Great trip Lots of great geology flora and fauna. Structured all inclusive trip.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Embarkation was from Baltra through Quito, Ecuador. Package includes a minimum of a day in Quito so I will review the city in this section. We flew into Quito on Friday arriving late approximately 23:00. Immediately upon traversing passport control we were met by a Celebrity agent who guided us to a waiting cab for the ride to the hotel, JW Marriott Hotel Quito. A Celebrity desk was set up in the lobby where we immediately received our room keys and were offered drinks. Bags were sent to the room. Really nice room with a view of the city and the Andes off in the distance. Plenty of bottled water and soda. Nice breakfast included. An all day city tour on Saturday is included in the trip, however as we disdain bus tours with large numbers of people we decided to book our own tour through Happy Gringo.com. Our tour guide driver met us at he hotel after breakfast and we had a marvelous tour seeing all the sites of the city including Intinan museum/middle of the world, National cathedral, Plaza San Francisco, many churches (path of seven churches) and squares. guided tour presidential palace. Great lunch local langostenes at Cafe del Fraile. As dinner at a local restaurant was included in the package we went with the Celebrity group. We were bused to the restaurant La Gloria for drinks and dinner. Dinner was just ok, alcoholic drinks were not included, probably one of the weakest parts of the trip. The next morning our bags were collected and ok bus ride to the aeroporto. Charted flight on Avianca to Baltra, I thik about 3 hours. Great flight staff, nice hot lunch with cloth tablecloths and Celebrity napkins with blue footed bod and we had a pleasaobies. Celebrity lounge at airport. Quick bus ride to debarkation dock. The Xpedition never docks, so we and our luggage was transferred to the ship by Panga, our first of many Panga rides.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Only one dinning room and a grill out back. Three meals a day served in main dinning room, open seating. All meals were a combination of buffet and service. Standouts included daily cerviches, Whole grilled fishes and whole roasted pig on the carving station. Also daily offerings at the grill, standout was paella. This is an all inclusive cruise with all soft drinks, and alcoholic drinks included mid shelf. Bar/lounge toward the stern, usually staffed during lunch, and in the evenings. No official bartender, one or two of crew including officers take up this duty during peak times.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
There are really no on board activities as such. It is a structured trip with excursions included, you can only leave the ship on an excursion with a guide/naturalist. Early AM and late PM excursions every day, and an early afternoon snorkel in many of the ports. A port talk is given in the evening prior to dinner explaining the next days excursions, along with photos. Gives one a chance to understand the level of strenuousness for each tour. After the talk you can sign up for next days excursions, usually you can change your mind later, to my knowledge no one was ever closed out of an excursion they wished. Small hot tubs, several nice shady spaces around the deck to siesta during the midday sun after lunch.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
middle rating. No real entertainment, some music and dancing pre and post dinner on some nights. You are not here for the nightlife! Science type talks/movies during pm downtime, we did not participate.
Children's Programs
no kids with us
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Everyone was great and tried to please. There were several naturalists/guides on board, and they guided us on all excursions and snorkels. Really smart folks with lots of Geologic, geographic, biological, etc. knowledge. Some of them with doctorates. All staff spoke fluent to usable English.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
More of a utilitarian design with booms and cranes to raise and lower Pangas, luggage, stores etc. Stern is designed to allow relatively easy Panga entry and exit via a few steps. Common areas like lounge, grill, and dinning room are pleasant.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Lowest deck forward, but still not much motion. Clean and large enough. Plenty of storage. Always well cleaned and stocked.
Ship tip
1. Structured trip relying on excursions with lots of walking consider your level of mobility. 2. When you board there will be nice Nalgene water bottles in your room. Write your name and room number on them and fill them with ice water before leaving on any excursion. Waiters will fill them for you at end of breakfast and lunch. 3. They have walking sticks available when you leave for an excursion don't be embarrassed take one if you need it 4. Get an expedition type hat with a wide brim, baseball cap will not cut it.
No a real rating just visited the aeroporto on arriving and leaving. Celebrity lounge with drinks and snacks. Many tourist shop kiosks some nice kitch to buy if you like.
Again a limited rating. We did not stop just a sail by. Red rocky with lots of birds. As this was on the first afternoon after setting sail it was a nice introduction to the islands.
AM excursion choice of long or short beach walk. We chose long (I think about two miles) along the beach. Panga ride over beach/wet landing. Panga is beached in the surf, passengers swing over the side and walk up onto the beach. As soon as all are off lets vominos no waiting around. Lots of wildlife iguanas, birds crabs sea lions. Flamingos were a hit. Nice snorkel off the beach before ride back to ship.
Pm excursion which included a panga ride and a stop at the beach. Lots of wildlife along rocks, which were pointed out by naturalist. Of course we saw many of the famed blue footed boobies here. We encountered a giant pod of dolphins and the tour was ad libed to ride with them, exhilirating. Wet landing at red sand beach for swimming.
PM excursion. My wife took a Panga tour only, I took a combination Panga tour and walk/climb to Darwins Lake. Dry landing Panga is pulled up to a rocky outcropping and passenger exits onto the rocks. Again lots of wildlife, drivers get the Pangas in real close to the coast and rocks for viewing. Climb was a little arduous as it had just rained and some of the rocks were slippery, but worth it for the view.
Long fast walk and climb for nice view of bay and town. Back to town stop at interpretation center which was a little lame. Walked around town one of the few times we were allowed to be on our own. Sea lions all around the town
ride to beach for hanging out and swim, some sea lion encounters on the beach. Then a panga tour to a rocky outcropping where blue footed, red footed and masked boobies only place where all 3 types visible at same place.
Darwin research station lots of tortoises, stuffed lonesome George. We took the tree planting option, a great choice. Quick hassle free tree planting followed by a fantastic local lunch with great local entertainment. Bus ride back to town and again a chance to wander around on our own. Only full day excursion.
Panga to dock, ride to airport hang out in lounge airport shopping. Nice Avianca flight with lunch back to Quito. No problem making our connection, bags were handled for us. We arrived in Miami about 4 am and boy were we glad we have global entry.
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