Rating: Luxury Price from: From £5145pp for 7 days
Operates: All year.
Class: Luxury.
Specifications: La Pinta is a 207 foot expedition cruise ship with a maximum speed of 12-14 knots.
Cabins: La Pinta has 24 cabins accommodating a maximum of 48 passengers. All have private bathrooms, closet space, telephone and connections for ipods, MP3 and MP4 players . Cabins are air conditioned and have large picture windows. There are many inter-connecting cabins, useful for family groups.
Facilities & Crew: On the main deck there is a dining room serving Ecuadorian and international cuisine, a reception area and boutique. The boat deck houses the library, conference room, exercise room, observation lounge and bar as well an outdoor bar, sun deck and Jacuzzi. There is WiFi internet access in designated areas. She carries snorkelling equipment, short wet suits (for use between June and December), sea kayaks and a glass bottomed boat, free for passengers to use. The ship is air conditioned throughout. There is a crew of 25 plus including a doctor plus 3 naturalist guides.
Itineraries: La Pinta offers 4, 5 and 8-day itineraries.
Children: Children of all ages are welcome and there is a Young Pirates programme aimed at children aged 7 to 12 years
Health: The Galapagos Islands are not a malarial area.
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0"La Pinta has just been renovated, and it was a joy to be aboard. We spent four nights/five days exploring the northern islands of the Galapagos archipelago. The cabin was spacious with a large (non-opening) floor to ceiling window. The en suite bathroom, though compact, was modern. The whole expedition was run like a well-oiled machine, and yet still remained personal. There is a lot of getting on and off the ribs to visit the islands, so guests need to be reasonably fit and agile. The staff and guides cannot do enough for you. Although short, it was a very intense cruise with two or three activities a day (always with a rest time at some point). Everything has been thought of: snorkelling gear, life jackets every time you're on the rib, walking poles for trekking, even metallic water bottles to reduce plastic waste. Details of each day's activities are posted on screens. The lounge area is spacious. The upper deck has a lovely canopied area for meals al fresco. The food especially the buffet breakfast and lunches was a very high standard. There were often little snacks to be hand on return from a visit or snorkelling. The guides were enthusiastic and passionate about the Islands and their preservation. This experience has spoiled me for all future expeditions!!"