It sounded close enough to the US, but varied, with 5 days aboard and 5 days ashore. What no one at National Geographic or Lindblad told me was that this was the inaugural trip; worse yet was that the trip had not been tested on anyone. I paid an inordinate amount, retail, no discount, to be someone's guinea pig. So, I still, after three months, have a really bad taste in my mouth because I've been had. This is not what I expect for two well-regarded tour companies.

On board, we experience long delays as the staff tried to find anchorage leaving travelers twiddling their thumbs, waiting, for hours aboard. One group was stranded in a Zodiac during a vicious rain squall. Outside tour companies were hired, on the fly, to take us snorkeling, on bus tours, and to coordinate flights. Equipment and transportation failed as did staff. Again, we were left for most of a day in the airport without information. When we finally arrived at our next destination, 30% of the luggage was missing. The land group leader was dismissive, condescending, and glossed over procedural errors and missteps that were so obvious to many.

I used to how these companies up as the gold standard of eco-tourism. This trip will be my last. Their offerings are spreading the company thin. Quality has been sacrificed for quantity across the board.