galapagos

[GoodPam]

I'm looking for recent returnees from the Xpedition. I am leaving next Friday and wondering how cold the temperature, both air and water was. How did you dress for the hikes? Bathing suits under shorts...do you need a sweatshirt in the mornings? How did people dress at night? Were women totally informal at night or were they in nice pants, nice shoes? I'm also concerned now that I read all this tonight about the stomach issues. I'm going with a group of 16 people of which I am the travel agent...I'd hate to have any of them get sick!

[Mahini]

I'm looking for recent returnees from the Xpedition. I am leaving next Friday and wondering how cold the temperature, both air and water was. How did you dress for the hikes? Bathing suits under shorts...do you need a sweatshirt in the mornings? How did people dress at night? Were women totally informal at night or were they in nice pants, nice shoes? I'm also concerned now that I read all this tonight about the stomach issues. I'm going with a group of 16 people of which I am the travel agent...I'd hate to have any of them get sick!

 

I just returned this past Monday. It was mid to high 60s in Quito (which to those of us from Michigan is considered warm weather ;-)), and high 70s to low 80s in the islands. Water temperature was 70 (as measured by the ship instruments). I was always in shorts and sleeveless tops the entire time I was in the islands. You may need a jacket for your days in Quito. If I was snorkeling after the land excursion, I just wore my swimsuit under my shorts and top. People "cleaned up" at night. Dress was casual, such as chinos or nice pants and flowered shirts or polo shirts. I brought a crinkle skirt/slack/top set with an extra shell that I rotated the entire time on board the ship for dinners. As for the illness, I believe forewarned is forearmed. Despite my getting sick, I still feel this was the best ship to take this trip on (especially after seeing some of the other cruise ships in port which needed, shall we say, a little more care and upkeep). If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to email me directly at Mahini@aol.com.

[cruisingking]

I'm looking for recent returnees from the Xpedition. I am leaving next Friday and wondering how cold the temperature, both air and water was. How did you dress for the hikes? Bathing suits under shorts...do you need a sweatshirt in the mornings? How did people dress at night? Were women totally informal at night or were they in nice pants, nice shoes? I'm also concerned now that I read all this tonight about the stomach issues. I'm going with a group of 16 people of which I am the travel agent...I'd hate to have any of them get sick!

I have to say this post utterly surprizes me~!the travel agent for 16 people doesn't know on a $3500+trip the basics:

*how cold are the temperatures, both air and water (at any given time it's easy to find out)

*How do you dress for the hikes (X site tells ya')

*How do people dress at night (again)

*informal at night or were they in nice pants, nice shoes (again)

 

 

~about the stomach issues is the ONLY thing that is a point to ask HERE. You should know all this and more. Pardon me but to come on a public forum and ask questions like this and give your agency name (wow) is amazing. Thank goodness your clients don't read this forum. Research.Amazing........

[Kami's pal]

I'm not certain why you had such a crabby answer. Please believe that that answer doesn't reflect the usual atmosphere on Celebrity or Cruise Critic.

 

I see that you have only posted 3 times, and only joined in October. So perhaps you haven't spent much time on this board. I suggest that you do a search using "Galapagos and/or Xpedition'. You will find posts going back almost to the first returnees in June.

 

I'm wondering if you aren't suffering a small case of cold feet, especially if you've been 'lurking' as they say. Being responsible for 16 bookings is a big responsibility. I'm not a TA so I can't speak to that issue. Some others here may be able to give you some pointers on that.

 

The issue of the gastrointestinal illness that I and many others experienced is now well documented. So far, no one has been able to point to one source. So it is difficult to advise about precautions. Again, I suggest that you read the posts, and do a search using "diarrhea", "nausea", "dysentery".

 

The possibility of someone from your group getting ill seems to be about 20% or greater based on the reports given here. Do read what is suggested about basic sanitary precautions, possible pharmaceutical supplies to bring and warning signs that immediate medical intervention is vital. I'm not a nurse or doctor so my advice should be checked, but my doctor advised me to only use the antibiotic Cipro IF I saw blood, or developed a cough. He also advised not resorting immediately to "stoppers" such as Imodium until I thought the digestive system was empty. There is a danger of rupture. This may be more information than you bargained for, but since I and many other have posted quite a lot already about this, I'm filling in the details with more explicit information.

 

I know this sounds very scary.

 

If you still have questions after reading the other posts and doing your searches, come back and ask away.

 

Despite the "Galapagos Gallup" I still would like to go back and do the whole trip over again. It is that good. Celebrity has a very good product and now that head office has replied to my querry, I'm hopeful that some solutions will be found.

[narob]

StonehillTravel,

 

I believe we are on the same cruise. We fly out of Miami next Friday. I'd just bring Pepto and Immodium and sunscreen. Leave the rest to the onboard doctor, if anything gets serious. Walk slowly in Quito with the altitude,also.

It's going to be a great experience!!!!

 

See you there!

 

Nancy aka narob

[GoodPam]

I have to say this post utterly surprizes me~!the travel agent for 16 people doesn't know on a $3500+trip the basics:

*how cold are the temperatures, both air and water (at any given time it's easy to find out)

*How do you dress for the hikes (X site tells ya')

*How do people dress at night (again)

*informal at night or were they in nice pants, nice shoes (again)

 

 

~about the stomach issues is the ONLY thing that is a point to ask HERE. You should know all this and more. Pardon me but to come on a public forum and ask questions like this and give your agency name (wow) is amazing. Thank goodness your clients don't read this forum. Research.Amazing........

FYI: I know all the answers to the questions I asked as far as the cruise ship and the guide books are concerned but I put the questions to the people on the board because very often the answers differ. I am interested in what REAL people do!! (which by the way, is what a good travel agent should do!)

[Kami's pal]

This real person asked several times on this board and read all the info from celebrity regarding footwear. The booklet suggested "comfortable walking shoes or lightweight hiking boots". I didn't want to pack both cross trainers and the hiking boots because of weight, so let myself be reassured that cross trainers with good tread would be adequate. First hike out, I realized that my ankles needed the hiking boot support. My feet were twisting in the cross trainers. After each hike, my ankles ached. Not a big deal, but have since posted that recommendation in my comments, and some others have seconded that.

 

So you are absolutely correct in asking for comments from returnees.

 

That's the only advice I can think of right now that would be different from what X advises.

 

I will emphsize that good sunscreen (look at expiry date!), and sunhat are necessary. Sun on water burns twice.

 

And yes, most passengers did change out of hiking clothes to slightly more dressy casual for dinner.

 

Hope this helps.

[Mahini]

I second Kami's Pal in recommending bringing hiking shoes. I was debating between some lighweight hikers and my tennis shoes, and opted for the lightweight hikers. Glad I did. Terrain can be very rugged depending on the hike. As an aside, the very first afternoon my father and I opted for the medium intensity hike. Were quite surprised at the terrain (walking over very irregular and large rocks). Our group learned later that our guide had taken us over a section of the high intensity path. So I was definitely glad I had the sturdier shoes on for that walk. After a very exciting zodiac ride one day (we had good 8 foot rollers) we began joking that the low and medium could oftern turn into high intenstity. ;-)