February plan: Integrity, Feb 1–14
Monique doesn’t sail Jan 28 – Feb 15, so the early-February pick is Integrity (Feb 6–13). Reina Silvia Voyager sails the identical route the same week for ≈ $4,300 less.
Integrity leaves only ≈ $1,000 under the cap once its recommended tips and a possible fuel surcharge are counted — treat it as a stretch option until we have a firm quote. Our flights (Feb 2 and Feb 13) miss the Carnival rush (Sat Feb 6 – Tue Feb 9).
Day by day
| Date | Where | What we do | Dinner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon Feb 1 | Boston → Guayaquil | Copa via Panama, arriving early evening. TRYP by Wyndham Guayaquil Airport. | Hotel restaurant |
| Tue Feb 2 | Fly to Santa Cruz | Guayaquil → Baltra mid-morning; $200 pp park fee in cash. Bus → Itabaca ferry → taxi → water taxi to Angermeyer Waterfront Inn. Swim at Las Grietas; gear fitting at Scuba Iguana. | Almar |
| Wed Feb 3 | Dive day 1 | Scuba Iguana Wednesday boat: North Mosquera + Seymour Channel (sea lions, reef sharks, eagle rays). | Charles Binford kiosks |
| Thu Feb 4 | Dive day 2 | Thursday’s boats: Gordon Rocks hammerheads — only if Scuba Iguana accepts our ~22 dives in writing and the guide is happy after Wednesday — or the Bartolomé / Cousins Rock boat (long ride, beautiful). Either way Friday stays free. | The Point |
| Fri Feb 5 | Honeymoon day | Tortuga Bay walk & kayak at Playa Mansa. Pack for the boat. (Last dive was yesterday — no issue for boarding at sea level.) | Eloise — the romantic dinner |
| Sat Feb 6 | Board Integrity | Carnival weekend starts — we’re already on the island. Highlands giant tortoises & Darwin Station, board in the afternoon. Ask Integrity where we join the group from Puerto Ayora (and keep the highlands visit). | Plated, house wine included |
| Sun Feb 7 | Española | Gardner Bay beach & snorkel; Punta Suárez — Nazca & blue-footed boobies, red-and-green marine iguanas, blowhole. | On board |
| Mon Feb 8 | San Cristóbal | Punta Pitt (all three booby species); Cerro Brujo beach facing Kicker Rock. | On board |
| Tue Feb 9 | Santa Fe & South Plaza | Giant land iguanas, sea-lion snorkel, red sesuvium carpets. | On board |
| Wed Feb 10 | Genovesa | Darwin Beach; Prince Philip’s Steps — short-eared owls, red-footed boobies, frigatebirds. | On board |
| Thu Feb 11 | Santiago & Bartolomé | Sullivan Bay lava; Pinnacle Rock summit & snorkel — best penguin chance this route. | On board |
| Fri Feb 12 | Rábida & Chinese Hat | Red beach & lagoon; snorkel off Chinese Hat. | Farewell dinner on board |
| Sat Feb 13 | Disembark → Guayaquil | Baltra → Guayaquil; Hotel del Parque. | Casa Julián — Valentine’s Eve |
| Sun Feb 14 | Home | Guayaquil → Panama → Boston on Valentine’s Day. (Staying to Mon Feb 15 adds ≈ $300+ for a hotel night & meals, and the fare needs repricing.) |
Rougher nights: Sat→Sun (to Española), Tue→Wed (to Genovesa), Wed→Thu (back from Genovesa). Last dive Feb 4 → flight Feb 13: plenty of margin.
Budget for two
| Integrity plan, Feb 1–14 | Cost |
|---|---|
| Integrity, Stateroom (king), 7 nights | $19,190 |
| Integrity domestic-flight fee ($50 pp) | $100 |
| Fuel surcharge, if applied (estimate — ask) | $300 |
| Boston ⇄ Guayaquil (Copa, Feb 1 / Feb 14) | $1,172 |
| Guayaquil ⇄ Baltra (with bag) | $680 |
| Park fee + Transit Control Card | $440 |
| TRYP + Hotel del Parque | $580 |
| Angermeyer Waterfront Inn, 4 nights | $1,500 |
| Diving: 2 days × 2 people + tips | $1,240 |
| Crew & guide tips (Integrity guidance $345–530 pp) | $880 |
| Trip insurance (w/ scuba) + DAN | $1,500 |
| Land dinners & lunches | $850 |
| Taxis, water taxis, misc | $500 |
| Premium drinks (house wine & beer included) | $100 |
| Total | $29,032 |
Questions to send before paying
- Integrity: can we have stateroom #9 (fixed queen), or a king set-up in #3–7 — confirmed in writing? Which is most central?
- Is a fuel surcharge being added to Feb 2027 sailings — how much? Can you share recent guest references?
- Are the stabilizers used at anchor or only underway?
- We’ll already be in Puerto Ayora on Feb 6 — where do we join, and how do we get to Baltra on Feb 13?
- Starlink: cabins or common areas only? Any data limits?
- Can you issue our Guayaquil ⇄ Baltra flights to waive the $50 pp fee?
- Honeymoon touches: cabin decoration, cake, private dinner on deck?
- Deposit, final-payment date, cancellation terms — and an itemized total including any card fees.
- Passion (if we go that way): is Stateroom #1 (queen) or #5 (king) free? (The others are twins — not an option for us.) When were cabins and bathrooms last updated?
All early-February options, all-in for two
| Option | Trip dates | Cruise | Boat fees | Rest of trip | All-in | Left of $30k | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Integrity — East | Feb 1–14 | $19,190 | $400 | $9,442 | $29,032 | $968 | Fees incl. $300 fuel-surcharge estimate; tips at operator guidance |
| Reina Silvia Voyager | Feb 1–14 | $15,398 | $0 | $9,322 | $24,720 | $5,280 | +$200 for drinks |
| Passion — East | Feb 1–14 | $17,800 | $400 | $9,642 | $27,842 | $2,158 | $50 pp domestic + $150 pp fuel; drinks & luxury-norm tips budgeted |
| Endemic, 5 nights | Jan 31–Feb 10 | $15,700 | $200 | $8,257 | $24,157 | $5,843 | Add Isabela: +$2,540 → ≈ $26.7k |
| Natural Paradise | Jan 30–Feb 13 | $19,890 | $400 | $9,451 | $29,741 | $259 | 2 nights San Cristóbal; fuel surcharge could add $300 more; GYE→San Cristóbal fare to price |
| Integrity — West | Jan 29–Feb 11 | $19,190 | $400 | $9,370 | $28,960 | $1,040 | Dives after the cruise; airfare for these dates estimated |