Description
Embark on a Galapagos expedition cruise for the ultimate bucket list adventure! This 4 Star expedition programme includes international airfares and begins with 2 nights in Quito. As one of South America’s most charming capitals, this World Heritage city of graceful Spanish-era architecture is packed with cosy restaurants and small artisanal shops. From here we’ll go on a nature walk in stunning surroundings, as well as experiencing a vibrant open-air market.
After we fly to the Galápagos, step aboard Santa Cruz II – our comfortable and stylish expedition vessel ideally suited to remote adventures. You’ll take part in an unforgettable cruise and experience the very best the UNESCO protected Galápagos has to offer. The onboard facilities are excellent, and you can look forward to mouth-watering dishes prepared by our chefs, as well as comfortable cabins to relax in after each exciting day of discovery.
This Galapagos cruise visits the best islands for iconic wildlife & scenery. You will set foot on the island of giant marine iguanas and snorkel alongside the cliffs where you will see green sea turtles and fur seals. This cruise also visit the island of Santa Cruz ~ home of the giant tortoises and the Charles Darwin Research station.
INCLUSIONS
Galapagos expedition cruise with all meals including beer & wine. Free wifi on board as well as English speaking expedition team. You’ll get closer to the natural wonders with the use of our small expedition boats, kayaks, snorkelling gear and paddleboards. There’s a wide range of activities to choose from, and the Expedition Team will guide you on shore visits. Safety and sustainability are always at the core of our operations, and our aim is to leave the smallest footprint behind wherever we go. Secure your trip from just a 25% deposit. Talk to us about airfares! See tabs below for departures, prices and a full list of inclusions.
INCLUSIONS
2 Nights in Quito before the expedition cruise, including breakfast and dinner on Day 2
Return flights in economy class between Quito and Baltra
All transfers
Full-day excursion: Historic Quito & Middle of the World, including lunch, before the expedition cruise
Galápagos Islands National Park admission fee
Transit Control Card for Galápagos Islands
Access to airport lounge at Guayaquil or Quito airports upon return from Galápagos Islands
4 Night Galapagos Expedition cruise
Breakfast, lunch and dinner including beverages (house beer and wine, sodas, and mineral water)
Complimentary tea and coffee
Complimentary Wi-Fi on board. Be aware that we sail in remote areas with limited connection. Streaming is not supported
Complimentary reusable water bottle to use at water refill stations on board
German- and English-speaking Expedition Team who guide activities and provide educational information onboard and ashore
Welcome and farewell cocktails
Onboard Activities
Use of the ship’s Science Center which has a library, microscopes and samples
Citizen Science programme allows guests to assist with live scientific research
Professional onboard photographer gives tips and tricks for the best landscape and wildlife photos
Use of the ship’s hot tubs and gym
Landing Activities
Landings, hikes, coastal exploration, and activities including kayaking, snorkeling, and our glass-bottom boat
Complimentary wetsuit rental
Notes
All planned activities are subject to weather conditions
Your flight from Baltra will be to Quito. If you wish to end your expedition in Guayaquil, please advise your booking agent
Quito’s altitude is at approximately 9,350 feet above sea level and during your stay, you might experience mild altitude sickness
Excursions and activities are subject to change
Please make sure you meet all entry and boarding requirements
No gratuities expected
SHIP & HOTELS
THE SHIP ~ MS SANTA CRUZ II:
Built in 2002 | Refurbished in 2021 | Passenger Capacity 90
This sleek, spacious ship has a layout that allows guests to enjoy their sailing in all aspects. Enjoy delicious food in the nice restaurant, learn with fellow travellers in the Science Centre or maybe mingle out on the many decks? While exploring the Galápagos, you’ll have the ability to actively engage in activities and encounters. After a day in Darwin´s footsteps, you will enjoy coming home to a casual atmosphere with the best service there is. MS Santa Cruz II is environmentally sustainable and socially conscious with the local community, the operation is carbon neutral.
CABINS:
Explorer Cabin (EH) ~ 15 sqm
With comfortable spaces and large picture windows to illuminate the interior spaces and allow guests to take in the views, these cabins offer elegant areas to relax after a day of active exploring.
There are 23 Explorer cabins located on the Horizon deck.
HOTELS:
Sheraton Quito, Quito (5 Star Hotel)
HX HURTIGRUTEN EXPEDITIONS
This package is subject to HX Hurtigruten Expeditions Terms and Conditions.
DESTINATION & PASSPORT REQUIREMENTS:
Exploring the world shouldn’t be stressful, and with each of our unique destinations having different entry requirements (Identification, Visa, Vaccination Status, etc.) it can be confusing to get the right information for your passport. This is why we have pulled together all the information with the help of our partners at Smartvel to ensure you have everything you need to plan your next adventure with us.
Like with any international travel, A valid passport is essential, as it’s the only accepted identification document. The passport validity must be in accordance with national requirements in the country/countries you will visit AND have a minimum of 6 months remaining validity at the end of your cruise.
To comply with clearance requirements in some destinations, we collect guests’ passports during check-in. Please be assured that your passport is kept in a secure location throughout the expedition cruise and will be returned to you at the end of your stay with us.
SMARTVEL TRAVEL TOOL:
To ensure you are ready for your upcoming expedition cruise, our partnership with Smartvel means you can find out the specific destination requirements for you.
Enter your information and details about your upcoming trip into the portal.
The portal will confirm the specific destination requirements for your trip (Inc. Passport, Visa, Vaccination Requirements, Covid-19 Requirements)
Carefully read the requirements and select the ‘+’ next to ‘travel documents’ to find specific destination requirements (Inc. Passport, Visa, Vaccination Requirements, and COVID-19 requirements.
If you are transiting through another country, fill out the ‘transit’ section to find out the required documents.
Should you have any issues finding your requirements, please see the additional destination requirement information below.
Click on the link below to find out what you need to do to enter the country you are sailing from.
Please Note: We are unable to accept any liability if you are denied access to a flight or entry into a country or are otherwise affected by difficulties or costs resulting from your passport not being approved or if you have not obtained the required documentation. It is your responsibility to ensure that you comply with any mandatory visa or travel documentation that is required at the time of travel.
MEDICAL SCREENING FORM:
At HX Hurtigruten Expeditions – we explore some of the world’s most remote locations and as such,in many of these locations, sophisticated medical services are few and far between. Medical care at sea is limited, and often emergency sea and air services may also be inaccessible, particularly in the polar regions. It is therefore vital that you make us aware of any current or past health issues.
The Health, Safety and well-being of you our guests and on-board crew are our top priority, and we want to ensure that all our guests are fit for travel. On board all our ships, we will have a qualified physician, which have a small, limited medical facility with basic medical supplies and equipment. Still, that makes it more difficult to diagnose and treat even the simplest conditions. This often leads to missed diagnosis, worsening conditions, a greater burden of chronic disease, and in some cases, unnecessary costly medical disembarkations.
Our expeditions often explore remote regions, where sophisticated medical services are not readily available. To minimize the risks to your health, it’s vital that guests on Antarctic sailings make our medical partner, Vikand, aware of any current or past health issues via a Medical Screening Form.
The form is assessed by Vikand, a maritime medical specialist.
As such we require all guests (including children) to submit and complete the Medical Screening Form before departure to Antarctica.
How to complete the Medical Screening Form?
All forms consist of two sections – The guest section and the Doctor’s section. Both sections need to be filled in and signed. If your own doctor refuses to sign the form, please contact an alternative doctor, or use online doctor services to fill in the form. Vikand Medicals is also offering a digital appointment service to support the Medical Screening Form process. This appointment can be booked through the Vikand portal.
The Medical Screening Form can be filled out by a doctor and by a DO (Doctor of Osteopathy) or Physician’s Assistant (PA).
People who can NOT fill out a Medical Screening Form:
Nurse Practitioner
Advance Nurse Practitioner/ Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN)
Pharmacist
Nurse (RN or RNA)
EMTs
Or any other medical-related professional who does not have a doctor’s certificate/ licence.
Upon submitting your Medical Screening Form, you will receive an e-mail confirmation to the e-mail included within your submission form – please also check Spam / Junk Folders as they could appear here. If you still haven’t received any confirmation within an hour of submitting your form, please contact Hurtigruten Customer Service, and we can get a confirmation e-mail sent to you.
If you have submitted your Medical Screening Form within 4-8 weeks from departure, you should expect to receive the results within 3 working days (if submitted more than 8 weeks out, it might take longer for results to come through). If the screening team has a doubt about the passenger’s safety to join the Expedition sailing to a remote destination, an additional week might be needed to get a second opinion.
Please note: We are only accepting the Medical Screening Form available through the Vikand portal which has been specially designed for HX Hurtigruten Expedition sailings to remote destinations.
Appointments with Vikand
Vikand Medicals is also offering a digital appointment service to support the Medical Screening Form process.
This appointment can be booked through the Vikand portal
The cost for an appointment with Vikand’s online doctor is 165 EUR, which is to be made payable at the time of booking – Vikand accepts both Visa and Mastercard. (In case of cancellation within 24 hours from the booked time or missed appointment, there is a service fee of 50 EUR which is non-refundable.)
Once you have made your appointment booking, you will receive a confirmation e-mail, that will include all the details of the online meeting room. Here, you will meet with one of Vikand’s doctors for your digital appointment.
Please Note: When you submit the Medical Screening Form, you will receive a Submission ID – which is your form’s tracking ID. When uploading the Doctor’s section of your medical form, or when using Vikand’s digital appointment service, it is important that you use this ID to ensure both sections of the Medical Screening Form are linked together. If you don’t use the Submission ID, this can delay the process and approval of your medical screening.
SHIP MANIFEST INFORMATION FORM:
All guests joining an expedition cruise must submit the Ship Manifest Information Form no later than eight weeks before embarkation.
GDPR & Data Protection
In completing this form, you are providing us with personal information which we process in accordance with the GDPR and our Privacy Policy. The information contained in sections 1-5 is essential information that is processed either on the basis of contractual necessity or in order to comply with legal obligations placed on us. The information in section 6 is not essential but may help us to make your trip more comfortable. By providing us with this information, you are giving us your explicit consent to process that data for this purpose. You can see more information about how we handle your data by following the link here.
VACCINATIONS AND VIRUSES:
The safety of our guests, our employees, and the communities we visit is our priority. We’ve partnered with experts in health and safety to design and implement protocols and procedures across our expedition fleet. You may require vaccinations for your expedition. Please consult your doctor for information on the vaccines you need for your expedition.
Yellow fever
Certain parts of South and Central America, along with our West African destinations, are located in what is classified as the “Yellow Fever endemic zones”. This means all travellers above the age of 9 months must receive the yellow fever vaccination before travelling to these regions. Please note this does not include travellers only visiting Antarctica.
The certificate for the yellow fever vaccination is only valid from 10 days after you receive the vaccination. If you have not had the vaccine in time, you may be denied entry to these areas or instructed to quarantine for up to 6 days. If such a situation occurs, Hurtigruten Expeditions cannot accept any liability.
If you need a vaccination certificate for the country you are visiting, but you are not able to have the vaccine due to medical reasons, contact a yellow fever vaccination centre or your doctor. They may provide you with an exemption certificate, which may be accepted by officials in countries that usually require a vaccination certificate.
Zika virus
Zika virus is also detected in Central and South America and Africa so we advise you to talk to your doctor to understand the risks, especially if you are trying to get or are pregnant.
Additional Information
When travelling to countries known to have a risk of yellow fever or Zika virus transmission, we also advise guests to ensure they bring suitable long-sleeved shirts and pants to wear when out on an expedition along with their own supply of insect repellent.
We also recommend seeking medical advice about yellow fever and Zika virus as it is a mandatory requirement for some areas in South and Central America as well as West Africa. You can find out more information about your destination via these links here:
https://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/home.aspx
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list/
ADDITIONAL TERMS:
Hurtigruten reserves the right to remove availability at any time, potentially affecting unconfirmed bookings.
Hurtigruten reserves the right to increase sale prices due to availability.
All planned activities are subject to weather and ice conditions.
Excursions and activities may change.
Ensure all entry and boarding requirements are met.
No gratuities expected
Hurtigruten uses a flexible pricing system, with prices subject to availability and capacity control.
The 7 Day Money Guarantee does not apply to this package.
ATTEMPTED ROUTE, ICE CONDITIONS DEPENDENT
Our Attempts are voyages where we challenge the elements in true expedition style. As we explore these remote and captivating areas in a safe way, our adventure will ultimately be guided by nature. If weather, sea or ice conditions do not allow our planned navigation, our experienced crew will deliver an adapted itinerary. Flexibility and our deep knowledge of the area combine to give you an amazing exploration experience.
OFFER:
By purchasing this package, you agree to MyHoliday2’s Terms and Conditions and the specific terms detailed in each information tab of the package.
The package is valid for one person based on twin share.
Bookings are subject to availability.
SINGLE TRAVELLERS:
For solo travellers, a mandatory single supplement applies:
– From $4,000 per person [prices vary according to departure date, contact us for an exact quote]
Accommodation for single customers on a tour or cruise package may be in a single room, subject to availability.
CHILDREN POLICY:
Contact us for child options
AMENDMENTS:
Any amendments are subject to the supplier’s terms and conditions.
Any changes will incur a $100 per person amendment fee PLUS any additional fees applied by the supplier.
All changes must be requested in writing.
No changes can be made within 90 days of departure. The standard cancellation policy will apply.
If unable to select new dates, a credit valid for 12 months may be offered.
CANCELLATION POLICY:
Cancellations are subject to MyHoliday2’s Terms and Conditions.
Refunds and credits will be offered in accordance with MyHoliday2’s Refund Policy.
PAYMENT PLANS:
MyHoliday2 offers a variety of payment plans based on your tour departure date. Refer to our Terms and Conditions for details.
All payment plans incur a 2% surcharge, paid with the deposit.
If the wrong plan is selected, a $25 fee will be charged to manually amend all invoices.
TOURS, DRIVERS & GUIDES
Day tours included may involve joining larger groups.
Drivers do not provide information on tours.
Drivers may assist in organizing expert guides at certain locations.
Refer to INCLUSIONS for the type of guides included in this package.
For more information on guides, refer to the Terms and Conditions.
TRANSFERS
Refer to INCLUSIONS/EXCLUSIONS to determine if a transfer is applicable and the type of transfer included.
If you have booked your own flights, send flight details to booking@myholiday2.com.au to confirm transfers.
Contact details for our local tour operator can be found on your voucher in your online account.
GROUP TRANSFER
The timing of group transfers will be set to accommodate the majority of arrival and departure flights.
If you arrive early or depart late, you may need to wait or make your own way to the hotel or airport at your own expense.
As you clear immigration, look for a MyHoliday2 sign with your name.
PRIVATE TRANSFER:
As you clear immigration, look for a MyHoliday2 sign with your name.
OTHER INFORMATION:
A 25% deposit is non-refundable.
Prices are in AUD$.
Travel insurance is highly recommended; MyHoliday2 takes no responsibility for any travel issues that may arise.
MyHoliday2 pricing reflects current market rates which may fluctuate from day to day.
MyHoliday2 is not obliged to refund or match any subsequent price reductions after purchase.
Customers must obtain the correct visa for their destination and cover associated fees. Please check visa and travel requirements via the Smartraveller website.
For any medical-related information, refer to Smartraveller or contact a travel medical specialist.
Customers must ensure their passport is valid for at least 6 months beyond the intended stay.
MyHoliday2 pricing reflects market rates, so package prices may fluctuate, and refunds to match subsequent price reductions are not guaranteed.
Departures are not guaranteed until confirmation.
If advertised availability is not present post-purchase, another date selection is necessary.
