Cruising the Galapagos Islands is a dream for many of us. Lazily sailing through the stunning blue waters, snorkeling with the sea life or hiking a volcano in the morning and returning to a prepared lunch on-board your cruise ship is an idyllic vacation for many.
Like everyone else, the idea of cruising the Galapagos Islands is incredibly appealing to me, however as a backpacker I quickly discovered that this dream was beyond my price range.
Back in June when I first visited the Galapagos Islands I did an on-shore tour and loved it. But I still wandered what it would be like on-board a cruise ship that I see advertised so often.
This week I was lucky enough to be invited on board one of the ships docked for the night in Santa Cruz and it was awesome.
A new friend of mine works on board the National Geographic Endeavor cruise ship that continuously circles the Galapagos Islands, and whilst they were docked in Santa Cruz for the evening she invited us on-board for dinner and a tour.
Stepping on to the zodiac speedboat that ferries passengers from ship to shore in Santa Cruz harbour at 7pm was exciting. The man guiding the zodiac through the black night waters kept the small boat at a steady pace whilst navigating the small swell as the other passengers on board chatted about their day ashore.
So excited to have been invited to dinner on a Galapagos cruise ship!
Upon arrival we were directed to the dining room where the 96 passengers enjoy dinner every night of the 10 day cruise. A smorgasbord awaited us consisting of beautifully prepared vegetables, beans and salad, with both fish and chicken available for those wanting some meat with their meal. A choice of dessert was also available and as I have been living a vegan diet for the past 3 months the sight of cheesecake and banana crème pie was too tempting to resist.
Dessert was delicious but I found I couldn’t finish the rich food as living without for so long has surprisingly changed my tastebuds. However the wine I finished with no trouble 🙂
All meals on board are included in the price as well as wine, beer and soft drinks that are served by attentive staff throughout the meal.
After dinner we were given a private tour of the ship. Whilst an older model, the National Geographic Endeavor has previously sailed the Antarctic many times and is now ‘retired’ to the Galapagos. Being on board though I felt the age of the ship added to its beauty.
A library situated on one of the upper decks with richly coloured wooden book shelves, comfortable chairs and warm light from soft lamps placed around the room was a nice place to escape. Tea and coffee are available constantly and the room was a surprising discovery for me as I had never envisioned a library to be on board a cruise ship.
We were able to visit the bridge and see the marks past captains had carved along the surfaces indicating the number of blue whales spotted each year whilst traversing the Antarctic and now whale sharks in the Galapagos.
The decks outside have areas for passengers to sit and relax on days the ship is traveling between islands as well as a small swimming pool to enjoy.
The cabins were larger and more comfortable than I expected. The main difference between the most expensive and the least is the size of the cabin windows. I’m of the opinion there are so many other places to be on board that the cabin really is only for sleeping and would definitely select the less expensive option, smaller windows and all.
After dinner the majority of passengers end the evening in the lounge/bar. A band was brought on-board from Santa Cruz to play for a few hours.
The lounge/bar area is comfortable and relaxed, with passengers playing cards, talking with each other and enjoying cocktails from the bar.
Cocktails and spirits are not included in the ticket price and require additional payment, but the strong and delicious mojito I happily drank, in my opinion, is worth the additional cost.
Speaking with some of the passengers on board they were very happy with the ship and the daily activities provided. With shore excursions, on board information sessions about Galapagos and the wildlife, documentary film screenings, wine tastings and scavenger hunts there is always something to keep passengers occupied.
Prices of the 10 day National Geographic Endeavor cruise start at approximately USD$6000 and whilst it is out of my backpacker price range, after having seen what is included I think it’s worth the money if you’re considering a cruise. The friendly staff on board spoke both English and Spanish, the quality of the ship was fantastic and the included activities, drinks and meals were very high quality.
So with the final zodiac headed back to the shore at approximately 11pm we disembarked in a reasonably drunken state and returned to Santa Cruz. And at the end of a fantastic surprise night on board one of the most well known cruise ships in the Galapagos Islands I once again realised how amazing and wonderful my life is.
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