Galapagos: Current Challenges, Returning to "Normal"??!!

[TakingFlight]

On 10/2/2020 at 8:33 AM, clo said:

Silversea is comparable to that. I have no idea about the price.

 

I recently booked the Silver Origin for December, 2021. I also looked at the Flora. The inclusions (pre & post hotels, airfare, amenities, ports, etc.) were virtually identical. Our price on the Origin was $55.00 more per person than the same cruise on Flora. I have experience with Silversea and like their product and that’s what sealed the deal for me.

[sippican]

On 10/10/2020 at 4:43 PM, deec said:

I think Viking as just canceled all Galapagos trips "for the foreseeable future"

 

I believe they were actually chartering a vessel for their new "Expedition" offerings,  instead of using one of their own ships. I seriously wonder if they were having licensing issues since the regulations are very strict, and no new licenses are being issued.

[bob brown]

Just starting to research Galapagos touring.   I am familiar with Celebrity, and know about Silversea, but not some of the other, smaller 'yachts'.   I think I would be more comfortable going with those two, since they pretty much take care of you from the time you land in Ecuador until you depart there.

However, the prices are pretty steep, and might instead consider a "land based hotel tour", with daily boat excursions to various islands, and return to the same base.

 

Does anyone have any thoughts on this?   And can anyone recommend a good place to compare these 'local tours?

 

Thanks for any info...BTW, I was planning on going in 2022...when would be the best time of year?

Are there any "don't miss" spots?  My usual travel agents do not have personal experience, so I can't rely upon them for info...they'll just read what I can read.  I need people who have been there, and know it fairly well....

[Deb1024]

We are planning to book Silversea Origin for a cruise in October. Anyone know what city we fly into and out of from the US? Weather in October? What to wear? Should we fly in a day before the cruise? Where to get Covid test that’s required to come back to the US from Ecuador? Sorry for all the questions. Any help is appreciated! Thanks 

[clo]

1 hour ago, Deb1024 said:

We are planning to book Silversea Origin for a cruise in October. Anyone know what city we fly into and out of from the US? Weather in October? What to wear? Should we fly in a day before the cruise? Where to get Covid test that’s required to come back to the US from Ecuador? Sorry for all the questions. Any help is appreciated! Thanks 

The cities you can fly from can vary so you'll need a TA or SS rep. 

 

Weather:

 

Galapagos Weather in October

In October, the Galapagos Islands average maximum temperatures are around 77 degrees Fahrenheit or 25 degrees Celsius, and the average minimum temperatures are around 66 degrees Fahrenheit or 19 degrees Celsius.Oct 16, 2018

 

Galapagos Islands Planning your Trip in October - Weather ...

The trip we wound up canceling had us booked two nights pre and a day room at the end. Does their site not show you this.

[Heartfelttraveler]

On 2/7/2021 at 3:24 PM, bob brown said:

Just starting to research Galapagos touring.   I am familiar with Celebrity, and know about Silversea, but not some of the other, smaller 'yachts'.   I think I would be more comfortable going with those two, since they pretty much take care of you from the time you land in Ecuador until you depart there.

However, the prices are pretty steep, and might instead consider a "land based hotel tour", with daily boat excursions to various islands, and return to the same base.

 

Does anyone have any thoughts on this?   And can anyone recommend a good place to compare these 'local tours?

 

Thanks for any info...BTW, I was planning on going in 2022...when would be the best time of year?

Are there any "don't miss" spots?  My usual travel agents do not have personal experience, so I can't rely upon them for info...they'll just read what I can read.  I need people who have been there, and know it fairly well....

 

On 2/7/2021 at 3:24 PM, bob brown said:

Just starting to research Galapagos touring.   I am familiar with Celebrity, and know about Silversea, but not some of the other, smaller 'yachts'.   I think I would be more comfortable going with those two, since they pretty much take care of you from the time you land in Ecuador until you depart there.

However, the prices are pretty steep, and might instead consider a "land based hotel tour", with daily boat excursions to various islands, and return to the same base.

 

Does anyone have any thoughts on this?   And can anyone recommend a good place to compare these 'local tours?

 

Thanks for any info...BTW, I was planning on going in 2022...when would be the best time of year?

Are there any "don't miss" spots?  My usual travel agents do not have personal experience, so I can't rely upon them for info...they'll just read what I can read.  I need people who have been there, and know it fairly well....

For a land based tour try galakiwi dot com.  They have great tours and are a great company.

 

We went with Celebrity on the 15 night including Machu Picchu and they did an outstanding job.

[4774Papa]

We are looking at doing the Galapagos Islands either with Celebrity or a Land Tour with Gate 1.

 

The land tour is 13 days and cost 25% less than Celebrity's 7 day cruise.    Still, the cruise is very inviting.

 

X has three ships and the cheapest one is rather small.     The ships are the Flora, Xpedition and Expedition.   The Xpedition is less than 100 ft long.   The larger ships look like a better choice.  Not sure how the seas are in that part of the Pacific.

[TLCOhio]

On 10/10/2020 at 7:20 PM, TakingFlight said:

I recently booked the Silver Origin for December, 2021. I also looked at the Flora. The inclusions (pre & post hotels, airfare, amenities, ports, etc.) were virtually identical. Our price on the Origin was $55.00 more per person than the same cruise on Flora. I have experience with Silversea and like their product and that’s what sealed the deal for me.

 

Was the above poster able to do your Galapagos adventure in December 2021?  Any other recent updates from any and all who have been in the Galapagos Islands during the past twelve months?

 

Right now (through the end of February), Celebrity is offering on the new, upscale Flora a special 20% off pricing that puts such a trip to the Galapagos at a much better price than what Silversea offers.  Both the Flora and SS Origin are very similar in their designs, room sizes, luxury features, etc.  We are considering an early August 2022 booking on the Flora and would love to learn more from those who have recently been there.  

 

Also, any added insights as to the pro/con factors as doing the Inner Loop versus the Outer Loop??  Additional, is doing the added time pre-cruise and/or post-cruise in Quito worth it?  What do you enjoy and strongly suggest most for in and around Quito?

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio   

 

Summer 2019 Calgary, Jasper/Banff National Parks, Western Canada Rocky Mountaineer rail adventure, Vancouver, sailing up to Alaska on Silver Muse, post-cruise excursion to Denali, etc.  Many visuals and details from our first in these scenic areas!  Live/blog: 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2682584-live-terryohio-silver-muse-alaska-canadarockies-pix’s/

Edited January 9, 2022 by TLCOhio

[TakingFlight]

Hello, Terry. We did indeed go to the Galapagos in December. It was a great trip and Silversea took wonderful care of us from start to finish. Covid testing requirements both to enter the Galapagos and return to the U.S. changed just a few days before we departed from California. We had to scramble to get the right tests done within the mandatory time frame but it all worked out well. The pre-cruise stay in Quito was important for us simply because the travel to Quito was exhausting. We left from our regional airport, flew to Dallas then to Miami where we overnighted before flying to Quito the next day. With the added stress of testing and avoiding catching covid as much as possible we were grateful for the recovery day. And Silversea tests you at the Marriott hotel the next day which is required for entry into the Galapagos. I think it would be difficult to jump through all the hoops without Silversea's assistance. The return to Guayaquil did not require an additional hotel stay and IMHO is not worth doing that on your own. We flew to Guayaquil, checked into a day room, got tested for Covid and left for the airport about 11 pm for our 2:30 am flight. Another exhausting day of travel; the connections to get back home are poor and it took us 26 hours from the time we left the hotel until we landed in San Luis Obispo. Too bad our trip had to end that way.

 

As far as sailing on the Flora, I wouldn't hesitate. I did a lot of research before this trip and diligently read the Flora threads in the Celebrity forum. Based on what I was seeing the experiences are similar. Celebrity gets the edge on some aspects and Silversea does better on others. If the price difference is significant by all means go with Flora. 

 

Best wishes for all your future travels!

[4774Papa]

On 1/11/2022 at 5:24 PM, TakingFlight said:

Hello, Terry. We did indeed go to the Galapagos in December. It was a great trip and Silversea took wonderful care of us from start to finish. Covid testing requirements both to enter the Galapagos and return to the U.S. changed just a few days before we departed from California. We had to scramble to get the right tests done within the mandatory time frame but it all worked out well. The pre-cruise stay in Quito was important for us simply because the travel to Quito was exhausting. We left from our regional airport, flew to Dallas then to Miami where we overnighted before flying to Quito the next day. With the added stress of testing and avoiding catching covid as much as possible we were grateful for the recovery day. And Silversea tests you at the Marriott hotel the next day which is required for entry into the Galapagos. I think it would be difficult to jump through all the hoops without Silversea's assistance. The return to Guayaquil did not require an additional hotel stay and IMHO is not worth doing that on your own. We flew to Guayaquil, checked into a day room, got tested for Covid and left for the airport about 11 pm for our 2:30 am flight. Another exhausting day of travel; the connections to get back home are poor and it took us 26 hours from the time we left the hotel until we landed in San Luis Obispo. Too bad our trip had to end that way.

 

As far as sailing on the Flora, I wouldn't hesitate. I did a lot of research before this trip and diligently read the Flora threads in the Celebrity forum. Based on what I was seeing the experiences are similar. Celebrity gets the edge on some aspects and Silversea does better on others. If the price difference is significant by all means go with Flora. 

 

Best wishes for all your future travels!

Did you take altitude sickness pills for your brief stay in Quito?   We had them for our four day tour of Cuzco and Machu Picchu in 2019 and glad we did.  

[TakingFlight]

No, we didn’t take the pills for altitude sickness. I did have a headache most of the time when I was in Quito but it wasn’t too bad.

[TLCOhio]

From MSN News and this key travel website late last week, they had this headline: “9 things I wish I had known before taking a Galapagos cruise” with some of these highlights: “The trip exceeded all expectations: The abundant wildlife was surreal, the scenery stupendous and the guiding some of the best I’ve ever experienced (and I’ve been on dozens of African safaris).  If I ever get back to see the playful sea lions, the easy-going boobies and the technicolor marine life, here’s what I would do differently.  Prepare for the sun: Ecuador is on the equator.  I anticipated strong sun and made sure to load up on SPF 50+ sunscreen\, but we still felt the effects of the straight-on rays.  Pack a guide to birds, plants and wildlife: The Galapagos authorities require that every visitor to the islands be in a professionally guided group of no more than 16 people and on a boat that doesn’t exceed 100 people. However, there are a LOT of birds in the Galapagos, and a guide wasn’t always available to point out each one. I’m talking 13 types of finches, each with a special niche, plus hundreds of other species of rare fauna and flora.”

 

Here are a few more samples of the writer's nine tips: "Bring more U.S. currency than you think you’ll need:  Ecuador uses the U.S. dollar as currency, so I didn’t need to exchange money before or during my trip. Therefore, I mistakenly thought my travel finances would be smooth sailing.  Not so. ATMs are scarce in the capital city of Quito where I started my trip and almost nonexistent on the islands. Power up for a cruise:  Ecuador uses the same electrical current as the U.S. — 110 volts — so I left my converter at home. I forgot that my travel converter has several lightning cord slots, so it doubles as a plug extender, allowing me to power up all my devices at once when I’m on the road.  With only one plug in the room, and two people sharing the space, we were constantly shuffling our electronics."

 

Full story at:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tips/9-things-i-wish-i-had-known-before-taking-a-galapagos-cruise/ar-AATcZ2H?ocid=BingNewsSearch

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio 

 

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