Aggressor or Peter Hughes for Galapagos

[oceancat]

Hi. We have the option of booking with either operation for a June or July trip to the Galapagos. Does anyone have any recent experiences/opinions about this trip and these outfits? It seems they both have good reputations for the most part, so it makes the choice difficult. Thanks in advance!

 

[diveborg]

It seems they both have good reputations for the most part, so it makes the choice difficult.

If you think peter hughes has a good reputation, then you haven't done enough research. There are more than a few people, including me, that will never go on a peter hughes charter.

do a google search on Wave dancer belize and read the first result.

Of course, other people have a different opinion and are certainly entitled to it, but I'd definitely pick Aggressor.

 

[oceancat]

I am well aware of the Wave Dancer tragedy in Belize, as I dove extensively with a dive master who what on that boat and survived. It was a horrible tragedy. However, the boats all seem to be basically franchised. I have friends who did the Peter Hughes boat in the Galapagos and loved it, so this is why I am trying to obtain opinions for the Aggressor too. Have you been on the Aggressor in the Galapagos, and if so, did you like it or not, as this is the question I am asking about. Thanks.

 

[boydski]

Have you been on the Aggressor in the Galapagos, and if so, did you like it or not, as this is the question I am asking about. Thanks.

Hi Oceancat,

I was on the Wave Dancers a few months before it sank (my only experiance with a Peter Hughes boat) and have been on the Galapagos Aggressor before. We had a great trip, which you can read about here, and have decided to go back to the Galapagos next year, so have chartered the Galapagos Aggressor II again.

In this case I'm hoping money speaks louder than words.

 

[cdreamer]

We've booked Peter Hughes Liveaboards in the past and we'll never do so again.
We have also booked the Galapagos Aggressor twice in the last 4 or 5 years, and would highly recommend them. They were a very impressive operation.

 

[Mossman]

I did the GA II in June of 2005 and it was perhaps the overall best liveaboard I've ever been on: extremely well-maintained and clean, good and diverse food, excellent service, and no complaints (I tend to be a nitpicker when there are nits to pick). Not only did they break down and clean all the SCUBA gear, but they even disassembled and sanitized the Draeger unit I had lugged down with me.

On the other hand, I've chosen the PH boat for this summer because they offer a 10-day itinerary and because I've heard it's as good or better than the Aggressors. It will be my first Hughes boat experience, while I've done three Aggressors in the past. This is the last year that anyone will be able to offer itineraries longer than a week due to new Marine Park rules. Too bad, 'cause if any place deserves a longer liveaboard itinerary, Galapagos is the place.

 

[deepstops]

Does every thread where Peter Hughes' boats are mentioned have to turn into PH bashathon??

Do you all really think things would have gone differently if that tragedy happened to the (foreign flagged) Aggressor boat instead??

And Diveborg, if you want any credibility AT ALL, don't use CDNN to back-up your statements. They are nothing but tabloid journalism hiding behind a bunch of dummy companies using non-existant addresses.

 

[diveborg]

Does every thread where Peter Hughes' boats are mentioned have to turn into PH bashathon??

The OP asked for opinions and it seems that several people share the same opinion about PH.

And Diveborg, if you want any credibility AT ALL, don't use CDNN to back-up your statements. They are nothing but tabloid jounalism hiding behind a bunch of dummy companies using non-existant addresses.

OK, how about some of the other hits, like the article from Undercurrent: http://www.undercurrent.org/UCnow/articles/WaveDancer200210.shtml

 

[deepstops]

The OP asked for opinions and it seems that several people share the same opinion about PH.

OK, how about some of the other hits, like the article from Undercurrent: http://www.undercurrent.org/UCnow/articles/WaveDancer200210.shtml

Back to my other question you seem to have missed: Do you really think it would haved turned out differently if this happened on the foreign flagged Aggressor boat??

 

[oceancat]

Boydski--thank you for the link to your amazing pages. Thank you to others that have been on one boat or the other can gave me your opinions. I am leaning towards the aggressor boat, I just hope the timing will work out with our friends we are going with.

Diveborg, as mentioned, I know all about the Belize accident--I was in Belize not long after and everyone was still talking about it. PLEASE, this isn' t supposed to be a debate on the belize accident. If you have been on the Galapagos boats, I would love to hear your stories/opinions.

Also--we are going to take some extra time to explore the Islands and do a land-based tour. Does anyone have any suggetions? Thanks!