Silver Galapagos Cruise

Amazing From Start To Finish

This was our second visit to Galapagos, we were last there 12 years ago on a small boat with 16 guests and a naturalist who had been in the job too long and really spoilt it for us. So this time we decided to risk a bigger ship in the hope of a better range of naturalists and facilities. We hoped that the islands had not been spoilt in 12 years. We were not disappointed and we need not have worried - if anything the islands are even better protected than before.

We have sailed with Silver Sea before but this was our first expedition trip and it is a winning combination of Silver Sea excellence with well organised, wall to wall activities with experienced and well trained guides, which make the most of the amazing Galapagos islands.

The other guests were all of like minds to us, very keen to see the islands, very polite and engaging and a delight to sail with. You never felt as if there were 95 people on any of the trips or activities - they spaced us all out well and we still had that individual experience.

The ship was everything you would expect from Silver Sea, just smaller. An executive chef who prepared the most amazing food and was humble in his approach, to the extent that he would serve you from the salad and ice cream bar if no-one else was there to do so. His ceviche class was so packed with guests even he looked surprised, but it was a reflection of the respect we all had for him and his cooking.

Meal times were entertained by the wonderful Alfredo who played the keyboard but sounded as if he had a 30 piece orchestra behind him.

The expedition leader Javier was calm but authoritative with a great sense of humour and you felt totally safe at all times, whether walking, deep sea snorkelling or kayaking. Jorge the professional photographer gave a great talk on taking wildlife pictures which I found very helpful indeed and he prepared an fantastic video and selection of photos which were available to buy at the end of the trip - well worth it.

The naturalist guides are all free lance and there is no doubt that Silver Sea engage the best. They were funny, knowledgeable and made you feel on every occasion as if this was the first time they had seen every creature they talked to you about. They came snorkelling with us, swimming down and pointing things out. (The other) Javier and Martine in particular were a delight.

The staff and crew on board ship were polite, friendly and eager to help. Lolita on reception was so helpful and arranged a cake for my husband's birthday and came snorkeling with us one day and was brilliant.

The butlers were discrete but always there. The bar staff (Carlos particularly) remembered your drinks order, the dining room staff were always smiling and friendly and the zodiac drivers very professional and you had complete faith in them to ensure you safely returned, no matter what the weather. Such was the attention to safety that one day I had twisted my life jacket and the guide noticed, slowed the zodiac engine immediately and sorted it straight away.

The captain was always smiling and very down to earth - sometimes you would see him walking through the ship in his overalls, from checking up in the engine room.

You are given your own back pack and water bottle (yours to keep), wet suit, snorkell, flippers and a bag with your cabin number on to put them in - so less to pack. If you were not a confident snorkeller they gave lessons and arranged assistance

Overall, an amazing experience - if I have not mentioned everyone it is because there is not enough room! I would also encourage anyone visiting to spend some time in Ecuador which is the most beautiful and friendly country. We did seven days in the Andes visiting rose farms, inca sights, beautiful mountains and the lovely city of Cuenca.

It is also worth remembering that every season in Galapagos is different. If you go at this time of year the islands will be bare but you can see the finches etc much more easily and the birds are starting to breed. If you go in May then the vegetation is lush but there are apparently lots of bugs. It is important to do your research in terms of what you want to see.

Source: https://www.cruisecritic.com

Crosspost, 26th December 2018

Great Travel Guests And Crew!

As a semi-surprise birthday trip my husband 'planned' this trip to the Galapagos Islands since it was a dream trip of mine for many decades. We had cruised with Silversea before so we knew traveling with them would be an added bonus!

The other guests were delightful and since the ship has only 100 passengers, we got to know most of them! The crew was friendly, knowledgeable and fun, too! The guides are from the Galapagos Islands National Park Guide Service and they rotate around the cruise ships - I don't know how we got all the best guides but we did! :) Knowledgeable and fun. The day trips were always informative and interesting. The animals steal the show and rightfully so! We could go on and on about the sea lions and the boobie birds, other birds, iguanas, other flora and fauna - which vary from island to island. So much to take in! Wonderful trip!!!!!

This cruise had no formal nights - which was nice since we had a lot of other items to pack for the expedition cruise. Bonus: We loved having wet suits and snorkeling gear provided for us -- no need to pack that!! (We swam with sea lions and sharks! And saw amazing schools of fish, starfish, rays, etc!!!!!)

It is a busy day each day as they try to make the most of your trip and everything is so top notch. We did sit out one activity on one day as there was just too much going on and we needed a bit of a break. With that said - some of the island hikes were way to slow paced. You DO always need to be mindful of your footing - it's just the roughness of the islands - rocks and boulders and such. You need the proper shoes for you own best outcome! (They also provided walking sticks for those who needed them!) But we are used to hiking and moving about more. We DID appreciate they took into account everyone's abilities and I do think that might have been part of the issue. We did enjoy many times, the ability to just stand and enjoy the animals and scenery--that's why we came! The tortoises were show stoppers!!!! Loved seeing them in their natural habitat and at the preserve!

The food was great! We loved the local food sourcing!!! The chef made sure there was different offerings and all were tasty! The piano man - Alfred- was fun. The butlers marvelous....great folks all around!

Pre-cruise and post-cruise hotels they booked were EXCELLENT!!!!!!!! This was an added bonus - so many times the pre and post cruise parts are nice but these were EXCELLENT, especially our hotel in Guayaquil. We appreciated the half-day room. The amenities were really over the top!

If you are wondering if you should go the answer is easy; it's: YES!!!

Source: https://www.cruisecritic.com

Penguin Holiday, 8th October 2018

Awesome & Memorable Experience!

If you're looking for the lounging around cruise where you're just laying out by the pool and stuffing your face with quantity and not quality...this is not the cruise! This one is definitely an Expedition Type where there are several hiking and nature walks around several islands. At times, you feel as though you're seeing the same stuff...."You've seen one booby...you've seen them all"! However, overall the educational experience as well as seeing animals SO CLOSE in the nature is simply amazing! Like the animals are not even afraid of humans - Definitely like you're visiting THEIR home. Although rather expensive, SilverSea does an excellent job for the value. Food quality was very good with all the premium liquor on board too - nice touch! Transportation and shuttles both arriving and departing were excellent and well organized. Great experience for our 10yr old that I'm sure he will never forget! Great personalized service and excellent cruise staff members.

Source: https://www.cruisecritic.com

Ptibi, 22nd August 2018