The most luxurious way to see the Galapagos Islands
The Galapagos Island, a unique archipelago just a two hours’ flight west of Ecuador’s mainland, is home to species found nowhere else in the world. Think for example of the Galapagos penguin, the flightless cormorant or the marine iguana. And the best about the Galapagos animals is their reaction to humansor rather the lack of it. As they do not have natural predators, you can get very close to them without affecting their behavior.
Why to choose the Silver Galapagos for cruising the archipelago
In my last
post, I went into how to travel the Galapagos Islands. I pointed out that a
cruise is the best choice if you want to travel comfortably and wish to see as
many different places as possible. Furthermore, I stressed the fact that the
likelihood of a quieter trip is greater on a large ship – but we speak only of 100
passengers here! Finally, I described the Silver Galapagos’ benefits in terms
of luxury. There is no better way to travel the Galapagos Islands on a luxury
trip than aboard this ship. Silversea Expeditions, the adventure division of
Silversea Cruises, operates two Galapagos Islands itineraries, out of which we
did the western one (details see here). To illustrate how life is on the Silver
Galapagos, I will narrate my typical day aboard this comfortable cruise liner.
A typical day as a Silver Galapagos guest
The most
important thing you have to know about the Silver Galapagos is that it is an
expedition ship, although a luxury one. Cruising the Galapagos Island is
supposed to be an adventure trip, however neither strenuous nor arduous, at
least for a moderately fit person. This means Silver Galapagos is not your
traditional luxury fleet. If you are a regular aboard “normal” Silversea ships,
you might find the standard here a bit disappointing. You will find neither all the
luxury touches as e.g. your favorite Champagne nor the super professional
staff. Silversea is a member of the International Galapagos Tour Operators
Association and has therefore to adhere to strict regulations to protect the
vulnerable environment. This involves locally sourced food and drinks, local
bath amenities, an Ecuadoran crew and many other things. Nonetheless, there are
enough luxury touches left to please also demanding travelers. But now to the
typical daily routine aboard the Silver Galapagos.
Morning
When I wake
up in the morning in the Terrace Suite on deck 5 that I share with my husband,
it is early but not that much so as most activities take place at a convenient
time. I did have a good night’s rest as the sea was not rough – it rarely is at
this time in the year – and the luxury linen felt so good. I let my gaze around
the suite. Actually, we had wanted a Veranda Suite but they were all gone when
we booked about half a year before. But we are very satisfied with our splendid
accommodation. It is rather spacious (26.38 m2), it has large picture windows
and provides an easy access to a public observation deck, there are a sitting
area, a marbled bathroom with a large shower and a roomy wardrobe. I feel very
comfortable in here, it is not at all cramped, except for the bathroom (only
one person can be there at a time).
After a hearty breakfast, a comprehensive buffet with a station where egg dishes are prepared on demand, served daily from 6:30 to 8:30, we proceed to the explorer room at 07:30 to go on the first excursion of the day, a hiking adventure. We are ushered into the provided zodiacs – usually an easy affair except when there is rough sea – and after a ten minutes’ ride we have a dry landing (no wet feet) on the island. Our group of about 8 – 12 persons is accompanied by an experienced naturalist who points out all the important things to us. About two hours later, we are back aboard and are treated to cold drinks and wet towels. Alternatively to the hiking adventure, labelled as strenuous (it is easy for a moderately fit person), I could have gone on a zodiac tour along the coast with an activity level of low (sign up necessary).
At 10:15
there is time for the next adventure, beach time and snorkeling. Meeting point
is again at the explorer room with the snorkel gear and wetsuit provided by
Silversea. This time, it is a wet landing meaning you get wet feet! If you need
assistance with snorkeling, the staff is pleased to help you with this. My
husband and I can manage without it although I am far from being an experienced
snorkeler. At 12:00 everyone is back aboard.
Noon
For lunch,
you can either choose the grill on deck 5 or the restaurant on deck 2. You have
to be early for the former as the space is limited and the place is quite busy
at most times. On the contrary, the restaurant is a location where you can
lunch in all tranquility. We prefer lunch in the grill as we like the outdoor
seating and fortunately we have two acquaintances who always reserve two seats
for us at their table, which we highly appreciate! The menu here is the same as
in the restaurant: salads from the buffet (served), meat or fish/seafood from
the grill, alternatively a pasta dish, and desserts from the buffet (self
service). I always opt for the fish, it is constantly fresh and tasty. Today,
there is delicious local fish on offer.
Also I have a glass of white wine, nearly everything onboard is included in the cost of the cruise, also all the alcoholic drinks. One comment to the sparkling wine: although I am usually a fan of it, I did not like the one onboard, which comes from Chile, you remember, all the food and drinks have to be locally sourced. But as far as the quality of wine in general is concerned, there are no complaints here.
Also I have a glass of white wine, nearly everything onboard is included in the cost of the cruise, also all the alcoholic drinks. One comment to the sparkling wine: although I am usually a fan of it, I did not like the one onboard, which comes from Chile, you remember, all the food and drinks have to be locally sourced. But as far as the quality of wine in general is concerned, there are no complaints here.
Afternoon
At 13:45
there is a lecture by a naturalist. Although being well made and interesting, I
skip it because I dozed off the last two times and I take a nap at the public
observation deck in front of our suite instead.
At 15:30 it is time for a kayaking session (with previous sign up), a little bit of workout is a fine thing to do after lunch and interesting things can be seen while doing this. We meet playful young sea lions, which are interested in our canoe.
At 15:30 it is time for a kayaking session (with previous sign up), a little bit of workout is a fine thing to do after lunch and interesting things can be seen while doing this. We meet playful young sea lions, which are interested in our canoe.
Alternatively,
we could have visited deck 6 to go either to the fitness room, the spa or the
hot tub
At 16:30 a
one-hour zodiac tour along the coast is scheduled. This is again a good
occasion to spot animals and to enjoy the beautiful landscapes. At 18:00
everyone is back aboard.
Evening
After some
leisure time at our suite, my husband and I have to decide whether we should
have a pre-dinner cocktail and – in the positive event – where to have it,
either on the deck in front of our suite or in the piano bar. You should know
that the fridge in our room is stocked to our wishes by the personal butler. But
I can say this much, the content of our fridge was untouched when we left the
ship after a week, we just could not make use of everything offered …
With a
glass of white wine we make our way to the daily briefing and recap in the
explorer room. Our brilliant expedition leader, Israel Mata, and his expedition
team report on the activities of the day behind us and the one to follow. I
like listening to his speeches, he does this in such a good way.
After the orientation we go straight to dinner, which is always a highlight. It can be taken either in the restaurant or in the grill. You can start dinner at any time between 19:30 and 21:00 and either on you own or together with other guests, just as you wish. There is also the possibility to have in-suite dining, just in case. The dress code in the restaurants is casual, although shorts and jeans are not desired.
After the orientation we go straight to dinner, which is always a highlight. It can be taken either in the restaurant or in the grill. You can start dinner at any time between 19:30 and 21:00 and either on you own or together with other guests, just as you wish. There is also the possibility to have in-suite dining, just in case. The dress code in the restaurants is casual, although shorts and jeans are not desired.
Tonight, is
our second visit to the grill, where I am fond of the splendid al fresco dining.
As the space is limited, you have to reserve ahead. Here, they feature a
so-called Black Rock Grill where you cook the meat and seafood, served rare, to
your desired level of doneness on heated lava rocks. Actually, I am no great
fan of this concept but here it suits well, after all it is outdoors. I opt for
a tasty New York Salad first
and a fabulous surf and turf dish, Lobster and Centre-cut Filet Mignon afterwards, which is accompanied by vegetables, a side
salad and a baked potato. As to sauces you can choose between natural jus,
peppercorn sauce, mushroom sauce or spicy Ecuadorian sauce.
where you
just show up and where the staff finds a suitable table for you without
problem. The menu here changes daily, here is a sample menu to give you an
impression.
A starter I
very much liked is Seared
Galapagos Tuna, Soy Sauce & Tamarillo Salad
A favorite
main course of mine was Lobster
trio: Lobster Stuffed Potato Pattie, Lobster with Spicy Ginger Sauce &
Lobster Vol au Vent
Once the
meal comes to an end, there is of course the option of having after dinner
cocktails and late night piano with Alfredo, but tonight Israel, the expedition
leader, announces a special event, about a dozen Galapagos sharks are
accompanying the ship. This of course entices almost all the 82 guests on board
to flock on the deck to watch this fascinating spectacle.
To end the
report on this fantastic cruise some remark to my fellow guests. Quite a few of them are first-timers on a cruise, just like me. Given the fact that this is
not your traditional cruise but an adventure voyage, you find here many people
who does not consider themselves as cruisers but think this is the best way to
explore the area. Guests are also generally younger than on the typical cruise
liner. I would guess that the starting age of the passengers is in the 40s and
50s. There are also a handful of families, some with smaller, other with adult
kids.
Overall
This
once-in-a-lifetime destination is best explored by ship, ideally with a large
one and if you would like to be pampered and if you are ready to spend money
correspondingly, than there is no better choice than the Silver Galapagos. It
is by no doubt the most luxurious way to travel the Galapagos Islands. People
who are used to traditional high-end cruise liners might find the level of luxury sub-par. The standard here is not the same, but
you have to be aware of the fact that you are on an expedition ship, however a
luxury one. But also as discerning traveler you will be at ease, all the necessary
luxury touches are provided for and everything is perfectly organized. It is
the ultimate setting for this trip of a lifetime allowing you to fully enjoy
the magic that happens before your eyes.
A note at the end: Not only the Galapagos Islands are worth traveling to, but also Ecuador's mainland. See my posts about what to do, where to stay on a luxury trip and where to eat as a foodie.
A note at the end: Not only the Galapagos Islands are worth traveling to, but also Ecuador's mainland. See my posts about what to do, where to stay on a luxury trip and where to eat as a foodie.
Date of stay: May/June 2017
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