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LoginWe were met a the airport and took a motor coach ride to a dock where panga's (inflatable boats) took us to the ship. The embarkation was quick and easy. Our room was very spacious with a large win...
My husband and I and our three teen-aged boys recently returned from a spring break trip on the Santa Cruz II, Western Itinerary. We thoroughly enjoyed the Santa Cruz II. Everything was clean an...
My husband I and were onboard Santa Cruz II at the end of February for a 7-day, adventure-filled island hopping in the Galapagos Islands. I booked this trip through Metropolitan Touring online. T...
We chose this ship because is was not too small, nor too large and it was a great choice. We were not able to tour San Cristobal Island before we left, but we were excited to start the cruise an...
I highly recommend this cruise. The staff and naturalists are outstanding. The food is top notch all 3 meals per day and some of the dinners were truly works of art--coconut fish and crab stuffed f...
Santa Cruz II is a replacement for the much-loved Santa Cruz, which plied the waters of the Galapagos for 36 years. It is not a new ship; it was built in 2002 and sailed as Mare Australis under the Australis cruise brand, operating expedition cruises around Cape Horn and to Antarctica. Metropolitan Touring bought the ship in 2015 and completely refurbished it, launching it as Santa Cruz II in October 2015.
The five-deck ship looks and feels brand new, from the public areas to the cabins and bathrooms, all of which have been given a stylish, contemporary design by experienced ship designer Richard Nilsson.
Santa Cruz II is an expedition ship, not a "cruise" ship in the traditional sense, so do not expect a cruise director, a show every night or a casino. The emphasis is on what you see and experience off the ship. Having said that, you certainly won't be roughing it; the ship offers very high comfort levels, superb food, outstanding guides and excellent facilities.
One of the real stand-out aspects is the service, which is unfailingly polite and friendly. It might be a cliche, but the atmosphere is like that of an extended family that welcomes you in. It's not surprising: Most of the crew have been with the company for 10 to 20 (and in one or two cases, 30-plus) years, and all served onboard Santa Cruz.
The ship's eco-credentials are second to none. Metropolitan Touring pioneered recycling both on land and at sea, with a program set up in 1979. The environmental message is emphasized at every briefing, there are different bins for recycling in all the public areas, water is all recycled and you are encouraged to reduce and reuse as much as possible.
The passenger makeup varies tremendously, and it is hard to pick a "type" or even one nationality. The majority will hail from the U.S., the U.K. and Germany. There are a mixture of tour groups, multigenerational parties and couples. Ages vary from early 20s to late 70s, and during school holidays, you'll find children onboard. The one thing that unites everyone is a sense of adventure and curiosity. Announcements are in Spanish and English, with passengers divided by language (Spanish speakers, and everyone else). The ship is sociable, and you'll soon find you'll get to know fellow passengers.
Expedition wear is the attire throughout the day -- shorts, hats, long pants if you're about to head off on an excursion and sturdy walking shoes. At night, it's "cruise ship casual," so avoid bare feet and T-shirts, but shorts and sandals are perfectly acceptable. There is no formal night, and no one is overly concerned about what you're wearing, even at night.
The currency onboard is the US dollar. The recommended daily guidelines per person are $13 per day, for the crew, and $10 per person, per day for your guide. Tip the bartenders as you see fit.
There are 50 cabins and four category types: singles, doubles, triples and suites. There are no balcony cabins, and the majority of cabins are doubles.
There are no "family" cabins as such, but the triples can accommodate a family of three with a foldout sofa, and 36 cabins are interconnecting, and so could accommodate a family of four or more. There are no wheelchair-accessible cabins.
All cabins are furnished with twin beds (which can be converted into a double), a wardrobe, a desk space built into the wall with a chair, two bedside drawers and a full-length mirror. In addition, each cabin includes a small safe and a hairdryer. Each is air-conditioned, and you can adjust or turn off the temperature. There is no TV, but a little radio built into the wall pipes through a few music channels.
Bathrooms are modern and stylish, with glass-door showers, big basins and a supply of towels for use inside and on excursions. (The towels are kept above your head -- look up.) There is a shaver socket above the sink. Dispensers fixed to the walls contain generic hand and body gel and shampoo. Suites also have dispensers, but use L'Occitane en Provence products. Bathrooms are exactly the same for all standard cabins (including singles).
At time of writing, there is no wire to hang wet clothes, but these are being installed.
The 43 Explorer Double cabins are spread out over three decks, with the majority on the Horizon Deck and Explorer Deck. The cabins come in at 163 square feet, which is about 20 square feet smaller than mainstream cruise ships, but perfectly respectable for a small expedition ship. Each is comfortable and stylish and has a large picture window with a pull-down blind. (The ship has no inside cabins.)
Beds are very comfy, and you are supplied with a lovely soft blanket if you require one. There are fixed lights over each bed and a reading light.
Wardrobe space is fairly limited, and taken up by extra blankets, bedspreads and your life vest. (Life jackets are in a cupboard above the desk.) There is an electrical socket above the desk and two in the wall.
One downside: The walls are very thin, and you can hear every word and movement from your neighbors.
Two triple cabins come in at 192 square feet, allowing for a sofa bed against the wall and two large single beds opposite. Wardrobe space is the same as in the doubles. There is a small desk as part of a stand-alone wardrobe against the wall. These cabins would suit a family of three.
Two single cabins are available on the lower deck. They are around two-thirds the size of a double at 127 square feet. They have all the same facilities, except for a large single bed; the desk is part of a stand-alone wardrobe against the wall.
The three Darwin Suites are located on the Panorama Deck and come in at a healthy-sized 325 square feet. You enter into a small entrance hall, where you'll find a large wardrobe with two dressing gowns inside and the safe. You walk through to the main room, which is a living area with a coffee table, sofa and two chairs. It is divided from the bedroom area by a desk. The bedroom area consists of a large double bed with two bedside tables. There are two picture windows. Despite the size of the suite, they are not suitable for more than two people as the sofa does not double as a bed. However, all three interconnect with an Explorer Double cabin, so can be extended into a family cabin.
The bathroom is significantly larger than a standard double, with a separate shower and toilet, and a wash area in between with a single basin. The shower itself has a much bigger head than in standard cabins, and the gels and shampoo, though in dispensers, are from high-end French company, L'Occitane en Provence.
It is worth noting that the ship does not have cabin keys, though you can lock from the inside. This is very unsettling at first, and many passengers don't like it, especially as most people have brought along expensive camera and computer equipment. (The reason behind this policy is that people kept losing their keys on expeditions.) So, if you are inside and want privacy, make sure you lock the door -- otherwise, cabin stewards will just walk in after a cursory knock. Note that the safe is not big enough for a laptop, but could store a tablet.
The Beagle Restaurant on the Ocean Deck is the only dining room onboard, and all meals are served there except when there is an outdoor barbecue (usually once per cruise) or alfresco dining, which is served on the outside Panorama Veranda.
The food is generally of a very high standard: fancy, rather than hearty. (The gastronomic director is a Cordon Bleu-trained chef.) Seafood is sourced locally, and it's exciting to try a "fish of the day" that is native to the islands.
The dining room has enough chairs and tables for everyone (including guides and officers) to sit at the same time. People quickly find "their" table and will sit there throughout the cruise, rarely switching locations.
Each meal is served during one seating, unless there are a number of children onboard. In that case, a family dinner time (not lunch) with kids' food (burgers, meatballs etc.) will be served an hour or so before the main seating. Breakfast and lunch are buffet style; dinner is waiter service. The meals are served at different times, depending on the activities that day.
The dining room does not have a lot of character; it's more functional, with single-color chairs and tables and little in the way of decor. It is modern, light and airy, despite being on the lower (Ocean) deck, with a buffet station at one end. Service is impeccable, as you'd expect on a small ship, with the maitre d' and his staff anticipating your needs and your preferences after a day or two.
Breakfast consists of a hot option, such as eggs and sausages, and then everything you might expect at breakfast: cereals, yogurts, fruits, juices, toast, tea and coffee, as well as fresh-baked pastries.
Lunch is buffet style and consists of a fish, meat and vegetarian option, with plenty of vegetables, salad and rice or plantains. There is usually a soup to start. Most days, the kitchen will showcase a local specialty such as ceviche. Desserts include fresh fruit and delicious freshly made cakes. You order your dinner at lunchtime from a menu on the table, in order to reduce waste.
Dinner is four courses -- salad, soup or pasta, entree and dessert. Salad might be a seafood salad with octopus, soup could be French onion and the pasta might be penne with mushrooms and parmesan. The entree will always include fresh fish, a meat (chicken, pork, beef) and a vegetarian option.
You can order wine or beer at the table. It is not included, and wine is quite pricey. A fairly average bottle will set you back $30, a glass, $8.50.
The ship also caters for any dietary requirement if you notify the crew before you cruise.
The only other place where you'll get food is in the bar. It offers a few free snacks served before dinner --such as olives, popcorn and tortilla chips -- except for once a cruise when you'll find sashimi.
There is a coffee dispenser, hot water, a selection of tea bags and biscuits available in the library 24/7. However, a proper espresso machine, manned by a barista, will replace this in 2016.
There is no room service.
There are no activities during the day, and no sea days. The ship travels at night between the islands and during the day everyone is off doing shore excursions.
Should you choose to skip an excursion, the Explorer Lounge, a recessed area on the Explorer Deck, is stuffed full of board games, books and DVDs. On cruises with children, this is their space, and most of the books and movies are for them. It's a bit of an odd room with card-sized tables and straight-back chairs rather than comfy chairs, and is not really used by most passengers.
In the evening, most people congregate for a pre-dinner drink -- and occasionally a post-dinner drink -- at the Observation Lounge. The Observation Lounge really is the heart and soul of the ship, with a bar area in the center and comfortable chairs and round tables ranged around both sides. There is an open area in front of the bar for impromptu dancing. As the name suggests, there are large windows around the room. Two doors lead outside to the open Panorama Deck. At the bar, cocktails start at $11, wine by the glass is $8.50, local beers are $4 and imported beer is $6. Soft drinks are $4.
A daily briefing takes place each evening before dinner either here or in the ship's library; groups are split by languages spoken. On our cruise, we also had one lecture on Darwin.
On some evenings, when the ship sets sail at sunset, the crew will host a happy hour, with free cocktails or sangria, in the Observation Lounge. On the last night, farewell drinks take place up here after dinner. (The Observation Lounge is open 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to late.)
In terms of entertainment, there is usually one night of music and dancing per cruise on the evening the ship stays in Santa Cruz till midnight. A group of local musicians and dancers perform traditional songs and dances, and passengers are encouraged to join in. But this is the exception, rather than the rule, and on most nights passengers go straight to bed after dinner. There was a rumor of karaoke, but it never materialized.
The cruise line's wealth of experience really comes into play with the excursions, which make up the bulk of activity on this cruise. (Metropolitan Touring was the first company to operate a ship round the Galapagos.) The depth of knowledge and attention to detail from the guides is extraordinary (though some are more knowledgeable and engaged than others).
Passengers are divided into groups, usually of about 16 as that is the maximum number a RIB (or panga, as they are called in these parts), can carry, depending on age, ability and language spoken. Each is given the name of iconic Galapagos animals (everyone wants to be a booby), and given a dedicated guide who stays with you throughout the cruise. Each evening, the guides will brief passengers on what they can expect to see, timings, the terrain and whether it will be a wet landing or dry landing the following day.
Excursions vary in time and difficulty, and are taken at a very gentle pace as there is so much to see. Groups are called at intervals to disembark in order to avoid overcrowding at the back of the ship.
Most paths through the islands are exactly a mile in length (a group of U.S. naturalists visited the Galapagos before it opened up to tourism and designed the paths), though on one or two islands they are a little longer. For example, the visit to Darwin Lake on Isabela is nearer 1.5 miles, and on Bartolome there is a set of stairs that lead up to a viewing point; the total trek is closer to 1.5 miles and considerably steeper than the usual terrain.
Most excursions are theoretically open to people with limited mobility (for example, those who use walking sticks), but not wheelchair users. Note too, that the ship makes no provision for disabled passengers, and getting on and off a panga would be impossible. The ship also boats a permanent professional photographer onboard.
The ship also carries a glass-bottom boat that it operates in calm and sheltered bays on select days.
Reception and a boutique are adjacent to each other on the Horizon Deck. The boutique sells logo caps and hats ("The Big 15"), shirts and jackets, as well as various wood carvings of animals and small trinkets. You can also pick up travel essentials such as sun block and sunglasses. Both reception and the boutique are intermittently manned throughout the day.
There is no Internet cafe, so bring your own laptop. The ship is theoretically Wi-Fi enabled, with hot spots in public spaces and certain cabins adjacent to the hot spots, but it is patchy at best, often drops and varies depending where you are in the islands. It costs $40 for unlimited use throughout the cruise.
The library is a large space on the Explorer Deck at the front of the ship, ringed by an outside observation deck where on odd days you can meet the guides for wildlife spotting. It is well stocked with books including every conceivable tome on the Galapagos available to read or borrow (an honor system operates). It has a large TV for presentations. What it does lack is a bit of character, or decor, to make you feel like you are on an expedition; a few framed old maps or the odd compass or spyglass dotted about would not go amiss. We felt it was under-utilized.
There is a permanently staffed medical facility on the Horizon Deck.
You'll find the gym at the top of the ship on the Sun Deck. It's small, with just two treadmills and two bikes, but it has a lovely view with floor-to-ceiling glass windows. Adjacent is the actual sun deck, which consists of a small space with enough room for six loungers and a few tables.
There are two hot tubs at the back of the ship, on the Explorer Deck. There is no pool onboard, but on one or two days (weather permitting), you can swim off the back of the ship. There is also no spa.
The ship welcomes children from 18 months, but caters for kids from the age of eight and older, with a dedicated children's program.
All children are given a Young Pirates logbook in which they can sketch and write about what they see, filling it in at briefings every day.
Depending on parents' and children's wishes as to whether they want to be together, the ship will also lay on a number of dedicated shore excursions for children (giving mom and dad a break), with a naturalist assigned to the group throughout the cruise. These excursions might include walking at a swifter pace than the adults to get to higher or more remote spots on the islands (without the picture-taking, dawdling grown-ups slowing them down). They also get to steer a panga, and have separate briefings and meal times (again, should they wish) each day. Many of the naturalists are great sketchers and storytellers, and will help kids with their drawings.
There is no onboard babysitting.
The ship has two triple cabins and 36 interconnecting cabins, all of which would suit families.
Galapagos Itinerary: Santa Cruz II sails voyages to the Galapagos Islands year round, departing from Balta and San Cristobal.
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