Nearly Live - Celebrity Xploration – 5/16-26/24

[habenicd]

We are going to attempt a trip report and review of our Galapagos bucket list trip. The entries may be sporadic once we get aboard Xploration but we will do our best and catch up with any missed days after we return home.

Edited May 18 by habenicd

[habenicd]

Day 1 – 5/16

 

The alarm lock went off at 6:00am per normal.  We weren’t scheduled to leave the house until 11:00am but there was plenty of last-minute chores and things to do.

 

We did leave on-time at 11:00am on and headed to the bank to make a last deposit and get travel cash.  We ended up at the bank for nearly 30 minutes because their system was “down” and they couldn’t verify who we were to get the cash we needed for our trip.  After a bunch of question including where we lived 20 years ago and what business accounts we both had with the bank they finally gave us our own money.  They were very apologetic but what a mess.

 

Traffic to ATL was heavy but we’ve had worse. We stopped at Buc-ee’s for brisket sandwiches as it is within a mile of being halfway from the house to ATL.

 

Check in and security were busy but we were through in no time and on our way to the American Express Centurion Lounge for snacks and a what-see.  While checking in at the ATL - International Terminal, Lisa of Delta, was helping us and being friendly when she off-the-cuff told her coworker next to her that she had ripped a hole in her uniform.  I grabbed my backpack and pulled out an emergency travel sewing kit and gave it to her. She thanked us profusely and told her coworker at her next break she was going to fix the hole.

Pay it forward when you can.

 

Thoughts on the Centurion Lounge.  Large lounge with lots of seating choices.  The food was all Southern inspired and very good. But there were too many people.  There were lines at both bars and it was difficult to find two seats together.  The views of the tarmac are great and the outside terraces have shade for those hot and humid Atlanta summers.

 

We used Delta SkyMiles to book our flights independently and get status upgrades.  We had a very good flight on a completely full plane.

 

Upon arrival in Quito just after 11:00pm, we collected our bags and got through customs. Celebrity personnel met us outside customs and took our bigger bags as we waited for the rest of the 6 to 8 folks on our flight that were Celebrity guests as well.

 

It was a 45 min drive to the JW Marriott and Gabby, our guide, explained the next couple days to us along the way. Even though it was late the 45 minute, flew by.

 

Upon arrival at the hotel, we were met with warm towels and a delicious sample of a passion fruit and cinnamon juice. Very tasty.  We were also given metal water bottles with our ship's logo and a label with our names to use the rest of the week and take home. Our bags were in our room about the same time we made it there.

Edited May 18 by habenicd

[habenicd]

Day 2 – 5/17

 

We went down for breakfast at 7:15am.  All the meals on the land portion are included and the hotel puts out quite a breakfast buffet spread.  Fruit of known and unknown varieties, pastries, typical and local breakfast dishes and made to order omelettes were all available.

 

We met back in the lobby to start our day of touring.  Our group consisted of the two of us and six other folks that will be on the Xploration with us.  We were also told there were four others that we will meet aboard Xploration on Saturday.  That means only 12 guests on a boat for 16.

 

The all-day tour consisted of a prominent view point for pictures of this huge city.  Then we walked around the old city and visited two churches and the main city square where the President’s Residence is located even though the current President does not live there.  Of note Celebrity provided a guide, an assistant guide (for us he was actually a supervisor), a bus driver and a security guard.  Four personnel for the 8 of us on a bus meant for at least 20.

 

Lunch was local cuisine served in a monetary.  There were plenty of selections and the food was very good.  Everyone enjoyed it. Alcoholic beverages were available to purchase.

 

After lunch we drove about 45 minutes to the equator museum. A lot of us took a little snooze. The equator museum covered multiple topics relating to Ecuador’s history in addition to the equator. The water experiments were the most intriguing.  Water poured into a drain not even six feet away from the equator spirals in opposite directions depending on which side of the equator you are on.  On the equator, the water drains straight down.  Finally, we headed back to the hotel for a little rest before dinner.

 

Dinner was about a 10 minute drive from the hotel.  There was a choice of 5 appetizers, 4 main dishes, and then a dessert sampler finished the meal.  Again this was all included and alcoholic beverages were available to purchase. The eight of us were seated at a large table and we all got to know each other a little more.

 

Returning to the hotel after dinner we had until 10:00pm to get our bags checked in downstairs for tomorrow’s flight to Baltra.  There are clear instructions, made many times, that your checked bags need to be brought down, unlocked, so that they can be inspected before going to the airport in the morning. They are looking for things that would contaminate the ecosystems of the islands.  There are no “liquids restrictions” for your carry-on bags so you can keep out “getting ready” things for the morning without worry.  They do try to keep you at 44lbs for your checked bags and the lighter the better for your carry-on bags, but a little overage is usually ok.

 

Tomorrow, we do get to sleep in as breakfast is served until 10:00am and we don’t leave for the airport until 11:30am to 11:45am.

Edited May 18 by habenicd

[darsura]

Following!  Thanks for posting!

[mahdnc]

@catspaw1 ☝️

[catspaw1]

Thanks for posting. We are on the Xploration next year so we are following your posts. Any tips would be helpful. We are doing cruise only. Enjoy!

[PhillyTravelBug]

Loving this so far! Leaning towards the Flora, but definitely want insight on the Xploration 

[catspaw1]

The Xploration only holds 16 passengers, the Xpedition & Flora hold close to 50. Flora is all suites & much larger rooms. Flora has an elevator, not sure about the Xpedition. We cruised on our 44 foot sailboat for 7 years so are used to small spaces. Flora was around 8G more expensive. We know we won't be spending much time in the cabin as we will do every excursion possible so wanted a smaller & cheaper cruise. The other 8G we didn't spend we used to return to AK next year!

[habenicd]

Day 3 – 5/18

 

We slept very well last night and were refreshed and ready to get the day started.  Breakfast was in the hotel again before we head to the airport for the 2 hour charter flight to Baltra.

 

We got down to the lobby about 10 minutes early which was a good thing.  Being our group was the smallest, we were leaving for airport first and earlier than originally planned.  We took our carry-on bags to our bus, boarded and headed to the airport. Along the way our guide AnnaLou, who has been with us the last 2 days, gave us more information about our transfers and Ecuador in general.  She and Diego and Wilson our driver and Jose our security guard have all been terrific.

 

The airport was a breeze.  We checked our bags at a side counter and breezed through security.  The Xpedition folks joined us at the gate where we waited maybe 20 minutes before we boarded. There were maybe 36 passengers total between Xploration and Xpedition, a few Celebrity crew and of course the cabin/flight crew on this jet that typically holds about 150.  The middle seats were blocked off so everyone had plenty of room. We were the furthest back and we were in row 14.

 

There is meal service on the flight and there is a choice of a Mexican chicken wrap or smoked salmon.  Most folks chose the wrap.  Beer and wine were available as well with no charge. The meal was served in real dishes and cutlery.

 

In no time we landed in Baltra.  Customs was a breeze given the few folks we had on our plane.  Restrooms after customs are available and most took advantage.  Outside security we met Orlando who will be one of two of our naturalists for the week. JC is the other and we met him aboard ship. It’s not even 10 minutes to the dock where we got our first zodiac (or pangas as they call them) lessons and ride. Along the way we had several wildlife encounters including blue-footed boobies, sea lions and a sea turtle in the water beside the road.

 

We were met aboard with a pina colada, and everyone went to their rooms to drop our bags.  Orlando told us to meet back for our first beach trip at 5:00pm so there was a mad dash by everyone to get the appropriate clothes and gear out of our suitcases for our first wet landing, beach walk and swim.  

 

After our time ashore, seeing many types of birds, sea lions and marine iguanas, we returned to the ship to clean up for our evening briefing and dinner.  Most everyone congregated on the sun deck for the sunset as we were transiting to our first overnight anchorage.  We were entertained by the frigate birds as well.

 

The evening briefing covered safety procedures and the like. Orlando also covered the schedule for the next day. Tomorrow morning we get our wetsuits and snorkel gear.

 

Dinner was buffet but Christian, the bar tender, and Jonathan, the hotel manager, helped with plates as we had begun to roll quite a bit and footing was not as steady as you would want with a plate of food.  The food is excellent. No complaints from anyone.

 

After dinner some folks did some star gazing but most turned in to either prep and organize for tomorrow or straight to sleep.  We made it to our anchorage and things calmed down but around 3:00am a swell came in and we rolled quite a bit for several hours. All part of the small ship adventure in our opinion.

 

We have already found the crew to be friendly and knowledgeable.  The ship is clean and accommodating.  The food well prepared and more than sufficient.  Tomorrow, we start the real adventures with hikes, multiple snorkel trips and pangas rides.

Edited May 19 by habenicd

[Fedic]

On 5/17/2024 at 10:53 PM, habenicd said:

We are going to attempt a trip report and review of our Galapagos bucket list trip. The entries may be sporadic once we get aboard Xploration but we will do our best and catch up with any missed days after we return home.

 

Have a great trip!

[habenicd]

Day 4 – 5/19

 

The day, as most will be, started at 6:15am because breakfast is at 7:00am. After breakfast we had a snorkeling briefing and got fitted for wetsuits and gear. By 8:30am we were headed ashore for a dry landing and hike through a large lava field. The hike was moderately rough but with many stops for sips of water and descriptions of flora and geologic information. The morning was overcast so it was not overly hot.
 

The hike lasted about 2 hours and we returned to a very nice sandy beach where the crew brought over everyone’s snorkel gear. The sloping sandy area made a great first snorkel for the several beginners.  We saw sharks, turtles, rays and many types of fish. As this is the beginning of the cooler season and changes in the ocean currents, the water was cooler hence the wetsuits.  However, my dive watch measured the water temperature at 74 degrees which is not bad at all.

 

After the snorkel we returned to the ship for lunch.  Wetsuits are hung out to dry and there are labeled hooks for each person's snorkel bag. A place for everything and everything in its place. We had a couple hours break after lunch where most folks either retired to their cabins for a nap or met up on the sun deck to visit and enjoy the nice weather.

 

At 3:00pm it was time for the deep water snorkel.  We would be dropped off the pangas on a rocky point in about 20 feet of water.  A short pangas ride was in order and once we arrived everyone geared up and went over the side. The water was rough and a little merky on the point but once we rounded the point it cleared and there was a very little current pushing us along making the swim easier.  We saw several resting white tip reef sharks, rays, many varieties of fish and several Galapagos penguins up on the rocks.  Some in the group even saw a sea snake.  About the time we were due to climb back aboard the pangas, a sea lion joined us and playfully swam all around us. What an experience.

 

Returning to the ship the crew, as always, helped everyone put away their wetsuits and snorkel gear.  We had about 30 minutes to chose either a hike to the top of Bartolome Island  or a panga ride to find wildlife. Everyone but the two of us and two other guests took the hike.  As for the four of us, we boarded a panga with a driver and Orlando the naturalist and set off.  We cruised the shoreline of Bartolome Island and saw penguins and sea lions and pelicans and many other birds. Orlando giving us information as Milton the driver edged us right up to the wildlife in our pangas for exceptional pictures and encounters. It was a great way to end a busy day.

 

The evening briefing started with the Captain. We knew that couldn’t be good.  He gave us a weather update.  We were starting a 12 hour transit and he predicted the seas would get rough around midnight. Now we had already experienced a rolling sea so some folks were a bit concerned.  Captain suggested we place all of our electronics and cameras down on the floor before bed and make sure all the doors and drawers were properly latched.  He went on to say if you needed to get up in the middle of the night and were worried at all about your balance or falling, by all means call the bridge and someone will come help you. He really stressed this as they don’t want any injuries from falls.

 

JC the naturalist then briefed us on tomorrow morning’s activities with another hike to see giant tortoises and land iguanas. There would be a beach swim too. And then we went off to dinner.

 

At dinner we were all offered motion sickness meds with the suggested timing of one before dinner and one during dessert.  With a good night’s sleep even with rough seas being the intention, many took the suggest. I passed on the meds as I’ve really only been seasick a couple of times, ever.

 

After dinner we sat around and visited with after dinner drinks, good conversation and travel stories.

 

Around 1:00am we did get into some rough seas.  We’ve had far worse in our years of cruising but it was indeed rough, and our small ship did toss about for several hours. It was all fine in the end though and tomorrow starts another adventure.

 

I will say here that this is NOT a cruise ship. The boat rolls and you will feel the motion of the ocean. The quarters are roomy enough but you are rarely in them.  There is no entertainment but for the nightly briefings and visiting with fellow guests and the crew.  The food is really good but don’t expect a cruise ship “Lido or Windjammer” buffet variety or Michelin Star finesse. Choices are limited but there is something for everyone and the chef is quite good.  For instance, yesterday’s lunch was Mexican food and while everything was great, the guacamole was exceptional.

 

This is an adventure and so far we are loving it.

[airhose]

We're loving this trip report, especially as we will be there next year at approximately the same time, same itinerary (northern loop, right?). If you get a chance, could you please ask the captain if the seas are usually rough at this time of year?  I wear the sea bands and they work like a charm for me, so I'm hoping that they'll be adequate. 

Thanks for your report!

[Beachlover1989]

On 5/18/2024 at 2:14 PM, catspaw1 said:

The Xploration only holds 16 passengers, the Xpedition & Flora hold close to 50. Flora is all suites & much larger rooms. Flora has an elevator, not sure about the Xpedition. We cruised on our 44 foot sailboat for 7 years so are used to small spaces. Flora was around 8G more expensive. We know we won't be spending much time in the cabin as we will do every excursion possible so wanted a smaller & cheaper cruise. The other 8G we didn't spend we used to return to AK next year!

Xpedition holds 48-50, but Flora holds 100.

[catspaw1]

Sorry my fault! You are right

[habenicd]

On 5/20/2024 at 3:35 PM, airhose said:

We're loving this trip report, especially as we will be there next year at approximately the same time, same itinerary (northern loop, right?). If you get a chance, could you please ask the captain if the seas are usually rough at this time of year?  I wear the sea bands and they work like a charm for me, so I'm hoping that they'll be adequate. 

Thanks for your report!

We were chatting with Capt. about that this morning over coffee before most folks were up.  We have had a couple of rough night transits. He was telling us the season transition this year has been rather abrupt. Two weeks ago the weather and water were much warmer and much more calm. However, the cooler temps and water have brought the penguins, whales and dolphins so you “pick your poison” as they say. I’d say early to mid May at the latest if you are adverse to rough seas. 

Edited May 22 by habenicd

[habenicd]

Day 5 – 5/20

 

First of all today is my DW’s birthday.  We planned this trip around our anniversary (last week) and her birthday, today. So, there is that with more to follow.

 

Also, we are a couple of days behind on the trip report because it’s been busy.  However, we have settled into the routine now.  Up before 6:00am.  Breakfast is at 7:00am.  The morning activities start at 8:00am. Typically a 2 hr hike followed by a 45 minute snorkel.  Back to the boat around 11:30am.  Lunch is at 12:00pm then it’s siesta time until 3:00pm.  At 3:00pm there is usually snorkeling or kayaking and then either pangas rides looking for wildlife or a scenic cruise on the ship to a new location. Briefings for the next day are at 6:45pm and then dinner at 7:00pm. Busy but simple.

 

Now back to this specific day.  We opted out of the morning hike today. We just weren’t feeling it after the rough seas last night. In fact, the wet landing location was still having quite a swell, so the morning activities were delayed until 9:00am and the beach swim was effectively cancelled.  Everyone else went a shore though on the revised schedule and for a couple of hours we enjoyed our very own/private 30 meter yacht.  We lounged, took pictures had some beverages and just chilled. It was great.

 

Once everyone returned to the ship we began a scenic cruise to our next anchorage.  Lunch was served and we enjoyed our siesta time visiting and looking for sea life as we cruised.

 

We pulled into a secluded bay just around 2:00pm and those that wanted were able to take a swim off the back deck.  They all expressed how “refreshing” the water was.

 

At 3:00pm we headed out for a deep-water snorkel off the pangas.  My dive watch recorded a water temperature of 66 degrees. It was cold!  But we saw turtles, a bullhead shark, penguins and more sea lions.  Even a flightless cormorant swam within a couple feet of me.  By the 45 minute mark though, everyone was ready for hot showers or the hot tub on the sun deck.

 

I will note here that when ever we come back from a snorkel trip we are met with hot towels and a hot beverage. When we return from hikes, a cold drink awaits us. It is an appreciated perk.

 

After the snorkel, a hike or a panga ride was offered.  Today, I chose the hike and my DW took another panga ride.  The hike was around Darwin Lake and also overlooked an old lava flow. The views were stunning.

 

Everyone was back on board around 6:00pm and there was a little time to clean up before the evening briefing. The briefing tonight included Capt. formally introducing all 10 crew members and the 2 naturalists.  Yes, we have a 1:1 staff to guest ratio. It is awesome.  We had a Capt.’s toast and then he told us that since the night transit had been rough the night before he was deviating the plan and we would stay anchored in the protected bay for the night opting to leave very early in the morning.  Everyone was thrilled! He also suggested the sunrise in the morning would be worth getting up for and said coffee would be ready for those that took him up on his offer.

 

With that it was off to dinner.  Tonight, given my DW’s birthday and the Capt.’s “reception” we had filet mignon and local scorpion fish. They were both delicious.  Then the lights went dim and Chef brought out a large birthday cake with purple icing (DW’s fav color) and everyone sang/learned the Ecuadorian version of Happy Birthday. It was wonderful! We sat around and visited over cake and a few of us had a scotch to finish off the evening.

 

We all turned in to get a restful night’s sleep.

[BrianPhx]

Fedic, can you comment on whether snorkeling vests are provided by Celebrity (Xpedition). I can swim in deep water but need buoyancy as I cant do it for long. Leaving on 5/30 for the 6/1 cruise.

Edited May 23 by BrianPhx

[cruisetonowhere10]

On 5/22/2024 at 3:21 PM, habenicd said:

Day 5 – 5/20

 

First of all today is my DW’s birthday.  We planned this trip around our anniversary (last week) and her birthday, today. So, there is that with more to follow.

 

Also, we are a couple of days behind on the trip report because it’s been busy.  However, we have settled into the routine now.  Up before 6:00am.  Breakfast is at 7:00am.  The morning activities start at 8:00am. Typically a 2 hr hike followed by a 45 minute snorkel.  Back to the boat around 11:30am.  Lunch is at 12:00pm then it’s siesta time until 3:00pm.  At 3:00pm there is usually snorkeling or kayaking and then either pangas rides looking for wildlife or a scenic cruise on the ship to a new location. Briefings for the next day are at 6:45pm and then dinner at 7:00pm. Busy but simple.

 

Now back to this specific day.  We opted out of the morning hike today. We just weren’t feeling it after the rough seas last night. In fact, the wet landing location was still having quite a swell, so the morning activities were delayed until 9:00am and the beach swim was effectively cancelled.  Everyone else went a shore though on the revised schedule and for a couple of hours we enjoyed our very own/private 30 meter yacht.  We lounged, took pictures had some beverages and just chilled. It was great.

 

Once everyone returned to the ship we began a scenic cruise to our next anchorage.  Lunch was served and we enjoyed our siesta time visiting and looking for sea life as we cruised.

 

We pulled into a secluded bay just around 2:00pm and those that wanted were able to take a swim off the back deck.  They all expressed how “refreshing” the water was.

 

At 3:00pm we headed out for a deep-water snorkel off the pangas.  My dive watch recorded a water temperature of 66 degrees. It was cold!  But we saw turtles, a bullhead shark, penguins and more sea lions.  Even a flightless cormorant swam within a couple feet of me.  By the 45 minute mark though, everyone was ready for hot showers or the hot tub on the sun deck.

 

I will note here that when ever we come back from a snorkel trip we are met with hot towels and a hot beverage. When we return from hikes, a cold drink awaits us. It is an appreciated perk.

 

After the snorkel, a hike or a panga ride was offered.  Today, I chose the hike and my DW took another panga ride.  The hike was around Darwin Lake and also overlooked an old lava flow. The views were stunning.

 

Everyone was back on board around 6:00pm and there was a little time to clean up before the evening briefing. The briefing tonight included Capt. formally introducing all 10 crew members and the 2 naturalists.  Yes, we have a 1:1 staff to guest ratio. It is awesome.  We had a Capt.’s toast and then he told us that since the night transit had been rough the night before he was deviating the plan and we would stay anchored in the protected bay for the night opting to leave very early in the morning.  Everyone was thrilled! He also suggested the sunrise in the morning would be worth getting up for and said coffee would be ready for those that took him up on his offer.

 

With that it was off to dinner.  Tonight, given my DW’s birthday and the Capt.’s “reception” we had filet mignon and local scorpion fish. They were both delicious.  Then the lights went dim and Chef brought out a large birthday cake with purple icing (DW’s fav color) and everyone sang/learned the Ecuadorian version of Happy Birthday. It was wonderful! We sat around and visited over cake and a few of us had a scotch to finish off the evening.

 

We all turned in to get a restful night’s sleep.

This is great to read.  We just booked Xpedition for 2025 (July) so a bit bigger of a ship but still pretty small all things considered.

[catspaw1]

Thanks for the great update as we are on the southern loop in early June next year. We are divers & 66 water temperature is cold! Do you feel the shortie suit is enough? Celebrity is not offering the Xploration or Xpedition for 2026. Can you ask why? Hows the ship itself? Is there any snacks when you return to the ship like the Flora has? Does the ship actually anchor? Does the Galapagos park allow that? If so, ask the captain why he doesn't use an anchoring bridle in rough swells? That's what we used on our sailboat when we anchored & a swell came in. Hint on seasick meds from an experienced blue water sailor- take them 2 hours before you hit rough conditions. Best to stay outside & look at the horizon. Continue with your TR please! Thanks for taking the time to post. 

[mahdnc]

3 hours ago, BrianPhx said:

Fedic, can you comment on whether snorkeling vests are provided by Celebrity (Xpedition). I can swim in deep water but need buoyancy as I cant do it for long. Leaving on 5/30 for the 6/1 cruise.

 

We were on Xpedition (South Loop) over Thanksgiving. Snorkeling vests were supplied during our trip. The photo below was taken from one of the slides down during our first day's orientation:

 

 

If you're interested here is the Live Thread that I posted during our trip. 

Edited May 24 by mahdnc

[habenicd]

1 hour ago, catspaw1 said:

Thanks for the great update as we are on the southern loop in early June next year. We are divers & 66 water temperature is cold! Do you feel the shortie suit is enough? Celebrity is not offering the Xploration or Xpedition for 2026. Can you ask why? Hows the ship itself? Is there any snacks when you return to the ship like the Flora has? Does the ship actually anchor? Does the Galapagos park allow that? If so, ask the captain why he doesn't use an anchoring bridle in rough swells? That's what we used on our sailboat when we anchored & a swell came in. Hint on seasick meds from an experienced blue water sailor- take them 2 hours before you hit rough conditions. Best to stay outside & look at the horizon. Continue with your TR please! Thanks for taking the time to post. 

Ok.  Exploration just came out of a dry dock last month. I know there have been rumors going back to 2018 of her retirement but I just don’t see it, my opinion only.  Maybe the 2026 schedules just aren’t out yet? Xplotation and Xpedition run out on Saturdays while Flora runs out on Sundays.  Regardless, I will try to remember to ask Capt. The 2.5mm shorty wetsuits are sufficient for 45 minute snorkel sessions but folks are generally ready to be out of the water by that time. Several other snorkel sessions have been in the 72-74 range so the 66 was an outlier for us.  For a trip in June it may be more frequent.  The ship in my opinion is wonderful. No complaints at all. There are packaged cookies, crackers and fresh fruit always available. Quite frankly, the meals are so good and plentiful, snacking is never given a thought. Also, you are just too darned busy. Before you know it, it’s lunch time or dinner time. Next, the ships anchor at every stop. We asked about moorings and were told that moorings were tried and just didn’t work. They ended up on shore in no time so, they anchor. There are no docks/piers.  Even at Baltra where you embark and disembark the zodiacs are used. The anchorages have been fairly calm. Just some rolling on occasion. It’s the transits (like tonight, 54 miles of open Pacific Ocean at 10 knots) that are done at night. They have handed out meds with the before dinner and then during dessert time line. I’ve not taken any as I am only rarely seasick. The crew are absolutely wonderful. They are quickly becoming family to all of us.  Our trip plan/schedule has changed several times along the way to avoid weather or take advantage of the change in the underlying sea currents and abrupt transition this year from the wet to dry seasons which Capt. and the naturalists have all commented on. We have an awesome group of 12 guests who have adapted well to the changes. We spend most of our “down time” visiting, comparing life stories and generally enjoying each other’s company.

 

Day 6 and on will follow soon, but not tonight. It’s been a long but delightful day ashore on Santa Cruz.

[BrianPhx]

Thanks @Habenicd. Couple of other questions. No one's live posts have mentioned dry bags. I am using my Iphone 14 so decided not to take camera gear so I don't need it for that purpose. Nor will I kayak. Is it needed?

Also are the beach walks in hard packed sand or is it soft and takes a lot of effort? I know the post office is very soft, but the others?

 

[habenicd]

7 hours ago, BrianPhx said:

Thanks @Habenicd. Couple of other questions. No one's live posts have mentioned dry bags. I am using my Iphone 14 so decided not to take camera gear so I don't need it for that purpose. Nor will I kayak. Is it needed?

Also are the beach walks in hard packed sand or is it soft and takes a lot of effort? I know the post office is very soft, but the others?

 

We bought a dry bag for this trip.  We’ve used it instead of a regular backpack. I don’t know that it is necessary but half the landings are wet and if you slip or it rains or anything it would be handy to have.  The hikes are either very rocky (lava flows) or very soft sand. We really have not had hard pack sand. We don’t have any serious kayakers on our trip. I think the crew has had them out 1 or 2 times, if that.

[BrianPhx]

Thank you!  Your posts are great and super helpful and answer many questions.  I booked a long time ago and have had back issues since so am a little concerned about the level of activity being ok for me. Also about the altitude. We cruise on June 1. Decided to go to Mindo forest instead of the Quito tour. It’s much lower. 

[catspaw1]

Thanks for the great TR! & in answering all the questions. Moorings must be maintained on a regular basis so that's more work. We sailed full time 7 years & we rarely used moorings because we did not know if they were maintained. On Bonaire, usage is required so we used them there. Glad to hear the ship & the food are good. With all this activity, I'm sure we will be in bed early every night! Have a great time & enjoy!