Having never been on a luxury cruise before, I didn't know what to expect, especially since our Ecoventura ship bills itself as a "floating boutique hotel" (a floating Relais & Châteaux one, no less).
With only 10 cabins, Ecoventura's Galapagos expedition yachts (there are three) have an exclusive vibe, underscored by the contemporary rooms with memory foam mattress-topped beds, almost floor-to-ceiling windows, and a walk-in rainfall shower with ocean views. A small gym and sundeck with a hot tub add to their appeal.
However, when I saw the communal tables in the dining room, my heart sank. A full week of socializing with strangers? A nightmare for an introvert like myself. And our group of 15 was... eclectic, to put it mildly. There was a barely-out-of-college Franco-Russian oligarch who made (the same) toast multiple times a day; a 20-something global chess master who started drinking strawberry daiquiris at breakfast; an elderly pair from Alabama; a Saudi oil guy and his writer son; and a Viennese art dealer, to name a few.
And yet, conversation flowed freely and every one of them won a piece of my heart. As the Franco-Russian repeatedly toasted, we were family.
To backtrack, I was in the Galapagos, a collection of 13 major islands and seven smaller ones around 600 miles (1,000 kilometers) west of mainland Ecuador, on a week-long cruise with my mother (aforementioned art dealer).
To quote the man who put these islands on the map, Charles Darwin, "Nothing could be less inviting than the first appearance [of the Galapagos Islands]."
Truly, upon landing in San Cristobal, the gateway to the islands, after a 1.5-hour flight from Guayaquil, Ecuador, I was surprised to see a thirsty-looking landscape whose primary colors were shades of grey and brown. Considering that 97% of the Galapagos is a national park and that it's a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its flora and fauna, I expected lush jungle vibes. Now that I know it's a volcanic archipelago filled with active volcanoes, the landscape makes sense.
Darwin again said it best (despite, him having only ever spent around five weeks in the Galapagos, at the tender age of 22): "The archipelago is a little world within itself."
Every island is different — some were Mars-like, carpeted in a bright red weed interspersed with towering, piñata-like cacti, while others were barren and grey, with nary a shrub to be seen. Others again featured tropical beaches with Evian-like water and snow-white sand. That's how Darwin came up with the theory of evolution. The plants and animals on each island evolved differently — iguanas on one island eat meat, whereas on others they don't. On one island they're red and green, on a neighboring one, yellow. The Galapagos' famous finches have beaks that vary from island to island, depending on weather conditions and food sources.
With a huge range of endemic species found nowhere else in the world, the daily schedule on board our ship was packed tight so that we could see it all in just seven days. There was an almost relentless barrage of activities every day — none of which you should miss, though you can skip whatever you want or choose alternate options like glass-bottom boat tours if you don't feel like hiking or snorkeling. And luckily, these were punctuated by a steady stream of snacks and cocktails befitting of a luxury cruise.
Every day began with a guided shore excursion (aka a hike or a beach walk), and every afternoon featured at least one snorkeling session (with provided 3mm wetsuits and gear) or some sort of optional water activity such as kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding. We had two naturalists on board to lead each outing, with 60 years of experience between them.
According to our guides, all activities are strictly regulated by the Ecuadorian government to protect the islands. To reduce visitor impact, only 150 authorized ships are allowed in Galapagos National Park at a time (the largest one accommodates 100 guests), and only in areas they've okayed. Every site is only allowed five ships at a time, though I never saw more than two others. Excursions are planned down to the minute — we spent one morning at an empty beach on Bartolome Island but had to make way for the next group at 11 a.m sharp. Said group arrived early, at around 10:50 a.m., and our guide was not pleased.
To increase conservation efforts on the islands, Galapagos National Park recently doubled the entry fee for most foreign visitors ages 12 and older to $200 — the first price hike in 26 years. Migration is also controlled — only those born to residents can live there (only four of the islands have human populations; Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, Isabela, and Floreana), and the only way to obtain a green card is to marry a local. To obtain permanent residency, one must stay married to said local for 10 years.
However, they're doing something right: One guide, Fabricio Carbo, who has been working in that capacity for 40 years, said that some islands are in better shape now, post-tourism, than they were before. For example, government efforts have eradicated invasive goats and rats. For context, the ecosystem in the Galapagos is so fragile that even the introduction of a fly can mess it up. Upon landing, our plane and luggage were fumigated with insecticide to avoid this. This is also why we weren't allowed to pocket as much as a shell or feather, and great pains were taken to clean our gear to avoid transporting any live material or sand from one island to the next.
On Ecoventura cruises, there are two main Galapagos itineraries, creatively named A and B, which are one week each. Cruisers can stay on board to combine them. I did route A, which meant starting in San Cristobal, the easternmost island, and circling it before circling Espanola, then Floreana, and then Santa Cruz, before returning to San Cristobal.
Some highlights: Getting absolutely gob-smacked by a perfectly timed sunset through Leon Dormido's (Kicker Rock) 500-foot-high jagged edges; exploring the pristine Cerro Brujo beach, which was covered in snoozing sea lions; hiking up rocky Punta Pitt to see red- and blue-footed boobies; spotting flamingos (they fly!) in Floreana's brackish lagoon; and coming face to face with giant tortoises (up to 800 lbs/362 kilos and 150 years of age) in the misty highlands of Santa Cruz. Not to mention the sea lions, turtles, penguins, tropical fish, and white-tipped reef sharks we rubbed neoprene-d shoulders with daily while snorkeling.
"It's a National Geographic moment!" Carbo would holler each time we saw something incredible (like a booby feeding its young by regurgitating fish into its beak or giant tortoises mating), though the trip seemed to have nothing but such moments.
A somewhat jaded urbanite (who has spent 20 years in New York) and not particularly into birds or fish, I was surprised by how emotional these wildlife sightings were. I clapped in delight at flamingos, yelped out loud when I saw my first giant tortoise, and gasped audibly at every blue-footed booby I came across.
Truly, the Galapagos is a place unlike any other, able to restore anyone's faith in humanity and bring out a childlike sense of wonder and thrill.
How to Get There
Cruise passengers will typically fly from mainland Ecuador (either Quito or Guayaquil) to San Cristobal on San Cristobal Island, though there's also an airport in Baltra, on Santa Cruz. Flights from Guayaquil take about 1.5 hours, while flights from Quito (which stop in Guayaquil) take about 2.5 hours.
How to Get Around
For travelers not booked on a cruise, ferries connect major islands like Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, Isabela, and Floreana, and Emetebe Airlines offers inter-island flights on small planes.
When to Go
The Galapagos has a cool, sub-tropical climate with two main seasons, both of which have some rain. December to May is generally warm and sunny, and the water is calmer. In June, temperatures begin to cool: June to November see temperatures between 66°F to 79°F (19°C to 26°C). While colder, this period offers some of the best opportunities for spotting active marine life.
Know Before You Go
- You must purchase a $20 Transit Control Card before boarding. You can do this online or at the airport in Quito or Guayaquil.
- You must also pay a $200 Galápagos National Park Entrance Fee.
- You'll find a ton of conflicting information about what shoes to pack, but I was fine with Tevas and sneakers — no need for bulky hiking boots. In terms of clothes, I never needed my rain jacket, but recommend layers of UV-protectant and quick-drying gear, as well as a few bathing suits to rotate around while they dry.
- Pack reef-safe sunscreen — and lots of it. You'll be close to the equator where the sun is strong, even on cloudy days.
- Ecuador's official currency is the USD. Though you probably won't need any cash, it's a good idea to have some on hand for souvenirs and crew gratuities.
Galapagos Cruises
Ecoventura (which has three expedition yachts in the Galapagos — Origin, Theory, and Evolve) is the most luxurious option, as ships have only 10 cabins and feature four-course meals with dishes ranging from pistachio-crusted mahi mahi to pork tenderloin marinated in a garlic confit, sunset snacks and cocktails, and an almost 1-1 ratio of crew to guests (on my cruise at least).
Other high-end options include Silversea Cruises' Silver Origin, a purpose-built luxury ship with all-suite accommodations that fit up to 100 passengers; Avalon Waterways' recently refurbished Treasure of Galápagos, which carries a maximum of 16 guests and boasts floor-to-ceiling windows and a plunge pool; and Golden Galapagos Cruises, which provides luxury catamaran experiences with vessels like the Endemic and Elite.