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On the quays leading to a store lined main street, a scraggly group of hawkers fidgets nervously as they await the
imminent onslaught visitors. At curbside stands bearing English language signs, they will have short minutes to dispose
of their cheap straw hats, their gaudy tshirts. As the tenders deposit a regiment of humanity from the giant vessel anchored
offshore, noise and confusion erupt. A military band blares away. The first Galapagos cruise arrivals go dashing to a celebrated
perfume shop, while others rush to ranks of foul smelling tour buses or to stand in line for casino admission. That is
the scene encountered many times in a single week by Americans private yacht charter through the Caribbean on certain massive
galapagos islands cruises. Others, repelled by the urban qualities they traveled so many miles to avoid, are opting for a
wholly different seagoing experience, on a tiny ship one that accommodates a few passengers and goes to quiet ports
or secluded beaches. In a backlash from current mega cruiseship trends, a market is growing for yacht like vessels with shallow
drafts enabling them to go directly onto palm lined shores or to small marinas in cozy bays. Their customers often are an
affluent but unpretentious lot who relax on board in shorts and sandals, follow no schedules at all, and attend no ship events.
Ashore, they dine quietly in the fresh fish restaurant of a backwater town, or lie reading a paperback novel in a rope hammock,
hearing nothing but sea gulls and waves. Among the luxury motor yacht charter many of which are marvelous luxury galapagos
cruises that bring you that form of paradise are like that cabin boy you willll stumble in dazed excitement onto the
teakwood decks of an actual ocean schooner with sails as sleek as a greyhound, but with the tiny, cot equipped cabins you
would expect on so narrow a vessel. You have the run of the entire ship: bowsprit, even crow's nest and at the wheel and are
actually encouraged to help the professional crew with steering the ship. Each day you anchor off a quiet beach or tiny port,
to which your lunch is brought by kitchen crew wading through the surf. You live throughout in shorts and sandals, in sheer
relaxation or happy camaraderie with like minded, unpretentious, adventure seeking people from all over the world who have
heard of these renowned ships. You pay only $800 to $1400 for a six day cruise in most cabins, plus airfare from
the U.S. Persons. Since the budget galapagos cruise vary their itineraries each week, never repeating an island in succession,
numerous passengers opt for the two week pattern and spend their two intermediate nights exploring the port of embarkation
on foot, returning each night to the cruise tour to galapagos islands for meals and bed.
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