My friend and I took a cruise on the Origin in September. It was superb! I want to provide some details why.
We took the northern and western route. I am sure that we went to islands and areas that few tourists get to see because we didn’t see many other tourists on the outer islands. We saw wildlife activities…feeding, mating and nesting…that few tourists get to see. We saw just about every species we wanted to see. Your company has an excellent ability to get your ships into areas less frequently traveled.
The Captain and crew’s first priority during the entire cruise was the safety of the passengers and ship. During our first boarding of the Zodiac, we were taught how to hold onto the crew members arm to assist boarding and deboarding the Zodiac. Life jackets were always required on the Zodiac – no exceptions. The captain and crew are skilled in their various duties, as expected. But they all seem to love their jobs, as evident by the smiles that they always have on their faces. They are very friendly and outgoing.
A few comments on the Origin. It is well designed from our standpoint. The cabins have plenty of room for storing our clothes and fear. The bathroom is much roomier than typical cruise ships. The addition of baskets on the bathroom shelves ins a good feature to allow us to readily access our toiletries. The dining and lounge areas are also laid out very well. The layout facilitates passengers mixing early and often with each other and the crew. The outdoor grill on the upper deck is an especially nice feature. The exercise facility in the forward lower deck is another nice feature. We used it, but the daily rigors of the adventures of the cruise made additional exercise unnecessary. The fear and equipment used for our daily events, such as snorkels and masks, wet suits and fins, kayaks and paddleboards, were all well maintained and in good shape. The availability of a fresh water rinse tub on the stern is excellent for maintaining snorkel gear. I was impressed to learn that the Origin has its own desalinization plant on board. It confirms Ecoventura’s commitment to preserving the environment of the Galapagos.
The quality of the food was excellent. Our chef and his staff prepared some tasty meals and snacks. I fully expected this level of food service. I was pleasantly surprised by the consistent high quality of the scrambled eggs on the breakfast buffet. I know this may seem trivial, but it is an example of attention to details that the entire crew shows throughout our cruise. The crew maintained the vessel’s cleanliness throughout the voyage. The daily housekeeper in our cabin was also excellent. Considering the amount of sand that all of the passengers tracked back onto the ship, I consider this, again an example of outstanding attention to detail.
We are already looking forward to booking in the near future the southern itinerary so we can watch the mating ritual of the albatross.
William Stromberg, Fairhope AL
September 2018 MV Origin
Dear Mr. Dunn, Congratulations on Ecoventura!MV Origin, September 2018