Galapagos

[drron29]

Our experience of the Galapagos was 15 years ago but is still a standout for memories.After our visit my opinion was that it is the one place that David Attenborough doesn't capture all the highlights.

We went in August.It is meant to be the worst month to visit but weather and sea temperature and conditions were perfect.I did not wear a wetsuit at all and at times spent an hour or more in the water.And if you can snorkel you should.Highlights were playing games underwater with 2 juvenile sea lions and swimming in a shoal of small fish with blue footed boobies plunging into the water all around me to snatch one or two of them.

But great experiences on land with a pair of blue footed boobies doing their courtship dance at my feet.Upstaged though when a pair of gannets did the same.I didn't have to be told not to move.

 

However we were on a 16 person catamaran and I still think this is the preferred option.

 

And we always book our own air.But usually because we fly on a Circle Pacific or round the world fare so our flights to and from Baltra were no extra cost as later our flight to Ushuaia to board the Silver Explorer on our Cape to Cape cruise.We though always arrive 2-3 days before needed.In Ushuaia we were on the Explorer before all those who booked their transfers through SS as their charter was significantly delayed.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Everything I see about Silversea is a cut above Celebrity, and I assume that Silver Origin is fitted out at a more luxe level than sister-shp Celebrity Flora – but one thing that Celebrity has always done really well for Galapagos cruises is the transfers.  Whether you book air into Ecuador with them or not, you are met at the airport in Quito and whisked to the J W Marriott.  After some nice tours – and this is the important part:  there is a Celebrity charter flight direct from Quito to Baltra and back again at the end of the cruise.  This is faster than going through Guayaquil, and being on a charter flight the coordination to the ship is very smooth.  I'm surprised not to be reading that Silversea does the same.

[Carol From California]

I did end up booking our own air and will be getting a refund from Silversea for $1,500 ($750 pp). On the way there we are flying in one day early, just in case something happens. I booked with miles. From Los Angeles we fly to Houston and then from Houston to Quito. These flights are not a true business/first class in the sense that the seats are not layflat. Now for the return flights out of Guayaquil the flights are to Miami. It seems way out of the way to fly to Miami when we are on the west coast but I snagged business class seats for both flights with layflat seats, from Guayaquil to Miami, and then Miami to LAX. I had enough miles but the flights were not that expensive so paid for those tickets and will save the miles for something more expensive. Got them for around $1,552 for two. We'll have to pay for one night at the JW Marriott pre-cruise (or use Marriott points). By the way Silversea wanted $2,780 ADDITIONAL PER PERSON for the upgrade to business class. How insane is that? If we did the upgrade through Silversea the total cost would have been $4,280. We paid $1,552 for one flight plus uses miles for the other flight. These are more or less the identical flights they would have put us on by the way. We only lose the transfer from the airport to the JW Marriott which is no big deal and will give us an extra day there. All the other transfers are included and so is the pre-cruise and post cruise hotel stays.

 

[clo]

2 hours ago, Carol From California said:

we fly to Houston and then from Houston to Quito.

We had to cancel a trip but I had opted for their air because it was only five hours from Houston to Quito. When you consider all the pre and post sleeping time I just didn't consider it worth it to go for business.

[Fletcher]

The Marriott Quito is a soulless dump,  dated, dirty and with terrible food, fit only for mass market package tours.  The nicest place by far is Casa Gangotena, right in the heart of the historic centre.   We stayed there two years ago, before our Silversea Galapagos cruise and this was the view from our room -

 

Edited March 16, 2021 by Fletcher

[clo]

17 hours ago, Fletcher said:

The Marriott Quito is a soulless dump,  dated, dirty and with terrible food, fit only for mass market package tours.

So without looking at the site, is that the hotel where we spend two nights?

[Fletcher]

2 hours ago, clo said:

So without looking at the site, is that the hotel where we spend two nights?

Yes, I think so.  The Marriott is big so that's why Silversea use it, enabling them to check in an entire ship load of passengers and have easy access for buses etc.  Most cruise ship hotels are like this, big US chains they can do deals with.  As for our own case, we had flown up from the Peruvian coast, then we did an Amazon lodge, then a cloud forest lodge called Mashpi, then two nights at Casa Gangotena in Quito's World Heritage district, then one night at the Marriott because Silversea said we would have an extremely early check-out for the flight to Galapagos.  I regret that now, should have just taken a cab from the lovely Casa Gangotena.

 

And don't ignore the Hotel del Parque in Guayaquil . . . that was our favourite hotel of the 11 we stayed in during that South American jaunt.

[Sdancer]

On 3/8/2021 at 3:36 AM, Herman The Cat said:

 

 

The first time I booked direct with Silversea thinking I had the “inside track”. Instead, it’s really an inside salesperson who didn’t have any more experience and hadn’t ever been. What a disaster from a communications, service, knowledge and problem resolution perspective. And I booked the Machu Picchu extension. 

The second time I used my TA who had been and has sailed on Silversea extensively. Much better to use someone who has first hand knowledge. It’s a complex trip. I don’t understand why people DIY travel when you get the same price as going direct but you get the knowledge, skills, experience, service and an advocate for free when you use a TA. You pay the same price. No-brainer!

 

 

You are absolutely correct about using own TA. We first booked with the Silversea (a disaster!) and promptly transferred the booking to our TA. Now our TA handles the flights.