Hey,

We did a cruise on the Eric last year, and there was an 83 year old who used a cane to get around. She did great. The crew were extremely solicitous and treated her like royalty. The hard-core photogs on board were practically planted in one place so their pace was really slow. Don't think you have any worries!

The Eric has some sister boats. They cruise within sight of each other but aren't like joined at the hip, really. It seems like they kind of sort out their passengers--families on one boat, grown-ups on another. We could have booked the cruise ourselves with Ecoventura who I think owns the boats, but we decided to go with a company called CNH Tours cause we had several parts of the trip to put together. They're a great company to work with; the owner used to live in the islands so knows them well and specializes in Galapagos trips. They have agents in Quito and Galapagos ready to assist if anything goes wrong but nothing ever did. Unlike what that Quovadis guy says, they don't charge thousands over the cruise cost; it was something like $100 and they organized the whole thing, side trips and all. We found the company on Trip Adviser very recommended there.

We're booked to go on Celebrity Xpedition ... from what I understand, they have long walks and short walks, the latter of which is sometimes combined with a zodiac cruise along the shoreline. You might want to check and post your question on the thread linked below on CruiseCritic for first hand advice from those who have already been.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1504555

There most DEFINITELY are provisions for helping you on and off the pangas. Some folks call it the "Galápagos handshake." The guide and crew (usually 2 for each panga) grasp your forearm with one hand and use the other hand to steady you down into or up out of the panga. We were on an Elderhostel/Road Scholar trip in 2009 (we were the babies of the group, at ages 59 and 60), and even the steadiest among us used this transfer technique every time. The crew wouldn't let you do otherwise--it's their job to make sure you don't end up in the sea! So absolutely no worries there.

Walks on the islands are typically 2 - 3 hours (perhaps 3 km max?) at a very slow pace. There's just so much to see, learn about, photograph, etc. The paths, generally speaking, are wide and flat--and you have to stay on them. On a couple of our landings, we had to maneuver a bit around some large boulders. But the pathway was clear. We never had what I'd consider a rocky path. You might want to avoid the climb to the top of the extinct volcano on Baltra, though. It's a beautiful view--allegedly the most photographed spot in the archipelago--but you have to climb ~370 shallow stairs.

When we went, I was having some major lower back issues, so I took a collapsible hiking stick. I used it on any landing that wasn't just along a beach. I was very grateful for it--it came in handy for a quick stretch or to lean on for a rest. If you decide to take one along, be sure to pack it in your checked luggage.

Every person on the boat has a personal flotation device--you have to wear them every time you're in a panga. Several non-swimming folks on our trip wore them snorkeling and they worked like a charm. They bobbed around like buoyant corks with the rest of us and they had a terrific time. Definitely give it a try--the marine life is just as fascinating as the land wildlife!

If you haven't already found it, you can read lots of general information about choosing a cruise and what to expect on my trip report blog. The most popular links can be found under the header photo of the Giant Tortoise.

Tina
trip report at http://galapagos2009.wordpress.com/