lynn Fowler. She is a remarkable individual with an outstanding depth of knowledge about the archipelago and a commitment to its preservation. She is also a charming woman with immediate, warm rapport with the guests & a great relationship with her guide team and the rest of the crew. It was a very happy ship!

My favorite part of the trip was swimming with sea lions & penguins. I also experienced a chance meeting of an old friend native to the Galapagos while walking on a remote lava field on Isla Genovesa!

My expectations for the trip were exceeded. From the moment we were met by two pleasant women in the Miami Airport (& who shepherded us through that madhouse) to the Ecuadorian travel guides who met us & eased our transition through Guayaquil (both in & out of Equador) & Galapagos airports. All the travel arrangements were perfect. Hilton Hotel in Guayaquil elegant.

The ship was terrific. Our cabin was incredibly quiet compared with cabins I've stayed in on other small ships. Crew was very good. Staff was generally very good also but their levels of expertise were rather uneven. In particular, I appreciated Carlos, the underwater specialist, who was able to provide info to me on where I might be able to see whale sharks in the Sea of Cortez.

The marine life [was the most memorable part of the trip]. We saw 3 or 4 species of whales (2 of which I had not previously seen) and loads of common dolphins. Also a magnificent sail fish which looked like it belonged in a Jules Verne novel.

I always seem to have a pleasant surprise, such as an unexpected upgrade, just before the journey begins. The tour documents and arrangements are always presented in an organized and timely manner.

My interest is wildlife and the draw of the humpback, fin, blue and gray whales lured me to the Baja area where I could observe the mammoth animals up close and personal as they swam under and around our zodiacs. Being able to get so close to the gray whale, mother and calf was a highlight of the experience. The trip, as usual, met and exceeded my expectations. I would have preferred the trip to be at least one day longer in the Bahia Magdelena area for additional close-up time with the gray whales as I hated to leave the whale-rich area.

The Sea Bird had many areas from which to view the landscape and wildlife, both inside and out. The room was comfortable and the ships crew was excellent. They were anticipative, responsive, friendly and seemed to enjoy being onboard with passengers. The Dining Services Director did an excellent job and the food and service were terrific. The Purser made us feel welcome and went the extra mile to ensure we all had every need met. The Captain did a great job repositioning the ship repeatedly to follow whales.

The Copper Canyon extension trip was also quite good. I especially enjoyed the train ride and the time spent in San Luis, learning about the Tarahumara Indians.

But of course the ships staff cant control the whales. We did see great schools of dolphins and interesting geology. I dont know how any human activity could have improved the trip, although a little more help from the Deity would have been useful. Walking on the different islands with their different geology and wildlife was one of our favorite aspects of the trip.

The ship did meet our expectations, although we would have preferred more comfortable beds and a bit more space. If we take her again we will want Category 4 cabins. The food, by our standards, was mediocre. The staff and crew were excellent, particularly the extremely knowledgeable naturalists. There were about 12 children aboard, and they made friends with one another immediately and were fun for the rest of us to watch.

The trip was wonderful. We sailed at the start of the whale migration season the later half of January -- and were the 2nd sailing of the year. It is always a gamble with migrations, but getting there too early or too late could be a disappointment. We were still too early to have gray whale calves approach our Zodiacs for a 'brochure photo' moment. But, the staff does everything possible to maximize every sighting without impinging on the whales.

The staff and crew of the ship were excellent. The ship is smaller than the Polaris and can easily feel cramped for space. It is a shallow draft vessel so tends to be a lot more susceptible to rocking in swells; and, there will likely be swells in the Pacific heading while in transit. There is a lot more travel involved in this trip than in the Galapagos, and sightings are not a sure thing. There were some scheduled beach walks to break up the travel times, but I would have gladly traded them for more time looking for whales. The Sea Bird and Sea Lion do not have laundry facilities onboard so pack lots of nylon travel clothes that dries overnight in your cabin.

If you are prone to seasickness, try the electronic Relief Band. It was first developed to help Chemotherapy patients deal with the nausea of treatment. It works wonderfully for seasickness and has made cruising possible for me. I easily slept through those overnight open water crossings. This is a lot better than drugs, which leave you tired and dry mouthed. The Sea Bird moves a lot more than the Polaris does.

Also, we loved the snorkeling. Although, I must admit I wasn't thrilled about the temperature of the water -- I'd never used a wet suit before and it's hardly comfortable. I especially liked snorkeling with the seals, however.

The trip, in general, turned out very well. The ship was fine, not as nice as the Endeavour, but quite suitable. The service and crew was great, as always. The staff was good, too; some were better than others, but, in general, very good. The ship did a great job with respect to lectures and meals.

My favorite part of the trip was watching the humpback whales breaching and breaching -- must have been at least 2 dozen times! If I can mention another great moment: snorkeling with the baby seals.

We also had an unexpected adventure or two - weather was not ideal and we spent one entire night battling gale force winds as we made our way up the Sea of Cortez. The ship corkscrewed wildly all night. Here's good news: neither my mom nor I felt the slightest touch of seasickness, though many of our fellow passengers and even crew were suffering. We took no medicines because we never felt the least need. We're evidently among those lucky ones who aren't easily affected.

In any case, the trip was memorable and wonderful and I'm sure we'll make future trips!