Last Updated on March 17, 2023 by PowersToTravel
I couldn’t possibly write on a single page the whole of a eight day journey aboard the Majestic. However, I can express my feelings in a single word: Majestic.
We arranged for the full eight-day trip in August, during the first year of the Majestic’s life. It was a fantastic decision. Because the Majestic was brand-new, they were offering discount pricing, as well as specific cruise discounts. That, combined with the 5% discount we received as returning clients of Adventure Life, meant that our trip was extraordinarily affordable.
Several desires dictated our choice: penguins, king-sized beds and non-stop touring.
- I had researched the islands and found that penguins were to be found on the west coast of Isabela during August.
- The Majestic offered beautiful looking king-sized cabins.
- We found that the Majestic visited all of our top destinations: Isabela for penguins, St Bartholomew for the iconic view of the beaches and pinnacle, and the Santa Cruz Highlands for the wild tortoises.
- Finally, the Majestic did not return to port mid-trip as many ships do. The entire group stayed together for the whole of the trip.
We chose cabin 9. Cabin 9 is on the upper deck and contains a full king-sized bed, of course with accompanying en-suite shower room.
Pros
All of the above. In addition, I chose not to snorkel due to insecurities about my pump. Now I realize that these insecurities were unfounded, but at the time, I chose not to swim or snorkel. I had been afraid to take off my pump during exercise, but I have since learned that the intensity of water exercise would have more than made up for the temporary lack of insulin. However, it was probably best at the time because the water was very cold in August, probably not ideal for a brand new snorkeler. The choice I made meant that each time snorkeling was offered, the crew would launch a panda boat just for my husband and I, and we explored the edges of the islands looking for penguins, blue-footed boobies and other wildlife. It was our own private tour.
Cons
From discussions with the other passengers, we learned that the cabins on the lower level were noisy. Apparently the engines were constant and loud. Those passengers looked somewhat bedraggled when they staggered into the lounge the first morning. It may be that the noise below was similar to other ships, as this was a small yacht, like many others in Galapagos. It was unfortunate that most of the navigations (cruising) occurred at night, when they wanted their sleep the most.
On a particularly rough navigation from the west coast of Isabela north and around to Santiago, our bed came loose from the wall. The head of our bed was right against the front bulkhead. With every large wave our cabin would crash up and down. Ultimately the bed itself began to levitate and crash. It was an adventure to remember which we hope has been avoided for future guests.
Among the crew, only the naturalist spoke English. Since this was the first season for the ship, they did not have a permanent naturalist (do any ships? I don’t know). So our expert naturalist, Luis, had to act as chief steward for us, and that on a ship with which he was unfamiliar.
Luis
Lessons Learned
Return to the Galapagos during the warmer season, take the plunge and snorkel. We traveled in late August. The garúa season truly does bring cloudy skies, cooler temperatures than we would have liked, and choppy water. That said, the west coast of Isabela was free of the garúa and we had beautiful weather there. I’m not sorry we traveled in August because we did see the penguins at Isabela, and saw tremendous bird-life throughout.
However, I would like to return during the wet season, to experience more bright blue skies. The Galapagos consists of so many islands and offer so many itineraries that one could easily return in a different season for a different experience.
Links
http://www.royalgalapagos.com/product/majestic/
A bit about the garúa and the weather: https://www.igtoa.org/travel_guide/weather
