Ocean Victory
Ocean Victory is a new and very unique looking ship that was built for sailing in cold waters.   Ocean Victory started her first year down in Antarctica sailing for Albatros Expeditions.  Then American Queen Voyages took over when she headed north to Alaska.   American Queen Voyages is known for its iconic looking paddlewheel boats that sail the rivers of the US but they are branching out into more adventurous waters with Alaska on Ocean Victory.   For the half the year that American Queen Voyages is running the ship they are offering one way sailings from Vancouver to Sitka and reverse.  I will talk more about the cruise portion in my trip report.  Today let's just talk about the ship.

Ocean Victory is a brand new build and really is one of the most modern small ship vessels in the market.  I am going to break this report into 3 sections - Technical Details, Staterooms, and Public Spaces.  

Technical Details

• Started sailing November 2021  
• 342 Feet long
• 6 Guests decks
• 93 staterooms
• 186 guests plus 100 crew
• Registered in Nassau, Bahamas (yes that surprised me).

With the highest Polar code 6 and Ice class 1A, Ocean Victory is the ideal vessel for small-ship cruising due to her sturdy construction and X-Bow®-Infinity class, which provides high stability in rough weather and allows for the smoothest movements on high waves, and a Solas 2012 classification which facilitates a safe return to port.
The vessel is part of a brand new generation of low-energy vessels, with 4 diesel engines and 2 electro engines, all controlled electronically to optimize speed and fuel consumption.

Staterooms

•  93 staterooms (90% with balcony, 100% with a view) 
• 22 sets of connecting rooms
• 49 rooms that can accommodate 3 guests
• 2 accessible rooms however there are parts of the ship where a wheelchair couldn't access so that is something to keep in mind.

  I was in a Category C - Deluxe Stateroom with Private Balcony (213-265 sq ft.)   This is the category that has the most rooms onboard.  It is very spacious with lots of storage areas which is great.   It says private balcony however at first you might not think that when you board as there are partition walls that will need to be locked in place.  Technically if the partition walls were not locked you could easily walk around the whole outside deck.  

The stateroom was definitely the most luxurious room I have had on an expedition ship.  Of course being a brand new build helps with that since the other expedition ships I have been on have been older ships.   The bathroom was a nice size with walk in shower but the best feature was the heated floor!   The ship has no single-use plastics onboard so do not expect to find any take home toiletries.  They do have the shampoo and body wash caddies in the shower that most cruise ships and hotels are using now.  I am used to expedition ships not offering fancy toiletries so I knew to bring my own stuff but some guests did not.  
The room could be set up as 2 twins or the bed put together just like most ships.   I found the bed to be comfy but I will say 2 of the 4 pillows were the hardest pillows I have ever felt.   There is a large TV that even offered a nice selection of movies and tv shows to watch.  Most expedition ships do not have TVs in the room or if they do the TVs only play things like video from the underwater camera on the ship.  Honestly on my other expeditions there just wasn't really time for tv watching but this one was a bit different (more on that in my trip report to come next).
There is also a couch and desk area with plenty of space and then the door out to the balcony.   My room was one of the ones that could sleep 3 so the couch could turn into a bed (more child size I would think).   Rooms also include things like binoculars, hair dryer, and a mini fridge.   The sockets might seem like they won't work for your plugs but pretty much most things were fine without a converter.  The things we heard that were not compatible with the room sockets were hair styling things. 
I did get to tour a few other stateroom categories and to be honest they are all very similar.   The suites of course are larger but that was about the only difference.  

Public Spaces
For a small ship Ocean Victory actually has a lot of public spaces.  There are 6 decks of guest area and there is an elevator to get to most floors.  I am going to start from the top down.

• Observation lounge - Up on Deck 8 all the way forward on the ship you will find this cozy lounge with 180 degree views.   There is a bar for refreshments and a good amount of comfy seating.   This area also had some nice spotting scopes and microscopes.   The guides and naturalists will do the hands on science stuff  and other talks in this location.
• Bistro - Also on deck 8 this is a smaller dining location which on our cruise was only open for breakfast and lunch.   There were not many tables in there and we were told on our cruise it was serving the same food as the main dining room so we didn't bother trying to get a seat in there.   There is also a BBQ area with outside seating in this area.   If the weather cooperates there is usually a BBQ lunch served during the cruise (didn't work out on our cruise though).
• Fitness center - Deck 7 also offered the fitness center which for a small ship was a really good size and quite a few people used it during the cruise (not me in case you don't know me).
• Spa - Deck 7 is also home to a small spa room which is something you usually won't get on expedition ship.   It offered a nice variety of services.


• Pool deck - yes even though this ship is doing Alaska and Antarctica it actually has a good size infinity pool at the back of the ship on Deck 7.  There are also 2 hot tubs.  I didn't try either on my cruise but a lot of guests did.  There are also some lounge chairs and other comfy seating options for soaking up any sun that might appear on your cruise.  
• Observation Deck - Deck 5 is basically all public spaces starting at the front with the observation deck.   This is where the special folding platforms are that can open up so you can do some wildlife spotting from a nice location.  It is a pretty unique feature of the ship.
• Expedition Lecture room - this is sort of like the theater onboard and it is where you go to learn all about each day's adventures the night before.  There were also other informative talks in here such as when some locals came onboard.
• Explorer Bar and Lounge - This is where you could grab a drink pretty much anytime during the cruise.   Also this area usually hosted an afternoon tea time with snacks and some nice piano music.  
• Voyager Library - this is a small room right off the lecture room.  It was a nice quiet location with things like books, puzzles, and other games.
• The Reception Desk - right in the middle of Deck 5 so very easy to find anytime you need something. 
• Ocean Boutique -  Yep there was even a ship store with some local items along with branded things.   There was also a small selection of sundry type items that you might have forgotten to pack.
• Main Dining Room - this took up the back of Deck 5 and had lots of nice windows.   There are mostly large tables but since our cruise wasn't full it was easy to get a table for yourself if you wanted.   The dining room served breakfast and lunch buffet style.  Dinner was sit down and open seating so you can arrive anytime during the open hours and grab a seat.   There is also a small section of the dining room that was separated that we were told will be a specialty restaurant but it wasn't operating as such during our cruise.  
• Expedition Desk - this is the only publc area on Deck 4.   It is conveniently located where you will many times get off and back on the ship on days when the ship is docked.  Expedition information was posted here and at certain times a guide would be available for questions.   
• Medical Clinic is down on Deck 3
• Mud Room - Also on Deck 3 and this was probably my favorite addition to an expedition ship.   This area is sort of like a locker room where you are able to store all of your expedition gear that you don't want to have to lug back to your room each time.  If you do not bring gear with you the ship even has some you can borrow such as mud boots and rain gear.  Your life jackets for going out on the zodiacs are also kept in your locker.  Directly from the mudroom you could board the zodiacs and kayaks easily.   The ship is even able to tilt a bit to one side to help with getting on and off the zodiacs.  One important note about the mud room is that you can only get to that via stairs so anyone that cannot walk down a flight of stairs will not be able to get to this area of the ship.   Since the zodiacs are not only used for exploring but also used for getting into some of the ports we stopped at it could mean some people might miss out on a bunch of stuff.

Ocean Victory really offers a premium experience for an expedition cruise.  If you want to get out into nature on your vacation but don't want to rough it this is the ship for you.   I would call it the glamping of the seas.  If you are ready to explore Alaska or Antarctica on this beautiful ship just let me know.

 When you think about Galapagos the first things that pop into your head are probably Charles Darwin and the giant Tortoises.  The BIG 15 that you search for while in Galapagos are basically land animals.  Some might swim a little but none of them live underwater.   As excited as I was see all of those endemic species I was also very excited to get in the water and explore who lives there too.  The leaders of Central and South America want to protect the underwater creatures just as much as the land living ones.  On the day we were leaving Galapagos they signed a decree officially creating the new Galapagos Marine Reserve.   ​https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/nature-travel/galapagos-marine-reserve-ocean-highway

 I would not call myself an expert or even an avid snorkeler.  I really had only done it a couple times in the Caribbean and honestly didn't enjoy it that much.   Then when we cruised Sea of Cortes 2 years ago I was very excited to snorkel with the sea lions which meant I did need to take a refresher course on how to snorkel before we got to the sea lions. 
 ​I realized that part of the reason I didn't enjoy snorkeling was that I just didn't like having the snorkel in my mouth.  I also hadn't snorkeled in a a wetsuit before so I learned that it is so much easier in a wetsuit since that does all the work of keeping you afloat.   I will be honest when our guide said you will always float in a wetsuit I didn't believe her so at first I kept feeling like I had to tread water.   Once I got comfortable enough to convince my brain I wasn't going to sink I finally started to enjoy snorkeling.   
When I booked the expedition cruise to Galapagos I knew snorkeling would be a must do - mainly because there would be sea lions and I had so much fun swimming with those little guys in Sea of Cortes.  I already knew I wanted a wetsuit since it made it easier but then I read how cold the water would be I knew it was a must have.  You would think being on the equator would mean warm water but it doesn't.  The average water temperature all year is 75 degrees.  So I also added scuba gloves and socks to the list to keep me warmer.   

​  With all the covid stuff I thought the ship might not be lending snorkels and masks so I figured best to buy our own.  I did some research and so glad I did since I found the best mask and snorkel.   I had seen some people wearing these recently on other cruises and I kind of thought they looked silly.   After reading  the reviews I realized those people were the smart ones.   We ordered a couple from amazon and so glad we did.   This new mask goes over your whole face and no need to hold anything in your mouth.  The snorkel also has a great way of keeping water out of your mouth too.   It made snorkeling a breeze.   I was able to stay in the water for hours and never felt uncomfortable.  
    If you really want to snorkel in Galapaogs an expedition cruise, like the Hurtigruten one I did, really is the best way.   I think we snorkeled almost every day in new locations and one day even twice in the day.   The first time we walked in from the beach but after that it was what they called deep water snorkel where you get in the water from the zodiac.   I had never done that before but it was easy and actually better than walking in from the beach because you get the cold part over fast. 

​There are a lot of amazing animals on land in Galapagos but also a ton underwater too.  It was just so serene to be floating on the water and all of a sudden a school of fish would dart your way and next thing you know you were right in the middle of them.  Sometimes I would swim along with them and it was just such a cool feeling.  The sea lions are also very curious and will come check you out.  Some also like to nibble on your flippers.  One time I caught a sea turtle out of the corner of my eye so I turned towards him but he didn't want to be friendly I guess because he swam away but it was fun to swim after him for a bit.  We also saw lots of different types of fish along with some starfish, rays, and skates.  On the last day the guides said they saved the best for last and then they told me it was the best because there are sharks.   I wasn't so sure but I figured if the guides were excited to find them it must be safe.   When I saw the first one I had a little panic moment but then realized he didn't care about me.   I kept watching and found there was actually a bunch of them and some looked like they were sleeping.   Every now and then you might see one of the birds dive in and pop back to the top of the water which was also very interesting.   
Getting to snorkel somewhere like Galapagos where there just is never going to be a lot of people in the water makes it so much better than snorkeling anywhere else (ok so I haven't been to the Great Barrier Reef yet but that is on my list). 

I have been on 3 expedition cruises since February 2020 and I am totally addicted now.  You might hear the word expedition and think it would be strenuous or too expensive for you but I am here to tell you they are not.  I will say they won't be the most relaxing trip you will ever take but it will be worth it.  Sure, lounging on a big ship is still a great way to vacation but I just love getting out there and exploring more when I am on vacation.   Here are 4 reasons why I think Expedition cruising is better than regular cruising.

#1 - THE SHIPS
Expedition Cruises are always going to be on smaller ships.   The expedition ships will usually average around 100 guests but also can be smaller or bigger.   In my opinion any ship under 1000 guests is perfect.   Even though they are smaller ships they offer different categories.   I like to call them - Basic, Premium, and Luxury.    The Basic ships are going to be just like it sounds, they have all the basics but not many extras.  Your room will be small and your bathroom might be really small and may even be what I call a typical boat bathroom where your toilet and shower all share the same square room.   The rest of the ship will have what you need but without any frills.   The Premium shpis will have a bit more than the Basic and will be a little more comfortable with upgraded bedding and a better bathroom.   You will also most likely have more public spaces to choose from.   The Luxury are just like they sound basically anything and everything you could think of for a luxury expedition (we are talking things like helicopters and submarines onboard).  

#2 - THE ADVENTURES
Expedition Cruises are all about exploring and just about all excursions will be included in your cruise.   Just be prepared to be tired every day!   If you would prefer a more relaxing sit by a pool and sip umbrella drinks kind of vacation than an expedition is not for you.   However if you may not be as energetic or maybe have difficulty walking do not feel like an expedition cruise is too tough for you.   The cruise lines do a great job of offering some less physical excursion options too.   For example on my recent Galapagos cruise there was the option to snorkel but if you were not up to that they had a glass bottom boat for you to enjoy seeing the underwater world as well.   No matter what your abilities are, you will see and learn a lot on an expedition.

#3 - THE CREW
An expedition cruise will still have the typical crew that you interact with on a normal cruise plus a whole other set of crew that are the guides/naturalists.   These are the people that are going to accompany you on your daily adventures.   They are going to share their knowledge and passion for what you are seeing and doing  everyday.   You will get to spend time with them in small groups so you will really get to talk with them.  Plus since the ships are smaller you really will get to know the other crew onboard and most times you end up feeling like one big family by the end of the cruise.'

#4 - THE DESTINATIONS
Obviously an expedition cruise is all about the destination.  These are those once in a lifetime amazing locations like Antarctica, The North Pole, and Galapagos, plus a ton of other amazing places with so much to explore that you could only get to on a small ship.   I had been to many Mexican ports on other cruises but when I took my expedition cruise to Sea of Cortes I saw a whole other side of Mexico!  On an expedition you are going to get an in depth and authentic experience wherever you go.   You will come away with so many unforgettable memories that you will be ready to book your next expedition just like me!

Packing for an expedition cruise is different from packing for a regular cruise.    While I usually try to pack light it can be harder on an expedition.   The one nice thing about an expedition cruise is you are definitely not expected to dress up at any point.   Clothes onboard are casual and it is actually OK to rewear most of the clothes you bring which I will admit was something hard for me to do at first. 

​On my recent Galapagos cruise many of the other guests commented that I was a super smart packer for the choices I brought with me so today I wanted to talk a little bit about what I packed for my Galapagos trip and how to decide what to bring for almost any expedition.    The 3 key things are Weather, Terrain, and Activities. 
​
   Planning what to pack for any vacation first starts with your own comfort level.   I know that I am always cold so I like to make sure I pack things to keep me warm.   I research what the weather is generally like where I will be traveling and that is where I start with what I will need to pack.   Next I will look at what activities I will be doing on this vacation and then I decide what I will need to make those activities the most comfortable.  I also learn from each vacation and try to pay attention to what my guides are wearing for certain types of things and I plan to get those things for my next trip.

Clothes
For the Galapagos I did my research on the weather and the terrain.   That told me that I would need to plan for layers which really does work best for almost any travel.    It is always better to be able to take off a layer if you get hot.   I also read that we would be visiting Galapagos in the wet season so I packed a light rain jacket.    We didn't end up really needing the rain gear but that was OK.    Galapagos is on the equator so I knew the sun would be strong no matter what time of year it was.   I prefer to wear lightweight clothes that have an SPF vs lathering on the sunscreen.   My go to for clothes like that is Columbia.   I like to have pants and a button down shirt so I can have another shirt layered underneath but if it will be hot I go for one of their cooling shirts.   Also do not forget a good hat to shade your face and neck.   These clothes work for either hiking, kayaking, or riding around on the zodiacs since they are light and will shield you from the sun and also dry fast when they get wet. 

Shoes
  Shoes are one of those things that take up a lot of suitcase space and can be heavy so trying to take the least amount of shoes but still be comfortable is key.   I read about what kind of hikes we would be doing and as is typical on most expedition type cruises we would be taking zodiacs over to land and many times it would be a wet landing.   I tend to be a flip flop person so if it was just going to be a beach walk that would be fine however most of the land in Galapagos is rocky so hiking type shoes work best.   Having been on a couple expedition cruises  I had seen the guides wearing hiking sandals and those seem to work nicely since they can get wet on the landing but still protect your feet for rougher terrain.  I will be honest I have never been a fan of the way tevas look so I researched some other options and I found Chacos.  I liked the way they looked and they got great reviews so I ordered a pair.   They worked perfectly for me on this trip so I was very happy.   Very important - if you buy new shoes for any vacation be sure to break them in before leaving home.   Some others on our trip brought hiking sneakers and would either go barefoot off the zodiac or would wear other shoes that could get wet and then dry off their feet and put on the hiking shoes.  To me that seemed like too much extra.    

Accessories
  Galapagos is one of those places where the snorkeling is amazing and you don't want to miss the chance to do it.   The water isn't as warm as you might expect though so if floating in 75 degree water for an hour doesn't sound appealing then you will want to be like me and bring a wetsuit.    Many expedition boats might also carry some wetsuits you can borrow however you might be surprised to find the wetsuits are shorties like on our boat.  I was very happy to have my full length wetsuit since it allowed me to spend way more time in the water than the guests that were wearing the shorties.   Our previous expedition in Sea of Cotes did loan us full wetsuits so that is also how I knew I really preferred a full length but I also wasn't super crazy about wearing a loaner for something that is so close to so much skin.   Another snorkeling item that you might not feel too comfortable using a loaner is the mask and snorkel.   With all the covid stuff I wasn't totally sure the ship would be offering the snorkels to use so I figured best to buy my own anyway.   When I did my research I found many people were raving about this new type of snorkel mask that gives you a much better view and you didn't have to hold the snorkel part in your mouth.   I am so glad I found that mask for this trip as it really was as great as the reviews said!   Also being someone that gets cold very easily I also had a few other accessories like diving gloves and socks to keep me warm.   
A few other accessories that come in handy on expeditions are a good camera/underwater camera for snorkeling, a small backpack/dry bag, binoculars, and a refillable water bottle (our ship gave each guest a nice bottle and had filling stations onboard).   

I have learned the hard way that on an expedition it really doesn't hurt to pack those things that you normally might not want to waste precious suitcase space on since most expeditions are probably once in a lifetime trips so you don't want to miss out because you don't have the right gear. 

  I know Galapagos is one of those places on many people's bucket list.  It was definitely on mine so when I got the opportunity to take advantage of a special offer I couldn't pass it up.   It was going to be Hurtigruten's First time offering a cruise in the Galapagos and they were inviting some agents to join them.   I had just 2 weeks to get prepared for this trip of a lifetime.  Sometimes it can be better that way but I usually prefer a little more time to enjoy the anticipation.    Anyway what I quickly learned is that getting to Ecuador really isn't as bad as I thought.  I guess in my head I always thought of the Galapagos as been this exotic far flung place to visit.  In reality it was just a 3 and half hour flight from Miami!   OK sure I had to drive about 3 hours to get to Miami but to me that was worth it to get a non-stop flight (especially in winter).   Two other unexpected things I realized were Ecuador is in the same time zone as FL and they use US Dollars as their currency.   To me that was a double bonus - no jet lag and no having to exchange money.    

Day 1  Arrive in Ecuador and explore around Quito
   Everyone going to Galapagos does have to stop in Ecuador first.   Our cruise package started with a visit to Quito.  It was nice to have a pre-cruise tour around Ecuador included in the package.  The first morning we had to be up early to meet the group and take a bus up to Cotopaxi National Park which was a chance for us to get to see some of the Volcanos that make up this area of the world.   Cotopaxi means "neck of the moon" which I think is a pretty cool name for it's half moon shaped peak.   After our visit to the national park we went to San Agustin De Callo for lunch.   It a little known colonial Hacienda that was built on the site of an Inca palace, which is one of the 2 most important archeological sites in Ecuador.  They had set up with a tent and tables in the courtyard for our wonderful lunch.  After lunch we were surprised by a group of lamas that came to visit for a snack.   It was a lovely afternoon and we then headed back to the hotel.   
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Day 2 - Fly to the Galapagos - Baltra Island and Mosquera Islet
 This morning we were up early to head back to the Quito airport to catch our flight over to the Galapagos.   It was about a 3 hour flight over to the islands from Quito (mainly because we had to make a stop in Guayaquil).   We stayed on the plane but many other guests got off.   Even thought it was only about a 35 minute flight from Quito for people to drive between the 2 cities it would be many hours due to the mountains.    As we were making our decent into Galapagos I was very surprised by how brown and dry the islands looked.  I know they were formed by volcanos but I figured Hawaii was as well so I guess I was kind of expecting more lush and green.  It was just the beginning of wet season and I guess they hadn't had any rain yet.  I am quickly realizing what makes the Galapagos so unique other than the animals.   The weather here is influenced by the ocean currents vs the air flow so that really makes it hard to predict what it will be like.  Being on the equator does mean temperatures are generally close to the same all year.   Another big surprise that I had learned in my research before leaving home is that the water temperature here is always around 74 degrees (which if you ask me is too cold for normal swimming).   Having learned from our Sea of Cortes trip we bought wetsuits this time so we were ready for the cold water.  
   The Galapagos are very strict about what things can and cannot come onto the islands so luggage is inspected and locked with a zip before your flight over to the island.   Once your bags are taken off the plane they first have to be inspected by a K9 team and if he sniffs out anything that might not be good your bag is pulled from the belt.  It is good to pay attention so that when you are allowed to go collect your bags you will understand why yours might be missing.   After the dog is done someone else goes along and cuts off all the zip ties and you can go get your bags.   We were met representatives with Hurtigruten signs at the airport and they directed us to the bus that would take us over to the dock.   They did tell us the day before that the boat will be anchored out and we would all be taken over via zodiacs.  That was good to know so that you can make sure to not only pack but dress appropriately for the journey.   Our checked bags were taken over for us but we would need to take our carry on bag onto the zodiac.   There was another ship that was taken it's guests over to their boat ahead of us and I saw a lady wearing heels and I thought she must not have used a travel agent that would have told her that was not the type of shoes for this trip.
Once on the boat we were able to stop by our room and then head to lunch.   After lunch we had a talk that went over what to expect during the cruise.   When going on safari in Africa there are the Big 5 that are the must see animals when you are there - Galapagos has the Big 15!  They let us know first up would be a beach walk in about an hour which was a great way to kick off the cruise.    We were split into groups and along with a guide hopped into a zodiac and over to the beach.   One very important rule of the Galapagos is that you are never allowed on land without a National Park Guide. Right away we were greeted by a bunch of sea lions so we could cross off the first in our search for the Big 15 already.   It was great getting to pretty much share the beach with them and take some photos.   Animals are not afraid of humans in the Galapagos so the seal lions could have cared less that we were walking around and taking photos.   The rule is that people need to stay 6 feet from the wildlife but there is no rule for how close the wildlife can get to humans if they choose to.   We also saw some of the marine iguanas sun bathing so we are up to 2 of the 15.   They are the only iguanas that have adapted to be able to swim and dive for food.   They can stay under water for up to 30 minutes.  After exploring the beach a bit we headed back to the boat where our next thing was the safety drill.   Just like any cruise you need to know where you muster station is and how to don your life vest.   We did all that and then we were told what to expect the next day.   

Day 3 - San Cristobal Island / Punta Pitt
  Another early morning and we had the option to hike or ride the zodiacs both options were basically so you could see some of the birds on the Big 15.   Our expedition guide said the hike would be what he calls difficult and since it started at 6:15 am I opted for the easier zodiac ride.   We got to see lots of birds and were able to cross of 4 more things of the Big 15 - all 3 types of Boobies - Blue Foot, Red Foot, and Nazca.   We were told today's island was the best for spotting the Red Foot Booby since they are a bit more particular about where they nest and this area provided what they like most.   The Red Foot Booby are also the smallest of the 3.   We also saw a Frigatebird to round out the 4 birds from the list.   The Frgatebirds are big and look sort of prehistoric.  We got to see an owl having it's breakfast which our guide said is very rate to see in this area.   He did also explain that owls here have a lot of competition from the Galapagos Hawk so they have switched from being nocturnal to diurnal and that was why we were seeing an owl hunting during the day.  We got to see some Galapagos fur seals so up to 8 out of 15 animals and it is only day 2!   
  After our early morning activity we grabbed breakfast (yes this morning had an activity before breakfast so it was a 6:00 am off the ship kind of day- can you see why I didn't choose a hike?).   After breakfast it was out again for another activity.   This time we opted for snorkeling over kayaking since the weather was so nice and you just never know what the other days will be like.  I didn't want to waste an opportunity since snorkeling was at the top of my to do list on this adventure.   We were so glad we had brought our own wetsuits since the boat only offered shorties (short sleeves and shorts) which would not keep me warm enough.    We also bought a newer version of the snorkel mask which gives you much better vision and easier to breathe ( I will do a what to pack for the Galapagos blog next).  I was so glad I had read about these masks when researching what to bring to Galapagos since they were amazing.   We ended up snorkeling for over an hour and half and were the last 2 people in the water - I know that our wetsuits and masks are what made the difference.   We got to see so many cool fish and of course the playful sea lions came out have fun with us too.   After that believe it or not it wasn't even lunch time yet so we had a jam packed morning.   While eating lunch the ship was moving to the other side of San Cristobal Island so we could go to the breeding center for the highly endangered giant tortoises.  That meant we were up to 9 of the 15 after seeing the tortoises.  This was not the only day we would see the giant tortoises but these were in captivity so you were pretty guaranteed to see them here.  It also helped that it was feeding day so there were out close to the trails.

Day 4 - Santa Fe Island and South Plaza Island
After breakfast we all hopped into zodiacs to head over to a white sandy beach with lots of sea lions.   The most interesting sighting of the day was a sea lion that had just finishing giving birth - it was really amazing!  Watching the baby make it's way down to the water just after being born was just a WOW moment.   Bonus was there was a Galapagos Hawk waiting to snack on the afterbirth so that means we are up to 10 of 15.  We walked around the island and got to see many other things including the endemic Santa Fe Land Iguana which is another of the big 15 so we were up to 11 of 15.   We saw one that was in the middle of eating his breakfast which was a piece of the prickly pear cactus.  It was hard to believe they could eat it spines and all!   They basically just hang out under the cactus waiting for food to fall.   We went back to the boat to make a change into snorkel gear and went back to the same area where we just walked.   The Galapagos National Park has a lot of rules and one is that the number of guests walking on certain islands is limited to a certain amount of people at the same time.   We had our turn to be on that beach earlier so this snorkel was done from the zodiac and we floated around the lagoon and then climbed back onto the zodiac to get back to the boat for lunch.   There are also rules about how many boats can be in an area too and we could see the next boat coming in to take our spot as we were headed back.   After lunch and a siesta it was back in the zodiacs to explore another small island.   This one was covered in a scarlet succulent which made for some colorful photos.   We also saw more sea lions and this area was a sort of day care for the sea lion pups while the moms would go out to hunt.   On the other side of the island there was a large cliffside where many different species of birds were nesting.   We also spotted another version of Land Iguana which is also part of the big 15 so we are up to 12 of 15 now.  

Day 5 - Puerto Ayora
  Today was pretty much an all day off the boat day.   We took zodiacs into port where we boarded buses to go to the Charles Darwin research center.   There  were different species of Giant Tortoises from all different islands in Galapagos together at the research center.  We learned about all the efforts going into protecting these guys.   After that we hopped back on the bus to head to our next tortoise destination.  Along the way there was an option to take a brisk bike ride or stay on the bus to make a pit stop at a local farmer that showed us how they use some of the island's resources like coffee, chocolate, and sugar cane.   Coffee is the #2 economic source for the islands - Tourism being #1.   After that we made our way to our lunch stop which was at a ranch where the tortoises also like to flock to that area to mate during this time of year.  After lunch we were able to roam around the land of the ranch and walk amongst the  Giant Tortoises.  This was very different from when we had seen them in captivity.   They gave us boots to put on since we would be walking through a bit of mud and tortoise poop.  All of these tortoises made their way to this ranch on their own because it just happens to be the perfect spot to find a mate.   After they successfully mate the females will make their way back down to the beach to lay the eggs.   We did see and hear a few couples taking care of business.   It doesn't look like an easy task and the males might have had a little stage fright after seeing a few people come to watch.   Of course these guys on land seem to have it a bit easier than the sea turtles we saw mating the other day.   

Day 6 - Espanola Island
  Today was going to be another jammed packed day.  The morning started with what our guide called a long walk but one that was definitely worth it.   We were in Punta Suarez on Espanola Island.   The path had lots of boulders so it wasn't an easy walk so having the right footwear was important (I will include more on that in my what to pack for Galapagos blog).  First we saw a whole lot of Marine Iguanas - like piles of them.  These guys are nicknamed the Christmas Iguanas because they can be all kinds of shades of red and green due to the type of algae they are eating.    As we walked on we passed another sea lion day care area which I never get tired of seeing those little guys.   Then the trek took us over to the birding area.   Our first encounter was with a pair of courting Nazca Boobies.  We got to see the male present the female with some nesting materials to try and win her over.   It was very cute.   As we walked on we saw some Nazca Boobies that had already nested and were either sitting on eggs (one or two only) and some that already had chicks.   We learned that if the female lays 2 eggs only one chick will survive even if that means the parent choosing which one they want to keep and which they do not.   They will not keep 2 chicks because it is just too taxing on them.  If they all kept 2 chicks the species would die out.  Our next mission was to see if any of the Waved Albatross were still hanging around.   They come to this island to nest generally between April - December but our guide said there might still be some stragglers.   We were in luck and found a few adults and some juveniles.   Our guide said if you visit in March the whole island is pretty much covered with Waved Albatross.  He explained after the chicks are ready to fly they will leave Galapagos and head south where they will just float around for 5 years before they are ready to return to the Galapagos to nest.  
After our walk it was back to the boat for lunch while we were eating lunch the boat had moved over to Gardner Bay on the other side of Espanola.   You could see the amazing beach right in front of the boat!   We opted for a quick kayak before heading over for the beach time.  It was a bit windy but still fun to get to kayak a bit.   It was interesting transferring from the zodiac over to a kayak out in the water but it was easier than I had expected.  On the beach you could either hang out and do some walking and swimming from the beach or you could do deep water snorkeling.  Since we brought all our snorkel stuff on this trip we were not going to pass up any chance to snorkel.   We hopped back on a zodiac from the beach and they took us about a 1/4 mile off the beach to snorkel around a big rock formation.   We saw lots of fish, rays, and a skate.   After hiking, kayaking, and snorkeling I was wiped out I couldn't wait to eat dinner and get to bed!   That is very typical for an expedition cruise.  

   Our last morning it was back in the zodiacs to get back to the airport.   There was some nice shopping at the airport which was good since we really didn't see much of civilization all week.   The flight would make the same pit-stop along the way back to Quito but this time if any guest wanted to they could fly home from Guayaquil.   We chose to go back to Quito to fly home.  The cruise line does include admission to the VIP airport lounge which is a nice way to spend a little time if you have awhile before your flight home.  This trip of course required a covid test to get back into the US and it was nice that company escorted us all over to the testing site at the airport and made sure we were all set.  Thankfully we were good to head home.    Hurtigruten did such an amazing job with this expedition and part of that is thanks to their partnership with Metropolitan Touring who is celebrating 65 years in Ecuador!   Starting in 2023 Hurtigurten will offer even more options in Galapagos including 4 night sailings which would be great for combining with other South American locations.​