Silversea made this whole experience so simple by including flights and transfers from Quito to the Galapagos and back to Guayaquil in their package.

Silver Galapagos is definitely in a different class from other Silversea ships. There is very little outdoor space and this ship is designed for those who expect to spend most of their time off the ship. Having said this, the ship was ideally suited to its purpose as long as one did not want to skip an activity and spend an hour or so in the sun. Anyone on Silver Galapagos must remember that Silversea has to work within the very strict restraints imposed by Ecuador and the national park authorities. Staff have to be recruited from Ecuador and service can be a bit slow without the polish expected on other Silversea ships. It could take half an hour to get a pre-dinner drink for instance. The ship has to be provisioned primarily with products from Ecuador and South America. This does lead to complaints that only sparkling wine from South America is available and not champagne. Additional constraints require meat to be imported only if it is precooked and vacuum packed. Steak is not a good option, particularly if you like it rare or medium. Fish is very good, particularly octopus and prawn/shrimp, both of which appeared on the menu at least once for each lunch and dinner and on some occasions we had octopus in three different dishes for lunch.

This is not a cruise in the conventional sense but an expedition. At least two and sometimes 4 different (included) activities were offered each day. On our tour of the Western Islands activities included hiking, nature walks, Zodiac safaris, snorkeling, beach visits and a coach trip to the Highlands. Although some guests complained about early starts to the day (we were often on our first activity by 7am), this enabled us to hike before it got hot and ensured that we made the best use of the daylight. The few Europeans on board found this easy as the time zone difference ensured that we were awake early anyway. Each activity was well organized with clear instructions on what was to happen and what gear one needed to take. All activities worked really smoothly and the local guides (freelance and engaged by Silversea for each trip based on language requirements and availability) were superb, enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Read more