Silver Galapagos Review
Amazing Expedition Cruise to the Galapagos Islands
Rating by category
Additional details
A few caveats before I begin this review. This was my first cruise - so I don't have the points of reference to other cruise experiences as others might. From what I understand, this cruise (Expedition-style) is very different in both format and experience from a typical cruise. That said, I'm very well-traveled - having been to nearly 70 countries including staying at some of the nicest hotels and lodges and dining at great restaurants-- so I can definitely compare this experience to those, if not other cruises. Finally, we are adventure-vacation people. It's far more our style to use our vacations to explore than to lie on a beach (though I like beaches, too!), so this was right up my alley.
Pre-cruise details/info: This was the one part of the experience I found a bit lacking (though it doesn't affect my review at all). I found that the info I requested wasn't entirely consistent. For one thing, I was told that we'd get free internet for only 1 hour per day. It turned out to be complimentary throughout (don't get me wrong, this was a nice surprise! But I would have stressed less about leaving work if I knew this beforehand). My request to get my Marriott loyalty number to the JW Marriott in Quito did not go through. I also did not get many details about day-tour options in Quito before embarkation. When we arrived, we were presented with a list of options. Would have been nice to have this beforehand to plan (instead, I booked a tour directly through the Marriott -- anyway, worked for us since it was much less expensive than the Silversea arrangements). Finally, at the airport in Quito, we were told that our checked luggage would go directly to the ship. That is not the case. Once you land in the Galapagos, you must claim your luggage and bring it to the luggage truck that delivers it to the ship. Overall, these didn't really impact the experience much, but would have helped some things go smoother.
Pre-post hotels/travel package: Because of the great value, we booked the pre-and-post cruise travel packages. The JW Marriott in Quito is lovely. Nice area with some restaurants you can walk to and restaurants/bars on site as well. There's a nice pool area with a hot tub. The Hotel Oro Verde we stayed at in Guayaquil was just OK (though rated as 5-star, it would be closer to a 3.5-star in my opinion) - though I do think it may be the best option in that city and is just fine for a short layover (but I was glad we weren't spending an extra day here).
Cabin Review
Explorer Suite
Our Explorer Suite room on the 3rd floor was cozy, but perfectly comfortable, especially since there was plenty of storage space. There are drawers under the bed and in the night stands as well as in the vanity. There are also separate closets, each large enough to fit out suitcases and hang all of our clothes. There's a stocked mini-bar and a variety of chips to snack on. The shower is great (rain shower with good water pressure). The room is refreshed several times a day and at turn-down, you get great Ecuadorian chocolates. We didn't have a balcony and didn't feel that we needed one since you could always find a space to go outside on the boat if you wanted to. The only downside to this is that the area outside our room was not private, so you'd have to close the shades if you don't want anyone to be able to look in.