6:30 AM - Wake-up call and breakfast
You'll wake up early on board the cruise ship, typically around 6:30 AM, to make the most of your day. A wake-up call from the crew will ensure you don't miss the start of your day. Breakfast is usually served around 7:00 AM, and it's a hearty affair to prepare you for the day ahead. Expect a mix of traditional Ecuadorian and international dishes.
8:00 AM - Morning Excursion*
After breakfast, it's time to explore the islands. You'll board a small boat called a "panga" and head to the shore for your first excursion of the day. A naturalist guide will accompany you to explain the unique flora and fauna that you'll encounter on your hike. You'll also have the opportunity to snorkel and swim in the clear waters of the Galapagos. The morning is the best time to explore the islands when the wildlife is most active.
12:00 PM - Return to the cruise ship for lunch
After a morning of exploration, it's time to return to the cruise ship for lunch. The chef will prepare a delicious meal, and you can choose to dine inside the dining room or outside on the deck. You'll have some free time after lunch to relax, read a book, or chat with your fellow passengers.
3:00 PM - Afternoon Excursion*
In the afternoon, it's time for your second excursion of the day. You'll take another panga to a different island for a new adventure. You may visit a different type of habitat or encounter different species of wildlife. Your naturalist guide will provide you with a deeper understanding of the unique ecosystems of the Galapagos. Again, you'll have the opportunity to snorkel and swim, and possibly even encounter sea turtles, sea lions, or marine iguanas. If your boat has kayaks on board (as ours did) you might also have the opportunity to use those water toys on a third excursion for the day
*Not all excursions are created equally but generally speaking our two daily excursions consisted of a land based tour and a snorkeling tour. The land tour often included time at the end to swim or sit on the beach to continue observing the wildlife
6:00 PM - Return to the cruise ship
After a full day of exploration, it's time to return to the cruise ship to freshen up before dinner. Typically there is happy hour on board where you can enjoy a drink at the bar and then everyone will assemble for a debrief of the day. Your guide will talk about what to expect for the next days activities, where you will go, what you will do and what you need to bring along. Dinner will be served afterwards. On our ship this was a plated meal which we had selected earlier in the day, generally there were meat and seafood options as well as vegetarian options for those that requested it. The food on our ship was delicious but simple with a good mix of Ecuadorian and international fare.
Most nights there would be a little something special presented by the crew. One night a cake (for my birthday), one night a pirate theme where the whole crew came out singing. This was often a short bit of entertainment and fun before dinner or bed
8:00 PM - Off to bed
A long day in the sun meant most people were ready for bed right after dinner. Occasionally we'd head up on deck to lounge but most often it was a game of cards and asleep by 9.
Though each day was different it was nice to have that predictable schedule keeping everything together!
