Galapagos Cruise from November 10 to 17, 2013

Thank you for visiting my Galapagos blog.
- Review of Xpedition Galapagos Cruise
- See posts from individual days and all landings below.
- you can read the Quito pre- and post-cruise tour at this link.

A 8 minutes sample video from the Galapagos Cruise

Landings and links to video from each landing

At our 7-night Galapagos island B Cruise (Inner loop itinerary) departing from Baltra November 10. 2013. Link to video from each landing: we did Circumnavigate

Daphne Minor & Major; and visited Puerto Egas (Santiago); Rabida Island; Elizabeth Bay (Isabela); Tagus Cove (Isabela); Sullivan Bay (Santiago); Bartolome Island; Bachas Beach (Santa Cruz); North Seymour Island; Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (San Cristobal); CerroBrujo (San Cristobal); Kicker Rock (San Cristobal) ; Puerto Ayora with Charles Darwin Station and Highlands (Santa Cruz); and back at Baltra November 17, 2013. Click on the map to the left and open the  map with links to videos from the different places we visited on the trip.

We booked our tour direct with Celebrity Cruises at celebritycruises.com.
Flight to Quito was booked direct at united.com.
Get cruise planning details at galapagosexpedition.info
Below you will find blogs with reviews from each of the landings on itinerary B (Inner Loop itinerary) . 

Celebrity Xpedition Review
We found, that the best way to see the Galapagos Islands is by ship. By ship it is possible to visit several different places, both the wester and the eastern islands, in order to experience the different nature and the many special animals on the Galapagos Islands.

It is debatable whether one should choose a small or large ship. Size matters. Larger ships will have better amenities, and smaller boat will have more intimate atmosphere. The maximum size of the ships at Galapagos is 100 passengers and each group visiting the islands has a maximum of 16 guests and a guide (naturalist). The guide must in all cases be certified. The most important thing is the quality of the guides and the places visited
After review of the different offerings, we did select a cruise with Celebrity Xpedition. Virtuel video tour from Xpedition.  We chose Celebrity Xpedition a larger ship with capacity for 96 passengers because this ship is absolutely in the best category in terms of quality of cabins, public spaces, meals on board and guides in the Galapagos Islands.
Although there are 96 people, it was like a big family, and each group visiting the islands was not more than 16 people. At Xpedition, there are several different offerings at each destination - Long and short walks or panga ride only. Also the guides on Xpedition are among the best in the Galapagos. Unlike other Celebrity cruises the Xpedition is an all inclusive tour.

For the 7-night Galapagos cruise we have booked the 10-night cruise tour with two nights at J.W.Marriott Hotel in Quito before and one night after the cruise. inclusive breakfast at fhe the hotel and dinner at the Carmine Restaurant Saturday evening before the cruise, as well as and dinner at the Marriott Sunday evening after the cruise. Also included a Quito city tour and a visit to the 'Mitad del Mundo' monument as well as a local Quito market.

This 10-day tour also include the Xpedition charter flight from Quito to Galapagos. Luggage was brought direct from the hotel to our cabin, both ways.
There are two Xpedition itineraries - The Galapagos island A Cruise and the B Cruise. There is no big differences between the Outer loop itinerary (A) and Inner loop itinerary (B -itinerary) on A you will see nesting Albatross while B will have nesting Frigate birds. The major reason for the two itineraries, is to allow the animals some rest between the visits.

Videos from the Galapagos Cruise:

Videos from the cruise:

- Galapagos Cruise review, November 2013
- Panga Ride, Wet and Dry Landings
- Celebrity Xpedition Tour
- What to Pack for the Galapagos Cruise
See  itinerary and links to videos from each location
See reviews in the posts below including links to videos.
- Birds, Mammals and Reptiles of the Galapagos
- Galapagos Penguins and Flightless Cormorant
- Blue-footed Booby and Magnificent Frigate bird
- Galapagos Sea Lions and Fur Seals
- Reptiles of Galapagos Islands
- Larger Birds of Galapagos
- Orca Whale Watching, Galapagos

- Darwin Finches
- Galapagos Tortoise

The Highlands and the Giant Tortoises

Landing: Dry
Video from Santa Cruz Highlands
Animals: Galapagos Tortoise

After lunch we again went for a panga trip into Santa Cruz. A 30 minutes bus ride brougt us up to the highlands, to meet the giant tortoises in their natural environment.
It's interesting to see the difference between vegitationen from the younger islands to the west (approximately 1 million years old) to Santa Cruz at the eastern part of Galapagos which is 5 to 6 million years older.  Here was lush vegitation and large trees. We drove about 20 km into the country with agriculture, banana plants and coffee plantations. 
In this highly fertile areas the giant tortoises (elephant turtles) lives.
We stopped at a hacienda and went for a walk through the terrain and there

were lots of big tortoises  - interesting to see these approximately 100 to 200 kg heavy animals. After a few hours in the highland we drove back to Santa Cruz and the ship.
In the evening there were the guides and the captain's farewell reception followed by  dinner (we got Galapagos lobster) - and after dinner a glass 'farewell wine' in the discovery lounge. Then down into our cabin to pack suitcases which were placed outside the door before we went to bed.

The Highlands of Santa Cruz offer an exuberant vegetation. Large populations of Giant Tortoises are found here. Wild Tortoises roam free crashing through the mist covered guayabillo, pega pega, and grasses of the humid zone.

Galapagos tortoise is the world's largest land-dwelling turtle. The largest turtles come from the island of Santa Cruz and has a shield with a length of up to 1.3 meters. On the other islands the turtles are a bit less.The big turtles can weigh more than 200 kg .The shield vary not only in size but also in shape. On some islands, turtles shield semicircular, while the other almost in the shape of a saddle , it's completely flat in the middle and curves sharply upward in front.
 
The shell shape is closely related to the places, the turtle lives.  
If there is plenty of grass that turtles can easily grab the turtles are dome-shelled. But if there is no grass or other low vegetation , the turtle neck stretch up high to grab cactus and shrub leaves. Therefore, these turtles shield shaped like a saddle where the shield front arches upward. It provides plenty of room for the turtle can stretch the neck up high for food. Another example of an animal adapts according to the diet.

The Charles Darwin Research Station

Landing: Dry
Video from Darwin Station

We arrived by panga into the port of Puerto Ayora, and a 5 minutes drive with bus brought us to Charles Darwin Research Station and the headquarters of the Galápagos National Park Service  A visit here is a must for all visitors to the islands. We visited the Tortoise Breeding Center where they breed the endangered turtle species.
On some of the islands are introduced rats that eat the eggs - therefore collected the eggs to raise their pups in a protected environment and are kept when they are 3 years old re prepared to be reintroduced to their natural habitat. The authorities are working hard to eradicate the rats, but it is difficult job.


Charles Darwin Research Station Darwin Station is a working exhibition driven by the international , non-profit organization Charles Darwin Foundation.The station was established in 1959 and works closely with the Galapagos National Park to protect the flora and fauna of the Galapagos Islands and the Galapagos Marine Reserve to protect animals and plants in the sea.

Darwin Station 's primary work is to carry out research and help others to undertake studies in the Galapagos National Park and Galapagos Marine Reserve . All results from this research will be given toGalapagos National Park Service and Ecuador sregering , to provide a better understanding of how to protect and preserve this precious natural .The research results will also be published in scientific journals , reports, and is available for visitors. Darwin Station also educate the local authorities and schools in miljøubevarelse . In addition, the Darwin Station training of all Galapagos guides showing tourists around the islandsDarwin Station is open to all visitors to the Galapagos.

Las Bachas, (Santa Cruz)

Landing: Wet
Video from Bachas Beach
After breakfast  wi did a wet landing at a beatiful white sand beach at the northern coast of santa Cruz.
The name Las Bachas originates from the World War II, during which time the American army left two barges thrown away on this beach, the first settlers could not pronounce the name correctly in English which resulted in the beach of Las Bachas.

Las Bachas beach is composed of two that have a total of about 1 km in length. It is a white sand beach. The beach is nesting site for the Pacific Green Sea Turtle and we saw the 'tracks' from the Sea Turtles in the sand. In a small lagoone there were a small group of flamingos. We also saw Land Iguanas as well as Sea Iguana, Great Blue Heron, and sea birds.

In addition to the beack walk there was also optional snorkelling.

Las Bachas Beach is located at the northeastern coast of Santa Cruz. Its name comes from that in English means barge barge. It is the most important beach for the animation of sea turtles, flamingos and migratory birds and lapwings patillos real. Its crystal waters invite you to relax and swim or sunbathe.
See video Birds of Galapagos

Santa Cruz Island is situated in the centre of the archipelago with an area of 986 kilometres squared and a maximum altitude of 864 metres. It is a large island with a variety of geology, wildlife and vegetation, all of the Galapagos life zones are present on Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz Canton is the second largest island after Isabela. Its capital is Puerto Ayora, the most populated urban centre in the Galapagos Islands.