Ecuador and the Galapagos – Day 9 can be found here.
Up at 7:15 am this morning – time enough to pack up our checked bags and drop them at the Silversea desk before having a delicious breakfast of omelettes, sausages, bacon, eggs, pineapple, and even miniature paninis.
It was a really good spread:
Back to the room to finish packing our carry-ons. We’re not leaving until 10 am, so we ended up having time to spare so we lounged by the pool for a bit. The pool was heated to a nice temperature, but sadly there was no time for us to take a dip. Maybe one day – after the security situation in Guayaquil has improved.
Speaking of which, it was getting on to 9:40 am which meant it was time to head down to the lobby and wait for our turn to depart.
There was a brief moment of uncertainty when some shirtless man started yelling at the group of passengers boarding the bus. I still have no idea what he was upset about. It seemed like he might have had an issue that was drug or mental health related. But an unsettling development in an area that’s been marked by so many security challenges.
We edged the kids behind one of the concrete pillars and waited for the Oro Verde guards to handle it – which they did, quickly enough. We were boarding soon afterward.
As you might expect, none of this has changed my view that Guayaquil isn’t a safe destination for Silversea, and that they should have changed the hotel to San Cristobel instead.
But we made it to the airport safe and sound, so that’s what counts.
We were given a pre-paid entry and exit voucher on the bus rise, and asked to check it against our passport. Everything looked good on that end.
Again Silversea’s logistics were spot on, and Guayaquil airport was even quicker than Quito in terms of dropping bags and getting through security. We then had about an hour to wait before we boarded the almost-two-hour flight.
During the flight, we had to complete a customs declaration stating that we aren’t bringing in any biological contaminants (seeds, fruit, hiking gear, etc.) and that we haven’t visited a farm in the past 72 hours.
Farewell Guayaquil:
Hello Galapagos!
Galapagos airport customs and back pickup was slow, but there was little Silversea could have done to make it otherwise. First we had to hand in our voucher and get our passports stamped, and then we had to go through bio-security screening. The only bathrooms are located before customs, though thankfully they let you go back to use them once you’re through, if you need to do so.
Our bags were coming off at record pace, but we weren’t able to pick them up yet – instead, we had to wait while each of the sealed bags was unsealed and then checked by sniffer dog. Once the bags were released, there was something of a frenzy as everyone grabbed their bags and headed for the door.
Thankfully, Silversea had commandeered roughly half of the local buses, so we were able to make it to the pier without much of a wait. It took maybe 10 minutes for the buses to depart, and then it was a 5 minute bus ride to the pier.
But not just any pier. A Galapagos pier:
The wildlife and scenery were already spectacular, but there was no time to wait – we had to get onto the Zodiac and head for the ship:
There was a heavy military presence in the harbour – I imagine this is one of the few spots in the area where they can resupply
Arrival went very smoothly. Out of the Zodiac, pick up a glass of Prosecco and a cold towelette.
Head to the check-in desk to get photos taken. Then up to the restaurant for lunch. There were a range of buffet options available, though I opted for the classic cheeseburger:
While the kids each had a pizza:
All delicious.
We then went for a bit of a wander, heading through the Explorer’s lounge:
And exploring above deck.
We found ourselves meandering down onto Deck 5 at this point, where we were pleasantly surprised to discover that our butler was willing to let us have a sneak peak into our rooms.
We dropped bags and slowly began to unpack. Soon thereafter, we were able to head back to the Explorer’s Lounge to pick up our keys.
Based on the research I’d done before the trip, I’d hoped that at least a few items of laundry would be covered each day, and that there was a guest washer / dryer that we could access throughout the cruise.
Unfortunately – neither of those assumptions turned out to be true.
Fortunately – we have free laundry.
I’m not sure how we managed it. I’m guessing it might have something to do with the 67 days worth of cruises we’ve booked within the span of 18 months? Either way, we’re very grateful to have it – along with $400 in unexpected stateroom credit. We’ll need to send a very appreciative e-mail to our travel agent once we get home.
But there wasn’t time to rest on our laundry-related laurels. There was the usual bit of admin to take care of – we needed to watch the muster drill video, and arrange for a smaller lifejacket for our daughter. But it was all relatively straightforward.
There was a brief moment when we thought our air conditioning might be malfunctioning, but it turned out our balcony door was partly opened. So big thanks to our butler, Jaoa, for immediately diagnosing this issue and setting it right.
93 guests are aboard the Silver Origin for our current voyage, out of a possible maximum of 100. This makes it a relatively full sailing, though it hasn’t felt it thus far. Service has been great, and that’s even with everyone heading to the same places all at the same times. I expect it will make the leap to excellent once everyone’s properly spaced out.
Off to the muster drill, which was relatively quick and painless. We’d learned last time that we’re better off just heading directly to Deck 7 in advance of the alarm. We snagged seats at the Grill, then waited for everyone else to make their way up there after the alarm was sounded.
Another 10 – 15 minutes until the drills were done, and we headed back down to the Explorer’s Lounge for the standard Zodiac brief and an overview of the itinerary ahead of us.
Spoiler alart – we’re going to be busy.
It’s looking like two stops and a snorkel each day, every day.
Having done our back-to-back expeditions the year last summer, we know what we’ve signed on for – but I’m not sure everyone else is in the same boat. To be fair, we weren’t either when we first arrived on the Cloud. “Evening briefing?” we’d said to ourselves. “Why would anyone go to that when they can watch us sail out of Dublin?”
(Though to be fair, sailing out of Dublin was pretty great.)
And I think it might be similar this time around, based on some of the comments we’ve heard from other guests. But I’m hoping that this is a pleasant surprise for them, like when you go for a walk in the woods and get lost and come across a cute baby animal. As opposed to an unpleasant surprise, when you get lost in the woods and get eaten by bears.
Just to be clear, this is not a knock against anyone here. Silversea sends you reams of paperwork to attest to your fitness whereas a video of what an actual Zodiac embarkation and disembarkation looks like – as well as the different levels of hikes – would be substantially more helpful.
And there is plenty that guests can enjoy even if they struggle to get on and off a Zodiac – lots of easy walks, and time that can be spent viewing the wildlife from the landing zone. (Besides, don’t we all need assistance getting on and off a zodiac safely?)
This is more of a criticism against Silversea, who I think could do more to educate guests about the rigours of expeditions compared to classic cruises before they arrive.
Anyway – it isn’t my job to play cruise-matchmaker, and I shouldn’t make assumptions. The expedition staff here seems pretty great, and I think they’re going to do a wonderful job of matching people up with excursions that line up with their interests and abilities.
Speaking of which – we’re headed to the remote northern island of Genovesa tomorrow, and we have two excursions on offer. The first is an ‘adventurous’ excursion called “Prince Philip’s Steps” which will see us climb roughly a mile over uneven terrain. The second is a half-mile nature walk through Darwin Bay.
We’re going to be anchored in the flooded caldera of the volcano that makes up Genovesa, so we should have no issue reaching either of the sites.
There’s also two types of snorkelling on offer tomorrow – both deep water and beach snorkelling. The kids have snorkelled before but it’s been a while, so we’re opting for beach snorkelling instead.
But I’m neglecting another vital aspect of the expedition brief – the drinks. So here is the drink list:
And here is a picture of my drink of choice, the Finch:
We also had a cruise-past of Kicker Rock, which was visually quite stunning:
Kicker Rock is what remains of a volcanic “tuff cone”, which are formed when volcanic magma meets seawater. The towers there are roughly 1/8th the size of what existed on that space. It’s also home to a wide range of wildlife including sea lions, frigate birds, and a wide range of boobies.
And just like that – the sun set on the Origin
We also went to check out the observation lounge:
It’s small, but very elegantly laid out. I expect we’ll be spending quite a bit of time here.
After the cruise past of Kicker Rock and the expedition brief, we then went to dinner:
I had the Honges Silvestres al Ajilllo (mushrooms and toast):
And the beef tenderloin:
While my wife had the tomato soup:
And the salmon:
For some reason, they aren’t able to produce a steak that’s much below medium. (Much to the disappointment of my daughter, who prefers her cows to be led through a warm room then knocked on the head.) I think it’s something to do with the logistical challenges of working with a smaller crew, but I’m going to try to figure out exactly what’s going on.
Also – there seems to be very little champagne on this ship. I keep asking for it, and I keep getting prosecco instead. Another question to raise with our butler when time allows.
But these are minor points – really! – which shouldn’t distract from what has thus far been an otherwise exceptional cruise.
Sleep was beginning to beckon, but I stuck around long enough for a Chocolate Duo:
And a liquor that our waiter, Alejandro, referred to as Espiritu l’Ecuador:
It tasted like lemon verbena and joy.
Then it was back to our room, where we opened a bottle of prosecco, stared at the stars, and watched the sea birds match pace with the Origin, diving after the fish that were churned up in her wake.
There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.
Continue reading Ecuador and the Galapagos – Day 11.