Passion

Accommodations Review

The Passion with 15 passengers was just the right size. It was neat, clean, comfortable, and had a nice layout. Our suites were a nice size. The boat is big enough to find a secluded spot to sit and read or watch the water. Some of the décor is outdated, but all is well maintained and functional.

Meals Review

We ate all the time! Everyone looked forward to the snacks and meals. The food and service were gourmet first class. A lot of local dishes made eating interested and tasty. The chef accommodated the picky eaters and those with food sensitivities.

Crew & Guides Review

Rafael was friendly, smart and informative. He was extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic in all areas of science and nature related to the Galapagos. He did a super job of timing our excursions so that we were rarely around other groups and saw so much wildlife. One of our fellow travelers has a PhD in geology, and she was amazed at how much Rafael knew about the geology. Rafa also kept a watchful eye on the ocean when we were voyaging to other places which led to several sightings of whales and dolphins.

Itinerary Review

[We most enjoyed] It's hard to say because everything was so amazing. Snorkeling with penguins, iguanas, turtles and a variety of fish was our favorite. [We least enjoyed] Nothing. The airport was a bit chaotic, but that's almost by definition!

Transportation Review

We made our own transportation arrangements to and from Quito and for our few days in Quito. Andrew at AdventureSmith made sure that the plans I made seamlessly led right in to the main part of the trip.

AdventureSmith Explorations Review

Everything was so carefully planned and laid out. We never felt unsure about the next step. All of the fees, and expenses were completely and accurately take care of. They gave us excellent advice on tipping the crew and guides, which can be awkward. They even arranged our return trip mandatory COVID test to be done at our hotel. I already have told several friends and acquaintances about our marvelous experience and how AdventureSmith took great care of us.

Traveler Advice

Definitely do the Galapagos on a small boat with 20 or less travelers and a top notch crew. We got to see and do so much on our excursions because we were able to quickly get into the small launches and get to the island or snorkeling spot. We became friends with all the staff and other passengers so that the trip was comfortable and relaxed.

Accommodations Review

All I could say is I was so pleased with the accommodations and everything. I took pictures and show them to my friends and they could not believe the yacht that I was on.

Meals Review

I enjoyed that I had the opportunity to experience some Ecuadorian cuisine and everything was very tasty and tender and delicious.

Traveler Advice

Just that they should be prepared for the best trip ever!! 

AdventureSmith Explorations Review

Taylor was like my private coordinator. I was always asking her questions and she was very quick and thorough with responses and would even anticipate what the next question might be. Her demeanor is very helpful, warm and welcoming. Sometimes I would think to myself I can’t believe all that she is doing for me. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Taylor C.

Crew & Guides Review 

Luis, our naturalist, was so extremely knowledgeable, sweet and considerate. Since I was traveling solo and not very experienced at snorkeling he would take my hand and point sea life out to me. Luis gave a presentation every evening before dinner, complete with slides of explanations of what we were going to see and the schedule for the next day. I cannot compliment Luis enough. He was extremely knowledgeable and very kind, considerate and compassionate to everyone on the trip. He took his job/responsibility very seriously. Was always concerned for everyone's safety. Amazing!!!!!

Accommodations Review

M/Y Passion is an older vessel but they take great pride and care in it. I'm glad we chose Stateroom 5 as it was above deck and we avoided engine noise and were able to regulate temperature in the room easily (the AC was COLD). Everything else was in tip-top shape!

Meals Review

I really can't say enough about the chef. No main dishes were repeated. The food was excellent and plentiful. Everything was tasty and presented beautifully. I loved the Ecuadorian dishes. I was very impressed with their creativity and being able to accommodate a passenger who could not have dairy or gluten, without making them feel like they missed out on something. There is nothing that could be improved from my experience with that chef.

Crew & Guides Review

If I could give something higher that excellent I would. We had Rafael, who grew up on islands and is an ornithologist (studies bird, specifically sea birds). His knowledge and experience about everything Galapagos is unmatched. His passion and enthusiasm is infectious. He was genuinely excited when spotting things for us and teaching about everything. His goal was to make us feel like we had the islands to ourselves for a trip of a lifetime and he delivered. Even though you can't avoid other tours, he worked the schedule to time visits to get the most personal experience possible. This sometimes meant our morning snorkel was before breakfast but totally worth it!

Transportation Review

The only arrangement made were our Galapagos flights to and from mainland Ecuador and it was all easy.

Itinerary Review

[We most enjoyed] The variety of snorkeling because we were able to see everything on the list! I loved to see specific species both on land and under the water. For example: snorkeling with marine iguanas feeding on algae and swimming, then visiting a place where there are hundreds of them sunning themselves in an island. [We least enjoyed] If I had to pick one it would probably be the visit to Floreana Island to see the tortoises in the highlands. After seeing the giant on Santa Cruz the day before it was a little underwhelming. The hike and learning about the original settlers was fascinating though. I'm glad we did the stop but it is not one I would need to repeat if I went again.

AdventureSmith Explorations Review

Lauren was amazing. Everything was so well prepared, I didn't worry about anything and whenever I had a specific question, she would contact the tour company and get it answered to me better prepare for the trip. For example, I knew things not included (alcohol, tips) were cash only on the boat. She was able to get me exact pricing for those things so we knew how much to bring. Were were way more prepared than some of fellow passengers! I also especially appreciate all of the ongoing communication, travel tips, and updates.

I normally make all of my travel arrangements and bookings because I enjoy researching and figuring it all out. Visiting the Galapagos is expensive and I wanted to do it right. Having Lauren do the work for this part of our trip was amazing and she is top notch! When the time comes to go to Antarctica, I will call on AdventureSmith Explorations again!

Traveler Advice

Spend the extra money and book a small vessel (no more than 16 people). You will get more time to see the sights. I also suggest an 8-day itinerary because it gets you to the outermost islands. Must have items: good sunscreen, sun hat, sun shirt, sea sickness medication, sense of adventure, and flexibility.

Accommodations Review

I've only demoted it to "very good" because our shower did not not have great water pressure and we would run out of hot water if all the guests went to shower at the same time, and our boat was only at half capacity. I had to time my shower when I thought no one else would be using theirs. We also had a hard time controlling the temperature in the room. The AC would pump from an overhead vent and despite mentioning the problem to the crew it did not seem to improve. They also didn't have fins in my size, and Im a standard small to medium, and we were at half capacity. These are all very minor complaints....only mentioned if they are looking for areas to improve. They boat and crew really were amazing.

Itinerary Review

Im a biologist so visiting the Galapagos has always been a dream of mine. We were celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary so decided to take one of our bucket list trips. I enjoyed the snorkeling most because I love all things marine bio and love being in the water. Swimming up close to sea lions, cormorants, penguins, and marine iguanas are my favorite memories. My biggest disappointment was on the first morning we were supposed to snorkel at Devil's Crown but the guide changed our location to Champions Islet. I was pretty disappointed because I had mainly based this boat for this itinerary which included that snorkel site. Other boats were visiting it, so it wasn't because conditions would not allow, it was simply guide preference. Champions Islet turned out to be amazing, and I had a great time snorkeling there; but all the research and planning that goes into a trip like this, and then to have the first snorkeling excursion changed on you for personal preference was a hard pill to swallow. I wondered if he was basing his decision on the abilities of the rest of the guests, when my husband and I are strong swimmers and really wanted to snorkel there. I eventually got over it, and the guide probably made the right choice for various reasons. And no sites/excursions were bad, but my least favorite were the tortoise breeding center and human history on Floreana.

Meals Review

The food was amazing. There was not a single dish I did not like, and while I normally don't consume that much food I never felt uncomfortable due to its freshness and excellent preparation.

Transportation Review

We handled our own transportation in Quito and to/from the airports; but your arrangement with the ship and airlines for all of those details was seamless.

Crew & Guides Review

Our guide was Fernando and he is from Ecuador and has been guiding/working in the Galapagos for 30ish years. He was very knowledgeable and friendly. Seemed to take a low key approach which made it feel like a vacation and not just an educational field trip.

AdventureSmith Explorations Review

Lauren did great. She answered all my questions in a very timely manner. She was honest and transparent and I appreciate that. We seemed more prepared and to have better knowledge of the ship and what to expect than many of our shipmates, so thank you.

Traveler Advice

Go!  Don't walk, RUN! It's worth every penny and lives up to all the hype, and then some.