Galapagos Review

[Gonzo70]

Just back yesterday from an enjoyable Galapagos cruise on the Xpedition. I opted for the ten day package (two nights in Quito, Ecuador prior to the cruise and one night after) since the logistics of getting to Baltra on one's own (the small airport you fly into to catch the ship) is difficult and numerous Cruise Critic members have strongly endorsed the ten versus seven day package. I was extremely impressed with how well organized Celebrity was with the land portion; they definitely exceeded expectations with how smoothly everything went. We easily found the Celebrity representative at the Quito airport after claiming our baggage and were driven to the JW Marriott Hotel (a beautiful hotel in Quito). The drive to the hotel from the airport is approximately an hour on windy, mountainous roads. Pretty much everything is included in the land portion aside from alcoholic beverages during meals and shopping. The all inclusive aspect of the Galapagos cruise was very nice (once on the ship all meals, all beverages - even alcohol, all excursions, internet and tipping are included in the price). The only thing you pay for would be items from the ship store and massages (and extra gratuities should you choose to give any).

 

The only negative of the land portion was the full day tour (the day before you head to the ship) was a bit on the dull side; the morning is largely spent visiting churches in the old part of Quito and the afternoon visiting the Ecuador line (cool in theory, but fairly lengthy drive and somewhat melodramatic once there - the novelty wears off after a couple of minutes). I wish they had some other options available. The restaurants they took the group to were all decent; some had buffets whereas others had a fixed menu with a couple choices per course. We skipped one meal as my wife and I are both big into the restaurant scene and wanted to try a venue we had read about called Zazu. If you enjoy upscale cuisine I definitely recommend doing a meal here on your own (just a $3 to $4 cab ride from the hotel). An amazing meal of Contemporary Ecuadorian/Peruvian cuisine with French and Asian influence; while not listed on the menu you can request a tasting menu to sample a wider array; we were served an impressive nine courses for just $50 per/person.

 

The flight to Baltra was approximately two hours and was on an AeroGal Airbus chartered by Celebrity. From there it is just a few minute bus ride to the pier where you then ride a zodiac for a few minutes to board the ship (the ship is always anchored and never docks at any of the ports). This process was also well organized and ran smoothly.

 

The Xpedition is a nice ship; 96 passengers and 70 crew - so MUCH smaller than all other Celebrity ships. Nice intimate experience while still retaining some of the amenities a cruise ship offers. We booked the least expensive room category (room 318 on deck three, one away from the front of the ship) as we knew this was not a cruise one is in the room other than to sleep. While the room was small (approximately 160 square feet) it was well laid out, had ample storage and a nice touch is all rooms have at least a window - so you are guaranteed some natural light. The anchor dropping and being raised was extremely noisy, but fortunately never occurred in the middle of the night (you only sail through the night 3 of 7 nights on the itinerary we sailed (Outer Loop) - the rest of the time it is just a short sail and you are anchored by mid to late evening).

 

Packing wise this is definitely a casual cruise; most people dressed up a little for dinner but some wore shorts and nobody wore anything dressier than a short sleeved button down shirt. The USA's warmer months are the "dry" season in the Galapagos where the temperature is milder (though still warm - and hot when the sun is shining on you) and minimal rain. I think this is the best time to go; the water is a bit chilly for snorkeling but the provided wetsuits keep you fairly comfortable. The hiking would not be enjoyable at times during the "wet" season which is significantly hotter. While the vegetation is greener during the wet season, apparently wildlife is more abundant during the dry season. Be sure to pack two pairs of bathing suits if you plan to snorkel (as one might not dry out in time for the next snorkel). Also either a pair of gym shoes or hiking shoes is essential for the "dry landings" (when the zodiac maneuvers to the port stop so you can step directly onto land) and closed toe sandal type shoes (we used Keens and these worked great) for the wet landings (when you step from the zodiac into shallow water and walk to the beach). Dryfit athletic shirts are also great for the excursions and thin material long pants (to decrease bug bites as well as to provide protection from the sun, sharp vegetation and in case of a fall). Also bring a wide brimmed hat for sun protection, sun glasses and lots of sunblock! Fortunately the ship's store does sell most of these items and for a reasonable price.

 

The staff was extremely friendly - even more so than on typical Celebrity ships IMHO. We grew particularly found of one of the bartenders (Jacqueline) and two of the naturists (Alexis and Sabina), but everyone we encountered was great - especially the naturists (the people who lead all the excursions) who were so well informed, personable, genuine and enthusiastic. Much of the staff is from Ecuador. Since Xpedition is small compared to other cruise ships you do feel motion more - even while the ship is anchored it can be rocky, so if you are prone to sea sickness be prepared.

 

Some additional perks were provided to Captain Club members in Elite and Elite Plus tier levels, though this varies from time-to-time from what I have read. Elites received an invite to the bridge one day for cocktails/appetizers, canapes and fresh fruit delivered to the room daily, complimentary bottle of sparkling wine in stateroom upon arrival sitting on ice and a bag of local coffee and chocolates left in the stateroom one night. Elite Plus also received some free laundry, some Celebrity hats one night and a bottle of wine in addition to the sparkling wine. Elite and above also receive 5% off their cruise fare at the time of booking (used to be 10%).

 

The one negative of the ship for me was the absurd smoking policy; basically you are allowed to smoke anywhere on the outdoor decks (excluding private balconies). Deck four was the deck where most people congregated (you have to cue up there to await the zodiacs and the outdoor grill is there (serves lunch daily and sometimes snacks at other times). There was only one family of smokers on board, but they smoked heavily and even did so while people were out there enjoying lunch and while people were lined up nearby waiting for the zodiacs. The outdoor space on deck five was scarcely used; it is a pleasant enough space - so would have been perfect for the smokers without interfering with nonsmokers. Not sure why they have not restricted smoking to deck five, but this is very much needed.

 

The excursions are what makes a Galapagos cruise and this was definitely the highlight of the trip. The only negative was the first couple of days had the best stops - so the remaining excursions, while still enjoyable, were just not as special. Espanola Island is amazing; so much wildlife! I had kept my expectations low as in Alaska I had been expecting to see lots of animals, but most turned out to be from such a far distance they looked like dots or were merely quick glimpses. On Espnaola Island you literally had to carefully tiptoe around iguanas at parts to avoid stepping on them, sea lions came within inches of you at times (you are instructed by the naturists to stay six feet from the animals - but often the animals violate this rule)! Even large birds such as herons, hawks, albatross and the legendary blue foot boobies typically do not fly off when people are nearby and you can stand a few feet away from them to observe them and take pictures.

 

The second day featured a deep water snorkel that was for me the highlight of the trip. Crystal clear water (though the conditions change day-to-day) and again so much wildlife; a seal lion at one point swam with me for several minutes, at times swimming beneath me and at times beside me - such an amazing experience. Unfortunately a couple of the later snorkels were less successful due to murkier waters and a strong current one day - but this is obviously out of Celebrity's control.

 

One area Celebrity does need to improve IMHO is the variety of excursions offered. At most stops there is just one or two choices (generally a short hike or a long hike). Groups of sixteen are taken off in zodiacs (sometimes smaller if you wait for the last zodiac) and as Xpedition tends to attract an older group of passengers than other Celebrity cruises level of fitness is varied. As such most days there was somebody who slowed the group down, sometimes significantly. It would be nice if some sportier excursions were offered such as kayaking or long hikes at a rapid pace where you covered more ground and did not have to take breaks every couple of minutes. By the end of the week the excursions just became a bit too repetitive and less enjoyable.

 

Be advised that at times the terrain is treacherous; this is definitely a cruise that one can enjoy best while at least still fairly physically fit in order to be able to partake in all the excursions. Some of the terrain is extremely slippery (numerous people fell at various points and suffered cuts and bruises of various severity - one person possibly breaking a rib). Some excursions involve wading through knee deep water and some involve climbing some rocks.

 

The food was for the most part good, but there were some issues. One thing I loved was that Xpedition sources as much food locally as is possible and the fresh ingredients made a HUGE difference (by far the best fruit, vegetables and fish I have ever consumed on a cruise ship). The papaya, pineapple and sweet plantains were so delicious. I really wish the larger Celebrity ships would find a way to take advantage of local food. Service was also a positive; hardest working Maitre'D I have ever seen (Fernando) - he regularly pitched in serving food and even bused plates and made drinks at the bar as well as mingling with guests all day long. However the execution in the kitchen was disastrous at times; while taste of food is somewhat subjective what occurred on multiple nights was not - lobster (local Galapgaos lobster was served in four different ways during the course of the cruise - grilled outdoors for a BBQ lunch, surf & turk, lobster thermidor and broiled) - the broiled version was so woefully overcooked it had a texture like bubble gum. Turkey one day was so overcooked and dried out it was not recognizable. Steaks were infrequently cooked to the requested temperature. Shrimp on the other hand was often unpleasantly mushy and undercooked. The front of the house staff did their best to try and rectify the back of the house's miscues, but at times the second dish was no better executed. The menu was very similar to Celebrity's typical menu with generally one entree a local dish as well as an everyday local appetizer (Ecuadorian Locro - a potato soup with cheese that was quite enjoyable). I do wish the menu featured a greater selection of local dishes rather than trying to use the local ingredients to make the standard Celebrity fare - as the local dishes tended to be the most consistently good and well executed.

 

The dining room was open daily for breakfast and lunch and had an adequate array of food; each lunch had a different theme such as Asian, Italian, Mexican etc. and the outdoor grill also served lunch (hamburgers and hot dogs daily, pizza most days and a couple items of the day such as panini sandwiches or grilled chicken. The highlight for me was the BBQ lunch days; for that meal everything was well executed and such a great selection of different grilled meats and seafood. I also loved the fresh local fruits at the buffet and for the Mexican themed lunch there were delicious tacos made from a whole roasted pig. The panini sandwiches were also stellar using meats from freshly roasted whole chickens and pork loin. I think I actually preferred lunch to dinner most days.

 

Beverage wise Xpedition is "open bar" and in general has available the types of beverages one would expect to find with the Classic Beverage Package on a typical Celebrity ship. They did have a local Ecuadorian beer available on tap that I greatly enjoyed and generally stuck with that but my wife really enjoyed the cocktails Jacqueline made for her.

 

Activity wise there is often a movie or educational talk during the break between the morning and afternoon excursions (you have 3-4 hours off between them). Prior to dinner there is a cocktail party followed by the lead naturalist discusses the next day's activities/ports. And after dinner there is an activity such as karaoke one night, trivia one night, dance party, end of cruise photo show etc. There is also a very small gym (minimal equipment), a hot-tub (no pool), a masseuse on board (bare bones treatment room - not an actual spa - but adequate) and movies available on the television. As your days start early and there are two port stops per day this saps a lot of one's energy so we often were in bed by 10:00pm and a multitude of activities is unnecessary.

 

All in all it was an very memorable and enjoyable cruise and the Galapagos is such a unique and interesting place, but as was mentioned there are some tweaks Celebrity could do to make it even better. Definitely glad I went. I am happy to answer any questions and I apologize for any typos (I am still a tad sleep deprived and am too lazy right now to proofread)!

Edited October 15, 2014 by Gonzo70

[Cruise Junky]

Excellent review. My goodness it seems like you've had this cruise booked forever, can't believe it's over

Edited October 15, 2014 by Cruise Junky

[Gonzo70]

Excellent review. My goodness it seems like you've had this cruise booked forever, can't believe it's over

 

Thank you. Yes, it was a much anticipated trip - had it booked approximately 2 & 1/2 years in advance. This is one of those cruises where you can obtain the best price the further in advance you book (only exception being when there are very late cancellations - but this can't be counted on).

[need2bespoiled]

Gonzo,

 

Thanks for the great review.

 

I am an avid sea kayaker and have researched kayaking and diving in the Galapagos. It is my understanding that there is only one company permitted to allow kayaking in the archipelago. As a side note, it is also my understanding that the companies permitted to do snorkeling can't to diving. I was told you don't really need to dive, as the snorkeling is so great, but it is actually easier in my opinion to have a regulator and be able to be under water, if only a few feet vs a snorkel full or partially full, of salt water.

 

Glad you had a great trip.

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

[portofrome]

This is one of the cruise I have in my bucket. Thanks for your great review.

Edited October 15, 2014 by portofrome

[deise17311]

Thank you for your review...you are one of those on CC I trust to give a fair and balanced assessment...we are thinking of this trip but are not sure when...doesn't sound as earth shattering as others have said...the smoking thing would make me go ballistic...especially after spending 10K+...seems kind of off to be smoking in such a natural and protected place????? X needs to make this ship non-smoking ASAP!

[Texed]

Mr. Gonzo,

 

Thanks for posting. :)

[ozark74]

Gonzo70

 

Thanks for your review. We are going November, 2015 so this has made us even more excited.:D

[jmlh]

Many thanks for an excellent review. We are booked for September 2016 and are very much looking forward to this adventure!

[AmberCascades]

Thank you for the review. We are also booked for September 2016. This answers many questions. Thanks.

[Gonzo70]

Gonzo,

 

Thanks for the great review.

 

I am an avid sea kayaker and have researched kayaking and diving in the Galapagos. It is my understanding that there is only one company permitted to allow kayaking in the archipelago. As a side note, it is also my understanding that the companies permitted to do snorkeling can't to diving. I was told you don't really need to dive, as the snorkeling is so great, but it is actually easier in my opinion to have a regulator and be able to be under water, if only a few feet vs a snorkel full or partially full, of salt water.

 

Glad you had a great trip.

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

 

Thank you. One ship we saw during the trip (National Geographic's) did have kayaks available; that is one of approximately three other vessels near the size of Xpedition (many vessels are just for 16 passengers in Galapagos).

 

For diving apparently there is an option at an additional cost through a land based company at one of the port stops (someone asked this questions the first day of the cruise). As I am not SCUBA certified I did not look into it, but did hear another passenger state they looked into it and decided to pass - I think because the cost was high - but am not 100% certain. The head naturalist apparently can provide passengers who might be interested in this option with more details.

[need2bespoiled]

Thank you. One ship we saw during the trip (National Geographic's) did have kayaks available; that is one of approximately three other vessels near the size of Xpedition (many vessels are just for 16 passengers in Galapagos).

 

For diving apparently there is an option at an additional cost through a land based company at one of the port stops (someone asked this questions the first day of the cruise). As I am not SCUBA certified I did not look into it, but did hear another passenger state they looked into it and decided to pass - I think because the cost was high - but am not 100% certain. The head naturalist apparently can provide passengers who might be interested in this option with more details.

 

Thanks for the great info!

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

[beachchairs2]

amazing review...thank you for posting...

 

we will be there next dec '15....

 

I am a non swimmer...any suggestions...would still like to be in the water, with life jacket....

[zelker]

Thank you for your review...you are one of those on CC I trust to give a fair and balanced assessment...we are thinking of this trip but are not sure when...doesn't sound as earth shattering as others have said...the smoking thing would make me go ballistic...especially after spending 10K+...seems kind of off to be smoking in such a natural and protected place????? X needs to make this ship non-smoking ASAP!

 

My thoughts exactly! :(

[MisterCruisealot1967]

Amazing review. Do you think you'd ever do this trip again in the future?

[GOLDENBONNY]

Just back yesterday from an enjoyable Galapagos cruise on the Xpedition. I opted for the ten day package (two nights in Quito, Ecuador prior to the cruise and one night after) since the logistics of getting to Baltra on one's own (the small airport you fly into to catch the ship) is difficult and numerous Cruise Critic members have strongly endorsed the ten versus seven day package. I was extremely impressed with how well organized Celebrity was with the land portion; they definitely exceeded expectations with how smoothly everything went. We easily found the Celebrity representative at the Quito airport after claiming our baggage and were driven to the JW Marriott Hotel (a beautiful hotel in Quito). The drive to the hotel from the airport is approximately an hour on windy, mountainous roads. Pretty much everything is included in the land portion aside from alcoholic beverages during meals and shopping. The all inclusive aspect of the Galapagos cruise was very nice (once on the ship all meals, all beverages - even alcohol, all excursions, internet and tipping are included in the price). The only thing you pay for would be items from the ship store and massages (and extra gratuities should you choose to give any).

 

The only negative of the land portion was the full day tour (the day before you head to the ship) was a bit on the dull side; the morning is largely spent visiting churches in the old part of Quito and the afternoon visiting the Ecuador line (cool in theory, but fairly lengthy drive and somewhat melodramatic once there - the novelty wears off after a couple of minutes). I wish they had some other options available. The restaurants they took the group to were all decent; some had buffets whereas others had a fixed menu with a couple choices per course. We skipped one meal as my wife and I are both big into the restaurant scene and wanted to try a venue we had read about called Zazu. If you enjoy upscale cuisine I definitely recommend doing a meal here on your own (just a $3 to $4 cab ride from the hotel). An amazing meal of Contemporary Ecuadorian/Peruvian cuisine with French and Asian influence; while not listed on the menu you can request a tasting menu to sample a wider array; we were served an impressive nine courses for just $50 per/person.

 

The flight to Baltra was approximately two hours and was on an AeroGal Airbus chartered by Celebrity. From there it is just a few minute bus ride to the pier where you then ride a zodiac for a few minutes to board the ship (the ship is always anchored and never docks at any of the ports). This process was also well organized and ran smoothly.

 

The Xpedition is a nice ship; 96 passengers and 70 crew - so MUCH smaller than all other Celebrity ships. Nice intimate experience while still retaining some of the amenities a cruise ship offers. We booked the least expensive room category (room 318 on deck three, one away from the front of the ship) as we knew this was not a cruise one is in the room other than to sleep. While the room was small (approximately 160 square feet) it was well laid out, had ample storage and a nice touch is all rooms have at least a window - so you are guaranteed some natural light. The anchor dropping and being raised was extremely noisy, but fortunately never occurred in the middle of the night (you only sail through the night 3 of 7 nights on the itinerary we sailed (Outer Loop) - the rest of the time it is just a short sail and you are anchored by mid to late evening).

 

Packing wise this is definitely a casual cruise; most people dressed up a little for dinner but some wore shorts and nobody wore anything dressier than a short sleeved button down shirt. The USA's warmer months are the "dry" season in the Galapagos where the temperature is milder (though still warm - and hot when the sun is shining on you) and minimal rain. I think this is the best time to go; the water is a bit chilly for snorkeling but the provided wetsuits keep you fairly comfortable. The hiking would not be enjoyable at times during the "wet" season which is significantly hotter. While the vegetation is greener during the wet season, apparently wildlife is more abundant during the dry season. Be sure to pack two pairs of bathing suits if you plan to snorkel (as one might not dry out in time for the next snorkel). Also either a pair of gym shoes or hiking shoes is essential for the "dry landings" (when the zodiac maneuvers to the port stop so you can step directly onto land) and closed toe sandal type shoes (we used Keens and these worked great) for the wet landings (when you step from the zodiac into shallow water and walk to the beach). Dryfit athletic shirts are also great for the excursions and thin material long pants (to decrease bug bites as well as to provide protection from the sun, sharp vegetation and in case of a fall). Also bring a wide brimmed hat for sun protection, sun glasses and lots of sunblock! Fortunately the ship's store does sell most of these items and for a reasonable price.

 

The staff was extremely friendly - even more so than on typical Celebrity ships IMHO. We grew particularly found of one of the bartenders (Jacqueline) and two of the naturists (Alexis and Sabina), but everyone we encountered was great - especially the naturists (the people who lead all the excursions) who were so well informed, personable, genuine and enthusiastic. Much of the staff is from Ecuador. Since Xpedition is small compared to other cruise ships you do feel motion more - even while the ship is anchored it can be rocky, so if you are prone to sea sickness be prepared.

 

Some additional perks were provided to Captain Club members in Elite and Elite Plus tier levels, though this varies from time-to-time from what I have read. Elites received an invite to the bridge one day for cocktails/appetizers, canapes and fresh fruit delivered to the room daily, complimentary bottle of sparkling wine in stateroom upon arrival sitting on ice and a bag of local coffee and chocolates left in the stateroom one night. Elite Plus also received some free laundry, some Celebrity hats one night and a bottle of wine in addition to the sparkling wine. Elite and above also receive 5% off their cruise fare at the time of booking (used to be 10%).

 

The one negative of the ship for me was the absurd smoking policy; basically you are allowed to smoke anywhere on the outdoor decks (excluding private balconies). Deck four was the deck where most people congregated (you have to cue up there to await the zodiacs and the outdoor grill is there (serves lunch daily and sometimes snacks at other times). There was only one family of smokers on board, but they smoked heavily and even did so while people were out there enjoying lunch and while people were lined up nearby waiting for the zodiacs. The outdoor space on deck five was scarcely used; it is a pleasant enough space - so would have been perfect for the smokers without interfering with nonsmokers. Not sure why they have not restricted smoking to deck five, but this is very much needed.

 

The excursions are what makes a Galapagos cruise and this was definitely the highlight of the trip. The only negative was the first couple of days had the best stops - so the remaining excursions, while still enjoyable, were just not as special. Espanola Island is amazing; so much wildlife! I had kept my expectations low as in Alaska I had been expecting to see lots of animals, but most turned out to be from such a far distance they looked like dots or were merely quick glimpses. On Espnaola Island you literally had to carefully tiptoe around iguanas at parts to avoid stepping on them, sea lions came within inches of you at times (you are instructed by the naturists to stay six feet from the animals - but often the animals violate this rule)! Even large birds such as herons, hawks, albatross and the legendary blue foot boobies typically do not fly off when people are nearby and you can stand a few feet away from them to observe them and take pictures.

 

The second day featured a deep water snorkel that was for me the highlight of the trip. Crystal clear water (though the conditions change day-to-day) and again so much wildlife; a seal lion at one point swam with me for several minutes, at times swimming beneath me and at times beside me - such an amazing experience. Unfortunately a couple of the later snorkels were less successful due to murkier waters and a strong current one day - but this is obviously out of Celebrity's control.

 

One area Celebrity does need to improve IMHO is the variety of excursions offered. At most stops there is just one or two choices (generally a short hike or a long hike). Groups of sixteen are taken off in zodiacs (sometimes smaller if you wait for the last zodiac) and as Xpedition tends to attract an older group of passengers than other Celebrity cruises level of fitness is varied. As such most days there was somebody who slowed the group down, sometimes significantly. It would be nice if some sportier excursions were offered such as kayaking or long hikes at a rapid pace where you covered more ground and did not have to take breaks every couple of minutes. By the end of the week the excursions just became a bit too repetitive and less enjoyable.

 

Be advised that at times the terrain is treacherous; this is definitely a cruise that one can enjoy best while at least still fairly physically fit in order to be able to partake in all the excursions. Some of the terrain is extremely slippery (numerous people fell at various points and suffered cuts and bruises of various severity - one person possibly breaking a rib). Some excursions involve wading through knee deep water and some involve climbing some rocks.

 

The food was for the most part good, but there were some issues. One thing I loved was that Xpedition sources as much food locally as is possible and the fresh ingredients made a HUGE difference (by far the best fruit, vegetables and fish I have ever consumed on a cruise ship). The papaya, pineapple and sweet plantains were so delicious. I really wish the larger Celebrity ships would find a way to take advantage of local food. Service was also a positive; hardest working Maitre'D I have ever seen (Fernando) - he regularly pitched in serving food and even bused plates and made drinks at the bar as well as mingling with guests all day long. However the execution in the kitchen was disastrous at times; while taste of food is somewhat subjective what occurred on multiple nights was not - lobster (local Galapgaos lobster was served in four different ways during the course of the cruise - grilled outdoors for a BBQ lunch, surf & turk, lobster thermidor and broiled) - the broiled version was so woefully overcooked it had a texture like bubble gum. Turkey one day was so overcooked and dried out it was not recognizable. Steaks were infrequently cooked to the requested temperature. Shrimp on the other hand was often unpleasantly mushy and undercooked. The front of the house staff did their best to try and rectify the back of the house's miscues, but at times the second dish was no better executed. The menu was very similar to Celebrity's typical menu with generally one entree a local dish as well as an everyday local appetizer (Ecuadorian Locro - a potato soup with cheese that was quite enjoyable). I do wish the menu featured a greater selection of local dishes rather than trying to use the local ingredients to make the standard Celebrity fare - as the local dishes tended to be the most consistently good and well executed.

 

The dining room was open daily for breakfast and lunch and had an adequate array of food; each lunch had a different theme such as Asian, Italian, Mexican etc. and the outdoor grill also served lunch (hamburgers and hot dogs daily, pizza most days and a couple items of the day such as panini sandwiches or grilled chicken. The highlight for me was the BBQ lunch days; for that meal everything was well executed and such a great selection of different grilled meats and seafood. I also loved the fresh local fruits at the buffet and for the Mexican themed lunch there were delicious tacos made from a whole roasted pig. The panini sandwiches were also stellar using meats from freshly roasted whole chickens and pork loin. I think I actually preferred lunch to dinner most days.

 

Beverage wise Xpedition is "open bar" and in general has available the types of beverages one would expect to find with the Classic Beverage Package on a typical Celebrity ship. They did have a local Ecuadorian beer available on tap that I greatly enjoyed and generally stuck with that but my wife really enjoyed the cocktails Jacqueline made for her.

 

Activity wise there is often a movie or educational talk during the break between the morning and afternoon excursions (you have 3-4 hours off between them). Prior to dinner there is a cocktail party followed by the lead naturalist discusses the next day's activities/ports. And after dinner there is an activity such as karaoke one night, trivia one night, dance party, end of cruise photo show etc. There is also a very small gym (minimal equipment), a hot-tub (no pool), a masseuse on board (bare bones treatment room - not an actual spa - but adequate) and movies available on the television. As your days start early and there are two port stops per day this saps a lot of one's energy so we often were in bed by 10:00pm and a multitude of activities is unnecessary.

 

All in all it was an very memorable and enjoyable cruise and the Galapagos is such a unique and interesting place, but as was mentioned there are some tweaks Celebrity could do to make it even better. Definitely glad I went. I am happy to answer any questions and I apologize for any typos (I am still a tad sleep deprived and am too lazy right now to proofread)!

 

Do you have any pictures posted ? I would love to see it.:)

[Phxazzcruisers]

Thanks for the review. Very balanced. We did the Galapagos a while ago now, and your review makes us want to go again.

[Gonzo70]

amazing review...thank you for posting...

 

we will be there next dec '15....

 

I am a non swimmer...any suggestions...would still like to be in the water, with life jacket....

 

Two of the snorkels are off a beach, so in shallow water. The good news is that the water in Galapagos is about 50% saltier than typical for ocean water (per one of the naturalists) and this makes it much easier to float in. If the water temperature is still cool enough in December that a wet suit is recommended (the ship supplies them) that will also increase your buoyancy - between the wet suit and the saltiness of the water it is difficult to sink. They do also have life vests available, but do not recommend them if already wearing the wet suit (though it would be a good option for you if the water is warm enough that no wet suit is needed). I would definitely recommend giving the snorkels off the beach a try - there is still lots to see if the water is clear (the conditions are quite variable). They also recommend people to snorkel in pairs for safety - so find a buddy on the ship who is a stronger swimmer to snorkel with you; between that and the naturalists watching people you should be good to go!

[Gonzo70]

Amazing review. Do you think you'd ever do this trip again in the future?

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic. :)

 

For me this was a one time trip. It was an amazing experience, but I think I repeat visit would just not be as special and would be too repetitive (being close to sea lions, giant turtles, large birds etc. is amazing at first, but by the end of the week becomes routine). If one is very interested in the science and history of the Galapagos it may be worth a return trip to do the other itinerary - but for me I am very happy to have done this, but there are so many other places I want to visit that a return is unlikely.

[itsjb1]

A very good review. Definitely on our bucket list. However, I believe that the people on board were probably naturalists, not naturists:),

Edited October 15, 2014 by itsjb1

[Gonzo70]

Do you have any pictures posted ? I would love to see it.:)

 

We did take a few hundred; so much beauty there between the landscape and all the animals. We are still sorting through all the pictures (as a nice touch they also gave everybody a CD with a collection of pictures the naturalists took on the last evening of the cruise). I will try to post some of them when I have the chance.

[Host Jazzbeau]

A very good review. Definitely on our bucket list. However, I believe that the people on board were probably naturalists, not naturists:),

 

That's why GOLDENBONNY wanted pictures!

[didicruiser]

that's why goldenbonny wanted pictures!

 

lol ☺️

[ECCruise]

Welcome to Cruise Critic. :)

 

For me this was a one time trip. It was an amazing experience, but I think I repeat visit would just not be as special and would be too repetitive (being close to sea lions, giant turtles, large birds etc. is amazing at first, but by the end of the week becomes routine). If one is very interested in the science and history of the Galapagos it may be worth a return trip to do the other itinerary - but for me I am very happy to have done this, but there are so many other places I want to visit that a return is unlikely.

 

I agree. We really enjoyed our trip and would rank it in the top 5 of places we have visited, but to return (especially at the prices) would not be at the top of our lists. I also think that since the bloom would be off the rose it would not have the same impact the 2nd time (although there have been those that have done this trip multiple times, that wouldn't be for us).

 

But, for first timers, if you have an interest in nature and can afford the cost, it is a wonderful trip.

[jagoffee]

Great review. We very much enjoyed our Celebrity Cruise there as well, but I am not sure I ever care to see another Iguana. They must have cut back on the drinks offered because several years ago it was more like the Premium plus package. Loved the all inclusive aspect of the cruise. I highly recommend the cruise for anyone that likes to get up close to wildlife. The Blue Footed Boobies were our favorite, but we loved all of the wildlife.