To be clear, I'm not an experienced cruiser (only one prior cruise 25 years ago, with no plans to sail today's giant modern ships), and we don't fit the typical demographic—I'm a 52-year-old man traveling with my 18-year-old daughter. We wanted to see the Galapagos, and we chose the Xpedition not for the food or the accommodations, but because it seemed like the easiest most trouble-free and comprehensive way to do so. And the trip totally lived up to our expectations.

We went for the wildlife, and the Galapagos didn't disappoint. Snorkeling with sea lions and penguins and sea turtles, carefully stepping around the iguanas, and photo-bombing boobies and giant tortoises. And of course, more sea lions and iguanas. Everywhere. The landscape was spectacular, the weather a welcome relief from our Seattle December, and I don't think there was a species we expected to see that we didn't get to see up close, with the exception of the flamingos, which we saw from a distance. It's hard to believe from the online reviews, but the Galapagos experience is not oversold. The wildlife is so abundant and so approachable that at times it felt like we were in the middle of an elaborately constructed zoo, going from exhibit to exhibit.

If you are a comfortable swimmer, don't be scared away from the "advanced only" deep water snorkels—there's nothing difficult about them, and the zodiacs are quick to pick you up if you want to get out. I hadn't snorkeled in more than 30 years, and my daughter had never snorkeled at all. No problems. And if you are comfortable snorkeling, don't be afraid to go without a wetsuit. Thanks to El Nino, the water was very warm last week—over 80 degrees at all the sites—and I regret the extra heat and buoyancy the wet suit gave me on the deep snorkels. I went without on the beach snorkels, and was much more comfortable and mobile. Bring a rash guard if you're afraid of jelly fish (never saw any) or you want to protect from the sun. But for me, the wetsuit shorties they provided were totally unnecessary. Read more