I chose this cruise because the brochure promised extensive activities, lots of options and a lot of time in the water. NONE of these were the case. in seven days, we had a total of 2 and a half hours in which we were allowed to swim in the water. The rest off the time we were couped up on the ship except for time when groups of ten or more walked very, very, slowly looking bat the same birds, over and over and over again. The staff treated the guests as though we were under 9 or over 90 years old. There were more hours of "mandatory" lectures than there were snorkeling or swimming. There was zero flexibility in the staff. On the one day of shore leave -- allowed off the boat for a full day -- the guests were loaded onto buses and taken into damp, humid and dull highlands, even though the island had numerous public beaches and interesting shore sites that the guests could have enjoyed on their own. The entire philosophy of the staff seemed to be that individual requests should never be accommodated un Der any circumstances.
The whole week was a nightmare and bore no relationship whatever to what was in the brochure or what the Lindblad staff told me when I called to confirm that the activities I was interested in would be amply available. If you want to go to the Galapagos, consider Celebrity Silver Seas. The associated travel arrangements made by Lindblad were inadequate. as well. (For example, we said we would pay for first class or, in the absence off first class, for seats with extra legroom. They got us seats with no extra legroom in a row whose seats did not recline. Right behind those was an empty exit row. We tried to change to that row at the airport, but were told it was too late and should have. been booked ahead of time.) The only positive I can muster about this cruise is that the cabins were comfortable and well maintained by the housekeeping staff.
Our cabin. -- the most expensive on the boat--was comfortable. The cabins of our friends, who stayed in less expensive cabins, were cramped, dark and noisy. The cabins were well maintained.