Just the Facts:
Ship: Carnival Jubilee, 3rd of the Excel Class ships launched in late 2023 at 183,500 Tons & 6500 max guest capacity.
Captain: Stefano Bonico - Hotel Director: Pierre - Cruise Director: Kendell Fire
Ports: Galveston TX - Mahogany Bay, Roatan, Honduras - Costa Maya, MX - Cozumel, MX - Repeated
Saturday, March 16, 2024
Carnival Jubilee B2B Cruise Review - March 16th & 23rd, 2024
Thursday, February 22, 2024
Celebrity Constellation Cruise Review - February 22, 2024
Ship: Celebrity Constellation- 2002 - Weight: 90,940 tons - Capacity: 2,170 passengers
I’m cruising as a solo on this 9-day cruise, unique as we call on NOLA before heading south to the Western Caribbean. This is my first cruise on the Celebrity Constellation (Connie), only my 3rd cruise on Celebrity, and my 207th cruise overall. They do honor my D+ status from Royal Caribbean as an Elite on this sailing. Always nice to sail a new (to me) ship...especially from my new home port of Tampa.
Sunday, February 25, 2024 / at Sea
Smooth river and seas overnight as we sailed south on the Mississippi and into the Gulf of Mexico at about 5:00 am. Since I skipped dinner last night I was looking forward to breakfast. I ate soon after the MDR opened and my waiter was Arta so good service. I ordered Hot Milk, a Fruit Plate, three eggs over easy (perfect), Hash Browns, American & British Bacon, and Toast…all were very good. I did a walkabout as I hadn’t really visited deck 4 … nice public spaces and access to the outer boat deck. I went up to Deck 5 and listened to the Oklahoma Sooners early softball game, they won their 66th in a row 8-0. I noticed the sign at the San Marco MDR about lunch being served on Deck 4 so went down to the main level for lunch just getting in before they closed at 1:30. I had a great two-top far aft at the big aft windows. I ordered the Pasta Bolognese as a starter, the Pork Loin entree, and the Cinnamon Ice Creme for dessert. It was very good and I was lucky with the timing. After lunch I returned to the cabin to listen to the end of the second game of Oklahoma Softball I’ve been following the softball team for several years now, only missing a few games. Yes, they won the 2nd Game 9-0 so 67 in a row and 14-0 this season. Again, the Starlink streaming works great on the Constellation. At about 5:00 pm I went up to the Sunset Bar for a beautiful sunset and a couple of cocktails. I then changed for dinner and stopped at Cellar Masters for Cosmopolitans. Elite guests have a 5:00-7:00 pm window for Happy Hour drinks. I then went to the Celebrity Theater for the production show: Broadway Cabaret. It features the 6 lead production singers doing notable Broadway show tunes (photo). Very talented group. The Celebrity Show Band is quite good as well. It’s now rare to find a live band in a production show on a cruise ship. Dinner and service tonight were very good, I ordered: the Escargot, Pasta Fagioli Soup, Wedge the Salad, Steak & Chips entree, and Peach Clafoutis for dessert. A short walkabout of the ship including deck 4 outer boat deck before retiring. It was a good sea day and the first time I actually ate all three meals in the MDR on the same day in many years.Monday, February 26, 2024 / at Sea
Smooth seas overnight and I slept very well. At about 9:00 a.m. I went up one deck to Qzine where they serve a light Continental Breakfast Buffet for Elite guests. I had Hot Milk, a Bloody Mary, a variety of fresh fruit, and Danish. It was nice and the Captain came through and stopped at every table. Nice. Later he made his daily 9:45 am announcements saying we had just left the Gulf of Mexico and sailed into the Caribbean…Cuba on our starboard and Mexico on our port side. A beautiful day today too, the warmer weather is most welcome. At noon I went to the San Marco MDR for lunch. I ordered: the Nicoise Salad as a starter, the BBQ Rib entree, and a very nice Orange Panna Cotta for dessert. So nice to have good dining service and tablecloths at a midday meal. I went up to the large Reflections Lounge on deck 11 forward to just enjoy the great view. They had music, trivia, and bingo at the time I was up there relaxing. I picked up ice on the way back to the cabin for my Coca-Cola and movie time. I watched: The Beach (2000) with a young Leonardo DiCaprio, I had never seen it…it was good. I went up to the Sunset Bar to watch the sunset and take some photos. Anthony and Made took care of me with an interesting Beach-themed cocktail and some cokes for later. The show this evening was a Magician, but I’m not into magic so I watched the Guest lecturer's presentation from this morning on the Cabin TV. The subject was the lost Titanic Baby and how the identity was determined from DNA. He is very good and I’ll try to catch his next presentation on the last sea day. We had three at dinner tonight. I ordered: the Escargot, Broccoli Soup, the Chicken entree (pass), and a very nice Cherries Jubilee for dessert. Witness was our primary waiter tonight. I wanted to see a late Motown show in the Reflections lounge, but retired…I’m now at that age where 10:30-11:00 pm shows are not quite as appealing. It was another nice sea day on the Connie.Friday, March 1st, 2024 / at Sea
Smooth seas overnight and I slept well. At about 9:00 am. I went up to Qzine for the Elite Continental Breakfast. I had Hot Milk, Danish, and Assorted Fruits. Very convenient for me just a few feet from my cabin. My goal for our final sea day is to pack, watch two OU softball games, and get a Celebrity Future Cruise certificate. I did some business and did some packing in the morning then went up to the Buffet for some very nice Fish & Chips, I lucked out as they brought out a fresh batch just as I got to the top of the line for them. Patience had its virtue. I ate outside on the aft deck…very enjoyable. I then a walkabout and stopped for the Futures Desk on deck 5, not waiting at all for a desk to open and very soon I had my Future cruise certificate paid for and a new Celebrity credit card. I took ice back to the cabin to enjoy Coca-Cola for the softball game. The Starlink on board makes it so easy to stream sports or movies…even in an interior on deck 2. The first game was very exciting and the first played in the new Love’s Field, OU won in the bottom of the 7th 9-7. I went up to the Sunset Bar between games for my final Cocktails. I went to the Theater for the final feature production ROCK by the full cast of performers. It was weaker than the first two, but they were one singer short too. I was able to keep track of the 2nd Softball Game and watched the ending as OU won 8-0 in 5 innings. Final dinner tonight and it was good. I ordered: a Cobb Salad, Escargot, Prime Rib of Beef, Chicken Chiquita, and a Sticky Toffee Pudding & a Blackberry-Ainse Glace for desserts. I did enjoy my three dining companions…all very different…but enjoyable company. I retired to the cabin to pack and prepare for debarkation tomorrow.Saturday, March 2nd, 2024 / Debarkation
They had a Helicopter evacuation during the night off the coast of Naples FL so we were within the Telephone range off Sarasota from midnight. We docked as scheduled at about 6:30 a.m. Not as many guests did the self-walk off debarkation so it was very easy. I went down to Deck 4 and the MDR with my bag for a full breakfast at about 6:50 am, Afterward I proceeded to walk off the ship…no lies, no crowd at all. I walked over to the Florida Aquarium and requested a Lyft ride. I was picked up within 8 minutes ($54.99). I was home before 9:00 am Easy morning.
Cabin
I had 2183 and was leery of the location until I boarded and then I liked the location…and excellent for port days. Large space and a large bathroom for an interior. Lots of storage. Neutral colors, no seating other than a chair at the vanity/desk, but a nice portable table that will go over the bed if needed. I like the Pillow situation, you receive one firm and one soft pillow (MSC does the same). The BR has a nightlight…always useful. Downside: Lots of doors slamming from the door into the crew area cabins.
Dining / Food
The meals in the MDR are very good, and the service and settings are wonderful. I love the tablecloths. The wait staff Arta and Witness were excellent, very pleased with the service. The buffet food was good to very good. Favorites: Carving Station, Pasta Station, Deli Section, and Salad Bar. I did not do a specialty restaurant.
Highlights of the Cruise
Port Day in New Orleans
Production Shows in theater
Port Day in Cozumel
Service and food in the San Marco restaurant
Sunset Bar
Sunday, February 4, 2024
MSC Seashore Cruise Review - February 4, 2024
Ship: MSC Seashore - 2020 - Weight: 169,400t - Capacity: 4,540 passengers
Captain: Stefano Aiello (Italy) Cruise Director: Endrigo Martin (Brazil)
Ports: Port Canaveral, USA - Ocean Cay, Bahamas (overnight) - Cozumel, Mexico - Costa Maya, Mexico
I’m cruising as a solo on this 7-day cruise, basically a repeat of the same cruise last month. This is my second cruise on the Seashore, my 21st cruise on MSC, and my 206th cruise overall. I do have Diamond status, the highest of the MSC Loyalty Club levels. The decorating theme of the Seashore is New York City.
Sunday, February 4 / Port Canaveral / Embarkation / Day 1
I have an early boarding time, last month worked so well I am driving late. I left the Florida Villa at about 11:15 a.m. for the drive to Port Canaveral. I arrived at Park-N-Cruise at about 1:30 pm., a very efficient parking company I have used for years now and soon I was on my way to the port terminal. I arrived at Pier number 10 at about 1:50 pm grabbed my bags and went up to the escalator, no line whatsoever. I went up one level to port security and through quickly. They had a Diamond card line and I went directly to a check-in counter. Very smooth process when arriving later and I was able to go straight to my cabin arriving on Deck 12 at about 2:15 p.m. I have a balcony cabin located all the way forward, actually the second cabin so a long walk to the closest (forward) elevator/stairwell. The cabin is very comfortable, especially for a solo. The cabin has a Queen bed, Wardrobe, Large screen Television, a Counter/dressing table with mirror, a Small stocked refrigerator, Shelving, and drawers inside the wardrobe, a Couch, and a small but adequate bathroom with a solid glass door shower. It’s a bit different from last month with the couch on the balcony side. After I unpacked and set up my cabin I went to the Brooklyn Bar and a Bar Server came to me straightaway and asked if I wanted a Cosmopolitan. I think that even without the drink package this will be a fine cruise as far as cocktails are concerned. Muster Drill began at about 3:45 pm. I positioned myself so that I got my card scanned at my Muster Station C (upper Theater) very early and avoided the crowding. I preordered the premium WiFi package and the reception in my cabin was good. They are strict about one device…and you can not change from a Laptop to an iPhone. I have a 5:00 pm dinner assignment in the 5th Avenue Dining room (MDR), located on deck 6 aft…it’s going to be a long walk, but probably needed. I’m assigned a 9-top solo table, but only two showed tonight, it is a very early dining time. Personally I was ready as I did not visit the Buffet today as I had lunch before leaving this morning. Dinner and service was good. For dinner, I ordered the Tomato Basil Soup, a very nice Scallop Ceviche, and the Roast Beef entree…it was all very good. For dessert two wonderful Crema Catalonia. After dinner, I did a walkabout (photo) then retired to the cabin early. I updated this blog, then it was into bed and some TV after a busy day.
Monday, February 5th / Ocean Cay Marine Reserve / Day 2
Smooth seas overnight just enough movement for a very enjoyable night's sleep. The bed is very comfortable with good pillows. We were docked at about 7:00 am and it is an overcast day…the Captain has already announced that we will not overnight here as worse weather is forecast for tomorrow, but I am very skeptical about that. I believe that they will use any pretense to cancel as it means less fuel and an extra casino night. I went to the MDR for breakfast at about 8:00 am and had a shared table. I ordered a Fruit Plate, Danish, Eggs Benedict with a side of Bacon, and hash brown potatoes. I was served Hot Milk which is not always easy to get on other cruise lines but very common on MSC. One advantage of this far-forward cabin is that the lighthouse is right off of my balcony…so I have a great view of the entire island. I did my usual Monday morning business activities and enjoyed cabin time. There was a big Thunderstorm mid-morning and they requested guests to return to the ship due to the lightening. We temporarily lost WiFi so I watched the movie The Yellow Rolls Royce on TCM. It was very good. I went up to deck 16 just to get a good view of the island. Guests returned as the weather cleared. The water here is beautiful and the Palm trees look better with every visit. This stop will only improve over time. I had a slice of Pizza while on deck 16. MSC is well known for its excellent pizza and this slice was excellent. I took ice and a Coke Zero back to the cabin. I watched the movie Libel this afternoon. I considered going to the beach as we had sun by 3:30 pm, but with the cool air and early dining decided to stay on board. An advantage of having cruised so many times is that I can do whatever I wish on a cruise...not feeling as if I 'have' to follow a cruise schedule. I went to dinner at 5:00 pm and there was a retired couple from Florida so they busted the solo table, still set for 9 though. Our wait team was good and had my water and my bread straightaway. It was Caribbean Night, but I stayed away from those choices, I ordered: two Shrimp Cocktails, the BBQ Pork Ribs entree, and Key Lime Pie & Arroz con Leche for dessert. It was a very good meal. Afterward, I did a long walkabout stopping at several venues, the production show was a Magician, but I don’t do magicians. They did an abbreviated light show from the island and lighthouse before sailing away. It was a different kind of day at Ocean Cay.Tuesday, February 6th / Ocean Cay now Sea Day / Day 3
Thursday, February 8th / Costa Maya, Mexico / Day 5
Calmer seas overnight and I slept very well. We arrived several hours early by 7:00 am as I was up using the WiFi. I slept a bit longer and then checked the beautiful weather we have today. At about 9:30 am, I went up to the buffet for some Eggs, Potatoes, and Bacon. I left the ship after breakfast and made my way to the taxi stand for a shared taxi ($4 pp) to the old village of Mahahual. There are three ships docked today and a lot of people at the port area. We arrived in Mahahual and I made my way to El Faro. That was our favorite hangout before Hurricane Dean wiped out everything in 2007 and where I hung out last month. They have now built permanent Palapas and the new Palm trees now cover shade on the beach. It wasn’t as busy today and I did get a shady table with great sea breezes. My server was the nephew of my server from 18 years ago so he called me Tio and I called him Sobrino. I had two nice MX Coca-Colas and later two large Mango Margaritas (photo). No food during this visit. The water was excellent and the beach was nice. From the water you can see the huge Cruise Ships in the distance, Pelicans and Albatrosses flying about, and the abundant beach activities. I got a shared taxi back to the port at about 3:00 pm and soon back on the Seashore. Rested and enjoyed the view from the balcony until time for dinner. Tonight I ordered the Asparagus Soup and three Shrimp Cocktails as starters both very good. Then the featured Steak Diana entree, with the Coconut Tapioca for dessert. It was a very nice dinner. tonight was my favorite Production Show: The Journey. It featured the Singers and Dancers doing a set of classic songs set in various European Countries. Unique costumes and a talented group. My favorites were France with Le Vie en Rose & The Can Can dance routine and Italy with O Sole Mio, the Godfather theme (dance), and the classic Con te partirò. BTW Con te partirò has been the theme song for MSC since it was written in 1995. It was a very busy, tiring, and fun day in port and on the Seashore.Friday, February 9th / Cozumel / Day 6 Smooth seas overnight, just enough rocking for a good night's sleep. I woke at about 6:00 a.m. and we were about to dock at Puerto Langosta. At about 9:30 am I was off and walking into town, I love docking at this pier, so much easier for the things I usually do when in Cozumel. My first stop was at Woody’s Bar & Grill as they are now open for breakfast. I did order the Migas. I made it to Antonio’s Barber Shoppe for a haircut by 10:40 a.m. ... another very good haircut too. No ZensiSpa this trip. The fast WiFi, Live Entertainment by Michael (photo), great Mexican Coca-Cola, and good Guacamole, Pico de Gallo, and Bohemia beer were very great on this nice and cooler day at Woody's. I did have a nice visit with Nelly too. I casually began walking back to the ship at about 3:15 earlier than usual and I made it back on board before 4:00 pm. I refreshed and relaxed before my 5:00 pm dinner in the MDR. Tonight I ordered the Penne all Amatriciana pasta as my starter, the Honey BBQ Meatloaf entree, and a Butter Pecan Ice Creme for dessert. After dinner, I did a walkabout the ship and then retired to the cabin. I had three new cruise bookings to do and I watched the movie The Sting on TCM. Long day so sleep time was welcomed. It was another great port day in Cozumel.Saturday, February 10th / Day at Sea / Day 7
Some rolling seas overnight, just enough rocking for a good sleep. I had a relaxing morning the went up to the Buffet at about 10:00 am. The timing was good as I waited in the buffet line for Bacon to be replenished they also brought out fresh eggs. Nice. I do wish that Cruise lines would learn that if sailing from the USA (and especially Texas) you must have Catsup and Ranch Dressing. Beautiful weather today for sitting outside in the aft, but as we sailed north the wind and weather became more harsh. I had some work today as the MSC representative told me how to link all the recent bookings I did on the Texas inaugural. Tedious but a good day to do it. I did a walkabout in the afternoon: I registered a credit card that I failed to do earlier, made reservations for Hola!, and visited the Brooklyn Cafe. I went to Hola! at 6:30 for a great meal, I saved the best for last. I ordered three different Street Tacos (photo), the Chili con carne hard Taco, Guacamole plus a refill later, a nice Queso Fundito, and two Enchilada entrees: Pork with Mole sauce and Chicken with Verde Salsa. For dessert a very nice Flan. It was all very good with excellent service. After dinner, I had cabin time and also began packing. It was a nice final sea day on the MSC Seashore.Sunday, February 10th / Port Canaveral / Debarkation
Fair seas overnight and I slept well although up well before my 6:00 am alarm. We arrived on time and were docked just after 6:00 am. I finished packing and was at the self-debark location at about 6:35 a.m. We began leaving early at about 6:45 a.m. and thanks to facial recognition we were soon on the street. I was on the parking shuttle bus by 7:18 and on the road by 7:30 a.m. Stopped for groceries, washed the car, and was home at about 10:00 a.m. Easy Peasy.
Ship
Maiden Voyage: 2017 I Gross Tonnage: 153,500 tons
Passenger Capacity: 5179 | Crew: 1413 I Length: 323 meters/1060 ft
Max Cruising Speed: 22 knots I Avg Speed 21 knots
Installed power: Diesel (40,000kW) I Propulsion: Twin propellers
17 passenger decks Builder: Fincantieri
Godmother: Sophia Loren
Cabin
I had cabin 12006 a starboard side balcony located on deck as far forward as you can go with a long walk to the forward elevators. Storage is fine if solo. The toilet seems smaller perhaps because the glass shower doors restrict movement. The cabin has a push-button safe, twin/king beds, a large padded headboard, two small nightstands, wall-mounted wall lights, a large mirror, a small refrigerator, a small table/bench (unusual), and a nice TV with interactive features. My cabin steward Andy was very good.
Dining / Food
The dinners in the MDR are very good, service and settings were wonderful. I love the tablecloths. Our wait staff were excellent, very pleased with the service. The buffet food was good to very good. Not as many selections as in the past, but the food variety was fine. Favorites: all the Pizza, all the Pasta, Guacamole, Hamburgers, and Salad Bar. I only did one specialty restaurant: The Butcher’s Cut and it was very good. I may say the Seaside food seems better than the Seashore.
Comments - MSC Cruise Line
MSC is very different than the usual American cruise lines and if you're looking for the same experience it will be much different. You may like the differences or you may be very unhappy with the differences. As an experienced cruiser, I love different. If you don’t like change or are not flexible you will probably NOT like sailing a European cruise line. Following are my personal observations on sailing MSC:
MSC Pluses
Beautiful Public Rooms, Good MSC Production Shows and entertainment, Quality and Beautiful Themed Bars, Nice Cabins, Hot Milk readily available on buffet and MDR, Attentive bar servers, and Good MDR Breakfasts. Tablecloths.
Changes since Covid
Announcements are now only in English
Fewer children since they changed the ‘Children sail free’ promotion.
Many more American guests result in more: Scooters, Wheelchairs, and complainers.
Hola! Tacos and Cantina
Port Days in Cozumel and Costa Maya
Ocean Cay Seafood Restaurant
Tuesday, January 16, 2024
Amazon Adventure & Galapagos Discovery - Ecuador
Amazon Adventure & Galapagos Discovery - Ecuador
I’m traveling to Ecuador for a 12-day land based Travel Adventure. I’m traveling as a solo with the help of a tour operator: Exoticca.
January 16, 2024, Tuesday / Travel Day
January 17, 2024, Wednesday / Quito to Amazon
January 22, 2024, Monday / San Christobal, Galapagos Islands
I slept well, the room is air-conditioned by individual units. I wish the hot water worked as well. Breakfast is served from 7-9 AM and I went at about 7:30. It’s a set menu of Egg & Cheese omelet, a strip of bacon, and a large croissant. Clever that it can be eaten as is with Jam & Butter or can be made into a breakfast sandwich for those on the go. They served a small pitcher of Leche Caliente (without requesting…wow). The Llamas met at 9:30 for our full-day scheduled tour. We went up into the Highlands to visit Galapaguera, the home to amazing giant tortoises. MWF are feeding days where they place fresh greens out in various locations and the tortoises come in from the wild to feed. There will be many found at the primary feeding locations. They also have a Nursery Area where the young are allowed to grow before being released. They are quite small when young. These are the tortoises that put the Galapagos on the map. They are amazing to see. The next stop was at Puerto Chino to see seabirds, but I took advantage of the beach as I had already been walked out. The Sea Lions already had the choice spots picked out but I found one and enjoyed the clean fresh waves… Afterward, we returned to the hotel for a two-hour break, I had a Hamburger next door at a cafe and rested. We left at 3:00 pm for the short drive to La Loberia for two hours of snorkeling and swimming. I just used my swim goggles but I went further and saw much more than most. I saw numerous fish as expected and a lot of small to medium-sized (18-24”) sea turtles that were swimming around individually and in groups. I then had beach time and watched the Sea Lions train their young. It was very nice. Once returning to town many (7) signed up for the 360 water tour around the island on Wednesday. I stopped for a Chicken Shawarma with Fries and Soda ($9) from El Arabe (Jordanian) as I knew I wouldn’t go back out this evening after a long day. It was a very good day in the Galapagos.January 24, 2024, Wednesday / San Christobal, Galapagos Islands
It was pouring rain when I woke at 6:30 am. Not encouraging for the biggest excursion of the trip scheduled today. It was improving by the time I arrived at the Tour Office. Seven of our 11 plus five others are sailing on a San Christobal 360 Tour…i.e. sailing completely around the island. This is the most popular tour here @ $180 pp. and over 8 hours in time, We met our guide, Christopher, picked up our gear bags and walked down to the pier at about 7:30. am We then took a harbor water taxi to our Boat…and we met the Captain & Crewman. There is a government official to ensure life vests are used, but once he is off they come off. Soon on our way for the longest sailing period of the day doing a little fishing to Bahia Rosa Blanca. We were shuttled ashore in a Dingy and walked across a volcanic outcropping to a sheltered bay. Here we snorkeled and saw numerous Sea Turtles and fish. Upon return to the boat we were served the raw Tuna we caught earlier…actually very good. From here we sailed to Punta Pitt, passing a pod of Whales, where we were served lunch and watched Red-Footed Boobies. The next stop was at Bahia Sardinia, a beautiful beach where the group went snorkeling, but I swam into the beach and enjoyed that, eventually the group walked over to me returning from their snorkel, humorous as it looked as though I was hanging with the sea lions. We stopped at Cerro Bruno a large outcropping and a photo opportunity. The prime photo is through the arch with Kicker Rock in the background. Also here were some Blue-footed Boobies. The best and final destination is last: Leon Dormido or Kicker Rock (photo). This is a series of very high huge rock outcroppings located off the main island of San Christobal. This is the best snorkel opportunity in the Galapagos. This is deep water which allows for a variety of unique opportunities. We saw huge Sea Turtles, Tiger Sharks, Sting Rays, a variety of Fish, and at the very end the Hammerhead Shark. WOW. What an experience. We received a towel and began sorting our gear on the way back to Puerto Baquerizo arriving at about 4:45 pm. This was one of the best excursions I have ever done and very glad that I did it. After cleaning up I went to Giuseppe’s for dinner: Nona’s Meatballs, and a nice Salad. Then the final walk along the Malecon as I returned to the Blue Marlin. An outstanding day.January 25, 2024, Thursday / San Christobal to Guayaquill
I woke early so began to pack and was at breakfast at about 7:00 am. The newly arrived Exottica Group had questions and is not getting the extra day on the island. I’m glad we got it. Our airport shuttle is at 10:50 am and we were at the airport straight away. A small wait once there but soon on our way to Guayaquil. I got an upgrade to seat 2A and boarded first actually. I was also first off the plane. A first for me on both. We were picked up by Hotel Shuttle in Guayaquil and we stayed ay the Wyndham Garden Hotel near the Airport. I have a very nice king room and it will be very nice to take a hot shower, and sleep in a large clean bed. At about 6:00 I went next door to a Red Lion for a nice Hamburger and some Coca-Cola. Very nice way to decompress from the trip. An easy travel day.
January 26, 2024, Friday / Guayaquil, Ecuador
I slept very well and I have a late check out so easy morning repacking as I’ll check both bags through to Tampa. I enjoyed this hotel and took the 11:00 am Airport Shuttle. AA is not open as yet so time for KFC. I was kind of pleased with myself: I ordered from the kiosk, paid by iPhone, and got my food…simple. However, I had to have the lady next to me open my mayo packet…Oh well…not quite independent? I got through security and check-in without a problem and to my gate two hours before departure. Smooth process and a nice Airport. We arrived in Miami at about 7:00 pm and had the huge process of customs and secondary security. My Tampa flight was a little late and only an hour flight but still midnight before arrival. The DD and DW picked me up and we were home at about 1:00 am. Long day, but the trip was well worth it.
I was very pleased with Exottica. I thought giving us an extra day in Galapagos was better than staying in Guayaquil where there could be security concerns. They handled last-minute airline changes very well. Exceeded expectations and I will travel with them again. I’m setting up Bosque Travel as an affiliate.
Tour Guides
Carlos - a native of the Highlands, was our guide for four full days while in Quito, the Amazon Basin, Highlands. He was personable, knowledgeable, helpful, translating, and always Smiling. You can tell he loves his country. One of the best, in my top five, I have had in all my travels.
Boris - a native of San Cristobal, was adequate, but too much of a hustler for me. Does his job because it's his job. A bit lost in translation perhaps.
Christopher - (360 Excursion) 20 years on the island and was excellent and friendly. He knew how to manage groups of people.
Galapagos Dual Economics
Tourism here is based on the unique varieties of animals. Beaches are nice but found all over the world so it’s the unique species of animal that is the Galapagos. For years It had primarily been affluent American and European tourists who visited; however, during COVID-19 tourism wasn’t possible. The Ecuadorian government began to allow native Ecuadorians easy access to the Galapagos. The fee was now minimal so they were the dominant visitors for the past several years and restaurants catered to them. Now that full tourism has returned there are two styles of restaurants and tours. A local lunch averages about $6, and a tourist lunch $12. I had lunch from a local stall at Mann beach and it was good, but also not the quality of the standard. But Ecuadorian food has not appealed to me in general. The dual pricing also seen in other areas...so negotiate.
This adventure was one of my most unique and enjoyable experiences as a traveler.