While we would agree with the vast majority of travelers who describe a visit to the Galapagos as a “trip of a lifetime” that should be on everyone’s bucket list given the incredible opportunities to discover what is essentially a showcase for remarkable and unique examples of geology and evolutionary biology, our idea of a relaxing and recreational holiday from work has never included adjectives such as “rustic,” a characterization we came across too frequently while looking into the possibilities for this destination. Acknowledging that our camping days were firmly behind us, our research led us to consider the larger “luxury class” cruise offerings based on their available amenities and services, as well as the perceived stability and creature comforts of the larger vessels.

We chose Silversea not only because of their stellar reputation for quality and service, but most especially because of the simple, seamless, all-inclusive booking options they offered. Christian at Silversea efficiently arranged our reservations, including all the logistics of air travel, ground transportation, and hotel stays before and after the cruise, with just one stress-free call and one fee. With the exception of the elective purchase of the video DVD and photo CD ($150 and worth every penny) made to document our expedition by Jorge the onboard videographer, along with nominal laundry charges, all beverages (alcohol, specialty coffee, etc., and not just with meals), Wi-Fi (perfectly adequate for email and messaging apps), and gratuities were included.

Our flight from our home airport had one domestic stop, and from there we flew direct to Quito where we were met in the airport by a member of the Abercrombie and Kent team, the local travel representatives of Silversea. Once all our bags were retrieved, we boarded a shuttle bus to the Marriott hotel, about 45 minutes away. At the hotel, a separate express check-in table had been set up for us along with some welcome beverages. We were given our room keys and printed information about our stay in Quito (see images), all of which thankfully took only minutes since it was late and everyone was exhausted. Read more