National Geographic Islander Review

Galapagos on Islander

Review for Galapagos Cruise on National Geographic Islander
User Avatar
BettyOhio
2-5 Cruises • Age 70s

Rating by category

Cabin
Value for Money
Embarkation
Dining
Public Rooms
Entertainment
Fitness & Recreation
Service

Additional details

Sail Date: May 2018

We thought we would be on the trip of a lifetime with National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions. The ship and staff onboard were wonderful.

The naturalists were a disappointment. They were very knowledgeable and full of information but their concern for the passengers left a bit to be desired. On our Kayak expedition no effort was made to make sure everyone was familiar with how to kayak - just told to get in the kayak and head towards shore. When my friend and I couldn't get the hang of it right away and were going in circles, our naturalist went ahead with the other kayaks and left us on our own - we had to wave to the zodiac and have him pick us up. There were long walks for those who thought they were in excellent condition and could do a quick hike up in challenging terrain. There should have been opportunities for those who didn't think they could make the "challenging" hike to do a shorter hike instead of just sitting on the ship. Some times there were zodiac rides which were great but there could have been an option.

There were several opportunities for experienced snorkelers to snorkel. But if you were inexperienced there was really only one time for snorkeling from the beach. And if you had never snorkeled before there was no one to work with you on the basics.

Cabin Review

Cabin Upper Deck

The size was small but we expected that. The disappointment came when we saw the size of the other cabins that were on the Upper Deck and the same price as ours. Our sleeping area felt smaller and the terrace was half the size of the other cabins for the same price.

There was only one electric outlet in the bedroom and one in the bathroom. The other cabins had two or three outlets.

The temperature fluctuated at night when trying to sleep - it would be cool when we went to bed but throughout the night it would get warmer so the covers kept coming off and back on again.

6 Helpful Votes
previous reviewnext review

Find a cruise

Any Month

Get special cruise deals, expert advice, insider tips and more.By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

© 1995—2024, The Independent Traveler, Inc.