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A 2026 Guide to Disney Cruise Line’s Castaway Club Loyalty Program

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We detail all the Disney Cruise Line Castaway Club tiers and benefits so you can…

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Disney’s Halloween on the High Seas Cruises: Here’s What You Need to Know

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Carnival vs. MSC Cruises: Which is Better?

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HX Galapagos Cruise Review: What Sailing Santa Cruz II Is Really Like

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We sailed HX’s Santa Cruz II in the Galapagos after 100+ cruises. Here’s what surprised…

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Don & Heidi

Welcome Aboard! We are Don and Heidi, the husband and wife travel team behind EatSleepCruise.com. We took our first cruise vacation together 17 years ago and have been hooked ever since. Follow along as we share our expert travel tips, cruise reviews, information on ports of call, and the latest cruise news to help you plan the ultimate cruise vacation. Are you ready to embark on your journey to “sea the world, one port at a time”?

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After 100+ cruises, this Galapagos expedition cruise rewrote every rule we knew. Join us for 9 days across the Galapagos Islands aboard HX Santa Cruz II as we break down whether a galapagos cruise is really worth it, from the wildlife to the honest cost of an hx expedition. 💲Save BIG with MEI-Travel cruise deals: https://bookmeicruise.com/?apid=escy 🌎Save Up to 40% On Shore Excursions: https://www.shoreexcursionsgroup.com/?id=1603014 Up Next: Best Cruises for Adults: https://youtu.be/43tXZ0XIwng Subscribe to the Eat Sleep Cruise YouTube Channel if you love to travel and cruise the world! https://www.youtube.com/@Eatsleepcruise1 🛳️ FREE CRUISE PLANNING GUIDE: https://eatsleepcruise.com/cruise-planning-guide As guests of @HXExpeditions were hosted on this press trip, but all opinions are our own. 🚢 THE SHIP: SANTA CRUZ II A Galapagos expedition cruise isn't a typical cruise. We sailed the Santa Cruz II on HX's "Nine of the Best Isles" route. The smallest and oldest ship in the HX fleet. No balconies, no pool, no key cards, and a tiny 150-square-foot oceanview cabin. It's a basecamp, not a resort, and after two days we genuinely stopped caring about the ship. 🐢 THE WILDLIFE The Big 15 is the Galapagos version of Africa's Big Five. After nine days we saw 11 and a half. Giant tortoises in the wild, hundreds of marine iguanas on Fernandina, penguins, sea lions, fur seals, flightless cormorants, boobies, frigatebirds, flamingos, plus turtles, sharks, and rays underwater. The route you pick decides what you see. 🥾 THE DAYS Some outings started at 6 AM, some finished at 6 PM. Guided walks, snorkels, panga rides, and glass-bottom boats, with a licensed naturalist on every landing. Carlos, our main guide, was the highlight of the trip. This is an active trip with no elevator and wet panga landings, so we're honest about the fitness it takes. 🍽️ DINING & WHAT'S INCLUDED One restaurant, the Beagle. The food was passable, not a highlight, and we explain why the destination deserves more blame than the kitchen. But almost everything is included: round-trip flights from Quito to Baltra, two nights in Quito, all meals, drinks, Starlink WiFi, snorkel gear, wetsuits, park fees, gratuities, and more. We never signed a bill all week. 💰 IS IT WORTH IT? These trips run roughly $800 to $1,500 per person per day, and HX sits in the middle. We break down the real cost, the surprisingly friendly solo-traveler pricing, and exactly who this trip is right for, and who should skip it entirely. If you're planning a trip to the Galapagos Islands and weighing a Galapagos expedition cruise, this review covers the ship, the wildlife, the guides, the food, and the honest bottom line before you book. 0:00 What It's Really Like In the Galapagos Islands 0:35 It Is Truly an Expedition 1:04 Expect Packed Days 1:52 Starting the Day in Baltra and Santa Cruz 3:11 The Demands of a Galapagos Cruise 5:11 Day 2: Isabela and Fernandina 6:08 Snorkeling Is a Huge Part of the Trip 8:01 Day 3 A “Port Day “ in Puerto Egas Santa Cruz 9:35 Guides Shape the Entire Experience 10:27 Floreana’s Post Office Bay and Devil’s Crown on Day 4 13:43 Day 5: Las Bachas Beach on Santa Cruz 14:10 Day 6: Santiago’s Buccaneer Cove and Puerto Egas 16:00 A Morning on Rabida on Day 7 16:43 Bartolome Iconic Views in Afternoon 17:33 The Final Day on Genovesa 19:21 The Big 15 Is the Galapagos Wildlife Checklist 20:17 Life Onboard Santa Cruz II 23:37 What’s Included on an HX Galapagos Expedition 25:55 Who Should Visit the Galapagos 26:31 The Cost of Galapagos Cruises #Galapagos #GalapagosCruise #GalapagosIslands #HX #HXExpedition #ExpeditionCruise #GalapagosExpedition #SantaCruzII #GalapagosExpeditionCruise #CruiseReview #CruiseTips #EatSleepCruise #WildlifeTravel #BucketListTravel ----TRENDING VIDEOS FROM EAT SLEEP CRUISE------ Best Cruises for Couples: https://youtu.be/fenNj5GmLdM Cruise Essentials We Always Pack: https://youtu.be/xa-0mxKWkeo What Its Really on a Viking River Cruise: Join us on Social Media as we “Sea the World, One Port at a Time.” Instagram: https://instagram.com/EatSleepCruise Facebook: https://facebook.com/EatSleepCruise Twitter: https://twitter.com/EatSleepCruise TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eatsleepcruise Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/EatSleepCruise Question – Which cruise line are you sailing on in 2026? Affiliate link: Some links above may earn us a small commission at no extra cost to you. Disclaimer: This video is not sponsored. Some links may be affiliate links. Thinking about a galapagos cruise of your own? This honest hx expedition review walks through the Santa Cruz II ship and cabin, the Big 15 wildlife we spotted, the naturalist guides, the dining, and everything included in the fare, so you know exactly what a Galapagos expedition cruise actually delivers before you book..
Our Galapagos Expedition Cruise Was Nothing Like We Expected (After 100+ Cruises)
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