Searching for Just the Right Galapagos Ship

[eponym]

Hi – I'm relatively new to SB (six months) and I have a question about Galapagos ships that I haven't seen an answer to in recent SB posts.

My wife and I want to take our daughter (she's 30ish) and her two daughters (6 and 12) to the Galapagos next April, during the girls' spring break week. We took our this same daughter there over eight years ago, on a small-group natural history cruise. Since then, both my daughter and I have learned to dive and the little girls have honed their shipboard smarts on two sailing trips.

I'm looking for a one-week Galapagos cruise on a boat that's family-oriented rather than a dedicated diver liveaboard. But I'm hoping to find a ship that's just large enough (sixty passengers, maybe?) to also include a small dive setup (divemaster, tanks, compressor) in addition to the usual nature hikes and snorkeling.

If any SB members have seen or heard of some such and would mention them here I'd be grateful.

-Bryan

_______________________________________________
"My, what a nice depression. Fits me rather nicely."
-- Douglas Adams, 1952 – 2001

 

[boydski]

I'm looking for a one-week Galapagos cruise on a boat that's family-oriented rather than a dedicated diver liveaboard.

Hi Bryan,

Sounds like a really nice spring break for you and your girls!

My only experience in the Galapagos is on an Aggressor dive live-aboard, but we had some relatively new cold-water divers with our group, and they had a great time. I think your family would really enjoy it.

There is plenty of topside entertainment besides the diving, and the whale sharks are out in force up at Wolf and Darwin Islands (which you'll only see on a dive live-aboard). My trip report isn't quite finished, but you might find some useful information about our experiences there.

Have a Great Trip!

 

[eponym]

Thanks for the info, Scott. I have the Agressor booklet here at home, so when you mentioned them I looked up their Galapagos ships and prices. I have to admit that's right out of our price range, since there will be five or six of us including three non-divers.

But I've seen a recent Agressor trip DVD and if it were just me going . . .

-Bryan

 

[Seadeuce]

The "Mistral" is a good dive liveaboard. Look up Quasar Nautica on Google.

Took the trip a few years ago and loved it.

Cheers,

Seadeuce

 

[eponym]

Thanks, Seadeuce! I looked at their web site and will be phoning them tomorrow. I'm seeing the same boats and the same itineraries as some well-known "eco-travel" companies, but for two-thirds the price!

-Bryan

_______________________
The kid was on the hatches,
Lyin' starin' at the sky.
From where I stood I swear I could
See tears fall from his eye.
So I hadn't the heart to tell him
That he should be on a line,
Even on a night so warm and fine.

White Squall - Stan Rogers, 1949-1983