Ultimate Luxury Aqua Mare East Galapagos Superyacht Expedition 8D7N (Baltra Island to Santa Cruz Island)

- The departure point is Baltra Island, Ecuador

- The departure point is Santa Cruz Island in Ecuador

- Major commercial flights provide convenient access to Baltra Island where the closest airport is Seymour Airport. Recommended flights with EQUAIR

The Galapagos Islands has a tropical climate with an average of 29°C and water temperature of around 25.5°C on average. The warmer months are followed by coolers months from June to November. The cool air and low temperatures from Antarctica reach the Galapagos Islands during this period.

The Galapagos Islands are on the equator and the climate does not vary dramatically over the year. The climate of the Islands can best be described as subtropical. There is, however, some variation driven mainly by the ocean currents. December to May can be best described as the warm season. This period brings a unique mixture of warmth, rain, and sun. This season is driven by the El Niño Current, which brings a warm current, thus making both the water and the land warmer; this season is also known for afternoon showers. June to November can be best described as the cool season. This season also makes a unique mixture in the climate, usually; cloudy, cool, and dry. The Humboldt Current is responsible for this; it brings a cooler current to the Islands, thus making both the water and the land cooler.

An elegant luxurious superyacht to complement the dramatic Galapagos Islands landscape. Accommodating a total of 16 guests, each of the seven individually designed suites including an 80 sqm Owner’s Suite aboard the Aqua Mare is a luxurious sanctuary to retreat into while exploring the beautiful Galapagos Archipelago. Designed by the Italian mega yacht designers Costruzioni e Riparazioni Navali (CRN) and outfitted by custom yacht interior designer extraordinaire François Zuretti, Aqua Mare stands out for her grand yet effortless sophistication, impressive large interior spaces, panoramic sundeck, and the lower deck multi-purpose ‘Beach Club’.

A striking aspect of the vessel’s suites is how curated prints from the Wallace and Darwin era of exploration complement soft interior furnishings, continuing the leitmotif of the islands’ dramatic volcanic landscapes. Perfected with soft carpeting and luxuriously paneled walls in walnut veneer throughout the entire vessel, sumptuous textiles, personally selected objet d’arts, and premium fittings, accommodation aboard Aqua Mare is one of subtle opulence befitting royalty.

• Design suites are some of the largest in the Galapagos Islands, including a stunning 861 sq. ft (80 sq. m) Owner’s Suite
• 7 luxurious design suites ranging from 172 sq. ft (16 sq. m) to 861 sq. ft (80 sq. m), inclusive of ensuite bathrooms, large windows, or portholes
• Each suite can accommodate two guests (with the exception of the Owner’s Suite 202 which can accommodate a maximum of four guests and Suite 103 which can accommodate a maximum of three guests)
• Ensuite bathrooms fitted with Italian marble, spacious walk-in shower, and overhead rain-shower
• Equipped with pampering organic natural hair and bath amenities
• Premium king-sized, double, and twin beds
• Large closets with electronic safe
• Wall-to-wall carpeting
• Full walnut veneer wood paneling
• All suites are fully air-conditioned

Panoramic Main Lounge: An impressively large space with beam-to-beam windows. The center of the space is furnished with a stately U-shaped sofa where guests may find respite after morning and afternoon excursions, watch lectures on two large flatscreen televisions presented by our expert naturalist guides, or curl up with a signature Assouline edition of Darwin’s ‘On The Origin of Species’.

Aft Outdoor Dining Area: the perfect location with its sweeping views. Enjoy communal meals at the grand 16-seater table or simply watch the surrounding islands from the comfortable daybeds at the aft of the yacht.

Beach Club: Located at the lower deck, it serves as an extension of the dynamic Galapagos Islands landscape and boasts a swimming platform from which many excursions are launched. This room serves as a pre-excursion briefing space and is also ideal for guests to come together to swap stories after a busy day of activities, or simply take advantage of the wraparound sofa, large panoramic windows and flatscreen TV for a lazy family movie night indoors.

Sun Deck: The Upper Deck’s teak sun deck is the ideal spot to take in the stunning panorama of the Galapagos Islands. Offering spectacular 360-degree views, it is furnished with a shaded al fresco dining area, barbecue section, outdoor seating with wraparound lounge sofa, jacuzzi, and convertible workout zone. It is the ideal space for an early morning guided meditation, sunset cocktails, evening grill party, and to enjoy the clear night skies of both northern and southern hemispheres.

Jacuzzi and Lounge Daybeds: Cool down from your active excursions by plunging into our six-person jacuzzi while enjoying exceptional volcanic views of the Archipelago. Soak up the warmth of the Galapagos sun on the lounge daybeds and while lazy afternoons away with your favorite show on the large television screens on either side of the jacuzzi.

Outdoor dining and seating area: The sun deck panoramic dining area is ideal for al fresco lunches, sunset cocktails, evening barbecues and breath-taking stargazing, thanks to its two communal dining tables. Enjoy all-day dining here or simply admire the surrounding landscape views in absolute comfort.

Watersports equipment: a comprehensive suite of top-of-the-line, non-motorized watersports equipment, including snorkeling gear that guests choose for the duration of their itinerary including masks, fins, snorkels, as well as optional shorty wetsuits, eight double kayaks and two stand-up paddle boards.

Onlyluxe Travel acts as travel agency and work with different tour operators.

Payment Detail
All pricing is in Australian dollars and are quoted on a per person twin share basis. A supplementary price is available (see below). Bookings are not confirmed until full payment and the signed Booking Form has been received by Onlyluxe Travel.

A non-refundable 30% deposit is payable within 7 days of your booking, with the final balance due 60 days prior to departure. If a booking is made 60 days or less before departure, the full payment is payable immediately. Last minute bookings are payable before arrival. Failure to pay on time may result in automatic cancellation of a booking with cancellation penalties payable to Onlyluxe Travel. If you pay by credit card or PayPal a surcharge will be added to the total price.

Single Supplement
All accommodation is twin share. Single guests will share with someone of the same gender. If a single room is demanded, a supplementary price of will apply. The supplementary price refers to our quotation and needs to be stipulated at the time of booking.

General Cancellation Policies
- Outside of 60 days monies will be refunded less 30% of full fee
- Within 60 days prior to arrival all monies will be forfeited
- No refunds will be given in the event of non-arrival, any unused services or unused nights due to flight or weather disruption
- We strongly recommend guests protect themselves with travel insurance and medical insurance

Please Note: Cancellations must be advised in email and will take effect from the date they are received.

We strongly recommend guests protect themselves with travel insurance.

Pre-Existing Medical Conditions and Age Limits
You need to advise the tour operator on any pre-existing medical condition, mobility impairment and/or disability that might reasonably be expected to increase the risk of your requiring medical attention, or that might affect the normal conduct of a trip and the enjoyment of other trip members. The tour operator may require an assessment of your medical condition from a qualified medical practitioner. If you fail to adequately notify the tour operator of any pre-existing medical conditions and/or disability, the tour operator reserves the right, at its reasonable discretion, to cancel your participation in a trip at any time, including after the commencement of your trip, with no right of refund if your medical condition, mobility impairment and/or disability could be reasonably expected to affect the normal conduct of the trip and the enjoyment of other trip members.

Liability
The participant agrees to indemnify Onlyluxe Travel, and its servant, tour operator and agents, in relation to any liability, loss and damage which the tour operator, or its servants and/or agents may incur as a result of the participants, negligence or misconduct during the tour.

Smoking is not permitted on the bus, or in tents or in other accommodation being used by tour operator at the time that a trip is being conducted.

Child Policy
Please consult travel consultant on age limit.

Changes to Itineraries
Local conditions may necessitate changes to sightseeing, walking and driving routes, camping and accommodation locations. While every effort will be made to provide the services and experiences as offered in our brochure, on our website, and in our trip letters, we reserve the right to vary your itinerary. In the event that we are forced to change your arrangements, substitute arrangements of a similar standard will be provided. The tour operator will not be liable where interruptions to itineraries are caused by weather conditions, technical problems to transport used by the tour operator, industrial action, political or civil commotion or other circumstances beyond our control. We refer you to the conditions regarding travel insurance.

Changes in Prices
While we will do its utmost to honour its pricing unforeseen circumstances may mean that prices may be subject to change without notice.

Pre-Existing Medical Conditions and Age Limits
You need to advise Onlyluxe travel and the tour operator on any pre-existing medical condition, mobility impairment and/or disability that might reasonably be expected to increase the risk of your requiring medical attention, or that might affect the normal conduct of a trip and the enjoyment of other trip members. Onlyluxe Travel and the tour operator may require an assessment of your medical condition from a qualified medical practitioner. If you fail to adequately notify the tour operator of any pre-existing medical conditions and/or disability, the tour operator reserves the right, at its reasonable discretion, to cancel your participation in a trip at any time, including after the commencement of your trip, with no right of refund if your medical condition, mobility impairment and/or disability could be reasonably expected to affect the normal conduct of the trip and the enjoyment of other trip members.

Cancellation by The Tour Operator
The walks take place in very special wilderness settings. The tour operator is at the mercy of nature in all her beauty and all her fury. The tour operator will under no circumstance knowingly place at risk the health and well-being of our guests and guides. In the case of natural threats, acts of God and the like (e.g. bushfires, impassable snow, etc) the tour operator may need to cancel a walk with very little notice. In some cases, this can occur after the walk has commenced. The tour operator reserves the right to cancel any walk up to 60 days prior to departure if a minimum of 4 walkers are unable to meet for a tour. If the tour operator needs to cancel for any reason, the cost of the walk or any other costs associated with travel to the designated pick up point, overnight accommodation, meals, etc will not be covered by the Onlyluxe Travel and therefore we strongly recommend travel insurance be taken out prior to travel.

Force Majeure
'Force Majeure' means (without restriction) any event which Onlyluxe Travel or its third party providers could not, even with due care, foresee or avoid. Force Majeure covers events such as, but not limited to, adverse weather conditions, fire and all similar events beyond our control. In the case of Force Majeure Onlyluxe Travel will not accept liability, and reserves the right to change and cancel trips.

Evacuations
In rare circumstances, due to injury or unforeseen illness, the tour operator may need to evacuate you from a remote part of the walk. Helicopter evacuations are expensive and in most cases will be at a cost to the customer.

For Australian residents, under the Australian Government Medicare Act, it is prohibited for any domestic travel insurance product to provide any financial reimbursement with regard to ambulance or air ambulance services. We therefore strongly advise our customers to take specific ambulance cover through their health insurance provider. Evacuation cost will not be covered by the Onlyluxe Travel and therefore it is also strongly recommended that our customers take out travel insurance to cover (amongst other things) the costs associated with evacuation.

Travel Insurance
In view of the heavy cancellation penalties applied to cancelled reservations in certain circumstances, we strongly recommends suitable travel insurance be purchased at the time the holding deposit is paid. We recommend insurance cover that covers any loss which may be suffered due to cancellation. We also strongly recommend comprehensive travel insurance against loss of baggage and medical expenses.