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Cruise Ship Eclipse - 8 Day Cruise
important information
- Departure Days:
- 8 days: Saturday
- Capacity:
- up to 48 passengers
On the Galapagos Islands, the Eclipse is one of the most luxurious cruise ships. The vision for this yacht is to introduce a new level of comfort and elegance to Galapagos trips. It accommodates only half the number of passengers than other vessels of the same size. This cruise ship will preserve the smaller boat atmosphere and the attention to detail. It offers an alfresco dining area for all 48 passengers, a naturalist guide for every 16 passengers and a library with video room. It is equipped with such amenities as air conditioning, a 20 ft. pool, observation deck, a fresco dining area, and an entertainment center with library, stereo and VCR & TV. Extremely comfortable and attractive, with sober decoration, Eclipse's cabins and staterooms are among the largest of any vessel in Galapagos. The suites are located on the highest boat deck and have convertible sofa and a bathtub. Staterooms on the Boat Deck include a guest chair and have either one queen-sized or two twin sized beds. Double and singles are located on the main deck and have either two-twin or queen bed arrangements. All cabins have ocean view and panoramic windows.
Technical Specifications: |
| Length |
64 m |
| Beam |
12,5 m |
| Speed |
14,5 knots |
| Capacity |
up to 48 passengers |
| Crew |
ca. 29 + 3 natural guides |
| Itinerary Overview |
| Saturday: |
Island Santa Cruz – Las Bachas |
| Sunday: |
Island Santiago – Puerto Egas / Island Bartolome – Pinnacle Rock |
| Monday: |
Island Santa Cruz – Cerro Dragon / Island Rabida |
| Tuesday: |
Island Isabela – Tagus Cove – Elisabeth Bay |
| Wednesday: |
Island Fernandina – Espinoza Point / Island Isabela – Punta Vicente Roca |
| Thursday: |
Island Santa Cruz – Charles Darwin Station– Highlands |
| Friday: |
Island Española – Gardner Bay – Suarez Point |
| Saturday: |
Island Santa Cruz – Black Turtle Cove / return flight |
Detailed Itinerary:
Saturday: Arrival to Baltra / Santa Cruz - Las Bachas
Morning arrival on Baltra Island where you firstly will pay the National Park Entrance Fee before you will be met by your guide and be transferred to the dock to board the boat. Here you will start your cruise. In the afternoon you will visit the long sandy “Las Bachas” Beach. Here you encounter sea lions, herons and marine iguanas and with good luck penguins. You also have the opportunity to swim offshore of this soft white sand beach. Snorkelling enthusiasts can explore the fascinating underwater world as well.-/L/D
Sunday: Island Santiago - Egas Port / Island Bartolome
Today you will land at Santiago Island, also known as James, or San Salvador Island, which is the fourth largest island in the archipelago. The influences of the former salt mine workers and their imported animals are still alive on the island. The last tries to populate Santiago Island were given up forty years ago. Visit the dark sand beach with a lot of marine iguanas at Egas Port after a wet landing. After a short walk of about 2 km along the coast you will reach the cliffy lava coast with natural pools where sea lions take a bath and herons and other sea birds are as well local. Additionally you can encounter a small group of sea bears. The surrounding area is good for spotting and observing colonies of sea lions, red sally light-foot crabs, lava iguanas, Galapagos buzzards and lava herons. Arriving at Bartolomé you will ascend a lookout point from where you can admire the spectacular panorama of the Sullivan Bay and the famous needle shaped rock, the so called Pinnacle Rock. The beaches at the foot of the Pinnacle Rock boast some fine snorkeling spots from which you can discover the marvelous underwater world with a good chance to encounter penguins or the softly gliding turtles. B/L/D
Monday: Island Santa Cruz - Cerro Dragon / Island Rabida
In the morning you will visit Cerro Dragon. This mountain is an excellent spot for observing land lizards, wading birds and Darwin´s finks. In the afternoon you will make an excursion to the small volcano island Rábida with its dark red beach. A small path there leads you to the little lagoon, which is often visited by flamingos. On your way to this lagoon you will pass nesting pelicans and other sea birds. The beach of Rábida Island is considered as one of the most beautiful places to go snorkeling. Because of a huge richness of fishes you can also observe a lot of sea lions there. B/L/D
Tuesday: Island Isabela - Tagus Cove – Elisabeth Bay
This day will lead you to the largest island of the archipelago, Island Isabela. With a surface of 4588 sq.km the isle engages more than the half of the land area of whole Galapagos. After a dry landing you will visit the notorious Tagus Cove, which was historically used as an anchoring place for pirates, buccaneers and whalers. Around the deep blue bay you can observe a large number of blue-footed boobies perched on the ledges of the cliffs, as well as marine iguanas, penguins, brown pelicans, brown noddy terns and swallow-tailed gulls. A steep trail passes through an area of dry vegetation and volcanic landscape with scalesia woods and cactuses. You will reach Darwin Lake, an extremely salted and green crater lake. During a short hike you will explore the scenic uniqueness and beautiness of Isabela Island. You can also enjoy the unique underwater world of this island during a snorkeling trip. Then you will go to the mangrove area of Elizabeth Bay with little islands off-shore. Here you can see little dwarf penguins as well as schools of manta rays, turtles and other giants of the ocean such as whale-sharks and more. The mangrove woods are the home of different seabirds and herons. B/L/D
Wednesday: Island Fernandina - Espinosa Point / Island Isabela - Punta Vicente Roca
In the morning you will visit Fernandina Island which is not only the westernmost but also the youngest and most pristine Island found in Galapagos. The last eruption of the volcano La Cumbre in 2005 created huge interesting fields of lava. Punta Espinoza, one of Fernandina’s visit points, is situated within a fascinating lava scenery with Lava-Cactuses and on the surface of the lava growing mangroves. Beside this unique scenery you will come in contact with numerous animals here. The highlights are sea lions, penguins, the flightless cormorant (especially in spring and summer) and one of the biggest iguana colonies of Galapagos. Do not miss a snorkeling trip during which you have the possibility to explore the beautiful underwater world. Located at the ‘mouth’ of the head of the sea horse, which forms the northern part of the Isabela, is Punta Vicente Roca, an interesting rock formation. Here the remnants of an ancient volcano form two turquoise coves with a bay well protected from the ocean swells. With good luck you can observe penguins in the deep blue sea. Masked and blue-footed boobies and pelicans sit perched along the point and the sheer cliffs, while flightless cormorants inhabit the shoreline. B/L/D
Thursday: Island Santa Cruz - Charles Darwin Station – Highlands
Today you anchor at the harbour of Puerto Ayora on Island Santa Cruz. Beside its rank as homestay for sea lions and pelicans, the marina is a popular starting point for round-the-world-yachtsman. The island itself has come to be both touristic and scientific center of the archipeleago. The Charles Darwin Research Station and the Galapagos National Park offices are based on Santa Cruz Island. The station encompasses an information centre, a museum, a library and the tortoise breeding station as well. Here you will have an opportunity to visit some of the best scientists of the Galapagos. Park rangers and park managers among others, who make huge efforts to preserve this Unesco World Heritage Site, conduct the conservation of the islands. In the tortoise breeding and rearing centre you can encounter tortoises of different subspecies, which are prepared for reintroduction to their natural habitats. The most popular inhabitant of this island is probably Lonesome George. He is the only survivor of his specific turtle species. In the past all approaches to find a partner for him failed. But in July 2008 the scientists found a carved nest wit nine eggs from a female tortoise. Three of them could be saved and now accordingly to strict instrcuctions they are incubated syntheticly. In the afternoon you will visit the highlands of Santa Cruz. The lush landscape is a welcome contrast to the arid scenery of the smaller, lower islands. On your way you will cross the different zones of vegetation, from the dry lower region full of cactuses to the woods of scalesia in the highlands. Points of interest are the famed lava tunnels, a fun and geologically informative visit. During the visit of a hacienda in the highlands you can observe the Galapágos giant tortoises in their natural habitat. B/L/D
Friday: Island Española - Gardener Bay – Suarez Point
Española is the southernmost and oldest island of the Galapagos archipelago. Because of its isolated position you can explore a lot of endemic wildlife. Gardener Bay is on the eastern shore with turquoise shot coloured water and a magnificent beach. Around the small islets nearby, snorkelers will find lots of fish and sometimes turtles and sharks. The bay is also frequented by a transient colony of sea lions which like to swim with you. Birds, like the endemic Hood-Mockingbird and different species of Darwin finches, are omnipresent. In the afternoon you will have an excursion to Point Suarez which is one of the most outstanding wildlife areas of the archipelago, with a long list of species found along its cliffs and sand or pebble beaches. In addition to five species of nesting seabirds there are the curious and bold Española Island mockingbirds, Galapagos doves and Galapagos hawks. Several types of reptiles, including the marine iguana and the oversized lava lizard, are unique to this island. When heavy swells are running, Point Suarez is also the site of a spectacular blowhole, with thundering spray shooting 30 yards into the air. The walkabout on a stony path is about 2km (duration about 3 hours). B/L/D
Saturday: Island Santa Cruz - Black Turtle Cove / Baltra - flight back to mainland
Today you visit the nearby Black Turtle Cove, a nesting site for marine turtles. With good luck you can observe different types of sharks in the calm water, so for example the white-tipped shark or schools of golden mustard rays as well. Afterwards you will be escorted to the airport of Baltra island and from there you will fly back to Ecuador mainland. B
B: Breakfast / L: Lunch / D: Dinner
| Prices 2010 per person: |
Deluxe Stateroom.
Boat Deck Cabins 17-20 (Queens & Triples) |
USD 5,500.- |
Superior Staterooms.
Boat Deck Cabins 21-28 (Twins & Doubles) |
USD 5,100.- |
Staterooms.
Main Deck Cabins 3-15 (Twins & Doubles) |
USD 4,600.- |
Single Staterooms
Main Deck Cabins 1, 2 |
USD 4,800.- |
Single supplement:
Stateroom: 50 %
Superior or Deluxe Stateroom: 100%
Discount for children under 12 years: 25 %
Except Eastern, Christmas and New Year
Included in the price :
All transfers in Galapagos, cruise on board of the ECLIPSE in double accommodation with all facilities, English speaking naturalist guide, purified water free to drink.
Not included in the price:
flights mainland to/from Galápagos (e.g. Quito – Galapagos – Quito USD 429.- per person), entrance fee to Galapagos National Park USD 100.- per person, migration card USD 10.- per person, beverages, tips, personal items, insurance.
NB Itinerary is subject to change without previous notice, due to weather conditions, operational matters, National Park Authorities advise, or Captain´s decision for passengers security.
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