4-day Cruise on the Galapagos Legend

AWR Staff Member: Tilden Daniels
Travel Date: June 2011

The Galapagos Legend offers wonderful 4, 5, and 8-day cruises. With excellent staff and first-rate guides, the Legend is a comfortable vessel that allows you to see the islands in comfort and style.

The Vessel

The Legend is a 100-passenger vessel – large for the Galapagos but small by cruise ship standards. It is great for large and small groups and for families. I highly recommend the boat for families with children.

The cabins are comfortable and spacious, offering nice bathrooms and ample space to store your clothes.

Common areas on the ship include a large lounge and bar area, a pool, and a pool-side bar in addition to the dining room.

Day 1: Arrival and 1st Landing on Seymour Norte

Getting on board the Legend couldn’t be easier! Staff greets you at the airport in Quito before you board you flight. They help you check in for the flight, give you detailed information on what to expect upon arrival and they check you bags all the way to the cabin on the boat! They also provide you with a small book that gives details of the day-by-day itinerary and services on board.

The flight from Quito to the Galapagos takes approximately 3 hours with a stopover in Guayaquil. Upon arrival you pass through Galapagos park entry and you are immediately greeted by guides and transferred to the boat in time for lunch.

After lunch we had a little time to relax before a briefing and preparation for our first landing on Seymour Norte island. This first view of Galapagos wildlife was simply amazing! Sea lions, marine iguanas, land iguanas, blue-footed boobies and frigate birds were everywhere! We even had a glimpse of a red-footed boobie, rarely seen on Seymour Norte.

As we boarded the small zodiac (also referred to as a “panga”) to return to the ship there was a pelican fishing from the cliffs and a sea lion pup hanging out at the landing site.

Fortunately the rest of the trip was just as amazing!

Day 2: Dragon Hill (Santa Cruz) & Cormorant Point (Floreana)

The day’s first landing was a nature walk from a beach alongside a small peak. We quickly came across a large land iguana along the side of the trail.

Day 3: Suarez Point (Española) & San Cristobal

Day 4: Snorkeling off Santa Cruz

Practical Information

Meals: At the beginning of the cruise you’ll be assigned to a table by the head waiter. All meals take place in the dining room. Breakfast and lunch are buffet meals. Dinner is a set menu with several choices. One evening is reserved for an outdoor barbecue around the pool.

Landings: There are two types of landings: wet and dry. Wet landings involve hoping out of the zodiac directly into the water, for example on a sandy beach. Dry landings are on rocky piers. While you’ll want good walking shoes for “dry” landings note that you can still get your feet a little wet during high tide!

Groups: Upon arrival on the Legend you’ll be assigned to one of several small groups: the Albatros, the Boobies, the Comorants, the Dolphins, etc… Group size is about 10 to 14 passengers. Throughout the cruise you will be with the same naturalist guide.

Note: During my cruise I also visited the Coral II. Both of the Coral boats offer the same comfort and quality as the Legend but on a smaller vessel.