The Golden Age Of Travel Lives On In The Galapagos Aboard Quasar’s Expeditions’ Yacht M/V Evolution
The Galapagos Islands, Equator
The Great Gatsby Era of the 1920s and 1930s ushered in the Golden Age of Travel, which opened the far corners of the globe to journeys characterized by a new style and grace. This was the time of the Orient Express and millionaire luxury yachts. Exotic and romantic destinations offered a sense of adventure combined with a new level of comfort and service where how one traveled became as important as the destination.
This golden age lives on today aboard the M/V Evolution, where the destination is designed to be experienced as a voyage through one of the world’s most remarkable natural wonders, the Galapagos archipelago. By day travelers experience the magic of incredible underwater encounters with sea lions, sea turtles and Galapagos penguins; while terrestrial outings bring one eye-to-eye with hundred year old giant tortoise and the amusing antics of dancing blue footed boobies. You’ll enjoy hiking, snorkeling, swimming and kayaking all designed to get you up close to the islands’ many exotic and curious creatures with two dinghies to take you on outings.
The Golden Age of Travel was also known for service including that of one’s loyal guide. Your expert Galapagos National Park guide is no exception. One of our travelers’s put it this way, “I have never met such a brilliant nature guide. He has an affinity to the ecosystems that would be hard to beat and combines his natural ability, university education, passion and love for his islands into a world class guiding and education style.” The Evolution typically offers two guides during each voyage along with a cruise director serving as your concierge. Your home away from home among these timeless shores is your own 32 passenger expedition vessel, the M/V Evolution, designed to take you back in time to the luxury yachts of the 1920s.
From the rich wood paneling and brass appointments of the dinning saloon, to the rattan furnishings of the outdoor sky lounge under shade, the Evolution is designed to evoke the richness of a bygone era, while providing you with all the modern comforts and amenities, including a state of the art navigation system. Incomparable Galapagos snorkeling outings are capped off with a warming soak in the Evolution’s gigantic hot tub. The library is stocked with a rich collection covering the history and natural history of these islands made famous by Charles Darwin, whose voyage here in 1835 aboard HMS Beagle led to his earth shaking work, On the Origin of Species.
The spacious main saloon is surrounded by a great wrap around sofa; perfect to cuddle up on while watching episodes from our collection of the best DVDs about the archipelago on a large flat screen TV. Each cabin offers the spaciousness and comfort with old world charm and modern amenities that the Evolution is known for. Your cabin and on suite bathroom are cleaned twice daily during the voyage by, “a crew that knocks themselves out to treat the guests like royalty,” according to passenger Lee Lowrie.
You’ll never go hungry during your voyage with three square meals a day featuring a combination of both local Ecuadorian and international dishes (which have been written up on the web) from our full time chef and kitchen staff. Now is the time to take an adventurous step back in time to enjoy style and comfort aboard the Evolution in the Galapagos with Quasar. This charming 32-guest expedition yacht is ample enough to provide spacious staterooms, along with various social areas – including inside and outside dining – yet small enough for guests to be able to experience nature in an up-close and personal manner.
This artful combination of factors results in a yacht which offers excellent service, accommodations and attention to detail, while causing minimal impact on the environment. Staterooms & Bathrooms — Staterooms: All staterooms on Evolution have exceptional accommodations, private facilities, climate controls, safe-boxes and ample space to hang and store clothing. Stateroom prices vary according to their deck location and size.
Bathrooms: All staterooms have private bathrooms with hair dryers, amenities like those of any fine hotel and ample space to store toiletries. Public Areas — Evolution features a lounge with a bar and facilities for lectures, slide shows and films. The lounge also features a library with a wide range of books, movies and board games. The yacht featues both inside and al-fresco dining areas and a sky deck lounge on Albatross deck with a bar and beautiful rattan furniture.
At the bow of the yacht you will find a jacuzzi with lounge chairs for sunbathing and ample outside deck space. Special Features — Evolution features a Jacuzzi (great for your enjoyment after snorkeling) with lounge chairs for sunbathing, extensive outside areas, sea kayaks, snorkeling gear and wetsuits. There is a boutique onboard for purchasing ammenities and souveniers and a reception area where your cruise director can always be found.
The yacht features a fully equipped infirmary with an doctor onboard at all times. For family cruises, we offer our Kids Club with activities like star-gazing and movie nights. For these cruises we also offer child-oriented guides who organize learning activities and provide children with a kids expedition journal for their entertainment. A Sony PlayStation system console is available in the library as well as a wide range of board games and movies for children.
Children’s Menus are specially prepared for family Galapagos cruises. Meals and Dining — All meals are served in either the inside dinning room or the equally elegant al-fresco dining area at the stern of the yacht. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served buffet style and prepared by our specially trained chefs. Meals are served in wholesome quantities and in a variety of menus with tropical exotic fruits always available. Children’s menus, vegetarian menus, and other special menus are also available upon request.
(For questions on Galapagos Island travel or to make a reservation, please call: Mon – Fri: 9am – 6:30pm PST — TOLL FREE USA: 1.866.481.7790 — TOLL FREE UK: 0.800.883.0827 — WORLDWIDE: +1 415.369.0869 OR VISIT WWW.GALAPAGOSEXPEDITIONS. COM)
With Quasar Expeditions, one of the most experienced names in Galapagos travel for over a quarter century, you will encounter giant Galapagos tortoises, prehistoric marine iguanas and unique species of penguins, flightless cormorants and pink flamingos up close and personal. Guided along your Galapagos cruise by the finest and most experienced naturalists, you will feel like you are the first people to come across this natural paradise. To compliment your Galapagos tour experience, you will be treated to the special amenities and service found only on Quasar’s distinctive private Galapagos cruises, combining the service of a boutique hotel, while outfitted for a true expedition. See you in paradise!